Game of Thrones: Kingsroad – The RPG That Could Revive the Fandom

PREVIEW – I spent 8 hours playing Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, an open-world RPG, and I get why you’re skeptical, but it’s surprising how much it mirrors Assassin’s Creed. While it doesn’t hide its mobile game roots, Kingsroad stands out with its ambitions and, most importantly, its fun factor.

 

Fourteen years ago, Game of Thrones redefined expectations. It brought fantasy into the mainstream, stepping away from the epic morals of The Lord of the Rings and Dungeons and Dragons. It also reshaped how we viewed TV, merging cinematic quality with sky-high budgets. Yet, what the series never truly conquered was the realm of video games. The franchise has had little success in this field. So, when HBO and Netmarble, a studio renowned for its mobile games, unveiled Game of Thrones: Kingsroad in October 2024, it raised eyebrows. Was it too late? Was it targeting a fanbase that had moved on? Both, perhaps. But after playing for 8 hours, I have to admit that, while a decade overdue, it managed to surprise me.

Yes, the world has indeed moved on since the series’ heyday, and the divisive ending of the show marked the point when many fans abandoned the ship they had sailed, suffered, and laughed on. This makes the road ahead for Kingsroad both challenging and uncertain. However, one thing is clear: Netmarble isn’t trying to rival the biggest RPGs on the market but instead is carving out a niche in a tough global landscape. Fans may understandably see this as a missed opportunity for something greater. Perhaps that perception will shift closer to the launch, but for now, what’s on offer—despite its rough edges—is consistent and entertaining.

 

An Open World That Thrives on the Series’ Legacy

 

Set between the third and fifth seasons of the series, Kingsroad makes its intentions clear: if you haven’t watched the show or read the books, you’ll feel lost. This is not a standalone project like Middle-earth: Shadow of War or Insomniac’s Spider-Man, where prior knowledge isn’t required. Here, it’s essential. The story revolves around Mance Rayder’s impending assault on the Wall, and you, as the heir of the newly created House Tyre — a customizable character in both class and appearance — are tasked with uniting the kingdoms to confront the looming threat.

Sound familiar? If you’ve watched the series, this premise will undoubtedly ring a bell. Although I’ve only scratched the surface of the story, its setup closely mirrors the later seasons of the show. The game strives to immerse players in an experience closely tied to the series, offering a sense of connection while also overshadowing it. While Kit Harington and Lena Headey are absent, Jon Snow and Cersei make appearances as characters, which is a major draw for fans. The game situates itself during the series’ prime, right before its controversial decline, and this setting alone is likely to attract viewers. Accompanying this is a visually and narratively consistent presentation, with polished cinematics — though the northern visuals feel lackluster compared to the more vibrant southern regions — and strong character designs.

But the appeal doesn’t stop at familiar faces. Kingsroad draws heavily from David Benioff and DB Weiss’ adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, translating that vision into its open world. Stretching from the Wall to Dorne, Netmarble has recreated the visual essence of HBO’s production. Whether the game allows full open-world exploration, such as roaming freely through King’s Landing, is unclear, but the map is undeniably expansive. The design adopts the Assassin’s Creed formula, where exploration is story-driven — starting in the North, with certain areas locked until the narrative progresses.

The challenge, however, lies in the depth of the world. Whether due to the studio’s limitations or mobile hardware constraints, don’t expect a richly layered environment. Taking cues from Ubisoft games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and even Ghost of Tsushima, Kingsroad provides tasks to keep players engaged — such as solving puzzles or managing resources to upgrade kingdom structures — but lacks vibrant, diverse side quests. Instead, the game’s landscapes serve primarily as backdrops for encounters with northerners, bandits, or wild animals, guiding players from one objective to another with occasional detours for resource gathering or item upgrades.

 

Combat and Role-Playing: Flawed but Entertaining

 

So, how does Kingsroad play? From the start, it’s clear that the mobile roots of the game are still present, with its interface and gameplay mechanics borrowing from touch controls. However, Netmarble’s ambitions remain intact. The three available classes — rogue, barbarian, and soldier — each bring unique moves and abilities to combat. While all of them stick to the traditional setup of light attacks, heavy strikes, and dodges, the controls feel responsive and offer satisfying visuals, making occasional battles enjoyable.

Following in the footsteps of Assassin’s Creed, the game introduces basic combos paired with cooldown-based special abilities and a rage meter. Though not groundbreaking, the rage meter spices up combat by dividing abilities based on how much rage is consumed. This system discourages spamming the strongest moves and encourages a mix of dodging, charge attacks, and ranged strikes. The result is a combat system that edges towards being a pseudo-soulslike. Instead of regenerating health, players rely on health potions and basic stealth mechanics. Sound familiar? It’s reminiscent of Assassin’s Creed gameplay from seven years ago.

Still, Kingsroad has its share of give-and-take. Combat offers moments of fun — especially with the rogue class, which has the most dynamic moveset, including flashy kicks, somersault dodges, and cinematic executions — but the AI leaves something to be desired. Most enemies are little more than damage sponges, though boss fights stand out. These adversaries, such as a giant transformed into a White Walker, demonstrate better awareness by blocking attacks or retreating to avoid further damage.

The RPG elements are shallow but not absent. Kingsroad leans heavily into action-adventure territory, with role-playing taking a back seat. Small decisions and a relationship system based on trust and world impact add light RPG touches. Additionally, players can navigate a skill tree — or rather, three skill trees — focused on attack, defense, or utility, such as crafting arrows without a blacksmith. This approach makes the game’s progression grind-heavy, pushing players to keep playing to unlock more content.

Netmarble’s mobile-first philosophy is evident. While the game avoids predatory monetization practices — there are no stores or battle passes at the time of writing — grinding is unavoidable. Unlocking a skill tree branch might yield just a 1% damage or armor boost, nudging players to repeat weekly objectives, explore the map for secrets, or farm items to sell. This gameplay loop, akin to Genshin Impact, has its appeal and suggests Kingsroad could end up as a free-to-play title. Time will tell.

 

Set for release in 2025

Game of Thrones: Kingsroad is a peculiar project. Slated for release sometime in 2025, it knows its limits but still manages to entertain. Despite its flaws, my lowered expectations allowed me to enjoy the 8 hours I spent playing, and I’m curious to see how it evolves upon release.

-Gergely Herpai “BadSector”-

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