A Game of Thrones: The Board Game - Digital Edition
- October 6, 2020
- Dire Wolf
- 4h median play time
A functional, basic board game port isn't enough to truly shine off the tabletop.
Get on Steam"A Game of Thrones: The Board Game – Digital Edition" is a strategy game based on the novels by George R.R. Martin. Players represent Great Houses, vying for control of Westeros through diplomacy, planning, and military might. The digital adaptation supports up to six players online, or single-player with AI opponents. The game is set in the fictional world of politics, intrigue, and warfare found in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series.
iPad
iPhone
Mac OS
PC
Phone
Windows
Android
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- Faithful adaptation of the board game with smooth gameplay and a user-friendly interface.
- Great for playing with friends online, especially during times when gathering in person is difficult.
- The game captures the strategic depth and political intrigue of the Game of Thrones universe.
- Multiplayer is plagued with bugs, often resulting in game freezes and players being unable to rejoin matches.
- The AI is predictable and lacks challenge, making single-player less engaging.
- No turn timers for online play lead to frustrating experiences when players go AFK, causing long wait times.
- stability90 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of severe bugs and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay, especially in multiplayer modes. Many players experience frequent crashes, inability to rejoin games, and game freezes, rendering it nearly unplayable for some. While a few users report minimal issues, the overwhelming consensus is that the game is plagued by instability, making it frustrating and unreliable.
“This version plays just like the board game and is mostly bug-free, but seems to be actively correcting the few issues.”
“The multiplayer is buggy as hell; two multiplayer games both had to be forfeited due to glitches.”
“This digital version of the game is almost unplayable because it is incredibly buggy, meaning most games you play will not be finished.”
“The game is broken and buggy.”
- gameplay89 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the digital adaptation of "A Game of Thrones: The Board Game" is characterized by its intricate mechanics that blend diplomacy, warfare, and strategy, offering a rewarding experience for those willing to invest time in learning the rules. While the user interface is praised for its intuitiveness and the digital format streamlines management tasks, many players report significant bugs that can disrupt gameplay, particularly during multiplayer sessions. Overall, the game is well-received for its faithful adaptation and engaging mechanics, though it may not appeal to casual gamers due to its complexity and occasional technical issues.
“The game's mechanics are a blend of diplomacy, warfare, and cunning strategy, making each session feel like a true battle for Westeros.”
“Excellent gameplay and no random dice element for battles means this is a truly scintillating smorgasbord of strategic gameplay!”
“A 'Game of Thrones: The Board Game' had the potential to be an immersive experience in the world of 'Game of Thrones,' but I was deeply disappointed by the numerous bugs that plagued my gameplay, particularly one critical issue where player turns would get stuck, rendering the game unplayable.”
“The gameplay experience was marred by an overwhelming number of bugs.”
“The main buttons seem to do different things in different situations, which makes for confusing gameplay.”
- graphics37 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beautiful design, detailed maps, and immersive art style that reflects the source material. While many players appreciate the visuals and smooth performance, some report minor graphical glitches and bugs that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's aesthetic successfully captures the essence of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" universe, though some feel that more focus on gameplay mechanics could enhance the experience further.
“The game's graphics are beautifully designed, with detailed maps of Westeros and animated character models.”
“The art style is based on the books, and the music and sound effects immerse players in the world of 'A Song of Ice and Fire.' The attention to detail in recreating the setting is commendable.”
“Great job on the graphics.”
“Numerous glitches in notification and other graphical issues.”
“Poor graphics (they didn't even make unique models for castles...), animations, bugs, no customization (I mean visual and game modes).”
“Graphics could be better.”
- music17 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music and sound effects in the game effectively immerse players in the world of "A Song of Ice and Fire," with many praising the thematic fit and attention to detail. However, some users expressed disappointment over the absence of an original soundtrack by Ramin Djawadi, suggesting that a more engaging and reactive music experience would enhance gameplay. Overall, while the music is generally well-received, there are calls for improvement to better align with the series' iconic sound.
“The art style is based on the books, and the music and sound effects immerse players in the world of 'A Song of Ice and Fire.' The attention to detail in recreating the setting is commendable.”
“It is very polished, great theme and soundtrack.”
“Love the music and sound effects.”
“One negative might be the music.”
- story16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's story mode offers engaging scenarios inspired by the "Game of Thrones" universe, providing players with specific objectives and challenges that enhance replayability. While single-player missions are enjoyable and serve as effective tutorials, some players have reported frustrating bugs and AI issues that detract from the experience. Overall, the narrative elements are appreciated, but there is a desire for more content and improvements in future expansions.
“These set you up in scenarios from the Game of Thrones universe and give you specific objectives to complete; it was such a fun surprise to find this story mode style gameplay.”
“The story mode poses some difficult and intriguing challenges.”
“The challenges are missions that come from situations in the books, like for example you play as the Lannisters and have to rescue Tyrion from the Eyrie.”
“The AI cheats relentlessly, and even on the hardest difficulty, it is so stupid. One of the campaign missions is literally impossible to complete. I have attempted the 'Growing Strong' (the first Tyrell) mission 8 times now, always playing to the last turn, and never once has the 'Muster Units' tactics card been drawn, even though that's the purpose of that mission.”
“Supposedly there's a story, but I mean... in a way, every game you play is kind of a story, so I don't know.”
“You have a few extra missions (5), but that's it.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while the variety of houses and unpredictability of human opponents enhance replay value, limitations such as a 10-turn cap and lack of skirmish options detract from it. Additionally, time constraints and the uneven playability of certain factions can hinder the ability to fully explore the game's mechanics. Despite these drawbacks, there is potential for engaging gameplay if players can navigate the challenges.
“The game is quite interesting and replayable, especially if you try the different houses.”
“This variety, combined with the unpredictability of human opponents, adds significant replayability to the experience.”
“The mechanics and strategy of the board game leave a lot of room for replayability.”
“The 10-turn limit and lack of configurable skirmish options just gives this game very low replay value.”
“I would recommend it, especially if it had the more densely packed Mother of Dragons expansion, but as it is, it just lacks replay value.”
“The mechanics and strategy of the board game leave a lot of room for replayability, but with time constraints and schedules, it is difficult to get it to the table often enough to really play it from all angles.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its smooth performance and user-friendly design, though players express a desire for further optimization improvements. The aesthetic appeal is also noted positively, contributing to the overall experience.
“The game runs smoothly, and the aesthetics are nice.”
“I can't wait to see more optimization put towards the game.”
“As I said, it's very user-friendly, and everything runs smoothly on it (unlike Talisman).”
“I can't wait to see some more optimization put towards the game.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for being overly aggressive, with frequent advertisements for other games and a perceived lack of care from developers regarding bugs and overall quality, leading some players to view it as a cash grab.
“It's clear the developers really didn't care much as many of the bugs took years to fix, and they're constantly advertising other games down your throat in the menu.”
“I would rather never play the board game again than waste my time on this pathetic cash grab any further.”
“Fake advertising.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that the computer version alleviates the tediousness often associated with setting up and playing the board game, as it automates many details. However, some still find the grinding aspect of the game to be a significant pain point, detracting from the overall experience.
“This is the main pain point making playing the game very tedious.”
“I could never get my hands on the actual board game as I heard it was very tedious to set up and play, so I'm glad this was released. It had been a while I had been waiting for an actual strategy game on Steam.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players generally find the humor in the game to be enjoyable, often highlighting interactions with friendly and funny teammates. However, there are occasional encounters with less sportsmanlike players, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is praised for its comedic elements.
“During five games, I met friendly and funny players.”
“Really great game, very funny.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive graphics, which effectively enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the attention to detail and the ability of the visuals to evoke emotions and set the tone for the gameplay. Overall, the combination of stunning visuals and a well-crafted environment contributes significantly to the game's captivating atmosphere.
