Reigns: Game of Thrones
- October 18, 2018
- Nerial
- 5h median play time
Long may the spirit behind this licensed game reign.
"Reigns: Game of Thrones" allows players to rule the Seven Kingdoms as various characters from the Game of Thrones series, making decisions by swiping left or right to maintain balance and fulfill demands of the kingdom. Each character brings unique challenges and storylines, and players must carefully navigate political relationships and manage resources to extend their reign and survive the impending winter. With a formidable cast, this game offers a unique blend of strategy and narrative for fans of the series.
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and engaging experience for fans of Game of Thrones, with a humorous take on the lore and characters.
- It features a unique gameplay mechanic that combines decision-making with a card-based system, providing a variety of outcomes and scenarios.
- The soundtrack and art style are well-received, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion in the Game of Thrones universe.
- Many players find the gameplay repetitive and frustrating due to the randomness of outcomes and lack of clear decision-making impact.
- The game suffers from bugs and technical issues that can disrupt progress and lead to a loss of saved data.
- New players may struggle to understand the mechanics without prior experience with the Reigns series, leading to confusion and a lack of enjoyment.
- gameplay33 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title is characterized by its simple mechanics and decision-based structure, making it accessible and easy to pick up, especially for fans of the "Reigns" series. However, many players find the gameplay repetitive and frustrating due to confusing mechanics, random elements, and a lack of depth, leading to mixed reviews overall. While some appreciate the integration of "Game of Thrones" lore and the engaging art style, others criticize it for being tedious and poorly balanced, suggesting it may appeal more to casual gamers than those seeking a deeper experience.
“The artwork, sound, and overall appearance is very pleasing and the gameplay is pretty easy to pick up on.”
“If you enjoy decision-based gameplay and simple but addicting mechanics, this is for you.”
“It's taking the simplicity of mechanics that you would find in a mobile game and bringing the fun and depth you would expect from a PC title.”
“After 5 hours of gameplay, my progress is just gone for what exact reason?”
“This terrible attempt at a 'game' is a waste of time riddled with pointlessly unfair RNG instead of the mechanics that blessed the earlier 'Reigns' titles.”
“The gameplay is usually a or b and not very captivating.”
- music25 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the fantastic soundtrack that draws directly from the "Game of Thrones" series, enhancing the overall experience. While the gameplay may not be as engaging, the evocative sound design and beautiful compositions are considered standout features, making the soundtrack worth the price of admission for fans. Overall, the music is described as a highlight, with some suggesting it could be enjoyed independently from the game itself.
“The soundtrack is fantastic.”
“Great fan service, and by far one of the best soundtracks in a game.”
“The music is excellent, especially if you are a Game of Thrones fan.”
“Must be the soundtrack which let people forget that they only got a click simulator.”
“But if you play this for the soundtrack alone, you might as well save your bucks and start up a YouTube compilation of the soundtrack.”
“For the reason stated above, I do not recommend this game but it may be worth getting on sale just for the music.”
- story21 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the integration of Game of Thrones elements and the opportunity to explore new storylines, while others criticize it for being unfaithful to the source material and lacking depth. The gameplay mechanics, which involve swiping to make choices, are seen as simplistic and sometimes frustrating, leading to a sense of randomness rather than a coherent narrative. Overall, while the game offers a unique take on storytelling, it may not satisfy fans looking for a rich and logical narrative experience.
“The game has obviously been updated about the plot of the last series, so in many ways it is more or less based on situations where the series ended.”
“This was an awesome way to enhance the story I'm enjoying in the show.”
“Very fun with an interesting story.”
“Probably not fun if you are a GoT fan who hasn't played Reigns and wants to live out a fantasy, since you can't make some story choices for the sake of maintaining your resources.”
“Completely unfaithful to the story, the worst interface I've seen, no guide, just horrible in every way possible.”
“Plays poorly in tablet mode, choice boxes move counterintuitively, the story is somewhat random fanfare with little logic or sense, which is all recycled from a prior probably better game capitalizing on the hype of GoT.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the aesthetically pleasing art style and evocative artwork, while others find it lacking and only passable. Although the visuals are complemented by a beautiful soundtrack, the overall impression is that the graphics may not satisfy those seeking more graphically intensive experiences.
“The artwork, sound, and overall appearance is very pleasing and the gameplay is pretty easy to pick up on.”
“Pros: beautiful show-based soundtrack, evocative artwork, and a difficult to master / easy to learn mechanism of gameplay.”
“The art style is nice on the eyes as well.”
“A lot of repetition for a text game with such poor graphics.”
“If you like big graphically intensive games, this may not be for you.”
“Graphics: 6/10 (passable)”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as quirky and entertaining, particularly appealing to fans of the original and the Game of Thrones lore. Players find it to be a funny and addictive time-killer, though some express frustration with the game's randomness, which can detract from the overall experience.
“I enjoyed the original, so I was stoked to see that they did a Game of Thrones version. It's a funny, weird game—left, right, live, die, sleep, eat, feed the poor, meet witches and evil priests... just another day in the wait for winter that is coming.”
“Original, funny, lore-friendly.”
“Really funny and addicting.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a moderate level of replayability, primarily through the ability to unlock new characters and cards, which adds depth beyond the initial playthrough. However, some players feel that once a character is completed, the incentive to replay diminishes. Ratings for replayability vary, with some scoring it a 7/10, contingent on personal enjoyment of the game's mechanics.
“Being able to unlock new characters and swap them around after each death is also a nice touch, possibly adding a layer of replayability that the previous two games didn't have.”
“Replayability: 7/10. If the incompatible reign mechanism doesn't bother you, you may end up playing it over and over to unlock characters and cards.”
“Not much replay value after you beat it once with a character.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, leading to a loss of interest after a brief period of enjoyment. The gameplay is often described as random and nonsensical, contributing to a sense of boredom over time.
“Then it's tedious.”
“Random, nonsensical gameplay; fun for an hour or so, but gets tedious really fast.”
“Which makes the game incredibly boring and tedious after a short while.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is often highlighted as immersive and engaging, contributing significantly to the overall experience. Players appreciate the attention to detail in the environment, which enhances the emotional impact and storytelling.
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits significant stability issues, with players reporting persistent bugs that prevent proper resolution of conflicts, such as being stuck in an eternal state of war with factions despite attempts to negotiate peace.
“It also seems buggy; you can make peace with the Lannisters multiple times yet still apparently be at war with them eternally.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a lack of effective optimization, with players feeling that the game does not encourage exploration or strategic thinking.
“There is no sense of exploration, optimization, or strategy.”
Critic Reviews
Reigns: Game of Thrones Review
As an officially licensed game – complete with character likenesses in Reigns’ angular portrait format and Ramin Djawadi's instantly recognisable score – Reigns: Game of Thrones is about as close as you’ll come to living the day-to-day life of a Westeros monarch, short of visiting the Seven Kingdoms for real. By bringing in key characters and events from the books and show, you’re given enough authenticity that exploring storylines only ever teased in the source material (such as seeing Jamie on the throne or a more compassionate version of Cersei) feel just as meaningful.
80%Reigns: Game Of Thrones (PC) REVIEW – Full of Terrors
Reigns: Game of Thrones may be the most faithful adaptation of the HBO show yet in that being a ruler truly sucks. Microtransactions: none
60%Reigns: Game of Thrones (Switch) Review
Long may the spirit behind this licensed game reign.
80%