--Lady Melisandre, Reigns: Game of Thrones
The treacherous politics of Westeros can be braved or manipulated in Reigns: Game of Thrones, a game that puts players on the Iron Throne or the throne of the North and then throws them into a host of randomized situations that force decisions. The balance of power is almost always changing. As one person makes a request, another who fears that outcome might ask you to reconsider; if a decision is made, it is likely to offend someone else and weaken social stability. It quickly becomes apparent that navigating the political landscape is hardly a simple task, even with the streamlined, simplified nature of the decisions.
Production Values
The art style might initially seem too "tame" for Game of Thrones to some, but the world of the game is very much that of HBO's Westeros. Many events are even taken directly from the sixth and seventh seasons of the show, as a player who survives enough "moons" as king or queen will have to confront the White Walker threat or put Cersei on trial. The music, though, is the strongest tie to the show itself. Ramin Djwadi's superbly orchestrated music from the series greets players at the title screen, and tracks like Light of the Seven and For the Realm accompany various events.
Gameplay
The vital dialogue is conveyed via text accompanied by several moments of garbled sounds that sometimes stand in for vocal delivery of the lines, and moving the left analog stick to the left or right shows both decisions or replies that can be made. Random initial scenarios grant opportunities to appease various factions and manage one or more or four key aspects of Westeros: your personal power, the influence of the Faith of the Seven, the contentment of the general public, and the strength of the economy. Each of these are displayed as icons near the top of the screen that fill up or empty as new choices are made.
Want to kill Cersei as Arya Stark and then wear her face to impersonate her? You must do so to even survive the initial part of Arya's "campaign." Would you let wildlings into King's Landing after the White Walkers overrun Hardhome? You can make such decisions, but the consequences may lead to the end of one's reign. Death from mass stabbings, accidental swings of a blade from allied soldiers, sickness, the White Walker invasion, murder while being forced to take a Walk of Shame, or torture while bound to a stake are all possibilities depending on how one manages the kingdom/queendom. Still, it is possible to last many moons as king or queen!
Story
The different scenarios are not even uniform enough to warrant a spoiler warning, but the game unfolds as Melisandre, the priestess of the Lord of Light, tries to identify Azor Ahai, a figure of prophecy. After Daenerys Targaryen fails to prove herself to be Azor Ahai, Melisandre turns her focus to other characters, who are gradually unlocked as players make choices as Daenerys, and then the subsequent playable character, and so on.
Intellectual Content
The religious, political, and foreign influences on the society the player rules can shift with each choice--and there are many choices to be made during the daily governance of Westeros, whether one rules on the Iron Throne or from the North. Certain events might neutralize a group's ability to overthrow you, but they might also catapult an aspect of the culture into such volatility that it only becomes more dangerous and unpredictable! While the details about the various problems and opportunities are abbreviated because of the gameplay format, it is still clear that there are numerous people seeking the attention, favor, and acknowledgment of the ruling character. The difficulties emerge when satisfying even the legitimate goals of one person or group brings you into conflict with someone else.
Conclusion
Reigns: Game of Thrones is not a game that will provide dozens of hours of non-repetitive content, nor is it a traditional video game. However, at its most expensive price, it is only $3.99 on the Switch eShop, and its scenarios are able to capture some parts of the complexities and trials of rulership in Westeros and of rulership as a whole, albeit on a fractional scale. It is also the only game related to Game of Thrones for the Switch. For these reasons, anyone interested in the show may easily get at least a few hours of political intrigue and backstabbing schemes out of the title.
Content:
1. Violence: The dialogue and card-based nature of the game mean there is no violence of the kind found in many other types of video games, but some images show blood, skeletons, or other imagery associated with death.
2. Profanity: A character seen in an optional tavern visit uses the word "shite," an alternate spelling of shit.
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