Game of Thrones Kingsroad – Everything You Need to Know

The most notable Game of Thrones game not designed for mobile devices since 2015 might have been Telltale’s narrative-driven adventure game. Following this, several mobile GoT titles were released, but they didn’t really resonate with the core gaming community. Now, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad is here to possibly alter that trend. It offers an immersive action RPG experience within a vast open-world, all powered by the graphical prowess of Unreal Engine 5. However, it’s important to note that Kingsroad shares similarities with mobile titles, such as the inclusion of virtual currencies and daily rewards. Despite these potential drawbacks, there are many appealing aspects to Game of Thrones: Kingsroad. Let’s delve into its features.

Early Access Content and Reception

Since March 26th, Kingsroad has been in early access, with its official launch scheduled for May 21st. Given that just 63 days is a relatively short early access duration, Netmarble developers express confidence in their game’s stability. The early access version offers an impressive amount of content, featuring as many as 50 chapters in the main story and numerous explorable cities and landmarks like King’s Landing, Winterfall, and Highgarden. However, despite Netmarble’s positive outlook on the game, player feedback hasn’t been entirely favorable. Currently, Kingsroad holds a ‘mixed’ rating on Steam based on feedback from more than a thousand players. Many negative reviews point to aggressive pay-to-win monetization as a significant obstacle for players enjoying the game.

Built in UE5

Just shared a piece that talks about a chat with the creators of “Kingsroad”, focusing on the techniques they applied to develop their open-world mobile game. It’s clear that the head of the graphics engine is quite proud of this project! One interesting point highlighted in the discussion is the world partition approach, which helps reduce the strain on performance by only loading areas close to the player. The draw distances are also noteworthy, with HLOD used to ensure intricate details like a 700-foot wall and other large landmarks remain visible from various viewpoints.

Open-World Exploration

Although we haven’t discovered the entire expanse of the game’s map yet, what we do know is that the early access regions are expansive. Unveiling the map encompasses all of Westeros, with the Kingsroad serving as a central divider. A significant portion of the early access areas lies in the North, including vast zones surrounding Castle Black, situated just south of The Wall. Given the size of these areas, mounts are provided early in the game for navigation. Similar to other open-world RPGs, the setting is rich with crafting materials, shops, hidden treasures, quests, and world bosses. If you’re seeking a variety of open-world activities to immerse yourself in, this game offers plenty.

Crafting and Loot

Gathering ingredients is one of the most common activities you’ll encounter in King’s Road. The world is rich with resources that you can pick up from your surroundings, with some also being rewards for quests and daily bonuses. These resources come in different rarity tiers, which affect the quality of the items you create. You can craft various items using these resources, such as health potions, but also elemental arrows, bolts, and throwing knives. Since your inventory space is limited in this game, it’s often smart to frequently craft and sell items.

Quests

In Kingsroad, the narrative is extensive, making it an ideal choice for those seeking an in-depth experience. Initially, you assume the role of a surprising heir to House Tyre in the North. As events unfold, you become embroiled in the intricate political maneuvers that the series is renowned for. The game is rich with lore reminiscent of Game of Thrones, culminating in a climactic confrontation between the Nightswatch and White Walkers. The storyline takes place during the latter part of season 4, offering intrigue as to how it might address the unresolved aspects of that season. Alongside the main plot, there are numerous side quests, faction quests, and artifact quests that delve into faction conflicts, hunts, and aiding popular show characters. Kingsroad is primarily focused on storytelling, featuring lengthy dialogues and cutscenes that occur frequently.

Fun Action Combat

In this action Role-Playing Game, players have complete freedom of movement and can manually input attacks during battles. Evading, parrying, and blocking are crucial elements in combat, as opponents likewise utilize similar defensive maneuvers based on their artificial intelligence. Animation-cancelling is a notable feature that adds depth to the gameplay experience. Furthermore, each class offers distinct attack patterns, which are timed and limited, ensuring strategy rather than mindless button mashing. The game provides a basic attack, heavy attack, and an array of skill attacks to select from, with the three classes providing unique abilities as well.

Classes

Absolutely, I’m quite excited about the game, despite it only offering three initial character classes at launch. Fingers crossed that this variety will keep things interesting for a while! The Sellsword seems like an attractive choice, striking a balance between defense and offense, making it perfect for those aiming to combine swordsmanship with archery skills.

The Knight, on the other hand, is more of a defensive powerhouse, built for establishing protective buffs and wielding the heaviest weapons in the game, excelling in powerful attacks. I’ve been hearing some fantastic reviews about the Assassin class, with their agile DPS output and swift dagger-wielding moves reminiscent of a ninja, making them an appealing pick for those seeking to execute stealthy kills up close.

Boss Fights

The game offers numerous challenging boss battles that demand a player’s stamina, skill, and strategic thinking (and potentially their savings too, but let’s save that topic for another time). These encounters will put your ability to manage cooldowns and resources under intense scrutiny, as you’ll often need to heal and apply antidotes in high-pressure situations. Bosses with multiple enemies require more frequent use of target locking compared to larger bosses. If you’re looking for a thrilling Monster Hunter Wilds-like adventure, don’t miss out on the opportunity to team up with others and battle some of the World Bosses, including the dragons from Westeros and beyond.

Altar of Memories

Here’s my take: As a passionate player, I can’t help but be thrilled about the Altar of Memories mode. This is where you team up with others for epic raid-style boss fights! In groups of up to four, we venture through dungeons together, using cunning traps to bring down towering foes like the Ironbeak Griffin and colossal ice spiders.

Skills

In this game, skills provide players with more engaging attack options and special abilities. However, only a limited number of Active Skills can be equipped at any given time, as these are often exclusive to specific classes. For instance, the Riposte Stance and Shoulder Charge need Rage (earned by attacking) to execute. Meanwhile, Basic Skills intensify regular basic attacks and recharge times. To upgrade both Active and Basic Skills, you’ll need Skill Points, which are primarily obtained by completing quests or increasing your character level.

Trait Trees

Absolutely, since it’s an RPG game, there are multiple paths for a character’s advancement beyond just skills. Traits offer a range of passive stat boosts and special abilities. You’ve got three main categories for these traits: Attack, Defense, and Support. If you’re like me, you’ll be making a beeline for the Parry skill hidden within the Defense section.

Estate Management ‘minigame’

As the inheritor of one of the estates, you’ll find yourself shouldering certain duties, among them rejuvenating a property teeming with diverse amenities and structures. To enhance different parts of your Estate, you’ll need building materials and currency, so be prepared for some effort, considering the game is a free-to-play live service model. The buildings in your estate include workplaces that offer equipment and stables where horses are bought and stored.

Daily Activity Caps

Hey there, gaming buddy! Let me tell you about my take on this Steam-listed game. Although the main storyline isn’t paywalled, the progress can get halted by the Recharge Point (RP) system. When RP depletes, I either gotta fork over some virtual cash to refill it or chill till the next day. The developers’ response to the RP concerns is a bit unsettling. They say they’re considering adjustments to boost the daily RP allowance, but for now, the limitations remain in place post-release – just peachy!

Oh, and there are time-limited missions too, which really cranks up the FOMO factor in a game that doesn’t need it at all.

Monetization

Since it’s a live mobile game, it’s normal to experience some fear of missing out (FOMO) and monetization opportunities. The in-game currency allows for quick travel and equipment sharing among characters linked to the same account. Additionally, there are numerous cosmetic items you can purchase within the game’s different interfaces.

Platforms and Pricing

It’s true that the game is free to play eventually, but for now, during the early access period, you need to spend $24.99 to get the standard edition which includes an extra outfit. The game “Game of Thrones: Kingsroad” exits early access and officially launches on May 21st on PC, Android, and iOS devices.

2025-05-19 11:43