- Drew Beausoleil

The second episode of Game of Thrones: The Lost Lords starts off with yet another exciting battle with the newest and last playable character Asher. Asher and his partner in crime Beskha are some of the most interesting characters we've seen in the Game of Thrones universe so far. With what looks like a deal to be paid in riches quickly turns for the worst as our two heroes are fighting for their life.

The beginning starts off great with an excellent introduction to our last playable character but quickly becomes another slow pace episode for Game of Thrones as we are still learning the characters and their backstory and history of everything going on. There is so much to be told in a world as vast as The Game of Thrones, but with Telltales previous titles like The Wolf Among Us or more recently Tales From The Borderlands, there has been a faster pace to moving the story along without all of the political drama we experience in Game of Thrones.

If you have yet to watch Game of Thrones the game can be rather difficult to follow as the game begins between season 3 and 5 of the show. Learning who the characters are and which house they belong to is complicated and sometimes confusing. However, fans of the series will have a better understanding of everything and will enjoy the experience the game brings to such an iconic series. The writing is good with some excellent moments of heartbreak, tenderness and high action moments. But there is less high action, and feels that Telltale are still trying to set up for some cliffhanger moments. I don't feel as though my decisions within the game have yet to matter and this may come in time, but again, with previous titles, I would have felt more of my choices taking effect then they currently have. Maybe this is why Telltale has made Game of Thrones a 6 part episode because there is a bigger story to tell and learn on the gamers behalf.

In true Telltale fashion, there are bugs that pull you out of the experience with frame rate dropping or sound effects taking place before the action has happened. This is something that becomes beyond frustrating at such a high level of quality that Telltale produces with rich and deep story that becomes ruined by frame rate and poor sound drops. Telltale has taken a very different approach to the art direction than their comic book like style as well. This time going for more of an oil painting art style it’s a refreshing take with the art direction that helps set a subtle tone and mood to parts of the game. A peaceful stroll through the kingdom on a nice afternoon is beautifully done with vibrant yet soft colors.

Episode two The Lost Lords is slow in its story that mixes parts of action that leaves us wanting more. Though we're still learning who some of these characters are and why they matter, its Telltales ability of creating beloved characters and inviting worlds that keep us coming back for more.