One of the best aspects of GOT is how, while morality exists, it is often simply cast aside. In the last ten years or so, the popularity of "good versus evil" play styles has come to dominate open-world and sandbox type games. This has often led to some outstanding gameplay and fantastic concepts - look no further than the Fable series, inFamous, Mass Effect, Fallout, Knights of the Old Republic and so on. However, in a world with as many shades of grey as GOT, there is no room for moral absolutes. Caricature extremities such as witnessed at the end of Bioshock have no place here, because this is a far more complex, more intricate world that requires a subtle hand. Think more along the lines of The Witcher 2, Dragon Age: Origins and Skyrim. In each of these games, the player is faced with hard choices that shapes the outcome of the game, but they are often presented in a more adult way. It's not simply a case of save of an orphanage or burn it down, but a more nuanced approach to decision-making. It's less about what you support and more about who. This model of gaming decision making keeps players feeling that they shape their story in a realistic way without compromising on overly simplistic moral absolutes, instead delivering complex, meaningful decisions that have powerful repercussions.
When not writing Chris spends more time thinking about playing videogames than actually playing them and can usually be found reorganizing his Blu Ray and book collections. He owns four different editions of A Song of Ice and Fire and no, it isn't overkill. He's left the neon haze of Tokyo and Seoul for the more sedate streets of Bournemouth.
