Info about A Game of Thrones - Genesis:

Official game description:
What King will you be?  
Conqueror, Usurper or Diplomat?  
**"A Game of Thrones - Genesis"** immerses you into the heart of the battles and intrigues between the Houses that shaped the Kingdom of Westeros. From Nymeria's arrival in the Kingdom of Dorne to the awakening of the "Others" beyond the Wall, you'll live the origins of A Game of Thrones saga through more than 1000 years of history, by taking part in Westeros' founding events and largest battles.  
In this great strategy game, victory does not necessarily result from brute force. You can choose to use a military approach and besiege your opponents, strangle them in an economical war, or even use dirty tricks and diplomacy to politically crush them. Treachery and deception are everywhere and can be more efficient than the most powerful army. So watch your back and show no mercy if you want to keep sat on the Iron Throne.  
Key Features:
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*   The video game adaptation of the fantasy saga "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George RR Martin.  
*   A deep and exciting gameplay combining strategy, diplomacy and politics.  
*   Discover the origins of the universe of the Iron Throne through the Story mode, and participate in major conflicts that have shaped Westeros.  
*   Compete against up to 7 other players in multiplayer. Form alliances, break them, show subtle tactics and crush your opponents!

Release date: Sep 28, 2011

Categories: Political & Espionage Systems, Prestige System, Resource Management, Multiplayer, Turn-based Strategy, Technology Tree, Single-player Story


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews indicate the base game is overpriced at its current full price and recommend waiting for significant discounts before purchasing. The community consensus points to a price point where the game would be considered a fair value, typically achieved through sales of 50% or more off the full price. Based on common discount percentages, the fair base-game price likely lies in a range where most players would consider buying it without hesitation, which is substantially below the typical retail price for this genre.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 15.0h
  - Story completion: 12.0h
  - Session length: 1.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The direct quote 'a 12 hour or so campaign' provides a specific total for the main story/campaign. 'it was for an hour going through the first campaign' indicates a typical single-session length for early campaign content. The estimate 'somewhere between 10 20 hours' and the personal report '15 hours of playing the game' suggest a typical game completion time of around 15 hours, given the low replayability and short campaign. No reliable evidence for endgame hours exists.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game is slow and confusing in single-player, but becomes engaging when played in multiplayer with friends due to strategic alliances and deception.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Playing multiplayer mode with friends
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: slow pacing; confusing tutorial; poor UI feedback; boring single-player AI; lack of military action; repetitive mechanics
  - Unlock drivers: multiplayer mode; playing with friends; strategic alliances and subterfuge
  - Conditions: multiplayer co-op; patience to learn diplomacy; preference for slow-paced strategic games
- Player Archetypes:
  - Lore-Seeking Devotee (sale)
    - Motivation: To experience the prequel history and house conflicts of Westeros.
    - Playstyle: Plays single-player campaign, focusing on non-combat diplomacy and lore absorption; tolerates poor information design for story depth.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: die-hard franchise fan; Westeros lore enthusiast; book lover
    - Reference games: The Guild 2; Game of Thrones book series
  - Multiplayer Tactician (sale)
    - Motivation: To engage in long, strategic multiplayer matches with building alliances and capture mechanics.
    - Playstyle: Primarily plays multiplayer mode, focusing on territory control, resource management, and alliance-building over extended sessions.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: RTS multiplayer enthusiast; strategy gamer; friend group player
    - Reference games: Command & Conquer; Civilization series
  - Frugal Evaluation Seeker (deep sale)
    - Motivation: To find a cheap, flawed but unique RTS experience as a side curiosity.
    - Playstyle: Buys only at deep sale, explores the game lightly, compares it unfavorably to other strategy games, and sets low expectations.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: bargain hunter; skeptical strategy veteran; price-conscious gamer
    - Reference games: Crusader Kings 2 mod; Civilization; The Guild 2; Fantasy Flight Games board game


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Diplomacy and intrigue systems praised (weight 0.41): Players appreciate the espionage, diplomacy, and secret alliance mechanics. Unique units for spying, assassination, and seduction add depth.
- Rich lore and setting (weight 0.4): The Game of Thrones universe and prequel story from Nymeria to Aegon's conquest are engaging. Lore encyclopedia and campaign add value.
- Strategic depth and management (weight 0.25): The game offers strategic and management potential with plenty of options, features, and tactical adaptability.
- Multiplayer provides fun tension (weight 0.15): Multiplayer mode is described as slightly more interesting than single-player, offering excitement and strategic challenge.
- Unique house units enjoyable (weight 0.15): Special units for houses and small faction bonuses add variety and fun to gameplay.
- Detailed tutorial and encyclopedia (weight 0.14): The tutorial integrates story well and the in-game encyclopedia is helpful for learning mechanics.
- Game content is nice overall (weight 0.12): General appreciation for the game content and theme.
- War and peace system well designed (weight 0.09): The war and peace mechanics are thought out, contributing to strategic gameplay.
- Dragon feels powerful (weight 0.08): The dragon unit feels powerful, enhancing the thematic experience.

Common complaints:
- Weak connection to Game of Thrones (weight 0.76): Many players note that the game has little to do with the Game of Thrones IP beyond house names and setting, lacking the intrigue, political depth, and iconic elements of the source material.
- Poor execution and technical issues (weight 0.71): Reviews highlight terrible execution, bugs, strange hitboxes, translation errors, freezes, lag, and overall poor technical quality. The game feels unfinished and janky.
- Boring and slow gameplay (weight 0.67): Players consistently report that the gameplay is boring, slow, and monotonous, with little variety or enjoyment. This is one of the most frequent complaints across many reviews.
- Unengaging and linear campaign (weight 0.62): The campaign is described as uninteresting, terrible, tedious, linear, and lacking tension and story depth. Low completion rate indicates lack of engagement.
- Poor and outdated graphics (weight 0.48): Many reviews criticize the graphics as poor, low quality, outdated, and featuring unfluent animations and ugly visual effects. The visual presentation fails to meet modern standards.
- Lack of content and variety (weight 0.48): Players report minimal content, low unit diversity, few maps, generic units and buildings, and repetitive gameplay. The game feels shallow and lacking in variety.
- Overly complex and cumbersome mechanics (weight 0.48): The game is criticized for being too complex to learn quickly, with cumbersome politics and intrigue systems, intense micromanagement, and too many elements to track. This complexity is not seen as enjoyable.
- Poor AI and lack of challenge (weight 0.43): The AI is described as stupid, helpless, predictable, and idiotic, which removes strategic depth and makes the game boring or frustrating. Players note the AI does not allow experimentation.
- Lack of strategic depth (weight 0.42): Despite being a strategy game, reviews note the lack of real strategy, tactical depth, and meaningful choices. Battles are simple, and the game devolves into war of attrition or mindless charging.
- Poor unit and army mechanics (weight 0.41): Units are described as awkward, generic, poorly functioning, and difficult to manage. The armies lack diversity and tactical options, making combat and strategy frustrating.
- Rock-paper-scissors combat system (weight 0.39): The combat is repeatedly described as a rock-paper-scissors system that is overly complex, uninteresting, and poorly executed. Players feel the mechanics are convoluted and lack depth.
- Repetitive and tedious gameplay loop (weight 0.37): The game quickly becomes repetitive and tedious, with predictable AI patterns and no sense of progression. It loses charm after the first hour.
- Overpowered subterfuge and agents (weight 0.36): Subterfuge, spies, and assassins are considered overpowered, ruining the game. They force constant micromanagement and overshadow other systems like army building.
- Small-scale and unexciting combat (weight 0.36): Combat is small-scale, with few units on screen, lacking dynamism and visual impact. Battles are not exciting and end too quickly.
- Confusing tutorial and onboarding (weight 0.31): The tutorial is confusing and does not adequately teach the game's mechanics. New players are left lost and frustrated, especially those new to strategy games.
- Misleading promotion and cash grab (weight 0.3): Several reviews feel the game is a cash grab using the Game of Thrones name, with misleading trailers and screenshots that do not represent the actual gameplay.
- Terrible UI and controls (weight 0.28): The user interface is criticized as terrible, mouse-oriented without proper hotkeys, and the controls are catastrophically inconvenient. Selecting and managing units is difficult.
- Mediocre audio and music (weight 0.28): The sound design, music, and voice acting are frequently criticized as not up to par, failing to build the atmosphere of the books.
- Unbalanced and unfair gameplay (weight 0.27): The game is described as unbalanced, with cheating opponents, overpowered agents, and a forced war system that punishes players. Difficulty feels unfair rather than challenging.
- Multiplayer and online issues (weight 0.25): Online multiplayer is not playable due to server unavailability or lack of players. The multiplayer mode offers little content and is not worth playing.

Gameplay feedback:
- Diplomacy and intrigue core (weight 0.87): The game is built around a diplomacy and intrigue system including alliances, secret pacts, assassinations, spies, and blood pacts. These mechanics define the strategic gameplay.
- Rock-paper-scissors combat (weight 0.3): Combat uses a rock-paper-scissors system between unit types, adding a tactical layer. This mechanism is frequently mentioned by players.
- Game of Thrones setting (weight 0.29): The game is based on the world of Game of Thrones, which shapes the setting and theme, including houses and the map of Westeros.
- Turn-based and real-time strategy (weight 0.28): The game blends turn-based strategy with real-time elements and a pause feature, sometimes described as a fast-paced board game style.
- Specialized non-combat units (weight 0.26): Units like envoys, spies, assassins, and ladies perform specialized functions for diplomacy, espionage, and sabotage. Most units serve a single non-combat role.
- Prestige points victory condition (weight 0.25): Victory is determined by collecting prestige points, which are earned through actions and alliances. This is a central scoring system.
- Small army battles (weight 0.19): Due to unit costs, armies are limited to small skirmishes rather than large-scale battles, with no formations.
- Campaign with stages (weight 0.18): The campaign is split into stages with different houses, small maps, and thematic objectives, providing structured progression.
- Multiplayer modes (weight 0.18): Multiplayer includes fixed positions based on chosen houses and online play with more unit types and actions.
- Resource management required (weight 0.15): Players must manage alliances, food, and gold alongside military, with food needed for army maintenance.
- Mechanics poorly executed (weight 0.14): Some players feel the mechanics are poorly executed, with a subterfuge system that is too strong.
- Movement speed imbalance (weight 0.07): There is an imbalance in unit movement and action completion speed, affecting gameplay flow.
- War can be avoided (weight 0.07): The game allows avoiding war entirely through diplomacy and intrigue, which is a distinctive feature.
- Spy ability to reveal (weight 0.07): Spies can see invisible units and expose traitors, adding a strategic counter-intelligence layer.
- Map divided into zones (weight 0.07): The strategic map is divided into zones controlled by buildings like city, fortress, mine, and sept.
- Skirmish mode available (weight 0.07): A skirmish mode exists for more flexible gameplay outside the campaign.
- Dragon as controllable unit (weight 0.07): A dragon is a controllable unit with a recharge mechanic, adding a powerful but limited resource.
- Tech tree present (weight 0.07): The game includes a tech tree for progression and upgrades.
- Tutorial and encyclopedia (weight 0.07): There is a detailed tutorial and in-game encyclopedia to help players learn the systems.
- No building construction (weight 0.07): There is no building construction; units are built directly to perform tasks.

Performance notes:
- Heavy lag and poor optimization (weight 0.26): Players consistently mention severe lag, including general lagging, heavy lag, and loading lag. This is tied to poor overall optimization of the game.
- Pervasive loading and freezing issues (weight 0.22): Many players report that the game never loads properly or constantly freezes, with loading freezes making it appear as if the game has crashed. These problems are a primary source of frustration.
- Display and resolution problems (weight 0.14): Players encounter display issues requiring fixes, and resolution or settings problems cause the screen to split or go black. This suggests poor graphical configuration support.
- Occasional game crashes (weight 0.08): Some players report experiencing crashes, such as 2 program shutdowns in 15 hours. This disrupts gameplay and progress.
- Pauses after teleporting via minimap (weight 0.08): Players note a 3-5 second pause after using the minimap to teleport, which slows down navigation and breaks immersion.
- Chaotic camera pan during campaign (weight 0.08): The camera pan during campaign mode is described as chaotic, making it difficult to follow the action or control the view.
- Outdated graphics quality (weight 0.08): Some players consider the graphics outdated, looking like those from the 2000s rather than the 2010s. This indicates a need for visual improvement.
- Missing or cutting out music (weight 0.07): The game's music sometimes cuts out, which detracts from the audio experience and atmosphere.

Recommendations:
- Overwhelmingly negative recommendations (weight 0.58): Many players strongly advise against buying the game, using phrases like do not buy, complete waste of money, and avoid it like the plague. The game is widely seen as not worth the price or time.
- Niche appeal for franchise fans (weight 0.4): The game is recommended mostly for dedicated Game of Thrones fans, but not for strategy enthusiasts or general audiences. It is seen as having very narrow appeal.
- Better alternatives exist (weight 0.3): Multiple players suggest playing the Crusader Kings II Game of Thrones mod, the board game, or other strategy games like Total War and Mount & Blade instead. These are seen as superior ways to enjoy the franchise.
- Not for strategy gamers (weight 0.28): Strategy game players are specifically warned away from this title. The game fails to satisfy fans of the genre.
- Avoid even for franchise fans (weight 0.25): Some reviewers explicitly say even diehard Game of Thrones fans should skip this game. The flaws are considered too severe to overlook.
- Only buy at deep discount (weight 0.25): Several reviews indicate the game might be acceptable if purchased at a very low price or on sale. Very few consider it worth full price.
- Do not waste time (weight 0.25): Many reviews emphasize that the game is not worth the time investment, not just the money. Playing it is seen as a regretful experience.
- Compare to other media (weight 0.18): Some comments suggest rewatching the series, reading the books, or playing other Game of Thrones games instead of this one. The game does not capture the essence of the franchise.
- Not worth the money (weight 0.14): The game is consistently called overpriced, even at 10 euros. Reviewers feel the quality does not match the cost.
- Specific niche recommendations (weight 0.12): A few reviewers suggest the game only for hardcore fans who also love The Guild 2, or for those who play multiplayer with six players. These are very narrow use cases.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.41): Players were disappointed due to outdated graphics, shallow gameplay, and a lack of connection to the Game of Thrones universe. Many felt the game had great potential but was ruined by poor execution, boring mechanics, and missing elements like dragons and large-scale battles.
- Frustration (weight 0.31): Frustration stemmed from numerous bugs, crashes, and poor optimization, as well as unbalanced mechanics like overpowered assassins. Players also found the gameplay slow, repetitive, and overly complex, with tedious micromanagement and unclear genre identity.
- Boredom (weight 0.17): Boredom arose from slow, repetitive, and monotonous gameplay with a lack of engaging content. The combat was unexciting, the AI was boring, and the campaign featured dull missions with little variety.
- Anger (weight 0.06): Anger was driven by the perception that the game was a shameless cash grab, with broken military units and misleading design. Players felt it was a terrible imitation of other strategy games, showing a lack of effort.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Appreciation was expressed for the diplomacy and war system, which felt faithful to the Game of Thrones universe. Players also enjoyed the lore and visualization of pre-ASOIAF events.
- Dislike (weight 0.02): Dislike was due to the game feeling outdated despite having specific gameplay elements, indicating a lack of modern polish and innovation.
- Hatred (weight 0.02): Hatred came from an overall poor experience, with players wishing they could delete the game from memory entirely.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.02): Enjoyment was generated by the special units of various houses, which players found fun and engaging.
- Horror (weight 0.02): Horror was felt because the experience was perceived as worse than the horrors depicted in the House Stark narrative, indicating extreme dissatisfaction.
- Pleasure (weight 0.02): Pleasure came from the multiplayer mode, which provided some fun moments for players.
- Disgust (weight 0.02): Disgust was caused by the game inducing nausea and shame, reflecting a strongly negative physical and emotional reaction.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.02): Dissatisfaction arose from inconvenient controls and difficulty in selecting units, hampering gameplay experience.
- Cognitive overload (weight 0.02): Cognitive overload occurred because the game required tracking more than 9 objects simultaneously, overwhelming players.}