A Game of Thrones the Board Game 2nd Edition Review

A Game of Thrones the Board Game 2nd Edition Review

The Fantasy Flight Games’ A Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition is an epic strategy game for 3–6 players that captures the political maneuvering and warfare of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels. Most reviewers praise the game for its deep, thematic, and tense gameplay but warn that it is long, complex, and can end friendships due to the constant backstabbing and negotiation. The second edition incorporates many enhancements from the first edition’s expansions, with streamlined rules and updated components. 

Core gameplay review

• Deception and diplomacy: The game is driven by negotiation and betrayal, not just military might. The blind bidding and secret placement of order tokens create a tense atmosphere where you can’t be sure of your opponents’ intentions, making alliances precarious.
• Strategic depth: Players must manage multiple strategic considerations, including raising and supplying armies, bidding for power on influence tracks, and anticipating Wildling attacks. This complexity offers high replayability, with each game offering a new set of circumstances.
• Heavy and long: A Game of Thrones is a “thinking person’s Risk” and is not a quick or casual game. First-time sessions can take many hours as players learn the mechanics, though experienced groups can finish faster. The length may not be suitable for all players.
• Best with more players: While the game supports 3–6 players, reviewers note that the experience is best with a higher player count, preferably 5 or 6. More players lead to more diplomacy, negotiation, and betrayal. In contrast, games with fewer players can feel unbalanced, though special setup rules exist.
• Theme integration: The mechanics successfully immerse players in the world of Westeros, from vying for control of the Iron Throne to managing alliances and betrayals. Fans of the books or show will find the experience very thematic. 

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Differences from the first edition

The second edition, released in 2011, offers several key improvements over the original. 

• Integrated expansions: The second edition incorporates elements from the first edition’s A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords expansions directly into the base game. This includes House Martell, siege engines, ports, and garrisons.
• Improved components: The game features updated artwork, a more visually appealing board, and better quality tokens and figures.
• New mechanics: The second edition introduces “Tides of Battle” cards, which add an optional element of unpredictability to combat. Player screens are also included to keep hidden information secret. 

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Potential drawbacks

• Some balance issues remain: Despite efforts to balance the game in the second edition, some players still report potential balancing issues depending on the player count and the specific strategies employed. The Mother of Dragons expansion was released later to address some of these issues for higher player counts.
• Not for everyone: The intense negotiation, long playtime, and potential for player elimination or “pseudo-elimination” means the game is not suitable for more casual players or groups who prefer lighter, friendlier competition.
• Randomness of event cards: Reviewers note that the random nature of the Westeros event cards can occasionally introduce chaotic and unbalanced elements into the game.