Game of Thrones Ascent is a browser mmo developed by Disruptor Beam and is playable both on Facebook or on Kongregate's website. Players fight, scheme, and build to raise their character from a lowly lord gaining his first hold to a mighty noble reigning over a prosperous domain. Fans of the gritty storytelling found in the world of Game of Thrones will find that this game does a tremendous job in capturing the feel and flavor of the books and tv show.
Central to success in Game of Thrones Ascent is the player exercising proper control over the buildings within his hold. As the player's lord levels up, more building types become available. The game features a robust upgrade system for buildings and players can get bonuses from the various structures and their upgrades. In addition, many buildings create specific resources that are needed to create other buildings.
The player's character levels up just like any mmorpg and has three stats: battle, intrigue, and trade. These three stats are vital in that they determine the outcome of quests, PvP, and adventures. As you are playing a lord in Game of Thrones Ascent, you definitely need underlings to do your bidding, which is where the Sworn Swords come in. The Sworn Swords are loyal henchmen that the player will send out to perform quests. Like the lord, the Sworn Swords have their own unique rank in the three stats. You can equip both lords and Sworn Swords to increase their stats. You can also gain in increase in the three stats by training, abilities, and the buildings found in your domain. Each stat also has three sub-stats. For example, battle has the sub-stats of fight, harass, and aid. An item may give a bonus to one particular sub-stat but not to the others.
A lord primarily levels by sending his Sworn Swords out on quests. The player will select which minion to send out and then is given a number of options of how to resolve the quest. The player chooses which option is best served by his Sworn Sword's stats. If the quest is successful, the player will receive xp, money, and items. Choices made in quests can alter the lord's alignment, thus adding emotional depth to the decision making process. Players can join together in Game of Thrones Ascent and allocate their Sworn Swords to a common goal or they can send their loyal minion off to attack another player.
It's up to the player to decide on how best to chart his rise to power in Game of Thrones Ascent. Will he concentrate on strength of arms, subterfuge, or the judicious use of money? It will be up to the player on which of the five noble houses to swear fealty to and whether they will follow the Old Way or the New Way in this gritty setting.
