Review: A Nest of Vipers, Episode 5 in Telltale’s Game of Thrones Series

This is a review of Telltale Games’ Game of Thrones series, Episode 5, “A Nest of Vipers.” Be forewarned, there will be minor spoilers. 

If you were looking to take a breath after Episode 4 of Telltale Games‘ episodic Game of Thrones series, then you know nothing, my sweet summer child. Episode 5,”A Nest of Vipers,” begins with a right cross to the jaw, and ends with your heart being ripped from its perch in your chest and thrown onto the floor where it slowly bleeds out…but we’ll get to that unforgettable moment later. For now, let’s start at the beginning.

If you’ve been playing along since Episode 1, “Iron from Ice,” then you know that Ramsay Snow has been showing up at random times just to remind players of how little power they actually hold. Sure, individual decisions have consequences, but a refusal to conform to the new Bolton stewardship in the North means that Ramsay will come by to nudge you in the “right” direction.  He returns in the opening act of “A Nest of Vipers,” with devastating results.

Episode 4, “Sons of Winter,” left me with the feeling that I actually had some sort of control over how House Forrester would rise from the ashes of the Red Wedding. The Glenmore alliance seemed solidified, I showed my strength to the Whitehills, and Meereen was liberated with the help of Asher and Beshka, who assisted Daenerys in exchange for a promise that the Second Sons to help rid House Forrester of their enemies.

This was, to put it in terms of A Song of Ice and Fire, a false spring. This is a story based on Game of Thrones, and the one tenet that seems to be adhered to by everyone from George R.R. Martin to Benioff and Weiss to Telltale is that the good guys rarely win.

At Ironrath, Rodrik must deal with Ramsay Snow’s unexpected visit to the Wolfswood. In usual Ramsay fashion, there is a flaying to be had, and while Rodrik somehow manages to avoid Ramsay’s knife, someone close to him must pay. Let me be clear: the decisions here are not going to affect the outcome. Someone must pay for the Gryf Whitehill incident…and the price isn’t small.

The pace of “A Nest of Vipers” is exactly what one would expect from the penultimate episode of the season. Situations begin to unfold rather quickly, and the meandering political maneuvering of past episodes—specifically Mira in King’s Landing—is a thing of the past. Mira’s chapters flew by. Dealing directly with both Cersei and Tyrion, deciding what information to leak to both parties, is challenging and fun.

North of the Wall, Gared and his pal Cotter have come into contact with Cotter’s sister, Sylvi. This story is very interesting, as Silvi has a backstory of her own. If you spend enough time talking to Cotter, he will tell you a little about her. I feel like we will see much more of Silvi in the season finale, especially since Cotter is wounded and the trio is being hounded by a horde of wights.

Of note: If you search through Silvi’s tent, there are two items that clue you in as to her past with Cotter. One is a medallion with a bear carved into it—Gared wonders to himself why she no longer wears it. The other is a drawing of a bear with a fish and an ice spider. Knowing that House Mormont (located on Bear Island in the North) has taken the bear as their House Sigil, could Sylvi and Cotter be connected with the Mormonts?

In Meereen, Asher and Beshka are brought before Daenerys. The two seem confident that, their part in the liberation of Meereen being over, Dany will fulfill her promise and lend them her Second Sons. However, things don’t go as planned, and the consequences for House Forrester are dire. Now, Asher must seek help elsewhere in order to find help for his family.

The neat part of these chapters involves dealing with the freed pit fighters in Meereen. There’s seldom a moment where Asher isn’t giving rousing speeches or fighting for his life in the pit, another indication of this episode’s brisk pace. We also learn a bit more about Beshka. It ends up that the former slave earned her freedom by winning all of her matches in the pits, but how that affected her former friends is a completely different matter.

Back at Ironrath, we finally find out who the traitor to House Forrester is, and no, I’m not telling you. However, there is a major decision to be made here, as Rodrik must either execute the traitor or show mercy. Of course, being a card-carrying member of House Stark, I chose the Lord Eddard path, and separated the traitor’s head from their body.

This leads us to the final, heart-wrenching moments of “A Nest of Vipers.” Asher finally returns home to Westeros and is reunited with his older brother Rodrik. Rodrik is fully armored and ready for battle, as are the meager remnants of the House Forrester guard.

The reunion between the estranged brothers is heartwarming, and serves to lull the player into a false sense of calm…the one that comes before the storm. In true Game of Thrones fashion, the tables are turned on House Forrester, and the player is faced with a terrible choice. I won’t go into detail here, but will say that I replayed this chapter several times and discovered that, no matter what I did, I had to choose. Rest in peace, your feels.

Telltale Games has accomplished something worth celebrating by not having a drop-off between episodes. Episode 5, “A Nest of Vipers,” sets the player on a collision course of epic proportions, and it does it at break-neck speed. This was my favorite installment in the series thus far, and I’ve loved every episode leading up to this. From the political machinations of a seemingly insignificant handmaiden in King’s Landing, to the blood and gore dripping from the blade of a flaying knife, all the way to the mystery of the fabled North Grove, Telltale Games has once again set the bar very high.

“A Nest of Vipers” may not end the way most players are hoping, but I can guarantee that they will be watching the final credits roll mouth agape, eyes wide open, hearts bleeding on the floor. This was without a doubt a Red Wedding-type event, and I’m still not over it. With Episode 5, Telltale has raised its Game of Thrones-inspired videogame series to the level of HBO’s Game of Thrones. This episode earned each of its 10 out of 10 stars through fire and blood, and I cannot wait until Episode 6.

“Iron from Ice brother.”

“Iron from Ice…”

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