Played GOTPREM at Game Underground - Natick, MA
What I liked:
Fast and tough! Not a beginner/party table by any stretch of the imagination. This game will swiftly shame any bad shots. (I’m looking at you battering ram and dragon ramp)
There’s a lot going on up front on the playfield and it takes a few plays to figure out which approaches work best. Direct shots, like say off the battering ram, will result in insta-drains almost every time. So working the angles will save you some pain.
Despite being target rich, the table has a nice flow to it. The orbits sling the ball nicely and the center ramp keeps the action going without hiccups, even with balls already locked.
The upper playfield is executed perfectly. The action is quick but manageable and both exit ramps flow nicely back to either the left flipper (directly) or right flipped (indirectly). The dragon animatronics are gimmicky in a good way.
The code/rules are another area where this machine distinguished itself. So many options at start-up, choosing which house to take depends heavily on your play style and what you want to accomplish. I tended to pick Martell, as having the add-a-ball feature for multi-ball was a nice perk. I felt the scoring was balanced and the objectives were clear.
The playfield lighting is off the charts awesome. Both Winter Is Coming and Blackwater Multi-Ball have to be seen in person.
All inserts are clear and easy to read.
Drop-downs on the left for the light “Lord of Light” outlane saves are well placed and the Gate pop-up/dropdown reminds me of Space Shuttle.
Calls outs and music are spot on and help with the immersion.
What I didn’t like:
The Photoshop 101 artwork on the cab and translite are uninspired and with the exception of the head side panels, “fuzzy” in most areas.
The playfield art is clear and functional, period. In fact, nothing about the art grabbed me or had a “cool” factor to it.
The backbox lights are static and for the price of this machine, that’s a shame.
The animations are also “muddy”. Stern did themselves no favors by not going with an MMr style color display. Maybe a Color DMD upgrade down the road will help.
It's tough to see what's going on in the upper right area (roll overs and bumpers).
There was a MET PRO next to the GOT PRE and I was surprised by how much better the MET was in these areas over a brand new and much more expensive machine.
At first I hated but then I learned to live with:
There is an F14 style kickback that takes a bit getting used to but once you get the hang of it, you can neutralize it easily.
Overall:
I really enjoy playing GOT. It’s got enough going on to have that elusive “just one more game” hook we all look for.
However, if you’re looking for casual play, this is not the machine for you.
It’s skills table and you have to bring your A-Game when you push start.