X

Westworld Amazon Alexa game brings you back online as a host

The game is a reward for fans -- if you can stay alive.

Patrick Holland Managing Editor
Patrick Holland has been a phone reviewer for CNET since 2016. He is a former theater director who occasionally makes short films. Patrick has an eye for photography and a passion for everything mobile. He is a colorful raconteur who will guide you through the ever-changing, fast-paced world of phones, especially the iPhone and iOS. He used to co-host CNET's I'm So Obsessed podcast and interviewed guests like Jeff Goldblum, Alfre Woodard, Stephen Merchant, Sam Jay, Edgar Wright and Roy Wood Jr.
Expertise Apple, iPhone, iOS, Android, Samsung, Sony, Google, Motorola, interviews, coffee equipment, cats Credentials
  • Patrick's play The Cowboy is included in the Best American Short Plays 2011-12 anthology. He co-wrote and starred in the short film Baden Krunk that won the Best Wisconsin Short Film award at the Milwaukee Short Film Festival.
See full bio
Patrick Holland
2 min read
HBO

In a measured calm voice, Jeffrey Wright, who plays Bernard in Westworld, says:

"Do you know where you are? Like you've seen it before? Or does it feel like you're finally seeing for the first time? The answers will determine if you die or live on and find the center of The Maze. Alexa , open Westworld."

But this isn't from an episode of the popular HBO show. It's from a new game on Alexa devices called Westworld: The Maze. You play as a host on a quest for consciousness.

The game is divided into three choose-your-own-adventure-style levels: memory, improvisation and self-interest. There are more than 60 storylines and 400 unique choices, riddled with questions about the Westworld universe.

"The whole game is designed to be a reward for fans," said Andrew Hunter, a creative director with 360i, which worked with HBO to develop the game. "We see over and over on social media people talking about wanting to go to Westworld. And the game is a way for them to do that from the comfort of their own living room."

You play the game as a host and, like the show, nearly anything you hear can be a clue. The game is filled with sounds and music from the series and there are more than 34 voice actors, including Angela Sarafyan as Clementine.

Check out the video below to see a couple of CNET staffers try the game out.

Watch this: We try Westworld games for Amazon Alexa and iOS/Android

Amazon Alexa already has games such as bingo, tic-tac-toe and blackjack, but Westworld: The Maze is much more immersive and challenging. It comes hot on the heels of Skyrim being released on Alexa at E3 .

If you're curious about timelines, Westworld: The Maze takes place prior to when Maeve is the madam at the Mariposa -- Rose is the one running things here. You can also go to the Confederado in Pariah, Python Pass and the Delos lab, among other locales.

You can play the game now on Amazon Alexa devices. Simply say, "Alexa, open Westworld."

Here are some hints to help you get started:

  • If you make it to the saloon, show blackjack dealer Kissy some respect.
  • If you meet the barmaid, remind her how to get rid of those nightmares by counting backwards from three.
  • If you come across a traveler just outside the Ranch, don't ask her too many questions about her encounter at La Cantina in Las Mudas.
  • At Abernathy Ranch, mention the Judas steer to prove yourself to the ranch hand.
  • If you want the bandits in Sweetwater to like you, remember that the Confederados come from New Virginia.
  • Answer the sheriff honestly when he asks where Hector is hiding. He might suspect you of hiding in the hills with him, but you can talk your way out of it later.

Step inside Westworld: Reserve your spot for our limited-edition weekly newsletter.

Westworld is all about dismantling the 'mystery box': The show's creators on how it's different from Lost.