Posted on: May 30, 2020

RobinScouarnec

Games: 34 Reviews: 1

As a first CRPG: Great game with flaws

PoE was my first CRPG (keep that in mind I guess, I can't compare to other CRPG). If I had to sum up my impressions I would say that it made me want to play many more. PROS: - I enjoyed the grim setting much more than the generic, forgettable fantasy stuff every game has. - Visuals and music are very nice. - As a turn-based combat hater, real-time with pause combat was a breath of fresh air. - System rules feel much more natural than tabletop oriented ones IMO. - Side quests are mostly interesting (very few of them felt like filler) and you're often left wondering what would've happened if solved it in another way. - Story companions are interesting and varied. - Character building (both leveling and the way you behave) gives you strong incentive to replay the game: right when I finished my first playthrough, I wanted to start over. CONS: - Main quest story, while interesting enough, felt a bit rushed in the end (from act 3). The fact that you can go to DLC anytime is weird considering the feeling of urge the main quest tries to convey. DLC has a great rhythm though. - I picked Hard difficulty (2nd highest), and it felt a bit too easy: very few fights are challenging and force you to use all tools at your disposal. I didn't enchant my gear at all and didn't feel the need for it, and in most fights I would not use my high level spells because I felt I would be wasting them, which led me to barely using them. You are also overleveled for most of the game unless you do no side quests at all (level scaling option does not really help). Bottom of the line : do not start with anything less than Hard. - Some features are annoying, as you end up doing unnecessary travels. Limiting the camping supplies : forces you to go back to town whenever you are out. Attacks on your stronghold : you mercenaries are useless so you have to go back each time. - When picking your class, you have no clew what you'll get. So you need to check 3rd party to plan ahead.

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Posted on: December 11, 2021

Bloodygoodgames

Games: 205 Reviews: 17

Wanted to love it but Ye Gods it's dull

I've owned Pillars of Eternity forever, and finally got around to playing it this week. Five hours in, and after reading a slew of reviews that state it doesn't get any better, and I uninstalled it from my computer, as the thought of suffering through more of this was unimaginable. The writing is ridiculously verbose, the voice acting worse, and the combat system just annoying -- I mean, why would I want to tell my characters what to do and then just sit there while they do it? And why are there so many enemies, I'm being mobbed everywhere I look? I expected Icewind Dale or Balder's Gate, two of my favorite games, as the graphics are initially similar. What I got was mind-numbing gameplay, far too many enormous walls of text and never ending conversations that cause you to completely lose immersion, lore that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and, overall, a dull game I would rather poke my eyes out than play. Not recommended unless you like a book rather than a game.

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Posted on: April 1, 2024

LJ_Rime

Games: 66 Reviews: 2

RPGs At Their Best Have Weight

Many years ago, I played Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords for the first time with the RCM mod. I had only originally played it once on the OG Xbox when I was young but its quality kind of escaped me. But playing it with the RCM mod was a new experience and when I finished the game, I felt like the weight of the world lifted off my shoulders in the best way. I bring this up because that sense of relief is the kind of feeling I chase when I begin a playthrough of any new RPG. Pillars of Eternity was the first game I ever bought on GOG. It's been almost a decade and I've played through it many times. The most recent being late last year. It gave me the same feeling it gave me after I finished my very first playthrough. The same feeling KOTORII gave me. Like I had been on a very long journey and could now finally rest. I can't stress this enough when I say that's a rare feeling. I've played many RPGs and only a select few have given me what felt like a satisfying conclusion. Pillars of Eternity is the kind of game that most people won't finish. It's far too grounded for a fantasy RPG that its bound to bore a lot of people in its early game. They're doing themselves a disservice by not experiencing everything after. One of my biggest pet peeves of CRPGs in the last decade is the obnoxious self aware quirky humor. It feels like every recent CRPG has it. It's not unique. It's not funny. It's boring. The same feeling a lot of people will get from Pillars because it doesn't have that so called "personality." But it's that lack of obnoxious personality that has only let it age so gracefully over time. It's not trying to be self aware or funny. It's trying take you on a journey and it lets you feel that weight. If you give the time the game asks of you, that weight will be lifted in the end and you'll never forget how you felt when it happened. The best RPGs are like that.

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Posted on: November 25, 2020

ExpDevourer

Games: 165 Reviews: 3

Icewind Gate

People are too quick to criticize. Look does this game has its flaws? Certainly, but you tell me know that doesn't, and If I played it, I will point them out real quick. However lets talk about everything the game does right, first of all, consider that it was a pipe dream till the backers who supported it made it possible, kudo's to all of them. Secondly, if your looking for a fast paced button masher, then your playing the wrong game. This is an old school RTS/RPG with a modern edge. If your born after the year 2000, you probably won't like it, but then again you might, my point is give it a chance before your fingers start making inaccurate opinions about something. Lastly, I will just say my gripes are very limited with this one. Mainly limited zoom and character detail, and the control scheme can be wonky to say the least at times, but those are minor annoyances. What the game does right, at least in my opinion anyways, is the rich deep story, the combat works fairly well, and while its not set in the D&D world and subject to its rules, it still maintains enough of a similarity to fan favorite past titles such as Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale, to still feel like its set in said realms. For me, I give it a 4 stars. :) keep up the great work Obsidian.

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Posted on: March 27, 2022

Franta5812

Verified owner

Games: 2 Reviews: 2

Great game, some needless lore dumps

Wonderful old-school art style, and music (both wandering and combat) reminds me to the best themes and songs of Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series. Story is a bit ´heavy´ for me sometimes and there are some ingame lore dumps I'd have preferred to learn in a some immersive way but overall this is a 4.7 out 5. I wish the mechanics were even more similar to Baldur's Gate however but after some time you can get used to them. Well done game.

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