Pathfinder: Kingmaker takes inspiration from classic pen & paper based CRPGs like Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights 2. This means if you have played any of these games you will feel right at home. The combat is executed in real-time with pause, it's tactical and party based. It follows the classic formula with very little to add. It also inherits the pseudo open world style world map. Where it differs from the classic formula is it's kingdom building aspects. The game has a system that could be favourably described as a very light version of a turn-based grand strategy game. Less favourably as a glorified idle game not unlike the ones that can be found on social networks. But it does what it is supposed to do which is to make you feel like you're the actual ruler of your kingdom. All of these aspects work when taken seperatly. However, when combined the whole thing implodes. This is because the game's main quests have deadlines, some of which are not obvious to the player. This means you never actually get to do what you want to do and always feel pushed in the direction the developpers want you to go. It can not be stressed enough how detrimental these deadlines are to both the idea of an open world game and to the idea of a kindom simulator. Want to build your kingdom? Nope, gotta do the main quest. Want to explore your lands or do some sidequests? Nope, gotta do the main quest. Now! This is made even worse by the fact that everything takes at least twice as long as it should. Combat feels sluggish, the UI responds too slowly, too many unnecessary loading screens. In short the game just loves to waste your time. In the end it was a nice idea but nothing more. The execution is severely lacking and even the Enhanced Edition cannot remedy that. Weak 3/5 stars. Only buy/play if you've already played all of the classics and all of the other spiritual successors like Pillars of Eternity 1 and 2 and Divinity Original Sin 1 and 2.
