I have no idea why this game isnt more popular or why some reviewers think its short? STORY 5/5 Pro: The story is unique(reminds me of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn a bit) and told in a tightly knit manner that just works. I loved the twist in the setting (You start off working for the big bad who rules the world) that adds a touch of "reality" to character and events, making them more relatable. Companions are believable and help add flavor to the world. Just finished my first playthrough at 54 hours and at no point did the game feel like it was dragging on or getting boring. There are no meaningless side quests or large locations to run through for little or no reason. Con: Thanks to Bioware, we have all come to expect companion loyalty missions which could have been done better in Tyranny. ROLEPLAYING 4/5 Pro: This is the first time I've played this style of CRPG in a truly fluid manner. I made decisions as I saw fit without worrying about how the game would react... and I loved it! Characters change behavior based on almost all decisions you make. The world really feels like what you are doing matters and shapes subsequent events. Con: The flexibility of choice-making does hit some bumps, especially as you are locked out of 1 "main path" at the end of Act 1. Further on, a few small encounters force fights based on this main path which conflicts with the flexibility shown in the rest of the game. COMBAT 4/5 Combat is fun and intuitive but has a bit of a learning curve at first. (Especially if you haven't played POE or similar isometric RPGs before) I ran an unarmed self-buff character and enjoyed myself throughout. All combat options seem viable with companions being quite flexible as well. The magic system is intuitive and customizable allowing for various combinations to deal with different situations. Lastly, the game does a great job of making you feel involved and major accomplishments feel immensely rewarding. I would love to see a sequel to expand on the events of the game and am starting my 2nd playthrough with different choices now!
