Pathfinder WotR is really scratching the CRPG itch with nicely updated mechanics, nearly on par with Divinity Original Sin games and Baldur's Gate 3. The story is more than serviceable, which is a huge plus, but I'm mainly enjoying the emphasis on combat, which is nicely polished. A couple irritating things early on, the scarcity of portrait options, and a bug where corpses stand up after you leave an area and come back, very unsettling and immersion-breaking and seems like something that should have been fixed before launch. Roleplaying options are abundant, and I like that there's a lot of rules and strategies to chew on. I previously played Owlcat's Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader, gorgeous game with very fun lore, but the gameplay in WotR is more interesting so far. Solid 8/10 so far, hopeful that it could go higher.
idk why i never used it before. launching the patch module made the game even better than before. brilliant jewel of a game that will never get a true sequel.
Flawed game but its flaws allow it to be what it is - an immersive mercenary simulator. The best parts are tense shootouts in slums and scrapyards where you really have to use your senses to locate your enemies. No GPS, HUD icons, or highlighter. The AI is more reactive and unforgiving compared to later games. Stealth is extra challenging, but feels really rewarding to pull off. Lots of jungle driving with surprisingly good driving physics. You have to equip a physical map to see where you are and plan travel. Ammo feels precious, weapons degrade over time, and you have to resupply on malaria meds. Not that hard, but the game keeps a nice baseline of tension that makes even the more repetitive and slow moments exhilirating.
