So today I finished the game after a very long time. In itself this game is not a bad game, but unfortunately some things are not well thought out and not implemented correctly. Many ideas are nice but the implementation makes the game extremely unattractive. That's why this game is not so popular. Kingdom management with time pressure is an example of how a game is deliberately made unattractive. In addition, the game is extremely complicated but unfortunately it doesn't make sense, it's absolutely pointlessly complicated. There are hundreds of spells, but 80% of them are unworkable and many of them don't work at all. Many different spells have the same symbols, so you have to read carefully each time whether it is a specific spell you need or something else that has the same symbol. Many talents, skills and abilities are described so complicated that you need 2 semesters of studying the game to play the game optimally. This game is rarely fun but often frustrating. It's a shame actually, this game has a lot of potential but some people deliberately wanted the game not to be popular like BG2 or something like that. At least the game is no longer buggy and the graphics are ok. But if someone still wants to play the game, I recommend playing with some good mods (around 15). Without mods I would stay away from the game.
Just look up the term. Most quests and events are timed and at the same time most content requires time consuming world exploration to experience it. It does not mix well together - you can't enjoy both things at the same moment so you will most likely never meet any expectations that game sets upon you. Most time while I was playing the game I felt slightly frustrated and at the same time it was enjoyable enough to go on. If you are a fan of Stockholm syndrome it's a game for you.
First 50 hours or so are great, by the midgame it starts feeling like butter scraped over too much bread, in the last few chapters there's no butter left and it's just a rusty broken knife grinding against blackened rock-like piece of bread that your grandfather dropped in the cellar in 1964 and forgot about.
Also, Owlcat needs to be forbidden by law from adding management minigames and timed quests to their RPGs.
Why has nobody mentioned this. It's in the game so should be part of any review.
I'm one of those guys who checks the OPTIONS first. I immediately noticed a section that wants to track me. On checking it, it takes me to a site that explains it will track my game playing details, my IP, pc stats, etc, etc, but I can OPT out.
So when I chose to opt out it says,
"Please note that this will result in a non-personalized game experience."
What? Am I being blackmailed for a game I PAID for?
Now on a forum someone told me that I won't lose anything from opting out, but too late, this put a very bad taste in my mouth. I wanted to enjoy a game and instead I'm now worrying what this game is doing in the background?
Unacceptable. Refunded.
Not what I expect of a game on GOG and I support GOG a lot. But I will NOT support this.
There's a lot to love about Pathfinder: Kingmaker, but you have to work for it - first and foremost by turning down the difficulty fairly severely. The default settings are withering even for those who are well familiar with the Pathfinder ruleset - and it's a ruleset that the game makes no real effort to teach you or explain.
Once you've nerfed the enemies and done away with permadeath, you'll discover a long and satisfying traditional CRPG in the style of Baldur's Gate. The graphics are nice, the loot is plentiful (perhaps too plentiful - install a carrying capacity mod), the story makes sense, and the companions are mostly entertaining.
Even with that, the game still has a fair share of glitches years after release - some of them game-breaking - and the kingdom management mechanics are stressful, poorly explained, and have the capacity to leave you in a walking-dead situation after dozens of hours of play. Plus if you don't play it right (or dare to roleplay) you'll miss the entire last chapter of the game.
So like I say - there's a great game here, but you have to work for it.
