Pillars of Eternity

Not sure how this game isn't more popular - it's one of the best CRPGs I've ever played. [h3]WRITING 9/10[/h3] Of course, Obsidian brings some of the best RPG writing to the table in the world of gaming. This is no exception. The worldbuilding, characters, and storyline are all captivating. The tone is overall grounded, somewhat dark and gritty, but not hopeless. There is a wealth of worldbuilding and lore for those who want to delve into such things, but not too overwhelming for those who want a more straight-forward classic fantasy experience. As for characters, the companions don't have a million lines of dialogue or expansive side quests to tackle, yet they each feel like multidimensional, nuanced people. I enjoyed watching them evolve throughout the game, as well as the way each of them offered different windows into the various factions, religions, and customs of the game world. I have only one con in this department: Along with an entirely new mechanics system distinct from previous genre giants (D&D, Pathfinder, Warhammer), the game also wants to immerse - or perhaps [i]drown[/i] - the player in the unique cultural landscape of Eora. This comes in the form of the tutorial section throwing hard-to-pronounce (for an English speaker) names, locations, and cultural references at you nonstop. It was rather overwhelming the first time I played - to the point that I had a hard time following what was going on for the first hour or so of gameplay. That being said, the lore is very cool and Pillars of Eternity has become one of my favorite fantasy settings I've ever experienced. The way Watchers, the Wheel, and the gods work, the specific real-world cultures Obsidian took inspiration from, and the Age of Discovery-esque technology makes PoE stand out from other IPs. [h3]VISUALS 7/10[/h3] PoE is not a big-budget AAA title. The character models aren't all that impressive by today's standards, the character customization is somewhat limited, and the textures don't always scale up to higher resolutions with the utmost clarity. Despite that, the game is very beautiful, in my opinion. PoE boasts some very well-crafted and atmospheric environments, especially places like Twin Elms and Caed Nua. There were times I paused my wandering just to stare at the backdrops and wish I could download it as a wallpaper. [h3]GAMEPLAY 9/10[/h3] If you're coming from other series like Baldur's Gate, Pathfinder, etc. getting a hang of the mechanics in PoE isn't too much of a hurdle. However, if this is your first CRPG, you might find it overwhelming. It took a bit for it to click for me, but when it did, I found myself enjoying it almost as much as other RPG systems. If you need help understanding the mechanics, I recommend checking out Slandered Gaming's 2023 beginner's guide on Youtube - he has some very clear and succinct videos on the topic. [h3]OTHER NOTES[/h3] + Fantastic music (I use the soundtrack for my TTRPG sessions) + I like the enchanting and soul-binding systems a lot + Love that there's a slow mode and a fast mode that can be toggled for quicker running around + The DLCs are well worth it and go on sale often - Although, White March part II is a bit of a slog - Voice acting is a mixed bag. Some characters have distinctly lower-quality audio than others (Grieving Mother, for example). At the same time, the game has some great performances from industry giants like Matthew Mercer, Sam Riegel, Cindy Robinson, and Liam O'Brien