Pillars of Eternity

I played Pillars of Eternity so i could play PoE2. This was a different style of game than i usually go for, but it had a lot of VA's i really loved so i wanted to try it. I am super glad i did. The world of Eora is fantastic. Instead of relying on the usual fantasy tropes, the game builds its own identity around souls, reincarnation, and the role of the gods. It takes a while to absorb everything, but once it clicks, the setting becomes incredibly interesting and rewarding to explore. Combat uses a real time/pause system that encourages careful planning. Positioning matters, crowd control matters, and throwing your party into a fight without a plan is a great way to get everyone killed (Ask me how I know). Building a balanced party and learning how abilities work together is satisfying throughout the campaign. The companions are the highlight for me in games like this. Nearly every party member feels like a real person with their own goals, flaws, and opinions. Their personal quests add a lot to the experience, and I found myself swapping party members around just to hear more of their conversations. I like a like romance with my sauce but you don't really get that in this game. I romanced Aloth sort of, or showed my interest so i could get the romance with him in PoE2 and i found that friendship really sweet and enjoyable to progress. If Eder was romanceable though, I am a ride he wouldn't survive, I'll tell you that. I also appreciated how character stats affect dialogue. Intelligence, Might, Resolve, etc. regularly unlock unique options that let you solve situations in different ways. It makes roleplaying feel meaningful instead of cosmetic. That said, the game definitely shows its age in some areas. There is an enormous amount of reading, and the game is not interested in holding your hand. If you are not in the mood to dig through lore and lengthy conversations, it can feel overwhelming. The gold-named NPCs are also a strange inclusion. I assumed they are important, only to discover they are mostly unrelated stories that interrupt the flow of real exploration. The difficulty curve can be uneven. The opening hours are surprisingly brutal while later sections become much easier once your party gains access to stronger abilities and gear. Companion AI also struggles, which means frequent pausing and micromanagement if you want your party to perform efficiently. And then there are the traps. Having to constantly enter scouting mode and creep through dungeons gets old fast, especially when a missed trap turns into a reload screen. Overall, Pillars of Eternity is a fantastic CRPG with excellent writing, memorable companions, and one of the most interesting fantasy settings in the genre. It demands patience and attention, but if you are willing to meet it halfway, it rewards you with a deeply satisfying adventure.

Story rich game

This is probably the best story I've ever seen in an RPG, was fully hooked the whole time.

While I find the back half of the game to be less interesting than the first I do ultimately recommend the game to lovers of CRPGs. I normally dislike RTwP combat, but a system built for it from the ground up is far more interesting than others and made it enjoyable. The writing is generally top-notch, although there were occasions where it felt like it was trying too hard to be philosophical and just came across as too much. My full playthrough was around 70 hours, the other 60 stem from an unfinished attempt years ago. I will admit I was burnt out by the end, especially with the DLC and some incredibly tough encounters that felt like they came from nowhere and had tedious design put into them. All in all, get it if it intrigues you in any way. I will say my feelings over-all are positive, minus the situational annoyances or random grating designs.

You are doing yourself a disservice by not playing this game. I haven't played many RPGs, but i've never had a game question my character's motivations and morals as much as this game has. Truly a gem

Thumbs up.

It's pretty good, so far.

It's been 11 years and they still can't figure out how to make fonts work in 1440p. It's a blurry mess. Play only on 1080p or 4k monitor. The game is alright. Good writing, surprisingly good music. But not much else... If you're in a mood for a cRPG and you've already played the classics, then it's a good choice.

好

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