Recent reviews by Ikrion

I haven't yet finished this game, being the type of person who likes to complete every possible side quest and explore every area in RPG's, but I feel like I have seen enough of the game to write this review.

Pillars of Eternity is a game moulded very much in the fashion of some of my favourite games of all time; Baldur's Gate (I & II) and Icewind Dale, and it definately justifies it's position sitting side by side with these greats.

Being a top down RPG it doesn't have the flashiest or most breathtaking visuals, nor the fast paced combat of many of today's modern games, but it doesn't suffer for it in the slightest. A fascinating, dark and gritty high fantasty world, bursting with interesting and entertaining characters in which you search for answers to a mysterious event from the start of the game set the stage for the telling of a very well devised story.

Like most games of this genre, it features a reasonably well detailed character creation system which allows you to feel that important attachment and immersion during the story, and the voice acting/script writing work is very well done. Expect to be amused, baffled and enthralled in equal measure by the numerous NPC's with which you can party up and travel with (all with their own backstories, most of which I found pretty neat).

Combat-wise the game is solid, being pretty much standard fare for this type of game, but it felt nice and smooth and there is a good variety and diversity of skills amongst the classes. Loot is also varied and interesting enough to keep you constantly on the hunt for that next upgrade or nice drop.

One thing I found very pleasing about the game was the abiluty to acquire and upgrade your own "Keep", which was obtained through a very interesting quest and worked solidly with the main story line of the game, intermingling seamlessly as I quested back and froth between them.

Overall this is a game which borrows, and to a small extent, builds on the solid foundations of prior games in this genre and couples it with a beautiful and detailed world and engaging story. There is nothing particularly groundbreaking added in this game (or at least, what I have experienced of it this far), but there a few new features here and there which fit in very well with the overall experience, without parting too much from the old school feel the game conveys.

Highly reccomended, especially if you already a fan of similar games.