Pathfinder: Kingmaker

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 598 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 402 out of 598
  2. Mixed: 82 out of 598
  3. Negative: 114 out of 598

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  1. roachtbp
    Sep 26, 2018
    10
    Feels just like the classic isometric crpgs of old (with modern conveniences)!!! Uses the Pathfinder ruleset, which is extremely similar to the D&D 3.5 ruleset.

    If you like old school crpgs such as Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, Temple of Elemental Evil, and Planescape: Torment, or if you like more modern rpgs such as Pillars of Eternity, Torment: Tides of Numenera,    Feels just like the classic isometric crpgs of old (with modern conveniences)!!! Uses the Pathfinder ruleset, which is extremely similar to the D&D 3.5 ruleset.

    If you like old school crpgs such as Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, Temple of Elemental Evil, and Planescape: Torment, or if you like more modern rpgs such as Pillars of Eternity, Torment: Tides of Numenera, and Tyranny, then you will definitely enjoy this game, I have no doubt.    … Expand
  2. Gradstudent
    Oct 28, 2018
    10
    I've played every RPG you've ever heard of, and this is better than all of them. An incredible achievement in video games. Not just game of the generation, but game of the century.
  3. MikeVentris
    Jan 7, 2020
    10
    By now it's the best CRPG I've played for long time.
    I know, it had a lot of bugs at release, but now most of them fixed and this is really must-have game.
  4. sprocket64
    Dec 31, 2018
    10
    Okay...10 is probably a little too much. In reality a 8.5 but...given the number of negative reviews for such a big, complex and faithful interpretation by a new, small studio - I wanted to even the scales a bit. It's the easiest job in the world to be a critic! You can tell this was a labor of love.
    Admittedly I picked up this game and started playing it over the Holidays but...don't    Okay...10 is probably a little too much. In reality a 8.5 but...given the number of negative reviews for such a big, complex and faithful interpretation by a new, small studio - I wanted to even the scales a bit. It's the easiest job in the world to be a critic! You can tell this was a labor of love.
    Admittedly I picked up this game and started playing it over the Holidays but...don't understand the "it's too difficult and complex" complaints. I finished Chapter One without any bugs/crashes and the mechanics felt hand-in-glove to me. The storytelling is excellent. I agree that the companions are a little flat and the voice acting stiff but...come on people...this is an extraordinary accomplishment for a new studio! ...and a great value to boot!    … Expand
  5. kozzy420
    Sep 25, 2018
    10
    Amazing game so far! 8 hours in and I am blown away! Wonderful job by everyone who worked on this, it sure is a joy to play it! A mix of old school games like Baldurs Gate and modern crpgs like Pillars Of Eternity 2. Get this NOW!
  6. Zelmar
    Oct 2, 2020
    10
    It is amazing how this game is able to scratch my Baldurs Gate itch. It pushes in small but very subtle details a lot of traditional RPG elements by giving them a bit more depth a bit more push a bit more substance than you are used to and the cumulative effect is that you have a gorgeous full of content and progression arch for your hero and party. Amazing. I am playing version 2.1 soIt is amazing how this game is able to scratch my Baldurs Gate itch. It pushes in small but very subtle details a lot of traditional RPG elements by giving them a bit more depth a bit more push a bit more substance than you are used to and the cumulative effect is that you have a gorgeous full of content and progression arch for your hero and party. Amazing. I am playing version 2.1 so cannot comment on the earlier version. This version is very polished.… Expand
  7. teshia
    Jul 9, 2022
    10
    This is one hell of a CRPG. I'm glad I played it after it was heavily patched though, as those opening months of release must have been brutal. This, along with Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous are some of the best CRPGs I've ever played. Like most CRPGs, there are a few bugs and issues but I'd say this is on par with CRPG classics like Baldur's Gate 2. Not to be missed if you're intoThis is one hell of a CRPG. I'm glad I played it after it was heavily patched though, as those opening months of release must have been brutal. This, along with Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous are some of the best CRPGs I've ever played. Like most CRPGs, there are a few bugs and issues but I'd say this is on par with CRPG classics like Baldur's Gate 2. Not to be missed if you're into this sort of thing but fair warning, as the learning curve can be a kick in the teeth for people that aren't used to D&D or Pathfinder. It's a hard game and you need to know what you're doing. You're going to be deep in the stats and you're going to get a LOT of hours out of this game, so set aside a LOT of time. Great stuff though. Can't recommend it enough.… Expand
  8. avrell
    Oct 2, 2018
    10
    This game truly took me back to Infinity-era of RPGs. (Baldur's Gate,IWD and so on) Mechanics and the feeling of grand adventure here is something I've not had in a really long time.

    Game is unforgiving; you get to do plenty of mistakes if you are careless. You need to use your head and show caution. Much of the content here isn't present only to lose to player in an entertaining way.    This game truly took me back to Infinity-era of RPGs. (Baldur's Gate,IWD and so on) Mechanics and the feeling of grand adventure here is something I've not had in a really long time.

    Game is unforgiving; you get to do plenty of mistakes if you are careless. You need to use your head and show caution. Much of the content here isn't present only to lose to player in an entertaining way.

    Mehcanics, spells and so on remind one very, very vividly of AD&D ruleset. It ticks and plays like a tabletop game turned into PC. I love it.    … Expand
  9. theirrelephants
    Dec 8, 2020
    10
    Played in in 2020 without any of the bugs it had on release.

    Absolutely brilliant game and rpg. Some of the best writing I've seen since before Bioware turned into a children's playhouse for mongoloids. The only downside of the game was its abysmal 'kingdom management' system, which can be solved by putting it on 'effortless' because the only alternative is either savescumming or    Played in in 2020 without any of the bugs it had on release.

    Absolutely brilliant game and rpg. Some of the best writing I've seen since before Bioware turned into a children's playhouse for mongoloids.

    The only downside of the game was its abysmal 'kingdom management' system, which can be solved by putting it on 'effortless' because the only alternative is either savescumming or putting it one difficulty lower and missing content.

    My only complaint was the lack of party banter.    … Expand
  10. Galwail
    Aug 18, 2019
    10
    This game was a huge surprise for me. It has very entertaining story, solid game mechanics and a lot of content. I would rate it higher than other RPGs I have played lately (Pillars of Eternity 1 and 2, Torment: Tides of Numenera, Wasteland 2, Mass Effect 4…), it is certainly one of the best story driven RPGs I have ever played (like Planescape: Torment, Witcher 3, Dragon Age: Origins,This game was a huge surprise for me. It has very entertaining story, solid game mechanics and a lot of content. I would rate it higher than other RPGs I have played lately (Pillars of Eternity 1 and 2, Torment: Tides of Numenera, Wasteland 2, Mass Effect 4…), it is certainly one of the best story driven RPGs I have ever played (like Planescape: Torment, Witcher 3, Dragon Age: Origins, Mass Effect, Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer). Unlike the above-mentioned games, this one does one thing very differently, the real sense of urgency. The main crises pop up at predetermined time intervals and when they do, you better solve them quickly or face the consequences. You can easily lose the game by ignoring the main quests.

    What I liked most about this game was its story. The initial chapter of the game gripped me and didn’t let go. The origin story of the main villain made me genuinely sad and the last chapter, where you go against literal demigods, was very satisfying, it even has a secret ending, where you can give the main villain a taste of his own medicine. The pacing of the game was good, I had just enough money to buy everything I wanted and equip all companions, just enough time to fully develop my kingdom and explore the entire map and just enough XP to hit level 20 during the final chapter. I liked that the game did not push me into any alignment (hello Baldur’s Gate) and that you could recruit some of your former enemies as advisors.

    The difficulty level was uneven with a lot of power creep toward the end. I was playing on the hard difficulty with story companions and the opening chapter was very hard. Some fights were almost unfair (the wererats cave still haunts my dreams), but that was mostly due to my unwillingness to give up and return later. Compared to that, the endgame was very easy, I just had to make sure my buffs are up and mow down all the opposition. But I can see why some people find the endgame very hard, there is a lot of room to make mistakes in your character builds and miss important buffs and abilities.

    I have waited a year to play this game and I’m happy, that the developers used that time to fix and polish the game. I didn’t encounter any content bugs; the game froze only a couple of times. Some of the mechanics work differently than in PnP, but it is hard to tell, whether it is a bug or feature.

    The weakest part of the game was the kingdom management, its mechanics are shallow, events are mostly random, I did not notice any event chains, the buildings system is simple and leads to weird and unrealistic situations, like filling towns of your lawful good kingdom with goblin quarters to boost your espionage score. The most interesting part of the kingdom management was the decision making with your advisors, but it had little impact on the RPG side of the game. Develop your kingdom well and you may get extra time in the last chapter, but that’s about it. The game could also use some ease of use features. Like searching items for a particular bonus type, or some way to automate long term buffs.    … Expand
  11. Valarian25
    Apr 10, 2019
    10
    Not gonna make a horrible long review.

    Look, this is the game Bioware should have made.

    The people who made this must have played allot of baldurs gate + neverwinter nights :D

    No really if you like RPG games this is a must, you wont regret it, 1010 (based on budget and scale)
    I have not had this much fun since the Witcher 3.
  12. jseph1234
    Dec 2, 2018
    10
    This game is quite an enjoyable CRPG with complex decisions and situations along with great game-play and wonderful animations. I like that your choices have significant repercussions to your companions, NPC's and the world in general. Great writing as well.
  13. whyteian
    Sep 25, 2018
    10
    Pathfinder Kingmaker is a fantastic rpg. So far, I am loving it. Congratulations to Owlcat Games!
  14. abowman
    Sep 28, 2018
    10
    I'm not a "Fanboy or Paid Shill" but the game is definitely 10/10, especially for 40 dollars. 35 hours in and loving every minute of it. I will admit the beginning of the game on hard mode is basically reloading over and over until you get good rolls.

    There could be some adjusting on the difficulty towards the first 3-5 hours of the game or so because have no options to improve your    I'm not a "Fanboy or Paid Shill" but the game is definitely 10/10, especially for 40 dollars. 35 hours in and loving every minute of it. I will admit the beginning of the game on hard mode is basically reloading over and over until you get good rolls.

    There could be some adjusting on the difficulty towards the first 3-5 hours of the game or so because have no options to improve your situation. To be fair however, there's not hard limitation on when you can adjust the difficulty. Folks can just adjust the difficulty down to challenging, clear the first part of the game, and then bump it up when the game takes off. Once the game opens up it becomes much more balanced.

    This is the closest thing to Baulders gate i've played in years. I'm personally having more fun with this game than I did with the Pillars, or Divinity Series. I've personally experienced very few bugs or issues during my 35 hours of game play. If you're a fan of crpg's (baulders gate, Neverwinter, ice wind Dale, etc) than this game is a no brainier. I would of gladly paid 60 dollars for this game.    … Expand
  15. timelord85
    Oct 9, 2018
    10
    I've been waiting for a Pathfinder game for my PC for a while and I'm very pleased with what I got. The graphics are great, I love the story, and there is a lot of voice acting which I'm glad is in the game. I don't have any issues with the game really and I have recommended the game to my friends who loved playing Boulders Gate. I recommend watching the let's plays on YouTube and seeingI've been waiting for a Pathfinder game for my PC for a while and I'm very pleased with what I got. The graphics are great, I love the story, and there is a lot of voice acting which I'm glad is in the game. I don't have any issues with the game really and I have recommended the game to my friends who loved playing Boulders Gate. I recommend watching the let's plays on YouTube and seeing the game and judge if you like what you see then buy it. Thank you for reading… Expand
  16. AcerolaOrion
    Feb 25, 2019
    10
    If you are an old school rpg fan this is the BEST game made in the past 15 years.

    I can see why some people dislike it, too difficult for casuals, too many mechanics. But as a hardcore crpg fan this game was MADE for me and is a clear 10/10. The game is HUGE you get a TON of HIGH QUALITY CONTENT. Absolutely brilliant story, deep customization this is one of the best games i have    If you are an old school rpg fan this is the BEST game made in the past 15 years.

    I can see why some people dislike it, too difficult for casuals, too many mechanics. But as a hardcore crpg fan this game was MADE for me and is a clear 10/10.

    The game is HUGE you get a TON of HIGH QUALITY CONTENT.

    Absolutely brilliant story, deep customization this is one of the best games i have played in the last 15 years.    … Expand
  17. SDaemon
    Sep 25, 2018
    10
    It is just our beloved and awaited Bauldur's Gate v3.0!
    just throw your money right into the monitor and enjoy!
  18. Mystic_Quest
    Jan 3, 2019
    10
    It blows PoE and D:OS out of the water when it comes to RP, choices and consequences. Skills matter, choices have impact, the game isn't afraid of letting you fail. The only reason it has such a low score is because it was released in a terribly buggy state. At the moment, the vast majority of bugs have been fixed and the game is nothing less than a perfect crpg.
  19. Arilian
    Jul 23, 2019
    10
    An absolute gem, refreshing old style game. Everything is really great, it is challenging, requires planning, knowing your characters, spells or abilities, but nowhere near as difficultly as some negative comments mention. It does not hold your hand, and can be played very differently. I wish there was more games like this.
  20. Goratrixe
    Oct 4, 2018
    10
    Awesome game, best CRPG. Reminds me of Baldur's Gate. It is almost like the Pen and Paper Falta apenas a tradução para Português.... Loving it.
  21. Delcien
    Sep 2, 2021
    10
    An absolutely amazing game! cant recommend enuff, especially if u enjoyed Balders gate/DOS games
  22. lhomax
    Nov 13, 2018
    10
    Since BG2 I have not played any other game as immense as this, and i played almost every rpg in the market, when i say immense i mean in every aspect, the history, the playtime, the challenge, everything...

    It's true that it has serious bugs that can make you upset, but if you forgot about them, it is the real sucessor of BG2. If you love isometric challenging RPG, make yourself a    Since BG2 I have not played any other game as immense as this, and i played almost every rpg in the market, when i say immense i mean in every aspect, the history, the playtime, the challenge, everything...

    It's true that it has serious bugs that can make you upset, but if you forgot about them, it is the real sucessor of BG2.

    If you love isometric challenging RPG, make yourself a favour and play this masterpiece.    … Expand
  23. Topfpflanze
    Jun 29, 2021
    10
    Pathfinder: Kingmaker is an unexpected triple-A jewel. Very high class music, voiceover, graphics and storyline. Unorthodox, it picks up the thread of Baldur's Gate and takes it to new heights.
  24. plutarque
    Oct 1, 2018
    10
    Impressive to see developers released such a great game and that respects the bible (Ruleset of Pathfinder). More than 50h now, and I litteray dream of the game during my nights. Brillant, cleaver, and... omg... A great storyline. Combats are amazing too. The best of the genre. Thank you so much for that. The game who will gather the pathfinder community around it!!
  25. manukosta
    Oct 25, 2018
    10
    This game is great, if you like RPG, Baldurs Gate or NWN, its a must buy. Most negative opinions are due to bugs or crashes, which are getting fixed (a hotpatch comes out every 2 days), so this game should really be rated a lot higher. Its just that people have very shortsighted reviews. This kind of complex game requires a lot of coding, especially considering all the character buildingThis game is great, if you like RPG, Baldurs Gate or NWN, its a must buy. Most negative opinions are due to bugs or crashes, which are getting fixed (a hotpatch comes out every 2 days), so this game should really be rated a lot higher. Its just that people have very shortsighted reviews. This kind of complex game requires a lot of coding, especially considering all the character building options, kingdom events, etc....so its natural that it wouldnt be perfect at release. Give it some time and it will be one of the best CRPGs ever out there.… Expand
  26. toroks
    May 27, 2020
    10
    This is a true spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate series, and small studio Owlcat deserves a whole lot of credit to have pulled off this very complex game as good as they have 12 years after we saw a similar D&D game, Neverwinter Nights 2. The gameplay, the exploration, the combat system, the overview and feel of the graphics, the quirky humor - the Baldur's Gate inspiration is veryThis is a true spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate series, and small studio Owlcat deserves a whole lot of credit to have pulled off this very complex game as good as they have 12 years after we saw a similar D&D game, Neverwinter Nights 2. The gameplay, the exploration, the combat system, the overview and feel of the graphics, the quirky humor - the Baldur's Gate inspiration is very clear. The biggest deviation is really that this is in the world of Golarion and not Forgotten Realms, but in some way it feels refreshing to get to know this (for me) new setting.… Expand
  27. Kraehe
    Sep 28, 2018
    10
    Reminds me strongly of Baldur's Gate. It is almost like the Pen and Paper Pathfinder System and feels great. I love it!
  28. Solantus
    Nov 2, 2018
    10
    For Me Game Of The Year. I wait so long a game like Baldurs Gate with this game my long wait is end.
    There will be bugs and some problem but ı am sure there is pass with time. I am sure it getting better and better with dlc and expansion pack. Many People Will be questioning game graphics, Mechanics, etc. Of course They have right with game like Witcher, red dead redemption, etc make    For Me Game Of The Year. I wait so long a game like Baldurs Gate with this game my long wait is end.
    There will be bugs and some problem but ı am sure there is pass with time. I am sure it getting better and better with dlc and expansion pack. Many People Will be questioning game graphics, Mechanics, etc. Of course They have right with game like Witcher, red dead redemption, etc make stake high. But This is totaly different soul and serve totaly different experience the others. in the and you can cast fire ball or crush the enemy heads with a greataxe with a good critic you can kill a boss in a one minute.    … Expand
  29. Vargeth
    Oct 24, 2018
    10
    For some reason this went right up my alley unlike Pillars and Tyranny. Maybe its storytelling, maybe more complex system or maybe setting. No idea but this is second game ever that got from me 10/10 and made me write a review. GOTY so far
  30. Pech_SOG
    Sep 25, 2018
    10
    Incredible. The best of BG2, Pillars 1/2 and isometric rpg gaming. Epic, deep, and wonderful gameplay.
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Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Most Discussed PC Game of 2018
100
#100 Most Shared PC Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. CD-Action
    Feb 13, 2019
    75
    Pathfinder: Kingmaker offers an interesting world to explore along with satisfying combat, and the first half of the adventure is top-notch old school fun. Unfortunately later the game loses its momentum and becomes boring. Anyhow, it’s a solid RPG that should keep Baldur’s Gate’s fans happy for many hours. [12/2018, p.86]
  2. Games.cz
    Jan 15, 2019
    80
    A great adaptation of the original Pathfinder gamebooks. The story is sidelined by tough tactical combat - its steep difficulty may be daunting to genre newbies, but D&D veterans will be delighted. There are technical problems, yes, but those are overshadowed by refreshing kingdom management and interesting companions.
    Read full review
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Dec 31, 2018
    80
    RPG for the hardened. Get used to loadings and getting lost in the rules, get ready for an ok storyline - and in the return you will enjoy a deep level of challenge and great management of your own kingdom. Obsidian has a new competitor. [Issue#290]
See all critic reviews »