Pathologic 2

 PC
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 319 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 277 out of 319
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 319
  3. Negative: 25 out of 319

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  1. TanSula
    May 23, 2019
    10
    Это именно тот Мор, который мы ждали. Я очень рад, что в России ещё делают игры такого уровня.
  2. VenomSNNNK
    Dec 11, 2020
    9
    Absolutely phenomenal game. This is once-in-a-lifetime experience. Yeah, it can be buggy but overall Pathologic 2 it's amazing experience.
  3. GlydeV
    Jul 14, 2020
    10
    An exceptional game with exceptional systems that can make morally complex scenarios other games just script, other games will force you to feel sad about some random dude the game forced you to kill, pathologic 2’s systems can create natural scenarios where you can consider to do many morally bad choices just to survive and that is where the game shines where others try, it’s not a gameAn exceptional game with exceptional systems that can make morally complex scenarios other games just script, other games will force you to feel sad about some random dude the game forced you to kill, pathologic 2’s systems can create natural scenarios where you can consider to do many morally bad choices just to survive and that is where the game shines where others try, it’s not a game where you can make a perfect run, nor you can complete every quest there is in the map nor you can save every character, it tries to be more than many games from the market and wants to create a hard but engaging experience.
    This is one of the best games that utilizes difficulty to tell a story, to create a terrifying ambient, to empathize with the people and to make you fear the spread of the pest, and there are many things you can talk about this game this review would be enormous.
    If you want to play the game, TRY IT, it’s a hard game and I can comprehend that there are some people that can’t simply play the game in the intended way but if you can play the intended difficulty, play it that way, you will die many times but don’t worry, it is something natural and the game expects you to die, the maximum theme of the game I can argue is failure and to succeed even in the worst situation.
    Only one thing before you play the game, DO NOT EVER MAKE THE FELLOW TRAVELLER’S DEAL AFTER DYING TO MUCH.    … Expand
  4. North_stream
    Jun 24, 2020
    10
    Pathologic 2 is probably the best game i've ever played. I don't have experience with the original Pathologic so this review is based solely on Pathologic 2.

    Mechanically, The game is challenging but fair. The developers use the game mechanics (hunger, Immunity, health, etc.) and economy to great effect. You experience the tenseness and desperation that one would feel if they found    Pathologic 2 is probably the best game i've ever played. I don't have experience with the original Pathologic so this review is based solely on Pathologic 2.

    Mechanically, The game is challenging but fair. The developers use the game mechanics (hunger, Immunity, health, etc.) and economy to great effect. You experience the tenseness and desperation that one would feel if they found themselves in a plague infected town in the Russian Steppe. I've seen complaints about the combat; in my experience it was difficult but fair. I did not find it to be very "janky".

    Artistically this game really can't be beat. It is stunningly beautiful and terrifying at the same time. The character models are amazing, The sound design/music is up there with the Legend of Zelda games (probably better), and the writing is HONESTLY the best i've ever seen in a game. If there were a Pathologic novel i'd be reading it right now.

    The last thing i have to mention is the dynamic quest system which can be viewed in the "Thoughts" page. The game is so good at pushing you to investigate different quest lines which each have multiple different articulation points and end in multiple, often unpredictable ways.

    To summarize, I never expected that I would love this game so much, nor did i expect to give any 10 score reviews but here we are. In many ways i view Pathologic 2 as a contemporary take on Majora's Mask. There is really nothing else like it.    … Expand
  5. lesoruble
    Sep 24, 2020
    10
    One of the best and atmospheric games I've ever played.
    It's made by tiny russian game studio, so that means that you probably have never heard of this game because it's totally opposite to the experience you could gather from the mainstream games and industry. This game was created for you to suffer and to feel the pain of dying and living.
    I know that many could find this game    One of the best and atmospheric games I've ever played.
    It's made by tiny russian game studio, so that means that you probably have never heard of this game because it's totally opposite to the experience you could gather from the mainstream games and industry. This game was created for you to suffer and to feel the pain of dying and living.
    I know that many could find this game unbearable, so I write this review for people who'd like to experience something out of conventional gameplaying.
    If you manage to survive, at least, halfway through, this game will change you forever. Try it.    … Expand
  6. MorseS
    Sep 22, 2020
    10
    an unrivaled and unique experience. this game is difficult and surreal with writing second to none. if some one wants an example of video games as art, point them to this game. everyone should experience this rich and nearly flawless game.
  7. GVB
    Oct 30, 2020
    10
    A compelling and twisted story full of strange things, death, tragedy, love, unforgettable characters... and a great, great, great writing in general. A difficult visual novel/rpg with survival mechanics that is simply near-perfection.
  8. DueAttendant149
    Dec 31, 2019
    10
    Игра не отпускает до финала. Выжимает тебя полностью, пытается заставить тебя бросить прохождение и дарит абсолютно уникальный опыт. Одна из лучших игр на моей памяти
  9. aloneonjupiter
    Oct 26, 2019
    9
    Pathologic 2 is not without its issues. I'll get those out of the way quickly, so I can get on to explaining why I still esteem the game so highly.

    First and worst, combat is as clunky as it was in the original game. But where Pathologic 1 mitigated that with quicksaves, Pathologic 2 has a far more limited save system and permanent death penalties. Those penalties were, in my    Pathologic 2 is not without its issues. I'll get those out of the way quickly, so I can get on to explaining why I still esteem the game so highly.

    First and worst, combat is as clunky as it was in the original game. But where Pathologic 1 mitigated that with quicksaves, Pathologic 2 has a far more limited save system and permanent death penalties.

    Those penalties were, in my opinion, a misstep on the developers' part. They discourage exploration and experimentation in a game that otherwise encourages - or even demands - those very things. The ability to learn through death, rather than fearing and shunning it, would have felt much more congruent with the rest of the game.

    Then there is the system by which named NPCs can become infected and die of the plague. A system that feels, too often, like it is completely out of the player’s control. While I'm sure that's part of the point, the plague is implacable, untameable, it is still a system in a game. If the player is to be motivated to interact with that system, they need to feel that their efforts are at least making some difference.

    As an experiment, one day I made my rounds, treated everyone as best I could, and waited to see what results midnight would bring. I then reloaded a recent save, took a nap instead...and got the exact same results. The same people lived or died, were infected or remained healthy. A system like that, in which the player's best efforts and complete inaction can produce the same results, is not one that encourages the player to bother with it at all.

    Now. With all that said, let's talk about how Pathologic 2 is still an excellent game and well worth your time.

    The writing is some of the best I’ve ever experienced in a game. The people of the town, whether on your 'side' or not, are sympathetic and genuine. To your benefit or not, or without you in mind at all, they act according to their own fears and goals and convictions.

    This sense of reality extends to the player character. He isn't a bland conduit through which the player can interrogate NPCs. He brings his own beliefs and history to each situation, so the player is always learning about him. He brings his own moods, but a player immersed in the experience will likely feel as he does, so the dialogue options come naturally.

    And, perhaps most importantly, conversations flow. From one choice to the next, to a sensible conclusion. Again, no looping back to an interrogatory list of questions. It feels as though you are actually talking to people, as a person. Something sorely lacking in most games with interactive dialogue.

    The atmosphere is also wrought perfectly. Ice-Pick Lodge excels at creating a very specific feeling - that of something unique, precious whether or not it is good, disappearing forever. A very autumnal sense of nostalgia and loss. The town, visually and aurally, is always communicating this sense to you. It is, itself, something unique and precious that will never be the same once - if? - this storm passes.

    On the more strictly gameplay-mechanical side of things, the synergy between resource management and time management is gripping. Food, water, medicine, a safe place to sleep, places to be, things to do. It immerses you even more deeply in the world and character, and makes the game very difficult to walk away from. There's always the sense that you'll be able to breathe easier if you just find a bit more food, or complete this task, treat this person, make it back to your hideout, or at least through this infected district...the next thing you know, it's two in the morning, and you can't sleep anyways because your thoughts are still walking the streets of the infected town.

    All that is why I heartily recommend Pathologic 2, despite its faults. Some of the systems weren't as tight or satisfying as they could have been, but the characters rang true, from the urchins in the warehouses to the town and the plague itself. The world felt real and important, the player’s choices plausible and emotionally difficult. What Ice-Pick Lodge does best, they do BEST, and I hope they can continue doing it for many years to come.    … Expand
  10. Diablo4
    Mar 25, 2020
    10
    This is the most unusual game in the world. Such games have never been, never will be. You will surely never see this again, anywhere. This is the best Russian game ever.
  11. nonplussed
    May 31, 2019
    10
    Kryptonite for professional reviewers: it uses difficult mechanics to tell a difficult story. Strongly recommended, if you can handle it.
  12. Inugamiamdog
    Aug 15, 2019
    9
    10 point - It is a masterpiece
    - 1 point - poor optimization
    Total: 9 out of 10 orgasms
  13. AliciaGers
    Jun 3, 2019
    9
    Всеобъемлющая, тягучая атмосфера, ею буквально пропитываешься. Стилистика игры, диалоги, история 10/10. Графически, конечно, не Crysis, но картинка вполне хороша. Мне очень нравится как она нарисована. (Единственное, подкачало количество моделей нпс + редизайн некоторых персонажей). Минус балл за оптимизацию.Всеобъемлющая, тягучая атмосфера, ею буквально пропитываешься. Стилистика игры, диалоги, история 10/10. Графически, конечно, не Crysis, но картинка вполне хороша. Мне очень нравится как она нарисована. (Единственное, подкачало количество моделей нпс + редизайн некоторых персонажей). Минус балл за оптимизацию.
  14. Wayrow
    Sep 20, 2020
    10
    A brilliant unison of storytelling and gameplay, Pathologic 2 goes its own seperate way unburdened by the norms of contemporary game design. The result is a spectacular triumph of a game that comes once in a decade.
  15. env_light
    Aug 24, 2019
    10
    Одна из лучших сюжетно-ориентированных игор за последнее время. Просто дайте ей шанс, и вы сами не заметите, как пролетят эти 12 дней.
  16. Maraskin
    Sep 20, 2019
    10
    Pathologic 2 is a real artistic masterpiece! It's very immersive and the story is like no other, eerie and fascinating. This game can be hard since the character needs to survive in a town affected by plague and try to save others as well with limited resources and time. But the recent patch allows players to choose the difficulty level so everyone can find his own pace (although I'dPathologic 2 is a real artistic masterpiece! It's very immersive and the story is like no other, eerie and fascinating. This game can be hard since the character needs to survive in a town affected by plague and try to save others as well with limited resources and time. But the recent patch allows players to choose the difficulty level so everyone can find his own pace (although I'd recommend to try it on an intended difficulty first, it really adds to the atmosphere). If you like dark, mysterious, artsy games and are not afraid of a challenge Pathologic 2 is for you!… Expand
  17. Black_Turtle
    Mar 14, 2020
    10
    I rarelly write reviews but Pathologic 2 had to be the exception. After 80 hours of gameplay, i feel that it is one of the most beutifully made games i've ever played.
    Storyline: Compelling, particurlarly unique and full with interesting lore. The more you play , the deeper you get into the story, the more you want to uncover. Sticking till the end is DEFINITELY worth it!!
    Mechanics: We    I rarelly write reviews but Pathologic 2 had to be the exception. After 80 hours of gameplay, i feel that it is one of the most beutifully made games i've ever played.
    Storyline: Compelling, particurlarly unique and full with interesting lore. The more you play , the deeper you get into the story, the more you want to uncover. Sticking till the end is DEFINITELY worth it!!
    Mechanics: We are talking here about a really hard and punishing game, but on the whole the mechanics system makes the gameplay even more realistic as your charakter tries to survive (find food, water, weapons) in a plague hit city with prices skyrocketing and criminality hitting the streets. The battle mechanics can be a bit clunky but then again...your character is a stepe-surgeon, not a marine . Having a fight or not can be an important decision at times, reminding me of those old school survival horror like SH2 and Resident evil 1-2 .
    Music-Visuals: Some of the best ive ever seen, of course not 3A level but, the shadows.colours, voices, background music create a beautiful atmospheric experience. Almost everything seems to be exactly where it should.
    Hint: In comparison to other games, here you are not the one in the center of the story, events might happen all over the city in real time, whether you are there...or not.. You will have 12 days, it will not be much but...barely enough .Your most important resource is time
    All in all : 9,5/10    … Expand
  18. Sterere
    Apr 19, 2020
    10
    Популярно выражение о том что философ, для того чтобы понять устройство мира должен быть голодным. И под голодом имеется ввиду не именно биологическое состояние, а состояние духа. Человек, который находится в добром здравии не может и не хочет развиваться, обдумывать, меняться. Эта игра - философия. Именно суровость игрового процесса готовит твой мозг для новых мыслей. Геймплей слабоват,Популярно выражение о том что философ, для того чтобы понять устройство мира должен быть голодным. И под голодом имеется ввиду не именно биологическое состояние, а состояние духа. Человек, который находится в добром здравии не может и не хочет развиваться, обдумывать, меняться. Эта игра - философия. Именно суровость игрового процесса готовит твой мозг для новых мыслей. Геймплей слабоват, графика слабовата, оптимизация слабовата. Сюжет восхитителен и интересен, но одном дыхании проходится. Персонажи великолепны и самобытны. Если рассматривать игру как компьютерную дибилку в которой главное геймплей - не покупайте. Тут больше продукт искусства и философии… Expand
  19. chiroben
    Jun 24, 2019
    10
    Most of the professional reviewers didn't even bother learning their Lines. Tragic!
  20. Spookylight
    Jun 2, 2019
    8
    First of all I would like to say that i haven''t played the original , just heard of it. Nevertheless , I enjoyed the game. There is a lot of things to dislike and maybe even hate but the story ,i think makes it worth playing even with the amount of problems you encounter. And now that i think of it , the story is the only good thing about the game. Other things are somewhat average. IfFirst of all I would like to say that i haven''t played the original , just heard of it. Nevertheless , I enjoyed the game. There is a lot of things to dislike and maybe even hate but the story ,i think makes it worth playing even with the amount of problems you encounter. And now that i think of it , the story is the only good thing about the game. Other things are somewhat average. If you like good story , you should probably try it out.… Expand
  21. ykarsar
    Oct 25, 2019
    9
    Очень годное переиздание моей любимой игры.Всё пересено в ногу со временем и трендами разработки игр.При этом игра не потеряла того шарма,который был с самого начала.
    9/10
    -1 балл за оптимизон.
  22. Sonario
    Jun 1, 2019
    9
    This is a genuinely good game, but it is a niche one and rather hard to get into. It also has a long way to go, as it really needs perfomance and balance patches and bug fixes and the devs promised 2 extra campaigns, which were present in the original game.
  23. Jader7777
    Jul 12, 2020
    10
    Deeper than the deepest ocean, higher than the highest mountain.

    Almost as sick as you. You do not look healthy.
  24. JayThreeTee
    Jul 1, 2020
    10
    Don't listen to the critics who gave up on the game because "it's too hard". This game is art, disempowers you, every choice it's weight. Best game experience I had in years, you just have to get into it.
  25. Pikathulhu
    Jun 20, 2020
    10
    The greatest art game of all time. Incredibly ambitious and philosophical without ever coming off as pretentious.
  26. AlexeyKaper
    May 13, 2020
    9
    Pathologic 2 is a coomplex and very atmospheric survival-RPG game that will not leave you indifferent. And I advise everyone to play this game.
  27. mrdrifzzts
    Jun 29, 2020
    10
    This is the only game that I've ever played that successfully dis-empowers the player in a way as to not come across as disrespectful or pretentious. You really feel just like another character in the story and don't really stand out unless you work really hard for it. The plague setting is perfectly executed and represented by the characters themselves, even to a point that very muchThis is the only game that I've ever played that successfully dis-empowers the player in a way as to not come across as disrespectful or pretentious. You really feel just like another character in the story and don't really stand out unless you work really hard for it. The plague setting is perfectly executed and represented by the characters themselves, even to a point that very much predicted how covid ended up being treated by high-power individuals.
    In an industry where the most talented technical workers are stuck on a battle of "who can make the most realistic-looking shooter?", Ice-Pick Lodge dives deep into unexplored aspects of games and, by consequence, developed a real masterpiece. This is a game where the Theory of mind applies and all credit for that goes to the writing of each character.    … Expand
  28. Holy_Sneakers
    Mar 29, 2020
    10
    Amazing game.
    Awesome characters.
    9 point - It is a masterpiece
    +1 point - graphics
    Total: 10 out of 10 orgasms
  29. Solaris123
    Dec 31, 2019
    10
    Great narrative, a game different from all other stories better than the overrated The Witcher 3 and The last of us PLAY PLAY PLAY, game not for idiots for whom the Witcher is the height of the story
  30. Leonidmalkoff
    Feb 1, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Невероятная глубина, отличный сюжет и интересный геймплей.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

50
#50 Most Discussed PC Game of 2019
21
#21 Most Shared PC Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 28
  3. Negative: 1 out of 28
  1. GamingTrend
    Jan 31, 2022
    95
    Pathologic 1 & 2 are masterpieces of games as art. They are cruel and disturbing, but ask unique questions and do things you won’t see anywhere else. These are singularly unique experiences that are worth suffering through.
    Read full review
  2. Edge Magazine
    Jan 3, 2020
    90
    "Unbearable" is definitely one word for Pathologic 2, but that hides a few others: engulfing, ingenious, profound, invigorating. [Issue#341, p.106]
  3. Riot Pixels
    Sep 11, 2019
    69
    Pathologic 2, just like its predecessor, has a ton of annoying routines which will easily scare away even the most patient players. Yet after getting through the game to the last bow I felt a sudden urge to return to this moody prairie town in the middle of nowhere.
    Read full review
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