Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 740 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 540 out of 740
  2. Mixed: 102 out of 740
  3. Negative: 98 out of 740
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  1. evesea
    May 17, 2018
    10
    In my opinion, PoE2 is a huge step up from PoE1 (which was also a great game). It improved on many areas, and from what I've noticed hasn't worsened in any aspect that was in PoE 1.

    Damn near everything is voice acted, the writing is vastly improved & the combat is much better. The music is better, the sound is better, the voice acting is better. The graphics look amazing for an    In my opinion, PoE2 is a huge step up from PoE1 (which was also a great game). It improved on many areas, and from what I've noticed hasn't worsened in any aspect that was in PoE 1.

    Damn near everything is voice acted, the writing is vastly improved & the combat is much better. The music is better, the sound is better, the voice acting is better. The graphics look amazing for an isometric (not that it matters), the character models are improved, and the animations are MUCH more fluid. The story is great, the dialogue is so much better (way less pretentious and far more human - More 'pulp fiction' less 'lesbian film festival' ), and the story is engaging. The characters have much more personality, the companion system is vastly improved, and dialogue choice feels even more weighty.

    I could keep going on positives but here are the negatives I can think of: I heard there are bugs (haven't encountered any), the difficulty could be turned up a few notches - it works for a first time, but replays are going to need it to be the first games PoD difficulty, and loading screens (saw a review give it a 2 strictly on loading screens - its inconvenient sure, but really not THAT bad jesus.)

    Anyways, I'd recommend this game to anyone who likes RPGs - especially anyone who likes isometric RPGs. People who don't like RPGs will likely just say its boring because they're talking and not shooting but w/e. Recommended! Go buy now!    … Expand
  2. sgy0003
    May 9, 2018
    10
    "People don't enjoy single-player games anymore" said EA.

    Well, suck on God of war and POEII's success, EA. You see, this might be a news to you, but you don't need to have predatory monetization practice with multiplayer games. All you need is an amazing narrative-driven single-player game. Good game means people love it and that equals more sales. It's a win-win situation EA.
  3. OverWind
    May 9, 2018
    10
    Improves on everything. The first one was a bit sluggish, but the tempo in the sequel is perfect. It's like they took all the best parts of PoE1 and Tyranny and put together.
    This is the closest game to Dragon Age: Origins (which is #1 on my list) I've tried, and that's amazing.

    If you like RPG's this is a must buy!
  4. segasweden
    May 8, 2018
    10
    An amazing sequel and a great RPG to explore!
    The best thing is the story-telling and the characters.
  5. Hadriel
    May 9, 2018
    10
    Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is the Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn equivalent in terms of improvement on the original in the series. It is an instant classic and deserves nothing less than a perfect 10/10.
  6. umbershap
    May 9, 2018
    10
    Great game. Obsidian did it again and deliver us a great RPG experience.
    This game deserves better scores.
  7. BillyCorgan81
    May 8, 2018
    10
    300 hours on Pillars 1... 40 hours on Deadfire Beta... any doubt that i'll love this game !
  8. Chameleon187
    May 8, 2018
    10
    Excellent game, building on the solid foundation of the first game to deliver a much deeper and rewarding experience.
  9. kozzy420
    May 8, 2018
    10
    Simply amazing and every aspect is improved from the last game. Well done Obsidian, well done.
  10. krugman25
    May 9, 2018
    10
    By far the most beautiful isometric RPG ever made, as well as the most feature packed and complex.
  11. Sevorast
    May 10, 2018
    10
    The best CRPG since Baldurs Gate 2, a true masterpiece that outdoes the first game in every possible way!

    The morons leaving low scores have not played the game and are just abusing the open nature of this site.
  12. Ogi79
    May 9, 2018
    9
    Imrpoved on every level compared to PoE 1. Fantastic game so far (did not finish it yet)
  13. GiantMoth
    May 9, 2018
    10
    This is a once-in-a-generation RPG. It's not just the best role playing game of the past few years -- which isn't really saying much -- it may be the best game since Baldur's Gate II... and, in many respects, it is clearly superior to BGII, as well!

    The graphics are a thing of beauty, the game engine has been thoroughly optimized so that load times are much faster than they were in the    This is a once-in-a-generation RPG. It's not just the best role playing game of the past few years -- which isn't really saying much -- it may be the best game since Baldur's Gate II... and, in many respects, it is clearly superior to BGII, as well!

    The graphics are a thing of beauty, the game engine has been thoroughly optimized so that load times are much faster than they were in the first PoE, the combat (on hard difficulty) is appealingly complex and strategic, the storytelling is very well done, the game is very well-balanced across multiple dimensions, and the overall "open seas exploration" theme is handled admirably. Most importantly of all, it's an extremely engaging and entertaining game to play, with a lot of depth to it.

    This game has surpassed the first PoE just as BGII surpassed the original Baldur's Gate. It is going to go down as a classic. Game of the decade, easy.    … Expand
  14. klajton
    May 8, 2018
    10
    I'm a big fan of cRPG - I loved ID, IDII, both Baldur's Gate games and now we have the game which can stand comparision to BG2... Obsidian - good work!!! If you 're looking for deep rich beautiful world - buy and play. If you are new - also buy and play… You'll be amazed… Only comparable game for me is Witcher 3...
  15. Kain_Stark
    May 8, 2018
    10
    A Great Game in a fantastic Universe. GREAT RPG OLD STILE. An amazing sequel and a great RPG to explore! The best thing is the story-telling and the characters.
  16. darksorc
    May 8, 2018
    10
    The storytelling this time around is exquisite! There is a tremendous amount of care spent on the world building and helping the player to feel like they really are visiting this wonderfully crafted fantasy world.

    Combat is as thrilling as ever in CRPGs, with the added flair of just gorgeous artistic interactions and graphics. This is a pure 10 game, and deserves every bit of love    The storytelling this time around is exquisite! There is a tremendous amount of care spent on the world building and helping the player to feel like they really are visiting this wonderfully crafted fantasy world.

    Combat is as thrilling as ever in CRPGs, with the added flair of just gorgeous artistic interactions and graphics.

    This is a pure 10 game, and deserves every bit of love and every minute you have to spare!    … Expand
  17. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    8
    Huge step up over its predecessor. Interesting concept of a pirate rpg, the story and setting are both very engaging. There are many interesting questions posed to the player, small and large. Combat is fun and did not wear out its welcome. Characters a bit hit or miss but some real stars in there. Soundtrack and presentation appropriately mythic.
  18. mondovious
    Jun 25, 2018
    8
    Solid game. I'd rate the first game at 7/10, and this one is a solid improvement in just about every way.
    - combat is better and easier to see what's going on
    - better itemization - ship exploration is cool some nitpicks: - the story is slow at times. To me this has the effect of making the experience feel less epic than it should. - too many spells/abilities are carbon copied    Solid game. I'd rate the first game at 7/10, and this one is a solid improvement in just about every way.
    - combat is better and easier to see what's going on
    - better itemization
    - ship exploration is cool

    some nitpicks:
    - the story is slow at times. To me this has the effect of making the experience feel less epic than it should.
    - too many spells/abilities are carbon copied from the first game    … Expand
  19. keemt
    Sep 9, 2018
    10
    One of the best RPGs ever. Real rating is 9 but I gave 10 to compensate for the 0 ratings. Combat is complex and balanced, items are great, and the main story is great although too short. Plenty of interesting choices to make and side quests+factions to play. Lots of exploration to do. PoE1 had more plot for the central story, and much less side-quests, which I prefer. One thing IOne of the best RPGs ever. Real rating is 9 but I gave 10 to compensate for the 0 ratings. Combat is complex and balanced, items are great, and the main story is great although too short. Plenty of interesting choices to make and side quests+factions to play. Lots of exploration to do. PoE1 had more plot for the central story, and much less side-quests, which I prefer. One thing I don't like is that there is nothing extreme in the combat, so advantages are gained from many small adjustments that add up over time. This is what easily allows for so many different ways to do combat, however in a perfect world they could balance more extreme gameplay.… Expand
  20. MortalManny
    Sep 28, 2018
    9
    Anyone reading this. Path of the Damned difficulty is the best way to play it. I'm giving this a 9 solely based on the game play and not on the crappy story. I've played the first on for hundreds of hours and this one is just as good. Forget the story, play the game. It would've been a 10 if not for the bad story.
  21. Archimdus
    Sep 23, 2018
    10
    Haven't played a game this fun since Dragon Age: Origins. Have done about 4 or 5 complete playthroughs and plan on doing many more. Satisfies my need for pirates, exploration, companions, fun combat and lots of choices.
  22. Metashred
    Aug 31, 2018
    9
    I am surprised! I absolutely hated the first PoE; everything about it sucked: the dialogue, the story, the game play! PoE2 improves on everything. The graphics and gameplay in particular deserve praise. Very few games get the real-time-with-pause tactical gameplay right ( like the DA series ) and while I would've preferred turned based gameplay, what PoE has to offer is not bad at all!
  23. smittydagoat
    Sep 22, 2018
    9
    I was late to the party and played PoE2 right after I had played through PoE1 for the first time and what a great rpg experience both games were. Improvements from game 1 in almost every area. I know some found the ending lacking but i enjoyed the philosophical finale. Minus 1 point because of some technical issues on high end pc
  24. Rinfor
    Aug 13, 2018
    10
    Best game i played ever. I loved PoE 1, but i did not like tyranny. I began to play thinking that it would be more like tyrany, but i have never been so wrong. Poe 2 is a more balanced game, have a cool exploration system and a great story.
  25. Ivan9173
    Oct 23, 2018
    10
    Ещё один шедевр от Обсидиан, ребят, вы лучшие! Obsidian, you're best!
  26. almax
    Jul 19, 2020
    8
    Very good sequel which, unlike other wonderful rpg (e.g.dragon age or fallout 3 ), do not upset the original title transforming it into garbage.
    Only the story is, from my point of view, a little less addictive than the first one but you should not miss it if you liked pillars of eternity
  27. Slotharingia
    May 24, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. *Review contains some points that may be considered spoilers *

    Deadfire is a great game. Tons of things to do, lots of quirky details, heaps of laughs, companions with different personalities, some of which you can romance. The player experience is varied and doesn't just involve hitting stuff. There's a huge city to explore, ships and ship combat that can be approached in a variety of ways, scripted interactions and lots of quests that can be resolved in a number of ways, sometimes peacefully, which is nice and adds flavour to different types of characters you create. Multi and subclassing as well as non combat skills you can upgrade (such as diplomacy, bluff, alchemy, explosives, etc) offer endless variations of gameplay. In general, it's a lot of fun and much better than the first one imo. This island setting makes it less sombre than these types of games often are, as in spite of creepy dungeons etc, the overall scenery and ambiance is colourful and pleasant. There are various factions with pros and cons you can help, or not and a complex approval system with companions both for your character and one another.

    Negatives are that the game is buggy and to some extent appears unfinished. A number of quests bug out or make no sense if you do them in the "wrong" order, although as it is open world, the right order is not obvious. Weps have faulty descriptions, etc. You can also end up with negative rep simply by going to the wrong place at the wrong time, and so on. While that's not really bad, I imagine it could be off-putting to some people, especially as you won't know why it happened unless you played it before or google. Also, I imagine it would be very confusing if you haven't played the first game, and the companions from the first game treat you like they do not know you approvalwise, irrespective of your prior relationship with them and are harder to almost impossible to get positive rep with, making the choice to play an established character from a previous game a tad pointless. Combat is arguably too easy at times if you are used to this type of system, and the main story is somewhat lackluster. Finally, the narrator overdramatises to the point of it becoming extremely irritating.

    So all in all a fantastic game that does suffer somewhat from a feeling of having been thrown on the market to reach the ultimate deadline when it wasn't really polished. I do hope these issues are fixed in later patches as it would be a pity to leave something with such potential lacking due to what I can only assume were oversights caused by lack of time.    … Expand
  28. T-Opel
    May 20, 2018
    10
    Amazing game, almost everything is improved from the first PoE. The combat is much smoother, although I still prefer the combat in Tyranny. Great quests and really good music. There is a lot of reading in the game, so be prepared for that. If you want to do every side quest, the game can last over 50 hours.
  29. draculdracul
    May 26, 2018
    9
    I just finished playing this game. It was a great ride. Loved it more then POE 1. But there is room for improvement. Especial difficulty level is way to easy for experienced players. Main storyline is a bit simple and short but there is enough content in the game to help you forget that. Loved the multiclass system and after a while i even started to like the ship combat system. I thinkI just finished playing this game. It was a great ride. Loved it more then POE 1. But there is room for improvement. Especial difficulty level is way to easy for experienced players. Main storyline is a bit simple and short but there is enough content in the game to help you forget that. Loved the multiclass system and after a while i even started to like the ship combat system. I think this last also has some room to improve.

    I love the moral conflicts i sometimes experience with quest lines. Loved the side quests. And this is the only game where i read every aspect of quest line. The fact that actors did a great job in the quest dialogue draw me in every questline.

    All with a a worthy sequel to POE but it has room to improve in its current state ( v 1.02) .    … Expand
  30. juanval
    Jun 21, 2018
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. I'm playing it for 40 hours and I love the areas, music, the factions, the setting, the freedom to explore, the plot, dialogues, etc.

    I played Infinity Engine games and I must say that with Pillars of Eternity 2 I'm enjoying the game as I did almost 20 years ago with Baldur's Gate.
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Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best PC Game of 2018
22
#22 Most Discussed PC Game of 2018
10
#10 Most Shared PC Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 71 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 68 out of 71
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 71
  3. Negative: 0 out of 71
  1. RPGamer
    May 7, 2019
    70
    Those with an appreciation for the tabletop games and classic PC games this pays homage to will likely have an enjoyable experience. The learning curve is a bit steep, the seas may get choppy, and the deck can get rather slippery, but with some patience and perseverance, even the greenest sailor can go from lowly deckhand to decorated captain.
    Read full review
  2. Game Debate
    Oct 22, 2018
    95
    With DLC called 'The Deck of Many Things' and rules system that very closely mirrors the fundamentals of D&D right down to individual spells, it's sort of a crying shame that the powers that control licensing on both sides were unable to consummate this obvious marriage. Pillars of Eternity, for me, is the best D&D series there never was.
    Read full review
  3. Gamers Heroes
    Sep 4, 2018
    80
    Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is not for everyone. The web of intertwining features and mechanics are as deep as they are complicated, but for those looking for more from their RPGs – more character, more wonder, more life – Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a fantastic homage to the true roots of the RPG genre.
    Read full review
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