Pillars of Eternity

 PC
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2683 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,104 out of 2683
  2. Mixed: 308 out of 2683
  3. Negative: 271 out of 2683
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. shelter
    Mar 28, 2015
    9
    Hats off to Paradox Interactive yet again for a solid game release.
    And congratulations to Obsidian for making a great game.

    However it's a bit too linear in terms of loot and stuff, at least from what I've seen.
    Other than that, it's been very fun to play so far and I really like the art style.
  2. Drihter
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    I can hardly wait for the night ! This game can't be played during the day !!! Great atmosphere, excellently written story, nice tactical combat gameplay, character customization and beautiful graphics. For me best RPG since Baldur' s Gate 2 !!! 10/10
  3. Dmitro
    Mar 27, 2015
    9
    In Pillars of Eternity has everything she needed to resemble a classic, but it almost got rid of atavism Infinity-rolevok and went to his level. In her more freedom, more factors beyond the control of, and less cliché.

    It's not perfect. We would like to teammates played in the history of a more active role. That in the last hours of the game was more than life itself. To personal    In Pillars of Eternity has everything she needed to resemble a classic, but it almost got rid of atavism Infinity-rolevok and went to his level. In her more freedom, more factors beyond the control of, and less cliché.

    It's not perfect. We would like to teammates played in the history of a more active role. That in the last hours of the game was more than life itself. To personal fortress (as we have here is a personal fortress) gave the gameplay is something else besides linked to the timer settings and missions. I would like a lot. And it does not matter.

    Largely Pillars of Eternity feels like pen test ... but still very successful. We need more such games, now for sure.    … Expand
  4. Maquiame
    Mar 28, 2015
    9
    The best game of this type hands down aside from Planescape: Torment. I enjoy this title and its fantastic setting even more than Baldur's Gate 2. And much love for the Vailians! People of color with a great role in the world!
  5. Exeunt
    Mar 28, 2015
    9
    It really is Baldur's Gate 3. They took out a lot of the stuff that was annoying too. No Minsk (yet).

    But the handpainted backgrounds are gorgeous, the story as far as I am in it is compelling and the combat is challenging.What wore could you want?
  6. Samaray
    Apr 1, 2015
    10
    Such a fantastic game! Yes maybe the graphics could have been better and annoyances here and there do not make it a flawless game. However, considering the fact that they made this game without a publisher and trying something that has not been done for many years and meeting the expectations of the backers that wanted this game is pretty impressive. I can't wait to see how good it turnsSuch a fantastic game! Yes maybe the graphics could have been better and annoyances here and there do not make it a flawless game. However, considering the fact that they made this game without a publisher and trying something that has not been done for many years and meeting the expectations of the backers that wanted this game is pretty impressive. I can't wait to see how good it turns out if they decide to make POE into a franchise. It is safe to say then that Pillars of Eternity 2 will be just as good as Baldur's gate 2 if they put the same effort.… Expand
  7. qnoppers
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    I was a backer for this game on Kickstarter, and have very much been looking forward to it. I have played roughly 30 hours of this game since its release, and I do not regret so much as a single second, even though my thesis should technically have been handed in a couple of days ago (those guys at university are not the boss of me).

    I come from the old school infinity engine RPGs, and    I was a backer for this game on Kickstarter, and have very much been looking forward to it. I have played roughly 30 hours of this game since its release, and I do not regret so much as a single second, even though my thesis should technically have been handed in a couple of days ago (those guys at university are not the boss of me).

    I come from the old school infinity engine RPGs, and I regard Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment as the pinnacle(s) of computer roleplaying games, the first with an edge in terms of combat and the latter unrivalled in lore and storytelling. This game combines them. Sure the combat is a bit clunky (like it was back then), but I far prefer the clunky emphasis on strategy and positioning to the button mashing of some newer RPGs (like DA2 and 3, which are terrible games partly because of it, and the Witcher 2, which is a great game in spite of it). The new types of classes also work very well, and definitely add to the gameplay.

    POE does not have the well known epic lore of Forgotten Realms, and I was afraid this would be an issue for me, but so far the world seems well constructed, credible and feels consistent.

    The NPCs are a selling point for this game. They do not feel generic NPCs, but like actual companions, they have their own reasons for following you, and the characters have stories that you can delve into if you care for it.

    If there is one thing I do consider sub-par, it would be the voice acting. It is not terrible, it is just not as good as that of David Warner or Jim Cummings. I saw a guy giving this game a score of 3 solely based on bad voice acting and him preferring European accents over American. That is completely undeserved; the voice acting is mediocre at worst and definitely not reason enough for bashing this game. It is a shame though, as the writing is really good.

    All fans of the old infinity engine games need should play this game. I give it my warm recommendation and I am looking forward to replaying it again and again. Also my expectations for Tides of Numenera have increased greatly because of it.    … Expand
  8. sodamonster
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    There are dozens of individual positives about this game that I could go on for hours about, but I'll just boil it down to the top three.

    1) The writing. I can't imagine how long it took them to write such superb dialogue for all that thousands of characters. Never once did I come across a line that I thought was cheesy or out of place. 2) The customization. Your character can be    There are dozens of individual positives about this game that I could go on for hours about, but I'll just boil it down to the top three.

    1) The writing. I can't imagine how long it took them to write such superb dialogue for all that thousands of characters. Never once did I come across a line that I thought was cheesy or out of place.

    2) The customization. Your character can be anyone. With the dynamic character creation system, and how your character progresses with every increase in level, it's amazing how much replay-ability this game has. Add in the disposition and reputations systems, there are complex algorithms at work, changing how every NPC in the game responds to you based on every decision you make. Simply elegant.

    3) The difficulty. Even on normal, on my first time through the game, there are certain fights that take every ounce of strategy and planning that I could muster. Some took several tries. None of these fights are based on luck, which is something I enjoy. It's all about skill. If you can plan and control an encounter, you will come out on top.

    In summary, this game is amazing. Play it now.    … Expand
  9. 74Dolamite
    Apr 3, 2015
    10
    This game is absolutely amazing, if you loved old school Baldurs you can't go wrong... A rich story full of funny and witty companions and great combat you will not be disappointed. The combat is very fun & challenging and forces you to use your brain...This brings back memories of Baldurs Gate, Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights but updated for today's consumption.

    Well Done Obsidian    This game is absolutely amazing, if you loved old school Baldurs you can't go wrong... A rich story full of funny and witty companions and great combat you will not be disappointed. The combat is very fun & challenging and forces you to use your brain...This brings back memories of Baldurs Gate, Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights but updated for today's consumption.

    Well Done Obsidian Entertainment masterfully done.    … Expand
  10. Jose1985
    Apr 4, 2015
    9
    this is the best RPG in years and years. Deep and complex..., you are going to enjoy it as hell if you liked baldur gate. Pure o!d school.Guaranteed hundred of hours of freedom and deep adult content
  11. Abigredwagon
    Apr 4, 2015
    10
    A stunning triumph. The right mixture of visual beauty, mechanical brilliance, and elaborate prose that elevate the story telling above the mere sum of its parts. An example of how to spin a good yarn in a video game without trying to clumsily shoehorn aspects of film or bog down the action with the meandering pace of a good novel. It understands the strengths of agency andA stunning triumph. The right mixture of visual beauty, mechanical brilliance, and elaborate prose that elevate the story telling above the mere sum of its parts. An example of how to spin a good yarn in a video game without trying to clumsily shoehorn aspects of film or bog down the action with the meandering pace of a good novel. It understands the strengths of agency and interactivity in story telling and is one of the few, the very very few games that stand oh their own as art. It is the best a story has every been told in a game.… Expand
  12. NerPan
    Apr 4, 2015
    9
    This game is a dream after years of modern childish uninspired console oriented **** games. The feeling, that old feeling, is back again. Every Baldur's Gate fan shouldn't miss this gem
  13. greywolf00
    Apr 6, 2015
    9
    TL;DR: Really captures the BG vibe. Highly recommended for fans of the IE games. Writing is solid throughout, even if some companions are a bit flat. The new mechanics are a mixed bag of hits and misses. Wish there was a higher level cap. Glad I backed it, and can’t wait for the expansion and future continuations of the series.

    If you miss the good old days of BG, do yourself a favor    TL;DR: Really captures the BG vibe. Highly recommended for fans of the IE games. Writing is solid throughout, even if some companions are a bit flat. The new mechanics are a mixed bag of hits and misses. Wish there was a higher level cap. Glad I backed it, and can’t wait for the expansion and future continuations of the series.

    If you miss the good old days of BG, do yourself a favor and just buy this now. For those of you who have managed to miss one of the best CRPGs ever made keep reading for the rundown.

    PoE uses a RTwP system with plenty of options for auto-pausing, as well as a slow mode to briefly slow the action down and get your tactics set. While your uncontrolled party members lack an AI like BG (used spells on their own based on AI chosen) they do auto attack without input.

    A lot of the more complex rules are gone and things are much simpler for new comers (no need to know what THAC0 is). Many abilities have a limited number of uses per combat and other have a limited number per rest always providing choices in combat. At higher difficulties the number of enemies grows, you get higher enemies types (Black Ooze > Lesser Black Ooze), and the number of camping supplies you can carry is extremely limited (Hard and up). Depending on how much problems you have with combat this could be an issue. Crafting has also been added, though it’s far from a great implementation in my opinion.

    The diversity of races and classes doesn't disappoint. Each race has a choice between two subraces which gives them a racial bonus. Many of the races, and classes, will be familiar in general make up to normal fantasy tropes, but there's also some unique things like God touched (the lack of a helm is a drawback) and Ciphers. Character creation overall is pretty good and adding in custom portraits is quite easy.

    Some of the newly designed systems do fall a bit flat though. The new stat system really lowers the importance of min/maxing. On the one hand this means casual players won’t be stopped by bad builds, but people who enjoy character building may feel let down by the diminished emphasis on stats. XP is no longer given on a by kill basis, instead being rewarded for bestiary additions. For example, a little bit of experience the first few times you fight a monster till you know everything about it, then none at all. Depending on play style this can lead to a fair amount of unrewarding combat.

    A minor complaint includes most NPCs not feeling as interesting as BG. The low level cap (12) is disappointing, though understandable. You will most likely hit the cap long before the game is over if you pursue most side quests. After that point the lack of character progression feels a bit unrewarding sadly. Considering they designed a ruleset from scratch and had a limited budget it’s understandable, but still a bit of a let down. I expect this ground up design is also the reason for the limited number of abilities and spells compared to AD&D.

    Unfortunately at the time of this review there are bugs. Obsidian is still patching, but their official communication regarding it has been pretty poor. However, they are an established midrange studio so we know it's coming, eventually.    … Expand
  14. Anastasi
    Mar 27, 2015
    10
    THIS IS SO AWESOME!!! i can't really describe my feelings...that's like orgasm for an old school player!! that is a must have game, you can.t miss it.
  15. yyh5118
    Mar 27, 2015
    10
    If you are a true fan of simple design (though artistic), flawless deep storyline, and lots of interactions between characters, then BUY THIS. I have played BG1 and BG2 and some other D&D games, but I can assure you this will be the best among them, and history will remember that way. I was personally very surprised that the company made this game so awesome. I doubted them at first. (IfIf you are a true fan of simple design (though artistic), flawless deep storyline, and lots of interactions between characters, then BUY THIS. I have played BG1 and BG2 and some other D&D games, but I can assure you this will be the best among them, and history will remember that way. I was personally very surprised that the company made this game so awesome. I doubted them at first. (If you are first comer to this genre, you might have to take some time...like 3-4 hours to get used to it.)… Expand
  16. His_Majesty
    Mar 28, 2015
    10
    Last year we got Divinity: Original Sin, Wasteland 2, Shadowrun: Dragonfall and Lords of Xulima. The cRPG renaissance seems well underway and Pillars of Eternity continues that trend.
  17. JohnChildermass
    Mar 28, 2015
    10
    It's really the reincarnation of Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale: It looks like BG, it feels like BG and I just wanted to play another hour and a few quests later half of the night was gone.
    Its strengths are clearly the story, the writing, the graphic design (if you like it, what I do) and the character system.
    I experienced few Bugs (one game breaking with the ranger companion) and the    It's really the reincarnation of Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale: It looks like BG, it feels like BG and I just wanted to play another hour and a few quests later half of the night was gone.
    Its strengths are clearly the story, the writing, the graphic design (if you like it, what I do) and the character system.
    I experienced few Bugs (one game breaking with the ranger companion) and the path finding is in great need of improvement - but I'm sure this will be handled with a patch soon.
    I absolutely do not regret backing it on kickstarter.    … Expand
  18. Gratson
    Apr 14, 2015
    10
    Finally an RPG that feels like the old classics, with storyling and dialogue that is interesting and well written. The mechanics are close to Baldur's Gate, albeit without all of the fancy-smanshy Dragon Age graphics. If you enjoy classic RPGs like me, and don't require top of the art graphics to enjoy the experience, this is a definite buy.
  19. Rilke21
    Apr 28, 2015
    10
    I never really got into Baldur's gate. I came to it late, and the game was too dated for me to really sink my teeth into it. After finishing my first Pillars of Eternity run (clocking in at a whopping 65 hours!) I'm excited to revisit the old classics.

    This game is exceptional. The attention to detail is pretty much unprecedented. The story is compelling, the characters are interesting,    I never really got into Baldur's gate. I came to it late, and the game was too dated for me to really sink my teeth into it. After finishing my first Pillars of Eternity run (clocking in at a whopping 65 hours!) I'm excited to revisit the old classics.

    This game is exceptional. The attention to detail is pretty much unprecedented. The story is compelling, the characters are interesting, the writing is (mostly) excellent and combat is a fun challenge.

    The challenge with this game is this: it isn't flashy. There is plenty of text to read. Combat is hard and the learning curve is high. In other words, you need to accept a much slower pace then in most games. You need to let your imagination take over for what other games accomplish with flashy cinematics and motion capture.

    This is a game to be imagined as much as played, and that is by no means a bad thing. But, if you aren't willing to settle into the slower pace, you will probably think of this game as a waste of money. You've been warned.

    For those who give this game a chance, it is an experience you will remember!

    PS: At first I was overwhelmed by the walls of seemingly pointless text from the Gold Names NPCs...and then I realized this was the backer developed content, and I could ignore it entirely! The pace of the game picked up considerably :)    … Expand
  20. mech
    Apr 9, 2015
    8
    This is a pretty impressive game, but it is far from perfect. There are plenty of reviews covering the good parts, so I'll just focus on what I didn't like. My problems with this game are:

    - Most of the side quests are boring, inconsequential fetch/find quests. This was very disappointing, as I think side quests are what makes or breaks an RPG game. Party characters and factions are    This is a pretty impressive game, but it is far from perfect. There are plenty of reviews covering the good parts, so I'll just focus on what I didn't like. My problems with this game are:

    - Most of the side quests are boring, inconsequential fetch/find quests. This was very disappointing, as I think side quests are what makes or breaks an RPG game. Party characters and factions are bland and I didn't really care which one I was doing quests for so long as I maximized the rewards. Party dialogues/development are not even a shadow of KotoR (or Dragon Age: Origins as a more recent example).

    - The game is very combat heavy, so much that it often feels like a bit more sophisticated version of Diablo (the "mega dungeon" under the keep IS essentially Diablo 1). By the end of the game I was quite tired of combat because every fight involves TONS of repetitive micromanagement (casting the same buffs with the priest character over and over, ensuring that the wizards spams spells with no downtime, making sure to use the "per encounter" abilities as much as possible). I seriously wish half of them were auto-cast, or that the game had some sort of AI editor (like "tactics" in DA:O). Additionally the game limits the times you can rest without going back to town to 2 on hard difficulty, which serves no purpose other than to make you sit through up to 10 loading screens just to make the trip to re-supply and back to the dungeon.

    - Later into the game the creatures suddenly all start having "mind control" spells that you can't defend against until VERY late into the game (I think you can actually finish it without even getting to that level). They will mostly target your ranged/caster characters, and they will switch their weapons to melee for some stupid reason. Your other characters will immediately happily start attacking the controlled character unless you explicitly tell them not to. Now imagine how it feels doing the "don't attack him" / "switch back to proper weapon" EVERY BLOODY TIME that they cast the mind control spell.

    - Pathfinding is pretty broken in combat, characters will get stuck running into walls or another characters. It seems like most of the time they will only try to use the direct route even if it is impassable, ignoring a longer route that exists and that has to be programmed manually through shift-clicking.

    TL,DR: too few interesting side quests, bland characters, too much repetitive fighting with annoying (borderline broken) AI.    … Expand
  21. Tubey
    Apr 5, 2015
    8
    It hurts to not give this a perfect score, because so many parts of the game deserve it, but there are a few faults that prevent it from reaching such heights.

    I'll get the good out of the way first - it is a masterpiece of storytelling and perfectly drags in the player to the narrative and atmosphere and doesn't let go. It's pretty linear stuff - like being on rails but having a lot of    It hurts to not give this a perfect score, because so many parts of the game deserve it, but there are a few faults that prevent it from reaching such heights.

    I'll get the good out of the way first - it is a masterpiece of storytelling and perfectly drags in the player to the narrative and atmosphere and doesn't let go. It's pretty linear stuff - like being on rails but having a lot of interesting scenery that you can reach out and touch - but the linearity doesn't get in the way of the core gameplay; there's an incredible amount of fun to be had here if you take it for what it is. Whilst not next-gen super resolution graphics, it never needed that - the art style is direct from the Infinite engine RPGs and is crisp, clear and spot on. The world works, and this game is in many respects a masterpiece that not only is a homage to Baldur's Gate and Planescape Torment, in many ways it surpasses them.

    Now the not so good - it has a fair amount of bugs. Fairly game breaking ones too where you can lose hours of gameplay if not careful. That's the least concerning minus point to the game though as they will be patched and fixed. The main problems are twofold - combat, and the constant feeling that this game stretched its budget to the maximum, exposing very frayed edges.

    Combat is a mess, really. It's a frantic key smasher in the hope you get the end result. This can be forgiven as it was also a fault of Baldur's Gate, but you'd have hoped they could have improved upon it. But the rough edges... this is what constantly draws me out of enjoying this game as the masterpiece it otherwise is. Narration is good, but low budget. Voice acting is below par, again reflecting the limited budget. There are certain sections of the game that take giant leaps from one part of the game to the next with only a slideshow narrative to explain it, almost like they run out of time and budget to include it in the game.

    The reason I'm focussing so hard on these issues is because I REALLY wanted to score this a 10, but I have to justify why I can't. That said, this is a must buy for most people who enjoy RPGs, but you just get the feeling that if a AAA company plowed money behind the guys behind this and really let them off the leash, we could get one of the greatest games ever made. As it is, this is "only" one of the best games of the year and the best isometric RPG made in the last decade.

    Buy it, basically.    … Expand
  22. Iduakil
    Apr 10, 2015
    10
    I`ve bought the game 1 day after release and it totally made to stop playing Cities: Skylines (another great game in this year). I`ve been playing it non stop and will continue to do for a long time for sure. I am sure I`m gona try out at least the PoTD mode and all made adventurers group compared to my current Hard Mode NPC picked party.

    Game is great. I totally received a game I was    I`ve bought the game 1 day after release and it totally made to stop playing Cities: Skylines (another great game in this year). I`ve been playing it non stop and will continue to do for a long time for sure. I am sure I`m gona try out at least the PoTD mode and all made adventurers group compared to my current Hard Mode NPC picked party.

    Game is great. I totally received a game I was hoping I would get. Game is trully a modern BG2. Music, UI, dialogs, options, game flow, active pause, all bring this nostalgic feeling of playing yet another fantastic great game from Black Isle Studios .... take that back - Obsidian. Some mechanics are a bit controversial but all in all it just a matter of taste how you aproach them f.e. rest mechanic, combat, AI abuse. Overall you recieve a wonderful game well worth it`s price. To be completely honest I regret now I didn`t back the game when it was on Kickstarter.

    It`s a fine game and compared to most recent moderns RPGs the game has a real world, a real story. Overall game is a 9/10 but compared to recent BioWare games it`s a damn 10/10 and I`ll go with that score in my review.    … Expand
  23. mbcu
    Mar 31, 2015
    9
    A great game by backers flawed by backers

    First of all as veteran player of Baldur's Gate and Planespace Torment, I welcome the new class and combat system. If you haven't played them then suffice to say that I share the developers' opinion that D&D rules are too rigid. Want to open chests ? Go back to town and get that thief. Why can't my fighter lockpick a chest ? Likewise mages can    A great game by backers flawed by backers

    First of all as veteran player of Baldur's Gate and Planespace Torment, I welcome the new class and combat system. If you haven't played them then suffice to say that I share the developers' opinion that D&D rules are too rigid. Want to open chests ? Go back to town and get that thief. Why can't my fighter lockpick a chest ? Likewise mages can only cast spell, monks can only fight unarmed. In PoE class system still exists but not to limit but to provide a template. You are free to develop your own class which capitalizes on any attribute. So yes, intelligent barbarians exist and they wreak havoc. They can lockpick chests too.
    As for combat if rush and click is what you are used to then you will be wasted in no time. When I started, I suffered many deaths because that's what I did. But I find afterwards that a fight that killed me many times could be won easily by employing my companions and observing my enemies. Take my wizard for example. He used to be standing behind my tank shooting puny pathetic bolts. But I learned that if I bothered to prepare him with the right spells before a fight, I could get him to paralyze the big bad monster leaving a short work for my fighter. This game is pretty challenging and there's little room for error. Fights are sometimes win big or die so preparation is the key.
    I like the graphics although I feel the engine is not running at full speed. The good news is this game is light in term of computing power.
    Voice acting however is a mixed bag. I think they all speak monotonously. There is no more Jon Irenicus for sure, only subpar actors. Writing is uneven. Although the idea is nothing new, it is wrapped in mysteries and shrouds that keep me going for more. My companions however are generic. These guys hardly feel like the work of the creative team that did Baldur's Gate or Torment. In term of their characterization, I think this game is more comparable to Icewind Dale. Also I dislike the use of expletives in this game. For me using curse words like sh*t or fck to paint emotion particularly in a Tolkienesque fantasy setting is lazy writing. I believe I have never heard such words in previous Black Isle games. Still this is probably a biased opinion.
    What really annoys me is the "backers' shrines": plaques, monuments showing the names of Kickstarter VIP backers and their weird quotes. It really ruins the atmosphere to find a plaque saying "greetings from Hong Kong" while crawling in a dungeon. Of course you can just ignore them.    … Expand
  24. dohgeh
    Apr 9, 2015
    8
    A good game that will definitively remind you of the classic, nostalgic, Balders Gate days. Pillars of Eternity is one of the best examples of perfect story telling. It's almost like reading a fantastic book, it immerses you into the book making you want more. A chunk of the game is reading a book. When events happen it sometimes shows no gameplay, but rather has awesome sound effects andA good game that will definitively remind you of the classic, nostalgic, Balders Gate days. Pillars of Eternity is one of the best examples of perfect story telling. It's almost like reading a fantastic book, it immerses you into the book making you want more. A chunk of the game is reading a book. When events happen it sometimes shows no gameplay, but rather has awesome sound effects and great writing. The story is pretty good, I haven't noticed any plot holes or anything around that nature, but it doesn't take the time to avoid the cliches that everybody just has to use. Example: Let's go hunt for no reason to show you how to play the game. Ahh!!! Ambush!!! Quick, kill em'! That was tough, let's go back to our camp. OH MY GOD! It's the all mighty bandit leader tough dude! Sweet talk him to let our camp leader go, or stomp his ace! See what I mean, it's annoying, but definitely not horrible. The combat I must say is pretty boring until later on. No real strategy towards it, besides having to slightly think where you want to put your players. Overall, it is a good game that needs to be played by fans of games like Wasteland 2 or Balders Gate.… Expand
  25. Fruban
    Apr 9, 2015
    10
    I was hooked before finishing the tutorial area. Every aspect of the character you create oozes in every aspect of important dialogue, making this game feel as though it places even more importance on your character creation choices than the classic Infinity Engine games. All of the old mechanics that worked are either preserved, improved upon, or added to, making Pillars of Eternity anI was hooked before finishing the tutorial area. Every aspect of the character you create oozes in every aspect of important dialogue, making this game feel as though it places even more importance on your character creation choices than the classic Infinity Engine games. All of the old mechanics that worked are either preserved, improved upon, or added to, making Pillars of Eternity an excellent amalgamation of classic computer RPGs.… Expand
  26. nomemory
    Mar 27, 2015
    9
    This is the type of game I enjoy playing. With all the hyped crap being released lately POE is a breeze of fresh air. I hope publishers and game studios realize that story-rich and complex games can still sell lots of copies and there's no reason to dumb down everything.

    Now let me say something about the game. It is brilliant. The story is way above average, the writing is quite    This is the type of game I enjoy playing. With all the hyped crap being released lately POE is a breeze of fresh air. I hope publishers and game studios realize that story-rich and complex games can still sell lots of copies and there's no reason to dumb down everything.

    Now let me say something about the game. It is brilliant. The story is way above average, the writing is quite qualitative while the combat is very tactical and fun. The game is has a lot of mechanics and careful planning is advised if you don't want to die very often. Did I say the music is great ?

    Now, don't get me wrong POE has some flaws. For example there are no cut-scenes (probably budget issues), there is no voice acting for all the in game dialog. Also I've felt that companions were not well developed and there's no real party interaction (like in Dragon Age).

    All in all, if you are nostalgic about titles like Baldur's Gate and Fallout 2, and you enjoyed the most recent Divinity Original Sin, please buy this game. You will not be dissapointed.

    I am giving it a 9/10.    … Expand
  27. zublits
    Mar 28, 2015
    10
    This is a true return to form for Obsidian. It's everything I hoped for from an isometric CRPG in 2015. The writing is excellent, the combat is challenging and surprisingly deep (even on normal), and the presentation is lush and alluring. This is the best game I've played in years.
  28. Emphatic
    Mar 28, 2015
    10
    Having been a huge fan of the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series I can tell you that this is everything it promised to be any more, A true shining gem, if you like Isometric games, you will love it, if like love beautifully crafted stories, you will love it. if you are yearning for an unforgettable RPG experience that hasn't been seen in over a decade, look no further, this game deserveHaving been a huge fan of the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series I can tell you that this is everything it promised to be any more, A true shining gem, if you like Isometric games, you will love it, if like love beautifully crafted stories, you will love it. if you are yearning for an unforgettable RPG experience that hasn't been seen in over a decade, look no further, this game deserve all the praise it gets and then some.… Expand
  29. melrief
    Mar 29, 2015
    10
    Pillars of Ethernity is a masterpiece, a game that shows what developers commitment and crowsourcing love can do. The game is a spiritual successor of Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale/Planescape: Torment but it also improves most of the aspects, like graphic, sound, the combat system and the character customization. The main difference between those games and PoE is the fact that PoE is not aPillars of Ethernity is a masterpiece, a game that shows what developers commitment and crowsourcing love can do. The game is a spiritual successor of Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale/Planescape: Torment but it also improves most of the aspects, like graphic, sound, the combat system and the character customization. The main difference between those games and PoE is the fact that PoE is not a D&D game and doesn't use any of the D&D settings. I was a bit worried about this because D&D 2nd edition is very rich and recreating something even similar requires a lot of time, but the PoE team surprised me: the game mechanics are good, sometime even better than old games. The strategy is dominant in every battle and the game is challenging even at lower difficulties. The non-linear progress of the game can be a pain for people used to games with linear progression, but the result is a realistic world in which you must be careful and wise.

    Graphics and sound are amazing. In particular I find the soundtrack inspired and well placed.

    If I have to find a problem in the game, probably I would point out that the story is not completely original; sometimes it resemble a certain game about past lives...but honestly that could be considered a feature of the game, considering that the other game is another masterpiece.

    I recommend this game but not to everybody: the game is challenging, story-driven and sometimes slow, e.g. when reading dialogs. You have to like this kind of games to love this game.    … Expand
  30. skyrage
    Mar 27, 2015
    10
    First of all, the game is awesome! Its almost everything I had hoped for if there was a BG3. Now, I wanted to comment about some of the bad reviews...a few of them were valid, but alot of them seems to be complaining that PoE is lacking elements of modern RPGs, like Dragon Age. Seriously? The whole premise of the kickstarter project for Obsidian was to go back to its roots and recreate theFirst of all, the game is awesome! Its almost everything I had hoped for if there was a BG3. Now, I wanted to comment about some of the bad reviews...a few of them were valid, but alot of them seems to be complaining that PoE is lacking elements of modern RPGs, like Dragon Age. Seriously? The whole premise of the kickstarter project for Obsidian was to go back to its roots and recreate the classic RPG magic in games like BG that we know and love. They told you this, countless times. And you are giving PoE a bad review cause its too much like BG and not enough like Dragon Age?! WTH, this is like you knowingly walked into a burger joint, order a burger, ate it, then proceed to complain and give the burger joint a bad review cause their burger didnt taste like the pizza you wanted...seriously wth.… Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best PC Game of 2015
7
#7 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015
25
#25 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 71 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 70 out of 71
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 71
  3. Negative: 0 out of 71
  1. RPGamer
    Jul 7, 2015
    70
    Pillars is a title that should make old-schoolers happy while still offering a solid core game, story, and a rich setting for new-schoolers.
    Read full review
  2. LevelUp
    May 25, 2015
    93
    Pillars of Eternity stands on its own merits without resorting to nostalgia too much. Truly a CRPG masterpiece, the game offers old school, real-time strategic combat, and a vivid world to explore. Not only do you get an overall well-made experience, but also a challenge you haven't seen since the 90's.
    Read full review
  3. Games Master UK
    May 24, 2015
    82
    A sprawling game in a familiar setting, and a clever tune-up for the cRPG. Just what the backers hoped for. [June 2015, p.74]
See all critic reviews »