Tyranny

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 665 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 472 out of 665
  2. Mixed: 109 out of 665
  3. Negative: 84 out of 665

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  1. CaptainChaos
    Jun 16, 2019
    10
    I'm 70 hours in and I have no idea how far into the game I am, but I'm ready to rate it.

    I could criticize that there was WAY too much reading in the beginning, that the combat seems to often reset to FAST mode which is the exact opposite that it should, that I often got lost in objective or place to go, which was annoying, and that there was WAY too many talents and abilities to ponder    I'm 70 hours in and I have no idea how far into the game I am, but I'm ready to rate it.

    I could criticize that there was WAY too much reading in the beginning, that the combat seems to often reset to FAST mode which is the exact opposite that it should, that I often got lost in objective or place to go, which was annoying, and that there was WAY too many talents and abilities to ponder (I do love choice but that was ... overwhelming for no real purpose). However, the writing, graphics, story, and overall fun was enough to just give it a just do. If there is a Tyranny 2 hopefully they can simplify some things without dumbing it down like Dragon Age 2.

    Once the spell casters got some levels, I was surprised that how four of them could basically take down anything without too much of an issue. I found the combat characters to take far longer to actually put things down. Once your Lore hits 100, you have 4 AOE spells constantly mopping up mob after mob. Once you get closer to 150 Lore your spells just rock the house. It's so much fun and gorgeously rendered.

    BTW, although it took awhile for me to understand, I so heart the spell system creation. It's so much fun to experiment with crushing anxiety area of effect spells or how many variations of flame this or that you can have. Bonus: Adding fire to my frost spell. That's just icing on the cake.    … Expand
  2. T-Opel
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    Tyranny is a great game that I can definitely recommend.

    The gameplay is based on Pillars of Eternity, but it is a bit tweaked up and feels more similar to Dragon Age: Origins, which I really liked. It allows pre-buffs, your character has 6 skill trees from which he/she can pick skills, and the other members of your party have their own unique trees. I was also much more engaged in    Tyranny is a great game that I can definitely recommend.

    The gameplay is based on Pillars of Eternity, but it is a bit tweaked up and feels more similar to Dragon Age: Origins, which I really liked. It allows pre-buffs, your character has 6 skill trees from which he/she can pick skills, and the other members of your party have their own unique trees.

    I was also much more engaged in the story and actually cared about other party members more than in PoE. While you are in the world where the evil side had won, don’t let that fool you. Even though you can pick one of the more or less evil main factions in the game, there is also an option to revolt and side with the rebels, and you can do much good even in this troubled world.

    What really stands out though is the replay value. Depending on which side you choose and what choices you make, you get to explore different areas and the story unfolds differently. This really makes want to experience the game again with a different faction.

    There is a LOT of text in this game, and the total play time will highly depend on whether you want to read everything or not. Personally, I found most of the text very interesting I was glad to learn more about the world, so my first play through took almost 40 hours. This really depends on the difficulty you set, the amount of text you want to read and whether you want to complete only the main story without side-quests.    … Expand
  3. StormCrow
    Nov 15, 2016
    10
    This is really an excellent game. It's good to be able to play a bad guy who is not just a psychopath, like many other RPGS, the story and context are really interesting, the branching narrative is really efficient, and the Conquest mode at the beginning is really interesting. This is a game where you really have to make important choices, you can't do everything at the same time at all.IThis is really an excellent game. It's good to be able to play a bad guy who is not just a psychopath, like many other RPGS, the story and context are really interesting, the branching narrative is really efficient, and the Conquest mode at the beginning is really interesting. This is a game where you really have to make important choices, you can't do everything at the same time at all.I also like very much the fact that the game is classless (which does not mean that you don't have to specialize your characters), the relationship system with the companions and the factions, and the magic crafting system. Really a hit for me. And it's really replayable.… Expand
  4. ChrisMattar
    Nov 19, 2016
    10
    This wasn't even on my radar, turns out its one of my favorite games in years, and this year's game of the year. It is the best RPG in a very long time. Absolutely amazing.
  5. Kronos362
    Nov 15, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Absolutely a gem. Great story and masterful world. A fair amount of reading and needs a lot of concentration, but it's worth the effort. I personally think a step up from pillars at least in terms of epic scale.… Expand
  6. ardast
    Jan 13, 2017
    10
    Another masterpiece by Obsidian. Need I say more? Go get it if you love RPG's. You won't regret it.
    Beautiful soundtrack, comic book like feel atmosphere, hand drawn backgrounds. Simply amazing.
    Peace
  7. Mercent
    Nov 17, 2016
    10
    Pro:
    1. Gritty, dirty and true to the setting (a Bronze-Iron age civilization).
    2. Your choices really matter. Choosing different dialogue options will affect the end game. 3. The music is epic. 4. Game length. Many complained that it is too short. Not at all. It ended just when i have had my fill. Unlike PoE, i actually managed to finish Tyranny. Con: 1. Some enemies are just a    Pro:
    1. Gritty, dirty and true to the setting (a Bronze-Iron age civilization).
    2. Your choices really matter. Choosing different dialogue options will affect the end game.
    3. The music is epic.
    4. Game length. Many complained that it is too short. Not at all. It ended just when i have had my fill. Unlike PoE, i actually managed to finish Tyranny.

    Con:
    1. Some enemies are just a pain in the A**    … Expand
  8. SkySlam
    Nov 11, 2016
    10
    Even with a few drawbacks (like the reduced party size or the cooldown spells), this is another masterpiece by Obsidian. Solid RPG spirit, lots of choices and consequences, interesting characters with a deep lore. Tyranny does not feel like a Pillars of Eternity spin-off; instead it is a fantastic stand-alone game that will hopefully spawn its own series.
  9. Juniperus
    Nov 11, 2016
    10
    Another masterpiece by Obsidian. I'm so greatful and happy, that this Company brought back these kind of Games. Thank you Obsidian!
    This is why PC is, and always will be, the best choice for adult gamers.
  10. Celeborth
    Jan 16, 2017
    10
    Next amazing game from Obsidian,
    The only thing that for me is kind of upsetting is that I cannot enter all areas in one play if I take particular choices. But apart from that, amazing combat and lore (really great job in storytelling and creating brand new universe). Obsidian bases heavily on their PoE engine and mechanics, I can see a lot of content being reused which is great - no    Next amazing game from Obsidian,
    The only thing that for me is kind of upsetting is that I cannot enter all areas in one play if I take particular choices. But apart from that, amazing combat and lore (really great job in storytelling and creating brand new universe). Obsidian bases heavily on their PoE engine and mechanics, I can see a lot of content being reused which is great - no point in reinventing the wheel. One minor drawback is that of the game being kind of too short (what I mean is that we can clearly see where the game could have been easily continued if Obsidian spent more money on the game). Anyway great game, and worth money and time.    … Expand
  11. stratioti
    Nov 10, 2016
    10
    So far a very sophisticated piece of game!
    If you just liked Pillars of Eternity you will LOVE Tyranny!

    Prerequisite is to have some evil in you. ;)
  12. defjux23
    Nov 10, 2016
    10
    My expectations for this game were really high because of devs Obsidian and Paradox. As usual, they deliver yet another solid RPG. Similar to Pillars of Eternity, but looks and plays even better. Also, an awesome setting and concept with "evil won".

    RPG binge inc. 10/10
  13. jakovsky
    Nov 11, 2016
    10
    A Masterpiece.

    I'm only 5 or so hours into it, yet the writing alone of Tyranny makes up for whatever other flaw i could find (if any).

    It's like Pillars of Eternity but like, in better. And with a friendlier UI.
  14. GreyInvasion
    Nov 19, 2016
    10
    Tyranny is a true to heart Role playing experience, packed with choice. You'll have to replay it multiple times to see everything. Great story, and graphics, decent combat. Must Buy for RPG fans.
  15. rpgerfx
    Nov 19, 2016
    10
    The game is fun and the story is quite original for an RPG. That said, do not buy this game seeking an Obsidian experience - this is in many ways a Bioware game. Yes, there will be some Obsidian-quality writing, but most of the writing team are young devs who joined Obsidian for the development of South Park: The Stick of Truth and they have different sensibilities when it comes toThe game is fun and the story is quite original for an RPG. That said, do not buy this game seeking an Obsidian experience - this is in many ways a Bioware game. Yes, there will be some Obsidian-quality writing, but most of the writing team are young devs who joined Obsidian for the development of South Park: The Stick of Truth and they have different sensibilities when it comes to writing. It feels like Obsidian made a Bioware-game, BUT with an original twist that doesn't involve saving the world - in that regard it's still an Obsidian title. So buy this if you enjoyed the gameplay and the writing quality of Dragon Age: Origins, but wished the plot was more interesting than saving a kingdom from evil monsters.… Expand
  16. luckymanbest
    Jan 18, 2017
    10
    Давно так не увлекали игры. Ты полностью погружаешься в этот мир с его невероятным сюжетом. В этой игре все прекрасно. Для тех кто любит старые рпг с офигенным сюжетом кучей диалогов, интересными персонажами. Куча текста дает волю фантазии. И тут не важна графикаДавно так не увлекали игры. Ты полностью погружаешься в этот мир с его невероятным сюжетом. В этой игре все прекрасно. Для тех кто любит старые рпг с офигенным сюжетом кучей диалогов, интересными персонажами. Куча текста дает волю фантазии. И тут не важна графика
  17. FlashLight13
    Apr 4, 2017
    10
    Absolutly awesome game where you can create your own story. Magic is powerfull, characters are awesome, world is cool. Now I'm going to replay this game again with another character to live another interesting story!

    10/10 Killed guys
    GJ Obsidian :)
  18. ScathachPreach
    Dec 29, 2020
    10
    One of the most underrated, yet best RPGs out there.
    Playing a rising star from the evil empire is different than your average RPG story. Your choices matter and shape the ongoing conflict and end of the game in various manners, and there are ways to play a lot more humane than one might think. It's beautiful, and the dialogue is written really well.
  19. tontonac
    May 16, 2022
    10
    Amazing RPG, with great universe, characters, choices, story... It is really memorable.
    A bit short, but what Obsidian did with very little money and people (even compared to PoE1 and 2) is really awesome.
    Voice acting is really expensive, so of course there is very little (wich is very good for everyone that doesn't speak English natively, 90% of humankind, because English voices with    Amazing RPG, with great universe, characters, choices, story... It is really memorable.
    A bit short, but what Obsidian did with very little money and people (even compared to PoE1 and 2) is really awesome.
    Voice acting is really expensive, so of course there is very little (wich is very good for everyone that doesn't speak English natively, 90% of humankind, because English voices with Chinese or Spanish text is a chore) please look at the game budget. Also, don't play classic CRPG if you don't like reading, should be obvious.    … Expand
  20. Suhoi_Kaktus
    Mar 7, 2022
    10
    One of the best Obsisan RPGs here. Tyranny is really re-playable, in first 2 hours you will make decision that cut half of game content, and some other choises can lead you to different road with different locations and quests. This game is not about many ways to solve the situation, usually you have only genocide path. But some solutions in this game will change a lot. (like i saidOne of the best Obsisan RPGs here. Tyranny is really re-playable, in first 2 hours you will make decision that cut half of game content, and some other choises can lead you to different road with different locations and quests. This game is not about many ways to solve the situation, usually you have only genocide path. But some solutions in this game will change a lot. (like i said before). And a lot of other thing that was written in other reviews. 10.… Expand
  21. Nomac69
    Mar 19, 2022
    10
    I played this game on a whim and it's one of the best games I've ever played. There's no other game that drew me into the rich lore and story than Tyranny. Hoping for a sequel.
  22. sprocket64
    Dec 21, 2016
    9
    This game is the best CRPG since Baldur's Gate 2! It really grabbed me and kept me interested to the end. If there was ever a case for an episodic RPG - this is it!
    Did no one else notice the similarities to the Malazan Book of the Fallen? Kyros and Bleden Mark - Kelanved and Dancer, Archons - Ascendants, Scarlet Chorus - Malazan Marines etc...
    Great characters and companions but if I    This game is the best CRPG since Baldur's Gate 2! It really grabbed me and kept me interested to the end. If there was ever a case for an episodic RPG - this is it!
    Did no one else notice the similarities to the Malazan Book of the Fallen? Kyros and Bleden Mark - Kelanved and Dancer, Archons - Ascendants, Scarlet Chorus - Malazan Marines etc...
    Great characters and companions but if I had one complaint it is that Obsidian seems squeamish when it comes to deep characterization/relationships - one of the reasons BG 2 is superior. The companions end up a little flat. Here's hoping Obsidian takes it to the next level!    … Expand
  23. Antart
    Nov 14, 2016
    9
    In RPGs is usual to have the option to be evil, but is an uncomfortable way in which you can’t avoid the feeling you are doing things wrong, Tyranny push you to the selfish way, rewarding evil actions, and the nazi-soviet artistic style makes it even more believable, but at the same time you don’t need to be necessary evil, to be evil... The art design is excellent, scenarios hand-madeIn RPGs is usual to have the option to be evil, but is an uncomfortable way in which you can’t avoid the feeling you are doing things wrong, Tyranny push you to the selfish way, rewarding evil actions, and the nazi-soviet artistic style makes it even more believable, but at the same time you don’t need to be necessary evil, to be evil... The art design is excellent, scenarios hand-made with care in each detail, the gameplay on the Pillars of Eternity line is fluid and practical to manage a squad in a top table RPG. Absolutely recommended.… Expand
  24. georgio
    Nov 27, 2016
    9
    First as a disclaimer, I have just beaten the game for the first time: on the hardest difficulty after several character restarts. With that I hit 73 hours of gameplay according to steam.

    Now the good: - Storytelling is top notch - Lore, setting and dialogues are superb - Spell crafting is fun Passable: - Combat system. After you turn off the AI and play with autopause    First as a disclaimer, I have just beaten the game for the first time: on the hardest difficulty after several character restarts. With that I hit 73 hours of gameplay according to steam.

    Now the good:

    - Storytelling is top notch
    - Lore, setting and dialogues are superb
    - Spell crafting is fun

    Passable:

    - Combat system. After you turn off the AI and play with autopause settings it gets better.
    - More item variety earlier would not hurt

    Bad:
    - Nothing

    Also to add I am spoiled gamer and it is hard to keep my attention. Tyranny managed that. Some people claim to run through the game in 11 hours. I cannot imagine it. I had to talk to everybody, read everything and run back to places I visit to unlock other options. I fell in love with the game and its captivating storytelling. There are still some things to improve but Obsidian definitely moved the right direction from PoE.    … Expand
  25. misiaczek
    Mar 30, 2017
    9
    I like the graphics, setting (no elves, dwarves and so on which is quite refreshing) and story(especially the different paths you can take and some paths being close by given choices). I think this the right direction for such games. Combat has very nice flow but the problem is that there is just too much combat. Other problem I've found is that most powerful items/abilities are acquiredI like the graphics, setting (no elves, dwarves and so on which is quite refreshing) and story(especially the different paths you can take and some paths being close by given choices). I think this the right direction for such games. Combat has very nice flow but the problem is that there is just too much combat. Other problem I've found is that most powerful items/abilities are acquired so late, that there are just few occasions to obliterate your enemies. Anyway I think it is a good game that lays foundation for next titles with same approach.… Expand
  26. DelMann2
    Nov 29, 2016
    9
    An impressive piece of work. Perhaps not as deep as far as story goes compared to Pillars of Eternity but regardless a must have for anyone who still enjoys the cRPG style of gameplay.

    And while the story seems to be shrunk a little, it still has a way of pumping you up, giving you shivers and maybe even evoke stronger emotions.
  27. monkeyking95
    Nov 13, 2016
    9
    I normally cannot connect with isometric RPGs (I mean I was born in 1995 for god's sake) but this one grabbed for some reason. I played through the entire main campaign as an arse-hat and now I am eager to be virtuous on my second play-through and unlock EVERY EDICT. I seriously recommend this to every fan of fantasy RPGs. I may even have to give Pillars of Eternity a third chance toI normally cannot connect with isometric RPGs (I mean I was born in 1995 for god's sake) but this one grabbed for some reason. I played through the entire main campaign as an arse-hat and now I am eager to be virtuous on my second play-through and unlock EVERY EDICT. I seriously recommend this to every fan of fantasy RPGs. I may even have to give Pillars of Eternity a third chance to impress me. If I had one gripe, I would love full voice over work though I understand the lack of it may be due to budget constraints (or maybe my game is buggy?)… Expand
  28. DeusXCom
    Nov 30, 2016
    9
    After kind of a weak start, where you are thrown into things too fast, making decisions about things you don't know, dealing with things you don't care about (during my first day of playing I was heavily unimpressed with everything and it took some time to get me into it), Tyranny eventually turns into an amazing RPG experience.

    It's a perfect balance of dialogs and combat, there are    After kind of a weak start, where you are thrown into things too fast, making decisions about things you don't know, dealing with things you don't care about (during my first day of playing I was heavily unimpressed with everything and it took some time to get me into it), Tyranny eventually turns into an amazing RPG experience.

    It's a perfect balance of dialogs and combat, there are plenty of very nice innovations and changes, I loved the skill system, various reputations with factions and people in the world that unlocked additional skills. The Spire system was great. The combo abilities is a very nice touch.

    It's not as complex in terms of side quests and side activities as other similar rpgs, but that might have been for good this time, it's much more direct and focused on the main story which is really good and the entire journey is much more compact and to the point. A little short for an RPG and maybe a little too linear, but quality is always more important than quantity. Captivating story, interesting characters, nice unusual locations, smooth UI, it's all there.

    My only complaints aside from a weaker start, is the loot, which for a long time felt like tons of useless junk, especially in the first half and even later when you started to find some legendary items, they are often actually worse than that random junk that you found earlier. Another problem, that's starting to annoy me more and more in time is the lack of voice acting. Especially when some parts are voice acted and it works so well and suddenly a sentence later it's silent again. I know it's always been like this with these games, I know it's a question of budget, but come on, it's 2016 it's time to progress in this department. Also - no co-op multiplayer again :(

    On the other hand I was very pleasantly surprised, these rpgs tend to be very buggy and considering I started playing on release I was worried, but the game was updated with just 1 additional patch in the meantime and I haven't encountered any bugs whatsoever this time. I can't stress enough how important this is for your smooth gaming experience, not having to deal with bugs and I'm glad Obsidian took their time to polish and clean things up before release.

    Overall, excellent, unusual RPG that can easily rank among the best in recent years, not the top5, not legendary, but really really good. 9/10    … Expand
  29. Neravarine
    Nov 15, 2016
    9
    Its a good game, not as gr8 as Pillars of Eternity, but pretty good in its own right.
    I am personally not fan of that type of graphics, and even if combat system and character development are similar to PoE, I like "typical D&D" character dev/spells/classes etc etc, like NWN,PoE, and older stuff.
    Example: I hated Legends of the Sword Coast coz its character dev, which is very similar to    Its a good game, not as gr8 as Pillars of Eternity, but pretty good in its own right.
    I am personally not fan of that type of graphics, and even if combat system and character development are similar to PoE, I like "typical D&D" character dev/spells/classes etc etc, like NWN,PoE, and older stuff.
    Example: I hated Legends of the Sword Coast coz its character dev, which is very similar to Tiranny.
    The story is good, and the UI is awesome, I like spellcrafting but still, I would pick PoE system any time.

    I like the game in general, the only rly negative thing that I have to say about Tyranny is .....loading..smallzone..loading..smallzone...loading.    … Expand
  30. moonlight_shado
    Nov 23, 2016
    9
    Awesomeness! It's like Pillars of Eternity but with much more (for me at least) immersive world and mature story. Its an adult rpg, with Tons of text so it is not for hack and slashy game fans at all. It took me over 40h to complete the game, but i really read through every line of text. Those who finish in 15h simply didn't bother with the main core of the game at all. Pillars 2 can waitAwesomeness! It's like Pillars of Eternity but with much more (for me at least) immersive world and mature story. Its an adult rpg, with Tons of text so it is not for hack and slashy game fans at all. It took me over 40h to complete the game, but i really read through every line of text. Those who finish in 15h simply didn't bother with the main core of the game at all. Pillars 2 can wait i want Tyranny 2 or some decent expansion!!… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Best PC Game of 2016
34
#34 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
37
#37 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 67 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 67
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 67
  3. Negative: 0 out of 67
  1. RPGamer
    Apr 4, 2017
    70
    Tyranny, is fun little throwback to an older style of game. It does it well and it does it without having to cash in on a particular brand or nostalgic sentiment. It presents a brand new world in a compelling and understandable way. It showcases a much more nuanced take on being the bad guy than games tend to do. I found myself reminded more of Unrest than Baldur's Gate while playing this game and that is a good thing.
    Read full review
  2. PLAY! Zine
    Feb 20, 2017
    90
    If you are tired of same old fantasy setting in RPGs, you will absolutely fall in love with Tyranny. Another great isometric RPG from Obsidian.
    Read full review
  3. games(TM)
    Jan 27, 2017
    80
    It may sound like the weight of the game’s criticism lies too heavily on its story, but that’s where Obsidian has decided to focus its efforts. It doesn’t do anything to ultimately spoil what is a great classic-style RPG, and should be considered if you enjoyed Pillars Of Eternity but wouldn’t consider classic RPGs your typical sort of gaming experience.
    Read full review
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