Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth

The Pillars of the Earth is a stupendous adaptation of Ken Follet's novel to videogames. A graphic adventure that captures our attention and immerse ourselves in an era of betrayals, desires to fulfill, misery and great ambitions. All of this in a Middle Ages recreated with fidelity.

While the slow movement speed drags things out, Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth is a must-play for anyone wanting a game to tell a narrative that doesn’t talk down to the player. Think Masterpiece Theater instead of Guardians of the Galaxy. Both are interesting in a different way, but The Pillars of the Earth engages with players in a way that one would not expect from the medium, even at this point in time. The stylistic animation brings everything to life in an interesting way and there is a sense of control for the player to explore. This is an interesting experiment in subject matter and execution that is worth the time investment. The current package is only the first seven chapters, but seeing how it plays out should be intriguing.

Daedalic’s adaptation of Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth is off to a strong start with retina stroking hand drawn visuals, deep characters and a refreshingly grounded setting.

Pillars of the Earth is a great game for anyone who likes the slow process of constructing a cathedral—for anyone else, you might get bored.

Ken Follet's The Pillars of the Earth is a beautifully hand-drawn retelling of the original novel that visualises the story through the eyes of three different characters: Tom Builder, Philip, and Jack. They each play a role in the overall story that intertwines with each other, with the threat of a greater war over the kingship looming over everyone's heads. Uneasy alliances are formed, and major moves are made that cannot be undone, while Tom is focused only on building his grand cathedral, while Philip is trying his best to restore the Priory to its former glory, and young Jack is simply trying to find his place in the world of men. While the story can be slow-going due to the sluggish gameplay and technical limitations causes graphical headaches, this is a great way to introduce new people to the wonderful story.

If you are the type that engages in video games for the quick thrill, then Pillars will probably drive you crazy and you should stir away. However, if you are fine with the other extreme, do not mind lack of arcade style challenges and are willing to take your time, then Pillars offers the depth and the learning experience that mere mortal books cannot deliver. Speaking for myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience Pillars had provided me with for that very reason.

The title finds pacing issues in its story and gameplay early and the cadence of its dialogue regularly drags down the overall rhythm, but it brings more than expected in both interactivity and style. Bringing a story the scale of a thousand-page novel to the video game format could not have been an easy endeavor, but Deadalic Entertainment has brought the first act to us with plenty of appetite for more.