GreedFall: The Dying World

Greedfall The Dying World delivers a rich narrative prequel with standout companion writing and meaningful choice-driven quests, set in a visually striking world that captures the identity of the original while expanding its scope. However, its ambition is undercut by inconsistent combat design and a range of technical issues on PS5, including crashes and performance drops, making the experience feel unpolished despite its strong RPG foundations...Unfortunately your time with the game will likely be brought down by it's slow and messy combat system and the various technical issues that it has. While these issues can be fixed in the future through patches, I suggest holding back from buying the Dying World until a least a few future sales near the second half of 2026, but otherwise if you love RPG's as much as I do then it's a fun game to dive in, just beware of it's current flaws as you explore certain dungeons and fight against enemies.

Once again, developer Spiders' game falls short of being a must-have RPG, primarily due to questionable game balance. However, Greedfall: The Dying World is ultimately a decent role playing game that fans of the genre, and especially those who have previously enjoyed the work of the French studio, shouldn't miss.

GreedFall: The Dying World is a game that built upon the potential of its predecessor, and in many ways, it succeeded in this. They created a game that many RPG fans have been aching for: storytelling, choices, and world. Unfortunately, the tactical experience, while good, was lacking in finesse. The game spent 18 months in early access, and I believe it was time well spent, on PC. The console experience had much to be desired, but nothing a few patches can’t fix, I hope.

I ended up thoroughly enjoying my time with GreedFall: The Dying World but it certainly isn't for everyone, especially impatient folks who aren't willing to let it grow on them as they carefully tinker with the wealth of options and gameplay systems.

I really enjoyed the original Greedfall’s blend of magic and 1600’s technology. While the combat is a little more flexible this time around, the narrative plays too many of the same beats, and its pacing fails to find a groove. Greedfall was a cult favorite of sorts. Greedfall: The Dying World does some interesting things with classes and combat, but lacks some of the charm and inventive spirit of the original game.

GreedFall: The Dying World is a worthy successor to the first game and an effective prequel to that adventure. However, with combat emerging as a major weak point, it may be a tougher sell for players expecting thrilling enemy encounters. Even so, it remains an impressive game that deserves credit for everything it does well.

An atmospheric and evocative action role-player whose rough edges and lacklustre combat are balanced by compelling world-building, beautiful environments, and a far reaching sense of consequence.

Greedfall The Dying World has high ambitions for a title of its rank, and manages to deliver on most of them when you pick up the controller. Spiders has captured the essence of the RPG genre, combining a solid narrative side, a living world that evolves alongside us, and rich gameplay. It's a major title for the AA world, with its strengths and weaknesses.

I ended up enjoying Greedfall: The Dying World quite a lot; however, I recognise that it won’t be for everyone. The Real Time with Pause combat was more manageable than I expected, but I still think I’d have preferred either a straightforward action combat system like the first game or a proper turn-based combat system if the developers wanted to go in a more tactical direction. The large and diverse cast of companions is deep and interesting, and it’s just as well, as the main plot isn’t quite as compelling. If you’re looking for a return to the highs of Real Time with Pause RPGs, like the old Dragon Age or Baldur’s Gate games, Greedfall: The Dying World doesn’t quite get there, but it comes damned close. There’s a fascinating world out there to explore, just be aware that the journey won’t be free of storms.

This game is aimed at the more old-school role-players out there, and if you remember and loved Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Dragon Age: Origins, then you'll probably like Greedfall: The Dying World. However, the game never really grabbed me. I really loved the beautiful world, which drew me in time-and-time-again, but it was difficult to get started (a boring tutorial of 3+ hours is simply too much) and, basically, only half of the combat system really works.

The Dying World comes to us after a messy early access period, and it shows. The pacing is all over the place, and parts of the narrative feel unfinished. The finished stuff is fantastic, but the rest leaves so much potential left unexplored.

Every time I make an impactful choice or uncover a new part of the story or tidbit of lore, I'm reminded why I adore GreedFall. That feeling fades, however, whenever The Dying World pushes me into combat or the tedious build menus. GreedFall: The Dying World is an up and down experience; one that you want to love, but one that doesn't love you back.

Greedfall 2: The Dying World makes an attempt to be a swashbuckling, seafaring pirate thriller, but gets muddled in its own politics and bogged down by too many clashing systems.

A humdrum start to Greedfall 2: The Dying World brings down the experience quite drastically. However, once you scale the prologue, the rest of the game feels like you would expect a Spider Interactive RPG to play: likeable characters, political storylines, and straightforward exploration. Combat is its own thing, with the game giving you options to go elbows deep into a clunky but serviceable tactical system or toggle settings so that combat is mindless. The team took too big of a bite this time, and the overall quality paid for it. Still, there is a good Spider Interactive game here, but it might take you a while to find it.

Greedfall 2: The Dying World offers an interesting story and meaningful player choices that encourage multiple playthroughs, though visually it doesn’t quite feel like a true PS5 title. The RPG systems are solid, but the dull and repetitive combat takes away much of the shine. Despite that flaw, there’s still plenty here that will appeal to fans of the first game.

Being able to bypass many encounters and having multiple paths at your disposal is a genuine highlight of this RPG – and not just because I prefer to avoid the miserable combat at all costs. While an outright recommendation might be a stretch, fans of the first game might find enough here to justify a purchase.

Somewhere within Greedfall II lies a compelling blend of an intriguing story about colonisation and a well-designed real-time-with-pause combat system. However, it becomes difficult to appreciate its world-building and combat when the real battle is against a myriad of bugs and game-breaking issues, some severe enough to force a complete restart.

I'm pretty disappointed with Greedfall: The Dying World. Despite going through Steam Early Access, the end product is buggy and messy, and the combat uninspiring. This combined with slow pacing that gives three false endings to the opening before you get into the open world makes it get old quickly. Perhaps wait for a sale, or a lot of patches to fix things up a bit.

GreedFall: The Dying World could have been a triumphant fresh start for a setting with a rocky foundation - providing Spiders with a true breakthrough mainstream hit. While offering a trek through some beautifully realized forests and cities, it unfortunately fails to deliver either an engaging strategic challenge or a narrative that competently handles the difficult themes it wants to explore.