Pillars of Eternity Reviews

Pillars of Eternity is ranked in the 99th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Recommended
Mar 25, 2015

In keeping so close to the Baldur's Gate/Infinity Engine template, Pillars of Eternity can't help but inherit a few old flaws, and it would have been nice to see a bit more personality of its own shine through its carefully traditional design and shell. That said, what most stands out is just how well it manages to modernise the experience of playing those games and stand apart from them as an epic adventure in its own right. It's an RPG with design firmly rooted in nostalgia, but one that absolutely doesn't rely on it to be enjoyable today. Instead, it's both a great reminder of why those games worked so well, and a brand new adventure well worth the hours upon hours (upon hours upon hours) that it takes to pick away at its secrets and its world.

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Game Rant
Top Critic
Mar 25, 2015

Obsidian returns to its Black Isle roots with the Infinity Engine-inspired 'Pillars of Eternity'. Does the old-school RPG live up to its predecessors?

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Andy Kelly
Top Critic
92 / 100
Mar 26, 2015

A deep, rich, and wonderfully written RPG that lives up to the towering legacy of the games that inspired it.

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Leif Johnson
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Mar 26, 2015

Obsidian (and its Kickstarter backers) have done it: Pillars of Eternity is one of the best RPGs since Baldur's Gate.

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8 / 10
Mar 30, 2015

It's almost entirely backwards-looking, and the characterisation is disappointingly dry, but for fans of Baldur's Gate and its era this will have you partying like it's 1998.

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9.3 / 10.0
Apr 1, 2015

A fantastic tactical RPG for players looking for a deeper and more complex story and gameplay experience

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8 / 10
Apr 5, 2015

Pillars of Eternity is a lengthy and enjoyable role-playing game that springs from a time-honored tradition.

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Yes
May 1, 2015

A well-made, fascinating role-playing game with a lot of heart.

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USgamer
Top Critic
Apr 3, 2015

Pillars of Eternity is more than an appeal to nostalgia; it's a rich RPG in its own right, boasting enjoyable combat, a strong story, and masterfully paced quests. What flaws it has — poor pathfinding A.I. and a Stronghold that feels somewhat derserted — are comparatively minor in the grand scheme of things. Right now, its biggest problem is a surfeit of bugs, which seem endemic to Obsidian's RPGs. Ignoring all that, though, Pillars of Eternity is enormously entertaining, and may end up making a strong claim to being one of the best RPGs of the year.

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Mar 25, 2015

Add in an extensive amount of lore, as well as great writing and detailed conversation options, and the result is a finely-crafted RPG that will take over 60 hours to complete. Be prepared to say "goodbye" to the sun because with so many classes and side quests, most players will want to replay Pillars of Eternity at least once. I guess that's what spray-tans are made for...

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8.5 / 10.0
Mar 26, 2015

Obsidian has crafted a game full of challenge, intrigue, betrayal, and heart. The Eastern Reach is bleak and hopeful at the same time, and the main plot is packed with twists and surprises with staggering ramifications for a world players will feel they have become part of. Its combat is tense and relentless despite the capability to pause at any point, the mechanics offering complex strategic challenges with difficulty settings to accommodate most levels of skill. Pillars of Eternity proudly carries on the legacy of the classic computer RPG, and those who remember them with fondness should find in it a welcome addition to the genre.

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93 / 100
Apr 21, 2015

Obsidian has set the bar for the genre very high with a game where technical and plot quality is breathed from the first scene. A tremendous tribute to the references of the 90s

Review in Spanish | Read full review

9 / 10.0
May 10, 2015

These are small grievances with what is ultimately one of the best games to bear the Obsidian name, which isn't said lightly. Like so many RPGs, Pillars of Eternity is immense with an abundance of things to do. But unlike so many RPGs, it manages to fill its many spaces with craft and care. The towns aren't just towns, the dungeons aren't just dungeons, and the characters aren't just an assembly of stats. Everything takes on a very believable form, transporting players to truly fascinating places.

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9 / 10
Apr 14, 2015

Obsidian Entertainment's return to the age of the Infinity Engine excels with a beautifully crafted story, and an exceptionally diverse and beautiful world. 

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VG247
Top Critic
Apr 4, 2015

Pillars of Eternity is more than an appeal to nostalgia; it's a rich RPG in its own right, boasting enjoyable combat, a strong story, and masterfully paced quests. What flaws it has — poor pathfinding A.I. and a Stronghold that feels somewhat derserted — are comparatively minor in the grand scheme of things. Right now, its biggest problem is a surfeit of bugs, which seem endemic to Obsidian's RPGs. Ignoring all that, though, Pillars of Eternity is enormously entertaining, and may end up making a strong claim to being one of the best RPGs of the year.

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8.5 / 10.0
Mar 26, 2015

‎Fantasy RPG developed by Obsidian and that can be defined as the heir to Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale and Planescape: Torment.‎

Review in Spanish | Read full review

9.4 / 10.0
Mar 26, 2015

The best pure role-playing game of the modern era. There's nothing more to say.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Apr 16, 2015

Obsidian's crowd-funded isometric RPG is a dose of splendidly written fun that fondly recalls the pen-and-paper games of our youth

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90 / 100
Apr 2, 2015

Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity is a love letter to those gamers who remember RPGs of old – when parties were large, adventures were world-sprawling, and you read a book or two worth of words before the world was saved.

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8 / 10
Apr 11, 2015
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