Pillars of Eternity Reviews
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?
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.
Obsidian Entertainment's return to the age of the Infinity Engine excels with a beautifully crafted story, and an exceptionally diverse and beautiful world.
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.
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...
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.
Obsidian (and its Kickstarter backers) have done it: Pillars of Eternity is one of the best RPGs since Baldur's Gate.
Pillars of Eternity is an incredible game, rich with content and heart. If you decide to jump in, make sure you clear your schedule first.
A deep, rich, and wonderfully written RPG that lives up to the towering legacy of the games that inspired it.
Pillars of Eternity made it clear that Kickstarter can be a valuable tool for developers, as long as they are committed to achieving the best possible quality of their artistic vision. In this case, the product far exceeded our expectations by delivering a wonderful, indomitable and representative experience of the RPG genre. I am eager to know what the future of the franchise will be, especially if there will be a sequel, because I want to reuse the character that I painstakingly built and watched grow.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Pillars of Eternity is a welcome return to the CRPGs of old, and it's a definite must-play for any CRPG fan or RPG fan, period. It has so many moving parts that work so incredibly well together with an unbelievably rich history and mythology. Pillars of Eternity will gladly eat up several hours of your time, and you will gladly give them.
Pillars of Eternity is the definitive signal of a return to the origins of electronic role-playing and establishes, paired with Divinity, a benchmark with which all products from now on will have to clash. Between the two which one to choose? Both, if you have two hundred hours to devote to us. Alternatively, we are faced with two different aspects of the same coin. While Divinity is all gameplay, curious interactions and puzzles a bit weird but always interesting, Pillars does not seek innovation and prefers a classic approach, succeeding in the enterprise like no other has succeeded so far. The plot, the social interaction between the protagonists, the characterization of an entire world down to the smallest detail are rare and precious values, difficult to find if not in sporadic and superb equally successful productions (we mention Dishonored, Human Revolution and World of Warcraft, to make the idea).
Review in Italian | Read full review
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
A fantastic tactical RPG for players looking for a deeper and more complex story and gameplay experience
The best pure role-playing game of the modern era. There's nothing more to say.
Review in Italian | Read full review
At the moment, it's unparalleledly the best hero game on the market, and this year there's perhaps only one RPG in sight that could bring down Pillars of Eternity from the imaginary throne.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
With its well fleshed-out world and clever twist on classic Dungeons & Dragons-style rules, Pillars of Eternity could be the next big RPG series that people have been wanting from the genre for the past decade. As for me, I'm already working on a second trip and still gloating over the success of my dwarven Paladin to anyone who will listen.
This time, the money from Kickstarter was not wasted. A hellishly experienced team has created a classic RPG that is a natural development of ideas from Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment.
Review in Polish | Read full review
The best RPG Obsidian has ever made. Just be ready to read.
As a spiritual successor to some of my favourite RPGs of all time, Pillars of Eternity does those games justice with its ultra-traditional story, presentation and mechanics. But I recommend other people check it out as well, as it offers a sprawling world to explore, and a fantastic cast of companions to interact with, making it the perfect example of a retro genre done right.