I need to start by saying that I am a registered member of the codex and have been for a long time. I am glad the codex exists and it is a site that I check on a daily basis to find news on crpgs that I cannot find anywhere else. I do not post there, I respect it and apreciate its existence.
I read Darth's review and, quite honestly, there is not a single criticism that I would say is unfounded or wrong. The problem with the review of the game, and what makes it suspect, is the sensationalism. I have been a true reader of the codex for over 8 years and in that time I have learned that there are a few things that are going to get your game some universal love in the codex.
1. It has to be turn based. If you dont believe me on this just register and make a poll titled "Is Temple of Elemental Evil a better game than Baldur's Gate 2. I **** you not, it will be close. The codex overall loved wasteland 2, a game that I was unbelievably excited about because I consider Fallout 1 and 2 to be perfect games, and I mean that. Wasteland 2 was somewhat fun but an absolute failure in terms of balance, art, story, and humor. Quite honestly, besides the isometric view that I love and is important, the travesty that was "fallout 3" was a funner experience. It was turned based so the codex pointed out some flaws, but overall good reviews. Dammit that was a disapointing game(sorry venting, it was over 50 goddamned dollars.)
2. The game cannot, in any way, be universally acclaimed or be based on a universally acclaimed game before the codex has called its forebarers a classic. The divinity series was a quality niche game with a great deal of faults that deserved some love. Really fun games that deserve a play from rpg fanatics. Read the codex and these are brilliant masterpieces. Wizardy 8 was a game that had a really cool story but had a random encounter grind that is so annoying that you want to lynch anyone that ever mentions the game after playing it for 45 minutes. Check out the codex, It's an all time classic. "Divinity Original Sin" was reviewed very well on the codex. Indeed the codex got mentioned many times as I played the game. Character development in that game was absolutely awful with many skillpoints going to random stuff just because. Combat got boring early, I struggled to finish the game. I thought it was the worst divinity game as far as fun. I was ok with the codex slathering praise, though, because I love the genre. But, that game is bad and forgettable, especially the combat.
3. You need to make a post and offer the codexians some kind of recognition in your game. Holy ****, I was so fired up when I launched "Divinity Original Sin" for the first time and saw "RPG Codex" right there on my game splash screen.! Then I played the game for a while. I will not go into details here, comparing apples to apples is not the point.
Pillar of Eternity is not a new classic crpg in my opinion. The game has flaws and I definitely agree that, beyond the act of aquireing it, the stronghold is a complete joke. I will also agree that most of the encounters are not as well planned and engaging as I had hoped to ex[ect from this group of gaming minds. It is still pretty fun though. Honestly, it is really fun. For the first few hours I was pissed because it wasn't as fun as BG2. I kept on. The art isnt as good but its damned good. I was upset by kills not giving xp but they actually do if you read. Some of the conversations are ****ing verbose, but the important conversations are quite interesting. It is pointless to try and discount anyones opinion line by line. That is not why I am making this post. PoE has some flaws, it deserves some criticism for certain shortcomings. It does not deserve the lambasting it recieved from Darth Roxor in his official review. Roxor made some points but also said ridiculous things like "worst Obsidian game ever." I could not give a **** about a game company, but I love Infinity Engine based games with an epic story that takes me back to BG and BG2. So **** any reviews that are extreme for the sake of some kind of internet street cred. Quite honestly, I am disapointed in the codex for putting that on the front page and legitimizing it as an unbiased review. Then again....Divinity original sin!?......Wasteland 2?!
