Who has finished the game?

[daven]

Best bit? Worst bit?

 

I played around 25 hours and I got some really weird companion bugs(i think they were at least) so i put it down for a while. Started again got about 20 hours in. I have kind of lost all motivation now however with the expanions being released, think i'll wait for the full PACKAGE to be out.

 

I'd like to know a summary of thoughts on peoiple's experience. There seems to be a lot of negative comments on here, which is fine I have done the same but I think the game is pretty good. I think it's probably better than the first game even though I've yet to complete it.

 

TLDR: Blarghagrhagagha

[Guest]

I’ve finished it a few times, but am currently playing other things and have no feedback re: the last DLC.

 

Best bit: multiclassing and subclassing. Graphics are incredible. Enchanting system needed a UI overhaul, but is in a really good place now.

 

Worst bit: they abandoned the dark tone of Pillars 1. Eder is a ****ing idiot bumpkin now. Obsidian has abandoned the wisdom of “no romance unless it can be done well and it’s almost never done well” for “everyone is ****ing everyone else”.

[Guest Psychovampiric Shield]

I have not, chiefly because at any given moment it is very compelling not to play and rather wait for next patch/DLC (looking at you, dual wield _regression_). That could be said about any game nowadays, but I feel PoE 2 went a bit too far.

[Silent Winter]

I finished it with my first character imported from PoE1 pre-expansions. I started another but didn't finish it yet (life got in the way).

I'm going to go back once all the expansions are out and finish with that first character before doing a whole playthrough with the 2nd.

 

Best: Improved graphics, better combat, less trashmob encounters, sub-classes

Worst: too many companions tied too closely to the factions (so my chosen party didn't work with my chosen faction and won't on my 2nd playthrough either), 5-person party (for combat it's okay but there's no redundancy if someone gets knocked out (unless you've multi-classed most of them I guess) - for party feelz it's a little lonely )

[house2fly]

I've finished it and would probably have taken at least one other character through by now if I didn't get into modding.

 

Best bits off the top of my head:

 

-the companion quests aren't up to much, but I liked the climax of Pallegina's. You're given a hypothetical trolley problem to answer, and I liked the contrast between the nice clean scenario and the situation it was describing in-game, messed up by personal prejudice and emotions

-There are some very cool bits along the main quest. You talk with Eothas a few times and they're all cool

-The quest where you get some bounties and they all have fragments of a map. You assemble the map to find ACTUAL BURIED PIRATE TREASURE!

-there are a ton of little nice moments, like someone saying something humorously dickish, probably my favourite is when you recruit Fassina, who works at a shop, and she insults her imp coworker who insults her back and then gets worried and tells her to be safe. What a sweetie!

-the Necklace Of Unlocked Possibilities is one of my favourite items. Magically summons a unique weapon for you at the start of combat!

-from the DLC, the "Bridge Ablaze" quest in Beast Of Winter is the absolute highlight of the game

 

Worst bits:

-I don't like the tone, feels way too light compared to the first game. It feels like they're trying to ape Bioware

-the main quest is poor. Each step tells you exactly where to go next and gives you the feeling that it's urgent that you go right now. This is a huge step back from the first game, which nailed a main quest with high but not urgent stakes, making you feel comfortable doing side quests. The first game also ended appropriately climactically, while this ends on a flat note. I like the overall structure of the final areas, but in execution there's too little to them and the final areas feel perfunctory

-Ending slides music sucks. Why did they change it from the first game?!

-lots of one-room pseudo dungeons, very few decent dungeon diving experiences.

-I know I'm on a low-end machine but the frame rate is ridiculously inconsistent. Some areas play just fine, other areas are slideshows, for no apparent reason. What's going on in Delver's Row that the frame rate is half of Queen's Berth?!

[draego]

the main quest is poor. Each step tells you exactly where to go next and gives you the feeling that it's urgent that you go right now. This is a huge step back from the first game, which nailed a main quest with high but not urgent stakes, making you feel comfortable doing side quests. 

 

This is what is hard for me right now. i havent been able to finish the game and it due the to main quest/side quest dynamic. its to open. The main quest seems so urgent but then you hit nekataka and with tons of content and the game kinda just stalls. Before playing i heard the main story is brief so im afraid if i follow it the game will end. It would have been better to have a long main story and dont really like one giant city like this with all the content. I agree the first game felt more like you could stretch your legs for the most part and not feel the main story suffer and i was more interested in POE1 story. I put over 1000 hours into POE1 and for me it was because i really enjoyed the story and tone and world. I liked that your character was understated and the world didnt revolve around you. no one really cared about you at least not in the beginning. The hooks into this story are not as fun for me.

Edited November 3, 2018 by draego

[Hulk'O'Saurus]

Quite frankly the best thing in Deadfire for me is the combat polish that is so sorely lacking in PoE. In PoE you can Paralyze a stack of enemies, only to find out that one of their strikes, be it a crit or a Prone has come through AFTER you've Paralyzed them. These details are in combat only, though. Despite, I am not altogether liking combat in Deadfire. It becomes too overwrought with details and back and forth balances/nerfs/patches. There almost hasn't been a single game update where they touched something and didn't screw something else, as well. 

 

Combat in Deadfire feels a bit cumbersome, segmented and heavy and classes have lost a bit of their single player identity, because the game pursues balancing system more akin to an online game--a given class absolutely needs to be viable in any situation, albeit Chanters clearly have advantages over everything else in this regard. 

 

In contrast combat in PoE is quick and decisive. You don't need so much beating around the bush and you can be effective while minding less details. Statuses are deadlier and more meaningful and a successful two handed attack leaves enemies well chunked. 

 

PoE is more subtle in it's world building. The gods feel distant, mysterious and powerful. There's generally a bit more attention to detail--Twin Elms and the cultures residing within are generally better than Neketaka. That is not to say that Deadfire doesn't have good artistic qualities. Some of the characters, like Onekaza and Aruihi are very well done, but the whole feel that Deadfire gives me is more granular than PoE.

 

The 2d design of the game is not that better than PoE, which still looks quite good. We've gotten a lot of new and improved visual effects in the 3d, but a lot of people have mentioned performance cost. 

 

Combat polish is the best bit, and the jerky world presentation, story pacing and lack of subtlety are the worst for me in Deadfire. 

[Zaris]

-definite upside is number of unique dialogues. In PoE they never came up for both my playthroughs, but here you can „click” just the perfect roleplay build and have amazing feeling, unique for this character. Island aumaua from Deadfire, anybody from Rautai and Fire/Death Godlike are in for a huge treat, even with extra dialogue trees in languages other than English (or you know: Aedyran). You can also understand each side of conflict better thanks to that, despising Rautai as usurpers with one character and aiding them in unifing the savage land with another character. However it’s still not as good as factions in New Vegas and Tyranny, where you had to commit to one side; here you can basically f*ck around with all sides right until the last mission

-number of builds you can create is also amazing, with multiclassing and interesting subclasses. The problem with that is you’ll find yourself with dozens ideas for Watcher, but each playthrough will force you along the same, boring route through Port Maje and Digsite, rather than changing something from the very beginning. I was hoping this first island will act as a minature of Archipelago and give us the taste of all factions, so that we can get to know them, and later choose one to aid us in repairing Defiant. Instead we have the same sh*t no matter what.

-Combat is nice, with much better AI than PoE, no more running around in circles or waiting idly by while the party is getting slaughtered.

-Main story is weird, short and uneven. You really need to think hard in order to find any excuse to not finish the game in 2h since that’s what any sensible person would do in our Watcher’s shoes; literal god stomping around seems pretty serious.

[house2fly]

That's a decent point, the starting island is just a bit too long for an intro quest but too short to be able to feel different every time. I know Pillars 1 started you off with a linear path to Caed Nua then Defiance Bay, but there were wilderness maps that you could go through and quests in the starting town and such

[injurai]

I’ve finished it a few times, but am currently playing other things and have no feedback re: the last DLC.

 

Best bit: multiclassing and subclassing. Graphics are incredible. Enchanting system needed a UI overhaul, but is in a really good place now.

 

Worst bit: they abandoned the dark tone of Pillars 1. Eder is a ****ing idiot bumpkin now. Obsidian has abandoned the wisdom of “no romance unless it can be done well and it’s almost never done well” for “everyone is ****ing everyone else”.

 

The dark tone of the first was one of the best parts, because it was something you were up against. Pillars 1 Eder is also one of the best voices to bounce perspectives off of in an RPG. Two of the best parts of the first diluted...

[Zaris]

 

I’ve finished it a few times, but am currently playing other things and have no feedback re: the last DLC.

 

Best bit: multiclassing and subclassing. Graphics are incredible. Enchanting system needed a UI overhaul, but is in a really good place now.

 

Worst bit: they abandoned the dark tone of Pillars 1. Eder is a ****ing idiot bumpkin now. Obsidian has abandoned the wisdom of “no romance unless it can be done well and it’s almost never done well” for “everyone is ****ing everyone else”.

The dark tone of the first was one of the best parts, because it was something you were up against. Pillars 1 Eder is also one of the best voices to bounce perspectives off of in an RPG. Two of the best parts of the first diluted...

 

I actually have to defend Deadfire’s Eder here, because I really liked his dialogues with Eothas and conversations about gods in general. You could really feel this anger of a regular person who realised the truth behind Eora’s powers. Very French Revolution, Occupy etc. vibe to it and I think it’s important perspective to imagine how most folk will react once they see that the emperor is naked. Everything, from his very first dialogue about Berath’s mission, via his personal quest and to ending slides is very coherent, very believable and well done. It shows how a simple farmer/soldier can reevaluate his beliefs and it made me kinda proud to help lead him this way (you know, Scholar/Sage/Rational disposition). I don’t know how is he on the „believer” path but I couldn’t yet bring myself to play as a godly person; for now it’s just various iterations of atheists for me.

[InsaneCommander]

I finished once but it took a very long time. I really enjoyed it, but I avoided companions most of the time because of the bugs.

 

I'll definitely play it again, but I'll wait at least for the last DLC.

[Guest]

 

 

I’ve finished it a few times, but am currently playing other things and have no feedback re: the last DLC.

 

Best bit: multiclassing and subclassing. Graphics are incredible. Enchanting system needed a UI overhaul, but is in a really good place now.

 

Worst bit: they abandoned the dark tone of Pillars 1. Eder is a ****ing idiot bumpkin now. Obsidian has abandoned the wisdom of “no romance unless it can be done well and it’s almost never done well” for “everyone is ****ing everyone else”.

The dark tone of the first was one of the best parts, because it was something you were up against. Pillars 1 Eder is also one of the best voices to bounce perspectives off of in an RPG. Two of the best parts of the first diluted...

I actually have to defend Deadfire’s Eder here, because I really liked his dialogues with Eothas and conversations about gods in general. You could really feel this anger of a regular person who realised the truth behind Eora’s powers. Very French Revolution, Occupy etc. vibe to it and I think it’s important perspective to imagine how most folk will react once they see that the emperor is naked. Everything, from his very first dialogue about Berath’s mission, via his personal quest and to ending slides is very coherent, very believable and well done. It shows how a simple farmer/soldier can reevaluate his beliefs and it made me kinda proud to help lead him this way (you know, Scholar/Sage/Rational disposition). I don’t know how is he on the „believer” path but I couldn’t yet bring myself to play as a godly person; for now it’s just various iterations of atheists for me.

rumor is that Eder was split between Josh and Eric. If true, I’m guessing the parts where there is an animal involved were written by Josh and those are the parts I dislike the most.

[injurai]

 

 

 

I’ve finished it a few times, but am currently playing other things and have no feedback re: the last DLC.

 

Best bit: multiclassing and subclassing. Graphics are incredible. Enchanting system needed a UI overhaul, but is in a really good place now.

 

Worst bit: they abandoned the dark tone of Pillars 1. Eder is a ****ing idiot bumpkin now. Obsidian has abandoned the wisdom of “no romance unless it can be done well and it’s almost never done well” for “everyone is ****ing everyone else”.

The dark tone of the first was one of the best parts, because it was something you were up against. Pillars 1 Eder is also one of the best voices to bounce perspectives off of in an RPG. Two of the best parts of the first diluted...

I actually have to defend Deadfire’s Eder here, because I really liked his dialogues with Eothas and conversations about gods in general. You could really feel this anger of a regular person who realised the truth behind Eora’s powers. Very French Revolution, Occupy etc. vibe to it and I think it’s important perspective to imagine how most folk will react once they see that the emperor is naked. Everything, from his very first dialogue about Berath’s mission, via his personal quest and to ending slides is very coherent, very believable and well done. It shows how a simple farmer/soldier can reevaluate his beliefs and it made me kinda proud to help lead him this way (you know, Scholar/Sage/Rational disposition). I don’t know how is he on the „believer” path but I couldn’t yet bring myself to play as a godly person; for now it’s just various iterations of atheists for me.

rumor is that Eder was split between Josh and Eric. If true, I’m guessing the parts where there is an animal involved were written by Josh and those are the parts I dislike the most.

 

 

I think it's mostly a case of flanderization off of what was established canonically from the first game.

[Guest]

flanderization

 

Today I learned. Totally agree.

[Boeroer]

"Flanderization" - best new term ever.

 

On the other hand it brought us the Berath's Blessing which allows Edér to equip a pet as well. The only Blessing I ever play with. 

[Torm51]

I have not, crappy performance (I have a really good rig), and bugs just turned me off.  I want to finish it.  Crazy that I put in 2k hours into the 1st one.

[Archaven]

I have not, crappy performance (I have a really good rig), and bugs just turned me off. I want to finish it. Crazy that I put in 2k hours into the 1st one.

I have finally finished the game on potd upscaled. Not sure about everyone I find the game quite challenging. However, I do find the way I played pallegina literally quite boring. She isn't contributing much of other than just support and summon. I'm gonna change that on my next PT.

 

overall yes I find the game quite buggy and performance is really quite bad. I'm getting alot of stuttering with GTX1080. bear in mind I'm playing AC Origins on 60 FPS with no stuttering

[Frak]

 

 

I’ve finished it a few times, but am currently playing other things and have no feedback re: the last DLC.

 

Best bit: multiclassing and subclassing. Graphics are incredible. Enchanting system needed a UI overhaul, but is in a really good place now.

 

Worst bit: they abandoned the dark tone of Pillars 1. Eder is a ****ing idiot bumpkin now. Obsidian has abandoned the wisdom of “no romance unless it can be done well and it’s almost never done well” for “everyone is ****ing everyone else”.

The dark tone of the first was one of the best parts, because it was something you were up against. Pillars 1 Eder is also one of the best voices to bounce perspectives off of in an RPG. Two of the best parts of the first diluted...

 

I actually have to defend Deadfire’s Eder here, because I really liked his dialogues with Eothas and conversations about gods in general. You could really feel this anger of a regular person who realised the truth behind Eora’s powers. Very French Revolution, Occupy etc. vibe to it and I think it’s important perspective to imagine how most folk will react once they see that the emperor is naked. Everything, from his very first dialogue about Berath’s mission, via his personal quest and to ending slides is very coherent, very believable and well done. It shows how a simple farmer/soldier can reevaluate his beliefs and it made me kinda proud to help lead him this way (you know, Scholar/Sage/Rational disposition). I don’t know how is he on the „believer” path but I couldn’t yet bring myself to play as a godly person; for now it’s just various iterations of atheists for me.

 

Seconded. For me Deadfire Edér is simply experienced enough to know the gods are fallible and that the world is imperfect. During Palleginas personal quest he has one comment to a choice you have to make, that tells me everything about him.

[house2fly]

I like Eder overall. His comic bits fit with the tone of this game, but his serious bits totally fit his character. I like when he confides in you that he has a hard time being around Xoti's fanatical belief, knowing what he knows

[daven]

"Flanderization" - best new term ever.

 

On the other hand it brought us the Berath's Blessing which allows Edér to equip a pet as well. The only Blessing I ever play with. 

You haven't heard his word before? Found it on TVtropes years ago. But it applies so much in many different series across different media.

 

Joey from Friends.. my god.

[daven]

I’ve finished it a few times, but am currently playing other things and have no feedback re: the last DLC.

 

Best bit: multiclassing and subclassing. Graphics are incredible. Enchanting system needed a UI overhaul, but is in a really good place now.

 

Worst bit: they abandoned the dark tone of Pillars 1. Eder is a ****ing idiot bumpkin now. Obsidian has abandoned the wisdom of “no romance unless it can be done well and it’s almost never done well” for “everyone is ****ing everyone else”.

Yeah it feels like they added the romances just becaus people wanted them not because they had a good idea for it or thought they could do it well. It feels like a lot of decisions were made by that logic. 'People want it so lets put it in even if we don't know a\ good way to make it work'.

[Archaven]

Contrary to others I like the romance. I had wished there are more interactions and dialogues to it.

[xzar_monty]

Worst bits:

-I know I'm on a low-end machine but the frame rate is ridiculously inconsistent. Some areas play just fine, other areas are slideshows, for no apparent reason. What's going on in Delver's Row that the frame rate is half of Queen's Berth?!

 

Yeah, this. Can anyone explain this phenomenon to any degree? I find it totally baffling. Some areas are perfectly fine, no problems whatsoever, and some are so slow you want to go and watch paint dry for some excitement. And I mean these areas are slow without any encounters. Just walking around.

[Killyox]

1st playthrough went with POTD and completed. Then I wanted to wait for all DLCs and complete it again but I saw POTD rembalance, more monsters, harder etc and went back in (BoW + SSS). doing SSS DLC right now, did all bounties, BoW and finished critical path before choosing side for Ukaizo.

 

We definitely need more things like SSS where we can fight some fights however many times we want.