Review after final

[DeN_DarK]

Hello all! 

 

First time I finished game in PotD + Hard with party and today I finished it with Fighter in Triple Crown Solo. After that I think I experienced game in full and can tell my thoughts. 

 

*SPOILER ALARM!*

 

Setting.

 

First of all. After so much time I glad to play to something so new and yet so familiar. It is really new setting, world, mechanics and ideas, but still all in Pillars resembles Infinity Engine games and it is very cool. I personally like this setting but think it must be deeper. More worlds or Planes or places. If it have only one Plane - and no Gods at all - it will be very shallow in my opinion. D&D was fun because you had large variety of monsters and worlds. Here we don't have demons and celestials, Negative Plane, Blood War, and etc. Only fake deities and real souls. For first game it is new and interesting ideas, but what about second and third game (we all waiting them I think).

 

Characters.

 

I personally like them all. Some of them more interesting, some of them less.

 

1. Durance

From first dialogs I dislike Durance, but after some time I was interested in his story and start to like him. In the end he is most well written cahracter. His quest had very interesting ending and his personality really different from other companions. I think game must have more not good characters - evil, selfish, prejudiced, racists. It is bad things - yes. But still they happen in world. And it is fine then you can meet and travel with some of that types (just think about Valor, Ignus, Edwin, Viconia). 

2. Aloth

Really liked his personality and problems with Awakening. And it was very unexpected for me that he was in Leaden Key. And I like how he tell it to you after some time. You really feel his trust. Still his personal quest too short and easy. I wanted to meet more of his alter ago. (all party wanted it too)

3. Grieving Mother, Hiravias, Eder, Kana.

Very good quests and characters. Still Eder have short quest without very interesting final. It is sad. Between them best quest have druid. Choice, good ending, nice dialogues. Still Grieving Mother quest is written very well too. Her quest just not very personal still and it is part of main plot.

4. Sagani and Pallegina.

Nice characters but Sagani lack some charisma. She is dependable and nice, but still too common. Which is uncommon in party I think but still not very good. Pallegina is ok, but her quest is too short and without consequences in game.

 

Story.

 

Story is good and rich. Some of the twists was unexpected but I think it have lack of freedom after Act 2. Side quest are very good and I like them. They are really handmade and everyone have story.

 

Stronghold.

 

Is nice but if you build 25-26 upgrade you start to wander - why you doing this. I think it is nice to have stronghold but it will be better to have more events with it, some fame or title will be nice too + 2-3 quest with siege in the end. I mean it is too empty. 

 

Mechanics and Crafting

I personally like it. Stats, skills and all things in balance. Maybe some problems with fast weapons without DR and some classes more damage dealers but it's ok.

Crafting is nice, but for items I want to have ability disenchant them for simple magic items + more choice. Enchanting for helms and cloaks will be good too. Legendary weapons is too simple but have nice description. 

 

UI 

Very good and useful. One thing I want to add - weapon class in weapon description. It will be useful. Not all can have in memory that Flail and Estoc in one category and warhammers and two-handed swords in another. THIS IS NOT INTUITIVE!

 

Bugs.

They are plenty, and some of them are nasty but... Things happen and it is understandable.

 

In the end.

I really glad I made pledge for this game. It is on the same level like BG and NWN2. And I definitely want to see sequel (or prequel).

Thank you!