Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire are overwhelmingly positive. Many critics praise the game for its deep and expansive narrative, with memorable moments and the freedom to make choices that impact the overall story. AusGamers commends the game for offering a complex and nuanced narrative that develops from the player's choices. Digitally Downloaded also highlights the game's storytelling and the way it develops from the player's decisions. Game Informer mentions the stellar and descriptive writing that lends a novelistic flair to the narrative, while GameCrate describes the story as engaging and immersive. However, there are a few critics who have some reservations about the story. Metro GameCentral considers the storytelling to be the weakest element of the game, citing a serious and verbose script that doesn't mix well with the variety of elements in the game. ZTGD mentions that the main plot lacks gravitas or choice, which may be disorienting for new players. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the story of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is very good. The majority of the critics praise the game for its deep and engaging narrative, well-written dialogues, and beautifully crafted descriptions. The story is described as wonderfully told, immersive, and with numerous twists and turns. The degree of lore and world-building is also appreciated by RPG Fan. The game's ability to explore mature topics, moral dilemmas, and philosophical inquiries is also highlighted. The critics also note that the story can be enjoyed without prior knowledge of the first game, making it accessible to newcomers. The positive sentiment expressed by the majority of the critics indicates that the story of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a strong aspect of the game and contributes to its overall appeal.

The gameplay of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the majority of critics. The game offered a wide range of features and mechanics that were highly praised. AusGamers commended the game for its choose-your-own-adventure sequences, island exploration, turn-based ship battles, and city exploration, all of which added to the game's connection and cohesion to the world. CGMagazine noted that the gameplay was similar to the first game but with improvements, particularly in the robust battle system thanks to programmable AI, allowing for more customization. Game Informer also highlighted the abundance of choices in both party interactions and interactions with various groups, with consequences that added depth to the gameplay experience. However, there were some criticisms regarding certain aspects of the gameplay. RPG Fan mentioned that battles could become repetitive and that naval combat felt shallow and tacked on. ZTGD found ship-based combat to be a chore, and The Indie Game Website mentioned that combat could be overwhelming and difficult to grasp, especially on consoles. Despite these criticisms, the overall sentiment towards the gameplay remained positive. The consensus among critics was that the gameplay of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire was exceptional. The game offered a deep level of customization and choice, allowing players to build their characters and make impactful decisions. The combat system was highly praised for its options and AI customization, with critics such as GameSpew and TheSixthAxis highlighting the strategic and rewarding battles. The addition of a ship and more dynamic exploration was also seen as a significant improvement, as mentioned by The Games Machine. The gameplay mechanics were well-implemented, with options for both turn-based and real-time combat, as stated by Softpedia and Push Square. The tactically satisfying combat, dynamic pausing system, and strategic party management were also appreciated, according to Trusted Reviews and PlayStation Country. In conclusion, the gameplay of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire received overwhelmingly positive feedback from critics. The game's features, such as choose-your-own-adventure sequences, island exploration, turn-based ship battles, and city exploration, were highly praised for their connection and cohesion to the world. The combat system, with its customization options and strategic depth, was a standout feature. While there were some criticisms regarding repetitive battles and shallow naval combat, the overall consensus was that the gameplay offered extensive customization, engaging combat, and a deep level of player choice, making it a highly enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire are generally positive. Many critics praise the game's visuals, with AusGamers stating that the new engine highlights the wonderful 2D art and introduces new visual effects, making it the most visually impressive RPG of the Obsidian-crowdfunded era. CGMagazine also commends the gorgeous art style and variety of locales, particularly highlighting the setting of the Deadfire Archipelago, which stands out from other RPGs. Game Informer mentions the dynamic weather, breathtaking environment art, and lively NPCs that bring the world to life, along with fantastic spell effects. Gamers Heroes and The Games Machine both highlight the game's beautiful visuals, with Gamers Heroes mentioning the different aesthetic in jungle areas and The Games Machine mentioning the improved graphics and artistic design. However, there are a few criticisms regarding the graphics and visual design of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. GameSpace mentions some technical weaknesses, such as frequent loading screens and occasional frame rate drops, which can detract from the overall experience. Windows Central also points out that the visuals are blurry and the textures are not sharp, with occasional performance issues. These criticisms suggest that there may be some inconsistencies or technical limitations that affect the overall visual quality of the game. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire has impressive graphics and visual design. The game is praised for its beautiful environments, vibrant colors, expressive character animations, and mix of 2D art and pre-rendered backgrounds. Critics also appreciate the attention to detail in creating a living feeling and eerie atmosphere. While there are some technical weaknesses and occasional performance issues mentioned by a few critics, the overall sentiment is positive, with the game being described as visually appealing, gorgeous, and having a pleasing visual aesthetic.

The majority of the critics praised the sound design and music of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, considering it to be very good. AusGamers commends the game for its fully voiced encounters with great voice acting, although mentioning that some accents may be jarring at first. CGMagazine notes that the voice acting is well-acted and the writing has improved, with less overwhelming dialogue compared to the first game. Game Debate mentions that the game is stuffed with voice actors, including the cast of Critical Role, and that the voice acting is not disjointed like in the first game. Gamers Heroes simply states that the game has excellent voice acting throughout. God is a Geek highlights the excellent voice acting with standout performances, particularly enjoying the transition scenes with the narrator. TheSixthAxis describes the voice acting as stellar, with countless regional accents and funny inter-party chat. While the majority of the critics had positive opinions about the sound design and music, there were a few who did not mention the music at all. Shacknews, for example, praises the sound design for bringing the ship combat to life but does not touch upon the music aspect. However, it is important to note that this is the only critic who does not mention the music, indicating that it might not be a significant negative aspect. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the sound design and music of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is very good. The fully voiced encounters and excellent voice acting were highly praised by multiple critics such as CGMagazine, Game Debate, Gamers Heroes, God is a Geek, TheSixthAxis, and Softpedia. The inclusion of the cast of Critical Role was also appreciated. The music, although not mentioned by all critics, was generally considered to be immersive and well-orchestrated, as noted by COGconnected and Digital Chumps. The positive reception from the majority of the critics suggests that the sound design and music greatly contributed to the overall experience of the game.

The majority of the critics praised the voice acting in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, with many describing it as excellent, great, and stellar. AusGamers, CGMagazine, Gamers Heroes, God is a Geek, TheSixthAxis, COGconnected, GameSpace, Softpedia, and Windows Central all expressed positive opinions about the voice acting, highlighting its quality and how it brought the characters to life. The inclusion of the cast of Critical Role was also mentioned by Game Debate, RPG Fan, Digital Chumps, and The Games Machine, with RPG Fan specifically stating that the voice acting performed by Matt Mercer and the Critical Role cast was fantastic. The collaboration with Critical Role seemed to have a positive impact on the overall voice acting experience. However, there were a few minor criticisms mentioned by some critics. AusGamers noted that some accents may be jarring at first, while Shacknews mentioned that not all narration was voiced. Despite these minor drawbacks, the overall sentiment towards the voice acting remained overwhelmingly positive. In conclusion, the voice acting in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire was highly praised by the majority of critics. The positive opinions highlighted the excellent quality, standout performances, and the immersive experience it added to the game. The collaboration with the cast of Critical Role was also seen as a significant positive aspect. While there were a few minor criticisms regarding certain accents and the lack of full voice acting for all dialogue and narration, these did not significantly impact the overall consensus that the voice acting in the game was very good.

In terms of the technical performance of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, the PC platform generally received positive feedback from the critics. CGMagazine mentioned some minor bugs and long load times but did not encounter any game-breaking issues. Game Debate praised the improved load times compared to the first game, although they did mention longer load times when stepping through doors. RPG Fan highlighted minor frustrations with controls, such as AI pathfinding issues and difficulty clicking on objects or characters, but stated that these issues did not hinder the overall experience. The Games Machine, while mentioning technical issues such as framerate drops, memory leaks, and occasional crashes, did not consider them as breaking the experience. These positive aspects indicate that the PC version generally performed well, with only minor technical hiccups. On the other hand, the PS4 platform faced more negative feedback regarding the technical performance of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. Critics such as PlayStation Country and Push Square highlighted major technical issues, including long load times, control problems, freezing during spell casting, inability to manually save or load, and multiple crashes. Digital Chumps and Softpedia also mentioned long and frequent loading times as well as minor issues with loading larger textures. TheGamer specifically mentioned major technical issues and long load times on the console version. These negative aspects indicate that the PS4 version suffered from significant technical problems, which hindered the overall experience for players. As for the Xbox One platform, the feedback on the technical performance of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire was mixed. TheXboxHub mentioned bugs and glitches, such as items not displaying descriptions when looting or random audio cut-outs during voiced dialogue. Windows Central highlighted performance issues, including the game being locked at 30 FPS and lengthy loading screens. While these issues are not as severe as those faced by the PS4 version, they still indicate some technical shortcomings on the Xbox One platform. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the PC version of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire performed relatively well, with only minor technical issues that did not significantly impact the gameplay experience. However, the PS4 version faced major technical problems, including long load times, crashes, and control issues, which negatively affected the overall experience. The Xbox One version had a mix of bugs, glitches, and performance issues, but they were not as severe as those on the PS4 platform. It is evident that the technical performance of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire varied across different gaming platforms, with the PC version being the most stable and the PS4 version facing the most significant challenges.

The opinions of the critics regarding the replay value of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire are overwhelmingly positive. Many critics highlight the game's open-world nature, offering players the freedom to explore and make choices, which leads to almost complete freedom and multiple playthroughs. AusGamers praises the game for its freedom and customization, while GameSpew mentions the high replay value due to the open-world exploration and naval combat. TheSixthAxis also commends the game for its large amount of content and high level of customization, making it highly replayable. These positive aspects contribute to the game's replay value by providing players with different experiences and outcomes each time they play. However, there are a few criticisms regarding the game's replay value. Guardian mentions that completion rates are low, suggesting that some players may not feel compelled to replay the game after their initial playthrough. This could be due to the game's vastness and the time commitment required to fully explore and experience everything it has to offer. Additionally, while Game Informer praises the breadth of missions, side quests, and faction development, it also mentions that in another game, some of the side content might feel phoned in. This implies that not all side quests and content may be equally engaging, potentially affecting the overall replay value for some players. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the replay value of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is very good. CGMagazine highlights the game's tight and engaging experience, which could easily take 100 hours to complete, further enhancing its replayability. GameStar emphasizes the replay value offered by different factions to support, which can change the outcome of the story. Trusted Reviews mentions that dedicated players could spend months exploring the game, indicating the depth and longevity it offers. The majority of critics appreciate the game's vast amount of content, multiple quests, and different choices leading to various outcomes, all contributing to its high replay value. It is clear that Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire provides players with a rich and varied experience, encouraging multiple playthroughs to fully explore its world and possibilities.