Pathfinder: Kingmaker

I’ve only really scratched the surface of things which are going on in this game and trust me I haven’t covered everything by far. This game has a ton to offer to both new CRPG players and players who have been around the genre for a while.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker is a solid, but flawed, pen-and-paper RPG in video game form. If you are a fan of isometric RPGs or Pathfinder, you will find a lot to like here.

A good ruler will settle a dispute, build a city, and then kill the dragon with his own hand. And this is how it will look like in Pathfinder: Kingmaker from the debuting Owlcat Games. It's a good RPG with some serious "buts".

Not all those who wander are lost.

I know there are people who love this kind of DM. They will admire the focus on battles and numbers, the variety in characters and builds, the merciless attention to detail. For players who grew up loving games like Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights, Pathfinder: Kingmaker might feel like sitting around a table with old friends. But I can’t stand DMs who prioritize the rules over the joy of telling a story.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker brings a classic tabletop RPG to the PC. Does it succeed in balancing PC gameplay with traditional RPG aspects? You bet it does.

Much like Dark Souls, Baldur's Gate has become the easy comparison for traditional RPGs, and while I strive to avoid such lazy writing, I think Pathfinder: Kingmaker might be the exception. Pathfinder: Kingmaker is a lot of things, but most obviously, it is a spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate. If you played that series back when it first released in multiple disc sets (the first game was six discs!), or on the Steam re-release, you’ll know exactly what I mean. From the camera positioning to the character portraits and incredibly detailed class system, everything about Pathfinder: Kingmaker ...

Rule your own kingdom in this RPG inspired by the classics of the genre.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker delivers a fantastic story and a deep character system to dive into. Without a Dungeon Master on the player’s side to smooth out the rough edges however, its balance is wildly inconsistent and its event design, flawed. So many promising ideas fall well short in execution.

Although inspired in its kingdom management system, Pathfinder: Kingmaker ultimately fails to innovate in any of its presented gameplay functions. Lacking in writing,combat, and even fun, a game that had potential to change things up just becomes a disappointment.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker sets up an epic story, expansive world, difficult combat, and lively characters, but all these elements eventually become tiresome. Its unforgiving difficulty and strict adherence to Pathfinder tabletop rules will likely turn away more players than it attracts, and while its kingdom management sim sets it apart from similar RPGs, no part of the game ever feels wholly original. Despite boldly putting players in the role of a king or queen, it never engages enough with the consequences of your decisions, or whether you have the right to make them at all.

A huge, imaginative CRPG that could have stood toe to toe with the genre's best, but instead finds itself crudely stapled together, clearly not ready to be released.