Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire is as close to the perfect RPG as one can get. The fantastic setting, grand story, exceptional writing and voice acting, engaging combat all coalesce into an exemplar of its kind. This is the game that sets the bar. This is the game that needs to be aspired to.

But give the game a few hours, and you’ll find yourself sucked into its damp, wonderful, varied world. Even if you haven’t played the first Pillars of Eternity. Carefully crafted and complex, but never offensively so, Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire will satisfy even the most demanding role-playing gamer.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire marks my return to the isometric-RPG genre that has been a long, long, time coming.  I played the original Baldur’s Gate games, and later on dabbled with Dungeon’s Siege, but for no particular reason, I drifted away from the genre. Not having a gaming PC at the time of the first Pillars of Eternity game disqualified me from experiencing that in a timely manner; but here I am now with a gaming PC, a job that lets me review games, and the opportunity to take on the sequel to a game that earned such universal critical acclaim.

The original Pillars of Eternity is a tough act to follow, but Obsidian has knocked it out of the park once again. In addition to a layer of polish that permeates across the entire experience, the new naval aspect, larger world, advanced custom combat AI, and fully voiced dialog make this a must-have sequel. There are hitches here and there in the performance, like a regular stutter every time my Druid shifted into her spirit form, but those hiccups don’t come close to breaking the experience and are certainly things that can be fixed in future patches.

A deep, rewarding seafaring RPG.

A swaggering sequel that reaches for the future as it embraces the past, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a unique and ambivalent roleplaying experience.

Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire improves upon the Pillars of Eternity formula in nearly every way, creating an RPG loaded with both strong combat and important, character-defining choices that frequently have an impact on your numerous and deep side-story adventures. A refreshingly different island setting makes it feel dramatically distinct, though travel can be laborious because of unavoidable and repetitive nautical encounters. From a long list of quality-of-life upgrades to a new and impressive attention on companions and their relationships and an astonishing commitment to immersive story...

A solid old school RPG made for a modern world.

Set sail across the Deadfire archipelago and hunt down a God! Pillars of Eternity returns with a sequel that once again smashed its crowdfunding goals to deliver one of the best RPG experiences to date. Find out why in the review below.

Roiling with the waves.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is not for everyone. The web of intertwining features and mechanics are as deep as they are complicated, but for those looking for more from their RPGs - more character, more wonder, more life - Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a fantastic homage to the true roots of the RPG genre.

Push Square die-hards will doubtless recall that back in 2017 we gave Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition a glowing review, bestowing upon it a well earned 9/10 to take home for its mum to put on the fridge. It was both a love letter to old school, all-time classic role players like Baldur's Gate and Planescape Torment, and a title that refined the mechanics and genre tropes established in those games to such a degree that it could be considered their equal. We loved it.