Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Review

Obsidian Entertainment envisioned the Pillars of Eternity RPG series as a spiritual successor to classic games such as Baldur’s Gate. They wanted to take players back to a time of strategic combat and absorbing stories. With the first game in the series receiving widespread critical acclaim, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire certainly had a lot to live up to when it came out in 2018.

Story

As a direct sequel to the original, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire takes place five years later in the world of Eora. The player takes on the role of the Watcher. You are forced to become a herald of the god of death when another deity reawakens and brings destruction to the world.

This quest leads you to the area of Deadfire where four different factions are battling each other to control the archipelago. Much of the action takes place around a group of islands. So, you can also expect plenty of pirates and ship-to-ship combat.

The overarching plot is so intriguing and well done. It pushes you to keep going through the campaign to see it to the conclusion. It is an excellent script that is better than the vast majority of role-playing games out there.

There are also literally dozens of subplots and mini-stories to explore in every location that you come across. They explore everything from slavery to power struggles of political factions. What is impressive is how they don’t seem completely separated from the main plot. Rather, somehow they intertwine with the main narrative.

Furthermore the story can be experienced in a far more accessible manner than the original’s. The first game battered the player with walls of (admittedly very good) writing. But Pillars of Eternity II takes a more immersive approach. Dialogue is now almost entirely done through voice acting. This is a far better solution than the bombardment of text. It helps you to actually feel more a part of the world in which you find yourself.