I would like to ask all the commenting players where are you in the game and how is your honest opinion about it.

I have been playing in this game since the Cove was added and I seriously have trouble understanding why this game is so highly rated. It is probably the fist effect of the game otherwise it makes no sens. I imagine that the two first levels of dungeons are easy and still engaging but later gameplay is so very unbalanced that it screams for no respect to your real life. I don't mean here the difficulty level per se. It is more the terrible scaling of skills and resistances that are on the edge of silly and ridiculous. In many cases skills become totally useless that ruins any tactical game. I cannot imagine that one can leave a long 3rd level dungeon crawl with still sane team of level 6 characters. I know that developers do read forums and adjust the game accordingly but it seems adjustments are nearly always in the other direction that complains go to. At least in the final version one can turn off some of the most idiotic "improvements" options like super critical hits that are 1 round deathblows (yes, a level 6 character can die in the first round by getting a crit and getting a normal punch, two of my guys have seen it working). The other "great improvement" is the persistent deathdoor weakening. Fortunately you can turn it off too.

I wish that developers would finally: 1) make the level 6 worth the effort (Now it is jut a meaningless level but the gravestone is nice) 2) Increase the roster 3) Offer more trinkets that really make a difference 4) Rebalance bleed and blight skills progression 5) REMOVE the limit of consumables in the shop (it is up to the player how he spend money!) 6) Resting effects should work until the next camp and not this bullsh..t that they introduce now, 7) Enemy should have position related attack that could be used with move related skills tactics (now they can attack from any place that makes corpses jus useless and annoying)

Maybe people don't wanna come out as noobs and feel good by overrating this game?!
Don't get me wrong, I also gave this game 5 out of 5, so maybe I am part of these people. First of all, just the art design itself is worth 2 or 3 stars in my oppinion.
I really like how this game somehow simulates medieval life in a small town. Okay, maybe this is a little exaggerated, but I think it's cool to leave the town for 1 week always and get to read all those news that happened while your absence.
It really cost me some nerve to get used to the game mechanics, but now I just think it's bloody straight, that you can lose a dear character, if you do something stupid (I just used a torch on these red spheric altars and my complete party got wiped out by this strange beast I did not encounter, yet).
I am 11 hours into the game, I have only 4 or 5 level 3 characters, maybe I am a little slow, but I like to take my time, I'm not in a hurry.
In the meantime after lot's of frustrations in the beginning, now I am just happy, when I have enough money left to afford the next dungeon trip :D
And what I really gotta say: I don't remember a game, whose playthrough was so satisfying like it was, when I defeated my first and only special opponent up to now, the necromancer apprentice.

But I don't think, that I can honestly answer your question, with all this said... it's like with women, who always go back to their asshole boyfriends, who treat them like shit :D ;) ...maybe ;)

Well said :) . I do agree that initially the game is really good because of its gloomy graphics, narrative voice and quite innovative mechanics, quirks, trinkets etc. It is something uncommon in modern games. I had lots of fun finding out what does what. I also used a torch on the altar :), and that was the first time when I used "run the hell out of here" button rescuing one crusader :) . It was annoying that level 3 characters didn't want to go to the basic dungeon and the second one was very deadly to them but I have managed. I was not reading any guides until I got to level 6 characters because with the wise game all was challenging but still manageable.

Level 6 characters were just disappointing. I'm now after 120 something weeks in the game and it looks like if developers run out of ideas. They were probably pressed by the final release date and started to sell a "full" product that leaves a strong impression of being not finished but rushed. To cover it up developers seems to use the scissors difficulty where in spite all your leveling you are just chasing the bunny but never catch on. I do not find it right. Especially if your very expensive and experienced characters can die like flies because random generator and nerved skills. It is not a difficulty but a lack of respect to invested time.

Now, a new player will first experience this nicer part of the game, put a lot of positive comments and improve sales. The "real" game experience that comes later will disinterest most of the people who will probably feel a bit cheated but hey, who cares. They already paid. I have seen just a few comments on steam following this way of thinking but they are usually quickly burred under happy comments. Here GOG for some reason doesn't let post new reviews for the game.

I'm 16 hours into the game and yet to tackle a high level dungeon. So far the experience has been so much fun and so engrossing that even if the late game is absolute garbage I'd still give it an extremely high rating and very positive recommendation with a side-note of "Don't expect to finish it as the late game sucks."

When I stop enjoying a game, I quite simply stop playing it as I don't see a point of entertaining myself with something that doesn't entertain me - but when I play a game for a bit over 16 hours and it still provides me with unparalleled experience that's incredibly daunting and enjoyable I'd have extremely hard time justifying giving such a game bad rating.

You seem to mostly complain about end-game balance. I'm 16 hours in and had no problem with the difficulty so far (no death yet). Even if it is unbalanced, it's not like that makes the game bad. If you had 20+ hours of fun, that's still 20 hours of playing a good game even if it doesn't offer much beyond that. I don't see why this game wouldn't deserve good reviews. The artstyle is great, the music is great, the narration is stellar. The mechanics work well too (the only thing I dislike is that the game doesn't tell you which item to use on which curio - kinda like it remembers enemy skills - because I'm too lazy to make my own list so I just play with the curio list open in the background now).

Also "Enemy should have position related attack" - they absolutely do. Had ranged attackers do weak melee attacks when pulled to the front and melee guys stuck in the back just stumbling forward doing little damage as well.

I put this post to see how the people receive this game and not to convince anyone that only my point of view is the right one. Thank you for all posts so far. I'm looking forward to see more comments :) It is true that displaced enemy will deal less damage but I find not right that all of them can attack from any position. Moreover, the attacks from the displaced position will also move the enemy. Ranged units will attack and move backwards. Melee attacks and move forwards. I do not recall any enemy without such ability or being unmovable by default. Your units usually are bound to 2-3 places and if displaced they must move without an attack opportunity. To compensate you have to have 1-2 characters with attack+move option and hope that you manage to restore some order before you get obliterated.

I don't see a problem with the weak enemy attacks moving them into position. Some of your characters do have them too and some don't (but a lot can move 2 or even 3 positions, whereas an enemy ranged character in front would have to do several weak attacks to get back). But also some of your characters can have a powerful attack that moves them. I really think this part is balanced. If you know you're gonna be moved around, either bring move resist talismans, or make your party more mobile.

Yeah, I try to include two characters with positional abilities in all of my groups in dungeons where I expect a lot of move attacks. This kind of shuffling around actually becomes a lot of fun then.

I guess the only downside of such setup is that Highwayman relays on dodge to not be obliterated in two hits. With the RG it is really a poor defense. The health progression for this Character is very, very bad to be a front line fighter. Another downside is his speed that is lower than of a grave robber.

I bought the game because a review mentioned the 'quirks' within the first two sentences. I admit I didn't read the rest, in part because the reviewer said the less read the greater the experience. I also admit I envisioned a gothic D&D top down game. That said:

Yes, the graphics and narrative are good. Yes, it has suckered me into some 20 hours of game play (and 4 restarts ... because there is no manual ... what are those black halos/crowns and numbers anyway?) Yes, I do find character deaths disturbing, but what the hay, they're cannon fodder...right?

I believe the developers started with an excellent idea -- PCs with quirks -- and then decided to implement it the easiest way possible: very light (if any) on the role playing and heavy on the death and destruction. Essentially, the game isn't that much different than Mario Brothers...there are no decisions you need to make, only levels to complete.

Because of the above, I will probably never finish this game, nor recommend it. I'll play it for a while longer, but...

I must say that reading about people's experience is actually much greater fun than the game itself . Thank you very much for sharing!

Possibly, but I do think the comparison applies. IMHO it is more of a 'game machine' game than a computer game. (btw: I've only played on a PC and an Atari 800). The missions are level equivalents, the trinkets are balloons, candies, whatevers. When I play a game (either rpg or strategy) I daydream, fill the game's content with appropriate historical, cultural, etc. tidbits. I approach games as if they were novels.

I know, it's my problem, bias, mindset, but it is what I go by.

I never meant to say that the game isn't amusing; it is. I merely wanted to point out how I viewed the game.

Insofar as restarting: I realize that is unnecessary, but again, that is a failure in my character.

One thing I definitely don't like about the game mechanics is the mission screen...on numerous occasions I've filled the mission party roster, clicked on 'provisions', and then realized I had no idea of where I was going. (definitely not fun running against the Collector, the Necromancer Apprentice, and a Ghoul with zero level characters)

Well, that all just seems like your problem tbh. Not even knowing what the genre of the game is and buying it. I also don't understand the point about having no idea where you're going. You have to select a mission manually and then you create a party around that mission. Do you mean you forget or something? If so, even on the provisions screen you can just click back to look again.

Absolutely. In the game I played so far, the greatest hero of them all is my highwayman. All those self-righteous crusaders and vestals, barbaric hellion and so on. Under stress, they all become selfish/hopeless/masochistic etc. and then there's the highwayman. A lowly bandit, who became virtuous every time I was in a tight spot and saved everyone.