I am not going to lie, I am blown away by this game.

From the opening there are side quests and extras that you will only stumble over if you explore and check out every nook and cranny of the world - this calls the gamer into a submersive (yes I made up a word) play style, learning tons about the history, lore and back stories of this game. All of which I am sure will be expanded on in the books (rumoured to be coming soon) and the next set of games, which from the success of this one, is a sure thing.

Twists and turns, plots and new avenues of quests spring up all over the place, which to me is brilliant as I don't like being forced down a road to completion of a game, but rather like stumbling from the undergrowth back onto the road, having journeyed myself.

The artwork is really nice, simple in design but well animated. Voice acting is superb, though as you delve deeper into communication with a character you find that more reading is required and voice acting stops.

I also love the italics/dulled out body language pointers that are give during dialogue as well, it adds such a depth while interacting with the characters whose facial features are unchanging in game.

Yes it is old school in design, but for many that is an appealing feature and for the newer games it might just be enough to encourage them to check out Baldu'rs Gate and beyond.

If you want a classic high fantasy RPG which focuses on story first and foremost, then give this a go. I would suggests just buying the Hero Edition as the other two hike up the price for nothing substantial (IMO). And that is what this whole post is, my opinion - take it or leave it - I would still love to know what you all thought when you started playing the game? FFP

When launchin the game, I wanted to eat lunch. 4 hours later, I wanted to explore that bit over there and was wondering why does my stomach keep pestering me

I love it too!

It's the kind of game that makes me forget my real life responsibilities, like my job and my kids* (single parent).

*I mean that in jest of course, they are fed clothed and happy**

**Generally

OMG: See Picture.....

is this you?!

Same here. They didn't just fulfill all of their KS promises, they went way beyond that. I couldn't be happier with this game. I'm so hoping this game will be a huge financial success for Obsidian too. They more than deserve it. I'd like to add more, but I'd rather go and play some more. :)

Bizarre story.

Nope, both my kids are alive and well, avid gamers of ten and twelve, (cant imagine where they got that from).

Personally, I hated Forgotten Realms setting, and I really dislike DnD disposition system which kind of comes with it. I find that most "faults" of the game come down to personal taste - which, to me, is a sign of extremely well made game (can't please everyone)

Knew the game was a hit first time I read about it!

:)

Great game...!

Well, it's a pretty good IE-redone game, but still I'm not that amazed ... underwhelming/confusing combat and death system ? Seemingly nerfed magic ? dunno...

First game in four years that I stayed up until 4 am playing as soon as I got it. I love this game. I am reserving judgment somewhat, but I am thinking this might be a classic. We'll see how it sits after I am done.



Pros:

- wonderful NPC writing. every character that i think will end up being a cookie cutter, hackneyed sort of all good or all bad, surprises me with unusual dialogue and interesting backstory.

- combat has really grown on me. good infinity engine stuff, i wasn't so hot about how confusing it was at first, but the new engagement system is actually fun once i realized there is a purpose to it (flanking, blocking for spellcasters)

- gorgeous, animated backgrounds. this is better drawn than Baldur's Gate 2

- myriad of quests and hidden objects. i love the exploration factor

- like the enchanting system, pretty neat and easy to use. gives longevity to items



Cons:

- very few interesting pieces of loot. I was expecting more individuality/different graphics. loot is a bit repetitive imo

- stronghold is boring. it was too easy to get, too early on and it is devoid of life. for a game with so much writing, the stronghold seems very vacant and out of place. it looks nice but it also seems like a pointless money sink

- its a pet pieve, but i really can't stand the backer NPCs and the fourth wall breaking memorials. I don't read either anymore but I wish there was an option to just turn them off. I can't tell you how disappointed I was the first time I saw a backer NPC in the first town and realized there was no way to interact with them at all beyon reading a short story blurb. it was good writing, no doubt, but I saw the interesting looking character an I wanted to just talk to them.

Totally immersed in the game from the moment of release. Everything I love about Obsidian is present and accounted for. Yes, there were some bugs, but nothing major for me.

Setting might appear generic at first, but it is actually very engaging. Not one of those "chosen one" stories by the look of things. No cackling villains or demon spawn blighting the land and you the sole hope of the world.

Quest design is superb so far. They are never black and white. Even smaller tasks are morally ambiguous and give opportunities for role playing. And that's the beauty of the game. It drives me to role play my character. I'm not driven by better loot or easier encounters. No. It is always the question of what my character would say or do in this or that situation. Removing experience for killing things is also superb idea. It gives freedom to play whatever role you've envisioned for your character without having to worry about being underpowered due to loss of experience.

Overall, I haven't been this hooked to a game since Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, back in 2001.

Right from the get-go there’s a huge difference in the polish and execution between Pillars of Eternity and Wasteland 2. PoE starts with the classic opening to cover the basics, then drops you in a small town with half a dozen interesting quests or so, then hops to a huge city with quests around every corner. Wasteland 2 feels so fragmented and slow, the best choice for the first few hours being whether to travel to a dull as dishwater garden grind or baby’s first RPG town. But hey, it got really good 20 hours in…

Ahem, sorry about that tangent. PoE is indeed a fantastic game. It took me a while to grasp the lore but I'm really getting into it now.

I hate this game. My recent addiction to it has cost me hours of sleep.