Review RPG Codex Review: Darth Roxor on Disappointment, thy name is Pillars of Eternity

[MRY]

Sure, but Roxor is not reviewing PoE: horse armor dlc or PoE 2, hes reviewing PoE.

I think he wrote a great review. I was quite serious when I said at the outset that I believe the Codex provides an important service by sparing nothing; this place is as generous in its criticism as it is in its support. I just think the review might have been a bit better if it began by framing the enormous challenges that Obsidian faced in making the game, and the considerable successes they had in getting all the pieces in place, rather than suggesting that a $4.2M budget ensured an easy path to victory. Obviously, in terms of, "Is the end product great? Should I buy this game?" all the good intentions, hard work, and foundation-laying in the world don't matter. But when things veer from judging the game's quality to to judging its significance or what went into its creation, I think you do have to consider the challenges and positive externalities associated with POE.

 

[Irenaeus]

Guys, just because I'm kinda curious myself.

Please give me some examples of edginess from the review.

All of it. You are shit.

Sure, but Roxor is not reviewing PoE: horse armor dlc or PoE 2, hes reviewing PoE.

I think he wrote a great review.

I disagree 100%. And I didn't even read it.

 

[Onholyservicebound]

I rate the game 6/10 but this thread is easily a 10/10

Then your sense of quality shouldn't be taken seriously. There's almost no arguments in this thread and the people who disagree with the review can't even be arsed to invest more than one post in it. We know the majority liked the game, and yet they aren't even butthurt enough to brofist the people who are against the review.
Unless one liners from Irenaeus and shadow9d9 making the same post to every shallow disagreement are your idea of a quality thread.
This is literally the worst codex thread I have ever read. Even the reddit reactions were better, I pretty much sat here mindlessly clicking through each page with 0 real engagement, at no point did I feel butthurt despite liking the game, the most laughter I got was from self aware posters, which does not a quality trolling thread make.
When the insistence that this thread is actually a quality source of butthurt and lulz is more effective at eliciting emotion than the review and thread itself, you know your thread is shit. 2/10, and the 2 is partly due to ironic posts and partly because I really like the colour scheme of the background.

 

[Irenaeus]

I rate the game 6/10 but this thread is easily a 10/10

Then your sense of quality shouldn't be taken seriously.

 

[Irenaeus]

My one-liners are as deep as the review.

 

[Alex]

Guys, just because I'm kinda curious myself.

Please give me some examples of edginess from the review.

Every part where you hurt my feelings.

But being serious for a minute, guys let's not fight over PoE. I mean, there are so much better games to fight about.

 

[TheGreatOne]

I've been saying for three years that no combat XP in a game where you spend 3/4 of your time fighting was a bad idea

I hereby propose that all proponents of no combat XP will be punished some way for their heresy. There's a big thread about it that makes identifying the degenerates easy.

Are there any other advocates other than the usual Sawyerist suspects though?

 

[Nebuchadnezzar]

like Baldurs gate 1

 

[tuluse]

If the game is fun you don't need skinner box XP. No one says Doom is a worse game for not giving XP when you kill demons.

The fact that PoE combat isn't fun for you is the problem, not the fact the game doesn't treat you like a hamster on a wheel.

 

[Johannes]

This is what they've promised:

Project Eternity will take the central hero, memorable companions and the epic exploration ofBaldur’s Gate, add in the fun, intense combat and dungeon diving of Icewind Dale, and tie it all together with the emotional writing and mature thematic exploration of Planescape: Torment.

Hmmm. Baldur's Gate (1-2) had mostly shit and forgettable companions, PoE is even an upgrade in this regard. All IE engine games had horrible, horrible combat so I'd put PoE at least on par with them (notice how they don't mention encounter design).

You've got me on the mature and thematic exploration though, that falls incredibly short.

Still 2/3. Not bad.

"Encounter design is nothing to do with combat"

Are you retarded?

 

[Irenaeus]

I've been saying for three years that no combat XP in a game where you spend 3/4 of your time fighting was a bad idea

I hereby propose that all proponents of no combat XP will be punished some way for their heresy. There's a big thread about it that makes identifying the degenerates easy.

Are there any other advocates other than the usual Sawyerist suspects though?

Me.

 

[Blaine]

It's time to simmer down, Irenaeus. srs bro

 

[Scroo]

I rate the game 6/10 but this thread is easily a 10/10

Then your sense of quality shouldn't be taken seriously. There's almost no arguments in this thread and the people who disagree with the review can't even be arsed to invest more than one post in it. We know the majority liked the game, and yet they aren't even butthurt enough to brofist the people who are against the review.
Unless one liners from Irenaeus and shadow9d9 making the same post to every shallow disagreement are your idea of a quality thread.
This is literally the worst codex thread I have ever read. Even the reddit reactions were better, I pretty much sat here mindlessly clicking through each page with 0 real engagement, at no point did I feel butthurt despite liking the game, the most laughter I got was from self aware posters, which does not a quality trolling thread make.
When the insistence that this thread is actually a quality source of butthurt and lulz is more effective at eliciting emotion than the review and thread itself, you know your thread is shit. 2/10, and the 2 is partly due to ironic posts and partly because I really like the colour scheme of the background.

Would I not have given the thread a 10/10 already I would have now

 

[Irenaeus]

It's time to simmer down, Irenaeus. srs bro

No, it's time to go back to playing PoE. bye bye

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

I rate the game 6/10 but this thread is easily a 10/10

Then your sense of quality shouldn't be taken seriously. There's almost no arguments in this thread and the people who disagree with the review can't even be arsed to invest more than one post in it. We know the majority liked the game, and yet they aren't even butthurt enough to brofist the people who are against the review.
Unless one liners from Irenaeus and shadow9d9 making the same post to every shallow disagreement are your idea of a quality thread.
This is literally the worst codex thread I have ever read. Even the reddit reactions were better, I pretty much sat here mindlessly clicking through each page with 0 real engagement, at no point did I feel butthurt despite liking the game, the most laughter I got was from self aware posters, which does not a quality trolling thread make.
When the insistence that this thread is actually a quality source of butthurt and lulz is more effective at eliciting emotion than the review and thread itself, you know your thread is shit. 2/10, and the 2 is partly due to ironic posts and partly because I really like the colour scheme of the background.

Good attempt at reviewing the thread, but probably too harsh and exaggerating some flaws. Still, p. lulzy in places.

 

[Blaine]

I'd personally rate the game 8/10, because the whole of something can be more than its parts.

Also, if anyone can be bothered, mods can absolutely fix things like the Stronghold... which, despite all the hate it gets, has MUCH more going on with it than the stronghold in BG2 ever did.

The greatest crime was that absolutely nothing at all happens when you slay the Master Below, except for one paragraph from the steward. Jesus fucking Christ, there are three thousand paragraphs of Grieving Ellipsis bullshit no one cares about, and as a reward for overcoming what is one of the most difficult fights in the game, you get a pile of loot. It's nice loot, granted, but fucking come on.

Want to know what the Steward says after you've finished every improvement? Nothing.

 

[Volrath]

This is what they've promised:

Project Eternity will take the central hero, memorable companions and the epic exploration ofBaldur’s Gate, add in the fun, intense combat and dungeon diving of Icewind Dale, and tie it all together with the emotional writing and mature thematic exploration of Planescape: Torment.

Hmmm. Baldur's Gate (1-2) had mostly shit and forgettable companions, PoE is even an upgrade in this regard. All IE engine games had horrible, horrible combat so I'd put PoE at least on par with them (notice how they don't mention encounter design).

You've got me on the mature and thematic exploration though, that falls incredibly short.

Still 2/3. Not bad.

"Encounter design is nothing to do with combat"

Are you retarded?

No, but you can't read apparently.

 

[Black]

it is fun to play

Aaahhh, there it is.
The "fun" argument, failing to mean anything substantial since the beginning of time.

 

[Zeriel]

I rate the game 6/10 but this thread is easily a 10/10

Then your sense of quality shouldn't be taken seriously. There's almost no arguments in this thread and the people who disagree with the review can't even be arsed to invest more than one post in it. We know the majority liked the game, and yet they aren't even butthurt enough to brofist the people who are against the review.
Unless one liners from Irenaeus and shadow9d9 making the same post to every shallow disagreement are your idea of a quality thread.
This is literally the worst codex thread I have ever read. Even the reddit reactions were better, I pretty much sat here mindlessly clicking through each page with 0 real engagement, at no point did I feel butthurt despite liking the game, the most laughter I got was from self aware posters, which does not a quality trolling thread make.
When the insistence that this thread is actually a quality source of butthurt and lulz is more effective at eliciting emotion than the review and thread itself, you know your thread is shit. 2/10, and the 2 is partly due to ironic posts and partly because I really like the colour scheme of the background.

Good attempt at reviewing the thread, but probably too harsh and exaggerating some flaws. Still, p. lulzy in places.

Eh, fair go at reviewing the review of the thread, I am giving 2 homoerotic Avellone fanfics out of 10 on the basis of what you were trying to do and the challenge of writing a review of a review, but at the end of the day I have to appraise the review of a review that you have given us, not the review of a review that you tried to give. 0/10. Kill yourself.

(Actually, I wanted to fist your review of the thread review, but as I have been banished to the quote pyramid mines of Arrakis for brofist exploitation, I could not.)

 

[Angthoron]

I haven't seen this much butthurt since IGN didn't give 10/10 to DA: I.

 

[Maelflux]

I rate the game 6/10 but this thread is easily a 10/10

Then your sense of quality shouldn't be taken seriously. There's almost no arguments in this thread and the people who disagree with the review can't even be arsed to invest more than one post in it. We know the majority liked the game, and yet they aren't even butthurt enough to brofist the people who are against the review.
Unless one liners from Irenaeus and shadow9d9 making the same post to every shallow disagreement are your idea of a quality thread.
This is literally the worst codex thread I have ever read. Even the reddit reactions were better, I pretty much sat here mindlessly clicking through each page with 0 real engagement, at no point did I feel butthurt despite liking the game, the most laughter I got was from self aware posters, which does not a quality trolling thread make.
When the insistence that this thread is actually a quality source of butthurt and lulz is more effective at eliciting emotion than the review and thread itself, you know your thread is shit. 2/10, and the 2 is partly due to ironic posts and partly because I really like the colour scheme of the background.

Sounds to me like you wanted to leave the thread, but got butthurt critted by a disengagement attack..

 

[Gangrelrumbler]

I'd personally rate the game 8/10, because the whole of something can be more than its parts.

Also, if anyone can be bothered, mods can absolutely fix things like the Stronghold... which, despite all the hate it gets, has MUCH more going on with it than the stronghold in BG2 ever did.

The greatest crime was that absolutely nothing at all happens when you slay the Master Below, except for one paragraph from the steward. Jesus fucking Christ, there are three thousand paragraphs of Grieving Ellipsis bullshit no one cares about, and as a reward for overcoming what is one of the most difficult fights in the game, you get a pile of loot. It's nice loot, granted, but fucking come on.

Want to know what the Steward says after you've finished every improvement? Nothing.

To be honest, training students in Planar Sphere and dealing with peasants in D'Arnise keep was much more satisfying than managing the Watcher's Keep. At least you've met some NPCs and interacted with them instead of just reading plain text saying "A generic guy came in asking for some generic shit, give him some cash or lend a companion, otherwise he'll talk shit about you to his friends", or "a bunch of generic enemies appeared, either fight through a banal shit boring encounter or lose a building or two".

I mean seriously, the game keep would be much more immersive if petitioners, slavers and CO were real NPCs with dialogue lines and not just pieces of text.

 

[Angthoron]

I rate the game 6/10 but this thread is easily a 10/10

Then your sense of quality shouldn't be taken seriously. There's almost no arguments in this thread and the people who disagree with the review can't even be arsed to invest more than one post in it. We know the majority liked the game, and yet they aren't even butthurt enough to brofist the people who are against the review.
Unless one liners from Irenaeus and shadow9d9 making the same post to every shallow disagreement are your idea of a quality thread.
This is literally the worst codex thread I have ever read. Even the reddit reactions were better, I pretty much sat here mindlessly clicking through each page with 0 real engagement, at no point did I feel butthurt despite liking the game, the most laughter I got was from self aware posters, which does not a quality trolling thread make.
When the insistence that this thread is actually a quality source of butthurt and lulz is more effective at eliciting emotion than the review and thread itself, you know your thread is shit. 2/10, and the 2 is partly due to ironic posts and partly because I really like the colour scheme of the background.

Sounds to me like you wanted to leave the thread, but got butthurt critted by a disengagement attack..

Attempts at emotional disengagement give free attack and crit bonuses to the second party.

 

[Zeriel]

I'd personally rate the game 8/10, because the whole of something can be more than its parts.

Also, if anyone can be bothered, mods can absolutely fix things like the Stronghold... which, despite all the hate it gets, has MUCH more going on with it than the stronghold in BG2 ever did.

The greatest crime was that absolutely nothing at all happens when you slay the Master Below, except for one paragraph from the steward. Jesus fucking Christ, there are three thousand paragraphs of Grieving Ellipsis bullshit no one cares about, and as a reward for overcoming what is one of the most difficult fights in the game, you get a pile of loot. It's nice loot, granted, but fucking come on.

Want to know what the Steward says after you've finished every improvement? Nothing.

To be honest, training students in Planar Sphere and dealing with peasants in D'Arnise keep was much more satisfying than managing the Watcher's Keep. At least you've met some NPCs and interacted with them instead of just reading plain text saying "A generic guy came in asking for some generic shit, give him some cash or lend a companion, otherwise he'll talk shit about you to his friends", or "a bunch of generic enemies appeared, either fight through a banal shit boring encounter or lose a building or two".

I mean seriously, the game keep would be much more immersive if petitioners, slavers and CO were real NPCs with dialogue lines and not just pieces of text.

Plus strongholds being a variety of locations that depended on class that existed whether or not you were a class able to get that Stronghold was pretty damn cool. For all its mediocre elements, BG2 had a lot of cool ideas. Most of the credit I give it is in relation to D&D and Faerun as a whole, though, divorce BG2 of its roots in such and you'd probably get a game that looks like... well... Dragon Age. Yuck.

 

[ZagorTeNej]

If the game is fun you don't need skinner box XP. No one says Doom is a worse game for not giving XP when you kill demons.

The fact that PoE combat isn't fun for you is the problem, not the fact the game doesn't treat you like a hamster on a wheel.

I agree, no need to reward quests with XP either, if they're well written and designed that should be enough of a reward in itself (If you disagree, you must hate the quests in this game). That's presuming there should be any dialogue in the first place, there wasn't any in Doom which proves it is by no means necessary.

Come to think of it, the game could just ditch character development and leveling all together, you didn't see Mario progressively getting stronger, faster and unlocking new abilities and that game was loads of fun.