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

[ERYFKRAD]

Only good thing about DAO was warriors could do more than click till dead.

 

[meanwhileInPoland]

I'm playing DA:O right now and it's like PoE, only worse. Abilities are even more boring, combat takes longer, itemization and advancement is even worse. In PoE I think for a bit when deciding which item to use in DA:O I just check which item gives the biggest boost to my favorite attribute and roll with that. The only good things are right now one spell that freezes enemies and makes you feel like you are doing something. However the atmosphere, dialogues and plot kill the game for me. It's a fun time-waster but not much more.

It has much better C&C with some great quests like Redcliff castle or Landsmeet and much better villain (Loghain)

 

[ArchAngel]

*You must balance your party before venturing forth*

And yeah, there's no disengaging from combat until one side is dead. Ever. You could have somoene blind, deaf, prone, at 1 hp and snared and they will still chase you to the edge of the map. And you're not allowed to leave.

I had enemies get stuck and not follow me. I had to backtrack to fight them

 

[Ulminati]

*You must balance your party before venturing forth*

And yeah, there's no disengaging from combat until one side is dead. Ever. You could have somoene blind, deaf, prone, at 1 hp and snared and they will still chase you to the edge of the map. And you're not allowed to leave.

You know, I've never tried running away. Does it actually work to leave the map while a fight is on-going?

You can't. You read the edge and it says "You cannot venture forth while in combat!" when you try to transition.

 

[Surf Solar]

Shouldn't have read that review, now I feel as if I have to analyze every single minute of gameplay if there is something 'wrong' with it insteas of simply enjoying the game before -.-

At the same time I get many ideas for mods, so there's that

 

[Gangrelrumbler]

*You must balance your party before venturing forth*

And yeah, there's no disengaging from combat until one side is dead. Ever. You could have somoene blind, deaf, prone, at 1 hp and snared and they will still chase you to the edge of the map. And you're not allowed to leave.

You know, I've never tried running away. Does it actually work to leave the map while a fight is on-going?

You can't. You read the edge and it says "You cannot venture forth while in combat!" when you try to transition.

And it's just the way it is in DA:O.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Shouldn't have read that review, now I feel as if I have to analyze every single minute of gameplay if there is something 'wrong' with it insteas of simply enjoying the game before -.-

At the same time I get many ideas for mods, so there's that

After a review, What Remains.

 

[mastroego]

I read a couple of pages of the thread in the Obsidian forums regarding Roxor's review. Funnily enough, most of the posts are Obsidian fans agreeing with the review. When people in fan forums are able to display a more critical eye than Codexers, you have to admit that there's certainly been a massive drop in the quality of the forum population here over the years. This used to be a site about advocating for better RPGs, now instead it's a gathering point for bootlickers.

Didn't get the same impression from browsing that thread, just compare the most fisted/liked posts (if you consider that be a good gauge of general opinion) in the two threads, the difference in attitude is obvious. Sure, there are a few people there fighting the good fight but lots of edgy posts about the review and the Codex as well.

Still, a nice chunk of them will end up joining the Codex once reality has sunk in
(assuming the Codex hasn't fully completed the sell-out by then)

 

[Grinning Reaper]

I read a couple of pages of the thread in the Obsidian forums regarding Roxor's review. Funnily enough, most of the posts are Obsidian fans agreeing with the review. When people in fan forums are able to display a more critical eye than Codexers, you have to admit that there's certainly been a massive drop in the quality of the forum population here over the years. This used to be a site about advocating for better RPGs, now instead it's a gathering point for bootlickers.

So the problem is what exactly? A couple of people here thinking Roxor wrote a shit review, or is it that some people here are actually enjoying Pillars? I don't see why either one is an issue.

I read this site every now and again to see what new RPGs are coming out.
Reading the review and comments about this game just made me think "jesus titty fucking christ, this forum is so damn negative, I don't think these guys like any game, ever". And then I typed it out.
I've put about 30 hours into Pillars of Eternity on Hard difficulty and I must say I'm having a great time with it. Yeah it has some problems. But it is better than the vast majority of what else comes out.
Looking forward to all the complaining on this site about minor things in the Witcher 3 which are "wrong" (even though the game is going to be AWESOME! Let's hear it for positivity!).

http://www.underrail.com/

Pay attention SuperCow, on the Codex you can only love games that aren't actually out yet. Anything else might actually involve playing games or, christ forbid, enjoying them. Here's a couple more to get you started:

Serpent In The Staglands
Grimoire

Don't forget that once a game is released, you'll need to ignore it or loathe it, which makes Grimoire a really risky choice because, with only 16 micro-issues left, it should be out very very soon. If you're desperate to actually enjoy playing some computer games, then there is an approved list:

Codex Approved

In all seriousness though, SuperCow, The Witcher 1 was a mediocre action RPG and The Witcher 2 is shit, if current trends continue then The Witcher 3 should be a steaming pile of something nasty.

To those of you who like PoE I was wondering:

1) Do you regard Dragon Age: Origins as a classic old school cRPG with fun and challenging and strategic/tactical (take your pick) combat?
2) Do you enjoy MMORPGs?
3) Did you play and/or enjoy Ultima Underworld 1 at the time it was released?
4) What were your favorite computer games from the 1980s that you played and enjoyed at that time?

I guess I'll play, since I'm having some fun playing PoE and don't think that it's the disgusting aborted fetus of a game that Roxor believes it to be.

1. I bought Dragon Age a while after it came out, tried to get into it, but ultimately couldn't. Didn't finish. I don't consider DA:O a classic, nor is it "old school," and the combat wasn't much fun and certainly wasn't challenging in my opinion.
2. I have no interest in MMORPGs.
3. No.
4. None. Born in 1987, started gaming in the early 90's.

I've never been a fan of first person RPGs, so I haven't taken the time to play all the beloved first-person titles from the 80's and 90's such as Underworld and the gold box games. In the early 90's I was getting introduced to gaming via NES and Gameboy games. In the mid 90's I started playing computer games, Heroes of Might and Magic was one of the first, and then in the mid-to-late 90's I discovered BG and started playing RPGs. I consider the IE games and Fallout 1 and 2 among my favorite games. PoE has a lot of problems in my eyes, but it has plenty of strengths as well and I'm having fun with it.

Honestly, and this isn't directed at you necessarily but there seems to be an attitude here of "these five games released decades ago are flawless and everything since is utter garbage," if the last games you played and enjoyed were in the 80's, it's at least worth considering the possibility that you don't like computer games anymore. I'm sure that some of the classics I haven't played are incredible, but they were not flawless. If you think that Wasteland 2, Dragonfall, and PoE are all trash then I think you may have moved on from CRPGs, or maybe you just don't like isometric, party based RPGs. I don't know what the state of good, first-person RPGs is at the moment. There's not much between the infinity engine games and these Kickstarter games that I've enjoyed, certainly no RPGs, but I had a lot of fun with Wasteland 2 and SRR despite their flaws, and I'm currently having fun with PoE despite its flaws as well. My favorite games aren't without their myriad flaws, and neither are these, but I'm still having fun.

I'm very happy that my RPG gaming has expanded beyond replaying my old favorites time and time again, and I'm really looking forward to Underrail, Torment: Tides of Numenera, PoE 2, Serpent in the Staglands, SRR: Hong Kong, and Age of Decadence.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Lol which braindead maroon thinks DAO is a classic. A , maybe. Timepass? Sure.

A classic? BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

 

[Ulminati]

Lol which braindead maroon thinks DAO is a classic.

Grunker has been very vocal about his enjoyment of DAO in the past for one

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Lol which braindead maroon thinks DAO is a classic.

Grunker has been very vocal about his enjoyment of DAO in the past for one

Does. Not. Make. It. A. CLASSIC.

Hell, I enjoy it too, for the simple mindless button-mashing that a Warrior can be, not something that you see in other rpgs. My beef is with people calling it a classic.

 

[Bubbles]

Lol which braindead maroon thinks DAO is a classic.

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...is-the-best-rpg-ever.38362/page-2#post-963538

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Lol which braindead maroon thinks DAO is a classic.

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...is-the-best-rpg-ever.38362/page-2#post-963538

Doesn't say it's a classic anywhere.

 

[valcik]

Pay attention SuperCow, on the Codex you can only love games that aren't actually out yet. Anything else might actually involve playing games or, christ forbid, enjoying them.

Nah. There's old Underrail demo on indiedb.com so grab that shit, see the light, and celebrate with us! I've tried it a couple of months back, my spine is still chilling, because this gaem with relatively simple and minimalistic graphics has overruled any modern 20 GB Unity-based shit so hard.

Wake up, bro! Accept Styg as your savior and be forgiven forever!

 

[Blaine]

Underrail was 2/3rds of the way finished almost a year ago, and is now 9/10ths completed. For $10, you get the entire game right up until the last few incomplete bits. In contrast, Grimoire only has a demo after two decades in development, while Serpent in the Staglands is early in its development.

Underrail is the one and only cRPG developed this century which I played for 100+ hours, and then wanted to replay again just as soon as I was done with my first pseudo-complete playthrough. It also inspired me to write up a pretty damned long preview. In fact, it's the only computer game I've ever bothered to preview or review. It's simply that good, and the word has to get out however it can.

 

[karnak]

In contrast, Grimoire only has a demo after two decades in development.

Hey, there's only 16 "micro-issues" remaining!

 

[Hatred]

Underrail was 2/3rds of the way finished almost a year ago, and is now 9/10ths completed. For $10, you get the entire game right up until the last few incomplete bits. In contrast, Grimoire only has a demo after two decades in development, while Serpent in the Staglands is early in its development.

Underrail is the one and only cRPG developed this century which I played for 100+ hours, and then wanted to replay again just as soon as I was done with my first pseudo-complete playthrough.

SitS is actually due out May 28th '15.

 

[Bubbles]

Lol which braindead maroon thinks DAO is a classic.

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...is-the-best-rpg-ever.38362/page-2#post-963538

Doesn't say it's a classic anywhere.

There, happy now?

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...-eternity-released.98015/page-17#post-3836598
http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...d-companions-leaked.75176/page-4#post-2230387

 

[Blaine]

SitS is actually due out May 28th '15.

Yeah, someone just messaged me on Steam. It seems like they started out just yesterday.

 

[Lurker King]

23 pages. I just waded through 23 goddamn pages of reactions, looking for someone to engage with Roxor on his substantive points and it's just nothing but whining, 3 line posts of "I don't agree" and Irenaeus's increasingly desperate cries for attention. It's a sad, sad day when the discussion on reddit of all places has more substance than 23 pages of the goddamned RPG Codex.

No offense, but if you think that the Codex is a place to exchange ideas in an academic manner you are being naïve. I don’t like shitposting either, but is not as if Roxor really give a dam about the good points of PoE. All his venom is motivated by hatred towards Sawyer and his dismissive remarks about grognards. The guy thinks that Shadownrun is good, but is trashing down PoE. Do you think he is being sincere? He is not. Don’t waste your breath.

Unfortunately I just don't know enough about the DnD universe to comment on how derivative PoE is or isn't (but at least I know enough to know when I don't know something, which may be the only useful thing I got out of my philosophy courses)

A fellow philosopher!

Mssr Roxor may be well qualified to speak on loot, greatswords and RPG engagement systems but I'm afraid he doesn't know the first thing about Plato (…) The reference to Hegel is even more bizarre.

All true. I thought about posting about it, but since he doesn’t really care, I didn’t bother.

 

[Tormented Seph]

Anyway, about "Goddamn Descartes" and epistemology...

[Lie 2] No, this time I'm not joking.........dice roll..............

 

[tuluse]

To those of you who like PoE I was wondering:

1) Do you regard Dragon Age: Origins as a classic old school cRPG with fun and challenging and strategic/tactical (take your pick) combat?
2) Do you enjoy MMORPGs?
3) Did you play and/or enjoy Ultima Underworld 1 at the time it was released?
4) What were your favorite computer games from the 1980s that you played and enjoyed at that time?

1) I think DA:O is good for what it is. The combat ended up being tedius because of encounter design and poorly balanced abilities and classes, but I've played worse.
2) No. I've given a few a try (UO, Star Trek Online, WoW) and always ended so bored after 5ish hours I gave up.
3) I was 5 years old when UU was released, didn't play it until recently
4) I was going to post either Civ1 or Loom, but double checked the dates and they're bit too late. I played some arcade games with Dos ports like Missile Command that were pretty fun.

 

[Grinning Reaper]

Pay attention SuperCow, on the Codex you can only love games that aren't actually out yet. Anything else might actually involve playing games or, christ forbid, enjoying them.

Nah. There's old Underrail demo on indiedb.com so grab that shit, see the light, and celebrate with us! I've tried it a couple of months back, my spine is still chilling, because this gaem with relatively simple and minimalistic graphics has overruled any modern 20 GB Unity-based shit so hard.

Wake up, bro! Accept Styg as your savior and be forgiven forever!

Like I said in my post, "I'm really looking forward to Underrail" based on everything I've seen, I was just being snarky. I won't be doing early access, but I will check out that demo.

 

[Grinning Reaper]

Grimoire only has a demo after two decades in development

I hate to make you look foolish, but I have it on very good authority that this masterpiece will enter Steam Early Access next Friday, and I can only guess that the full game will release the following Tuesday.