It was late 2012 when Obsidian Entertainment, the developers behind Fallout: New Vegas and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, posted a Kickstarter for their newest brainchild. It was an isometric fantasy RPG that looked to recapture the magic of games like Baldur’s Gate.
Fans of the genre quickly jumped at the opportunity to see a game like Pillars of Eternity, then called Project Eternity, come to life. Backer incentives like in-game credits, the chance to design in-game characters and spells, and a mega dungeon that kept growing larger with backer milestones kept the funding rolling in. Eventually, the pledge goal of 1.1 million dollars was completely shattered, with the end total being closer to 4 million US dollars pledge by nearly 75 thousand backers…and Obsidian delivered in a major way.
The game released in March of 2015 to stellar and raving reviews, and with good reason.
The characters were excellently crafted, each with their own personalities, back stories, and side quests. They called forth emotions and displayed them in equal measure as allegiances conflicted and the player made choices that would affect them. This all ran alongside a very well put together main story arc that had all of the characters fates tied together.
The world was beautiful and varied with classic monsters and playable races like Dwarves and Elves appearing alongside new and unique ones like the Orlan and the Aumaua.
Lush forests, bustling cities, dank crypts, and sunny beaches all appeared throughout the game,all touched with incredible polish.
Character progression offered players choices as they leveled for both their own characters and for party members. Weapons and armor could be upgraded and enchanted in a variety of ways. All of this allowed for very particular specialization within a player’s party,
But perhaps most importantly, the core of the game, the combat, was excellent. It was challenging without being artificially difficult. Characters had finite resources that made players think and make decisions while still giving them all of the tools to do so on their own terms.
The only real drawback to speak of with the base game is that players couldn’t continue playing after completing the main story arc. Players clamored for more content for this reason, and they eventually got it in the form of several expansion packs that added more quests, story, and role-playing options.
So naturally, fans of the game are jumping at the opportunity for an official sequel to the first Pillars of Eternity.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire was officially announced on January 26th via Obsidian Entertainment’s website, along with a Fig page where fans can pledge money to the game. The goal is set at 1.1 million once again, and barely more than a day into the one month fundraiser it has already surpassed the 700 thousand dollar mark and shows no signs of slowing down.
So what may fans expect from the new Pillars installment?
Well, the game is set to take place in the Deadfire Archipelago, a name that fans of the first game will recognize as a possible region that the player character can hail from. This new area is set to have dynamic weather that changes randomly and suddenly as the game is played, including harsh rains and sandstorms. At least a few of the old companions from the first Pillars game are promised to make a return alongside some new faces, and the choices players made in the first game will carry over into the sequel as well.
As for gameplay changes, Obsidian is promising a world full of NPCs that carry out their tasks and schedules even when the player isn’t near them, meaning that some characters will be found in different places depending on the time of day. A new lighting and shadows system is also on the way to improve the game visually. Perhaps the biggest addition, however, is their intent to make multiclassing an option that is available to players. By making players able to spend their level ups into classes other than their initial one, characters will be able to grow and evolve in new, unique, and interesting ways than previously.
Obsidian gave themselves a tough act to follow with the first Pillars title, but with backers flocking to the sequel and promising new features being teased, Deadfire looks primed to set sail toward something even great than its predecessor.
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