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Pillars of Eternity 2 praise/criticism/gameplay and story analysis thread [SPOILERS ALLOWED]

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  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    edited August 2018
    The game is finished. The DLCs are add-ins, like Tales of the Sword Coast, that tell separate stand-alone stories.

    It's worth noting that the level cap isn't changing, so it's unlikely you would want to do the existing content and all of the DLCs in one playthrough - you would reach the level cap before you where half way through, trivialising the difficulty.
    OrlonKronsteen
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Its an obsidian game, which means its going to feel a lot different in 3-4 months when the planned patches are finished. Ignoring the DLCs, I'd still wait for the final planned patch. I've had to scrap two playthroughs because heavy rebalancing completely changed the feel of my character.
    OrlonKronsteenBelgarathMTHmegamike15
  • Rik_KirtaniyaRik_Kirtaniya Member Posts: 1,742
    edited August 2018
    And I'm still waiting to be able to continue playing the game because of a major game-breaking bug (at the Engwithian Digsite Arena Sub-Level) that many people are facing. Apparently, they are still trying to find a solution to it, but it's been a really long time. Alas, the only option I have is to wait until they finally fix it someday. :/
    OrlonKronsteenThacoBell
  • OrlonKronsteenOrlonKronsteen Member Posts: 905
    I guess I've been lucky so far. No really noticeable bugs, other than some problems moving crew members around my ship. I didn't realize that patching actually changed games in progress. Interesting...
    ThacoBell
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    I've seen very few bugs myself (and I played at launch). The only one I've encountered is a bug where Serafin's quest wouldn't resolve. That one has apparently been fixed in the latest patch.
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    I haven't encountered any major bugs, nor have I been troubled by balance changes (the game is quite easy anyway, so I don't feel any need to have an optimised character).
  • FinneousPJFinneousPJ Member Posts: 6,455
    I'm late to the party but I just downloaded the game and I'm loving it. I have forgotten almost everything about the first game so the complexity is almost overwhelming. I love it!
    kanisathaThacoBellOrlonKronsteen
  • FinneousPJFinneousPJ Member Posts: 6,455
    The stealth mechanic is surprisingly fun. Makes me wanna start a solo rogue multiclass playthrough!
    ThacoBellOrlonKronsteen
  • FinneousPJFinneousPJ Member Posts: 6,455
    edited October 2018
    Playing on veteran difficulty it seems I accidentally unlocked immortality by playing a chanter and recruiting the paladin NPC. The passive healing and defense buffs are quite powerful.
  • OrlonKronsteenOrlonKronsteen Member Posts: 905

    The stealth mechanic is surprisingly fun. Makes me wanna start a solo rogue multiclass playthrough!

    Heaps of fun. I did two runs with a Holy Slayer and it was the coolest thing ever.

    Playing on veteran difficulty it seems I accidentally unlocked immortality by playing a chanter and recruiting the paladin NPC. The passive healing and defense buffs are quite powerful.

    Yeah, there are opportunities to develop really strong builds. I found Holy Slayer was godlike, offensively, and I had a moon godlike, Kind Wayfarer tank. Paired with Eder, I just couldn't seem to die (I couldn't say that for other, more squishy team members). I've only tried the classic difficulty, but I'm definitely going to ramp it up next time I do a run. Fights can still be really hard on classic if you go to areas way above your level. I did the Beast of Winter DLC too early and I was lucky to get out of there.
    FinneousPJ
  • FinneousPJFinneousPJ Member Posts: 6,455
    It was a coin toss between veteran and PotD mode. I figured I had better do veteran given I'd forgotten all about the mechanics (but obviously I am an RPG veteran). I might pop it up to PotD as I just did a red sword category dungeon without too much trouble, i.e. the toughest.
  • OrlonKronsteenOrlonKronsteen Member Posts: 905
    Let us know how it goes!
    FinneousPJ
  • kanisathakanisatha Member Posts: 1,308
    deltago said:
    Yup. Very vocal discussion of it on their forum with me being on the majority "this is horrible" side.
    OrlonKronsteenRik_Kirtaniya
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    Even if the Microsoft thing goes through, and for whatever reason it spells the death of what Obsidian has been known for, the still have made:

    Star Wars Knight of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
    Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer
    Alpha Protocol
    Fallout: New Vegas
    Pillars of Eternity 1 & 2

    Now, obviously, these game are all famous for being buggy as hell at launch. They are also all legitimately great games. If the run is over, it's been a great run.
    ThacoBellkanisathamegamike15
  • SorcererV1ct0rSorcererV1ct0r Member Posts: 2,176
    I only played PoE 1 but don't care about spoilers. To be honest, i din't got into the PoE 1 story, but some aspects of PoE 1 that i din't liked :

    1 - Too much "hp", i don't like regular low lv humans surviving from minutes being slashed/crushed/shooted by 6 guys being hit with maces, claymore, lighting and 2 shooting with arquebus on him. I really miss NWN, where a single fireball can destroy an squad of skeletons.
    2 - The lore and story, is good but honestly i din't liked
    3 - The classes and spell system. Looks like a "downgraded D&D" version, most spells doesn't look cool or good as D&D 3.5e.
    4 - The keep customization seems to be very streamlined compared to other games.

    So, PoE 2 is better than PoE 1 on this aspects? Don't get me wrong, PoE is a good game, is just not good as IWD, NWN or P:K for eg. PoE 1, worth my time and money, still a better RPG than 99,9999% of modern RPG's. Is just not perfect. I really liked the graphics, atmosphere, encounters, crafting/enchanting mechanics, etc
  • FinneousPJFinneousPJ Member Posts: 6,455
    No I don't think you would like PoE2
  • SorcererV1ct0rSorcererV1ct0r Member Posts: 2,176

    No I don't think you would like PoE2

    I saw some videos and liked. Doesn't look like you need minutes to kill weaklings

  • SorcererV1ct0rSorcererV1ct0r Member Posts: 2,176
    Only an update. I purchased the game and i an liking it.

    The idea of "new world times" on RPG sounds epic. Please, say that they will deals with some questions like for example, if the natives have more "firepower" aka they have magic strong enough to counter firearms, will be possible that "conquerors" with horses and firearms easily conquer then? Or diseases who almost exterminated Fuegians, if they have some kind of shamanistic ritual to protect then, it will save then? I an very interested on the lore this time.

    My spells seens to be edealing more damage and the HP seens smaller and progress smaller. I can cast spells without a grimoire an targeted myself to test. Took about 60% of my hp with just a tier 1 spell.
    OrlonKronsteen
  • FinneousPJFinneousPJ Member Posts: 6,455
    That's weird, seems to me like all your dislikes about 1 also apply to 2. I'm glad you like it nevertheless.
  • SorcererV1ct0rSorcererV1ct0r Member Posts: 2,176
    edited October 2018

    That's weird, seems to me like all your dislikes about 1 also apply to 2. I'm glad you like it nevertheless.

    i never said that i din't liked PoE1, PoE1 with all of his problems, still a game who worth my money and time. PoE2 is better than 1 IMO. My dislikes from 1 don't apply to 2.

    1 - Now spells/skills become much more stronger after you level up and you have much less HP. On the first game, you start the game dealing X damage with an skill and end dealing X damage but everything have more HP.

    2 - The lore is more original, great navigation is better IMO than a lot of deities that i don't care, i hope for an Arcanum like steampunk PoE3.

    3 - The classes aren't good as Pathfinder Kingmaker for eg but now there are sub classes and multiclassing, this is a huge improvement over 1. An play trough with an non specialized wizard and with an evoker will be completely different, each character fells much more unique. I still miss some type of necromancer or warlock but nothing is perfect, maybe there are a mod who allow me to command an harem of succubus or undead army

    4 - The ship mechanics that allow you to own many different types of ships and equip then with different cannons, anchors, etc and create/upgrade your crew is IMHO best than your keep management on 1 where you can just choose the order to do upgrades. You can't choose between build A on Y position or B? Can't choose what to do with taxes, etc like with nwn2 crossroad keep

    I really liked the improvements that they did on PoE2.
  • FinneousPJFinneousPJ Member Posts: 6,455
    I have finished the OC and am playing the DLCs now. Maybe it's just me but they feel kinda dull and uninspired.
    ThacoBell
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @FinneousPJ I hear good things about Beast of Winter, but I haven't played yet. I stopped my playthrough halfway through when a patch fundamentally changed the way my character feels, so I'm waiting for the balance patches to be all rolled out before starting again.
  • FinneousPJFinneousPJ Member Posts: 6,455
    ThacoBell said:

    @FinneousPJ I hear good things about Beast of Winter, but I haven't played yet. I stopped my playthrough halfway through when a patch fundamentally changed the way my character feels, so I'm waiting for the balance patches to be all rolled out before starting again.

    Yes, perhaps I spoke too soon. I only just entered the DLC.
  • OrlonKronsteenOrlonKronsteen Member Posts: 905
    I thought the Beast of Winter was excellent, but I haven't tried the second one. I believe the 3rd DLC is scheduled to arrive in December.
  • DorcusDorcus Member Posts: 270
    ThacoBell said:

    @FinneousPJ I hear good things about Beast of Winter, but I haven't played yet. I stopped my playthrough halfway through when a patch fundamentally changed the way my character feels, so I'm waiting for the balance patches to be all rolled out before starting again.

    my very specific dual-class got changed around not once but twice so I'll come back to Pillars 2 ~someday~
    ThacoBell
  • DorcusDorcus Member Posts: 270
    Hey, I noticed that the last DLC and patch 4.0 came out. I remember there being a POE2 Obsidian Roadmap post that outlined all the future major content patches. Can I expect all future patches to be minor in scope? yes/no/maybe so/idk???
  • civian1991civian1991 Member Posts: 57
    Loved POE1, I felt the story, gameplay and despite some critique, the characters were very well written (and no, I just don't mean Eder or Aloth!). POE2 felt too...linear and forced somehow. The ending felt pretty hollow and predictable.
  • ArtonaArtona Member Posts: 1,077
    I really like improvements in gameplay, comparing PoE and PoE 2. I think, however, that story is worse - Eothas isn't as gripping and engaging anragonist as Thaos, and ending was pretty abstract. It was weird to have that dragon as a substitute of final boss, and I see no reason for mandatory fight with our least-favourite faction. The main and final choice seem somewhat arbitrary, unlike choice in PoE. In PoE we could see how Waidwen's Legacy affects Dyrwood, and choices presents by gods made sense in that context. Meanwhile destroying the Wheel is so grand in scale, that it doesn't give any basis for informative choice. Game doesn't really tell what will happen after it's destruction - like, for example, won't it stop new souls from returning? So at this point I just shrugged and let Eothas what he wanted, because I couldn't grasp the stakes.
    civian1991
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