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Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous

While suffering from a few UX issues and dully army mechanics, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a fantastic RPG with solid party based gameplay
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Game Cover
77%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
82% User Score Based on 30,282 reviews
Critic Score 82%Based on 4 reviews

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Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Game Cover

About

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a single player tactical role playing game with fantasy, romance and dark fantasy themes. It was developed by Owlcat Games and was released on May 4, 2021. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

Embark on a journey to a realm overrun by demons in a new epic RPG

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Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous screenshot
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous screenshot
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous screenshot
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous screenshot
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous screenshot
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous screenshot
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous screenshot
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous screenshot
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous screenshot
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous screenshot
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous screenshot
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82%
Audience ScoreBased on 30,282 reviews
story5.2k positive mentions
stability1.6k negative mentions
  • story
    13,379 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous" is generally praised for its depth, complexity, and engaging narrative, with many players appreciating the variety of mythic paths that significantly alter the storyline and character interactions. While some find the overarching plot to be somewhat generic, the individual character arcs and side quests are often highlighted as compelling and well-written, contributing to a rich and immersive experience. However, the game is also criticized for pacing issues, bugs, and a sometimes convoluted quest system that can detract from the overall enjoyment of the story.

    • “The story told drives you through the gameplay loop, and you can choose to experience many such loops, depending on how many of the detailed minutiae of the world you wish to uncover in one playthrough.”
    • “The story is excellent, the companions are great, the romances are (mostly) good, and the amount of content is excellent.”
    • “Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a deep and engaging RPG that offers a rich, tactical combat system and a compelling story filled with impactful choices.”
    • “The story feels like a vehicle for producing the combat gameplay and dungeon crawling.”
    • “The story is both deep and long, the mechanics are rewarding, the romance I did was phenomenal, and the endgame was pure power fantasy.”
    • “The story is juvenile, predictable, and lacks any sort of 'hard' choices, making it feel like a pretty basic 'chosen one' storyline overall.”
  • gameplay
    5,390 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous" is characterized by its complex mechanics and deep character customization, appealing primarily to fans of tabletop RPGs like Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons. While the game offers a rich narrative and engaging combat, many players find the introduction of the crusade mechanic tedious and poorly executed, detracting from the overall experience. The steep learning curve and numerous bugs can frustrate newcomers, but those willing to invest time in understanding the mechanics often find rewarding gameplay and significant replayability.

    • “The story told drives you through the 'arrive somewhere, make something happen, find things as a reward' gameplay loop, and you can choose to experience many such loops, depending on how many of the detailed minutiae of the world you wish to uncover in one playthrough.”
    • “Definitely takes some time to understand all the mechanics, but once you start to get a grasp on it you start to have a lot of fun.”
    • “The gameplay is solid, based on the Pathfinder 1e ruleset, and if you have played that TTRPG you will understand the mechanics of this game very well.”
    • “Seemed like it might be fun enough, until the crusade part started... wow it's baaaaaaaaaaad.... it's like the most basic gameplay ever, tedious, no variation at all, and it takes forever, and even on the 'story difficulty', the game will brutalize you in the first part; and you have no story option to avoid the trash part of the game, it's railroaded and forced.”
    • “The gameplay is quite a let down though, it’s very much a spreadsheet game where min-maxing is essentially a must, while there’s little to no environmental interaction and tactical thinking to it.”
    • “The crusade mechanics are some of the most embarrassingly poorly thought-out and implemented features I have ever seen on a kickstarter project.”
  • stability
    1,632 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of "Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous" has been a significant point of contention among players, with many describing it as a "buggy mess" even years after its release. Common issues include game-breaking glitches, performance problems, and inconsistent mechanics, particularly in turn-based combat. While some players note improvements due to patches, the overall consensus is that the game remains riddled with bugs, making it difficult to recommend without reservations.

    • “Overall, an epic, amazing, and surprisingly bug-free (annoyances but no real bugs) game for how complex it is.”
    • “While I'm not done with my first playthrough yet, I've been largely bug-free with nothing game-breaking yet.”
    • “The first 40 hours or so are remarkably bug-free.”
    • “A pretty good RPG, but even 3 years after its release, this game is incredibly buggy and in overall tragic technical state (like many Unity games) as the performance is also really bad given how the game looks.”
    • “My biggest grievance with the game is how horrendously buggy it is.”
    • “The game has been and still is a buggy mess and the developers have decided to spend their time figuring out how to harvest and monetize player data instead of fixing these bugs.”
  • graphics
    1,438 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous" have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the visuals are generally good and a step up from its predecessor, "Kingmaker," they do not reach the high standards set by contemporaries like "Baldur's Gate 3." Some players appreciate the art style and spell effects, describing them as vibrant and engaging, while others criticize the character models and animations as feeling dated or lacking detail. Overall, the graphics are considered solid for a CRPG, but performance issues and graphical glitches detract from the experience for some players.

    • “The graphics, mood, and atmosphere have been given a good vitamin boost since Kingmaker, which explains why Owlcat is shifting to Unreal 5 for future games.”
    • “Soundtrack, graphics, and artwork are spectacular.”
    • “The graphics are great for a 2021 game.”
    • “For a game that was supposedly released in 2021, the graphics are sub-par and could be in the class with the original Baldur's Gate, but not a deal breaker...”
    • “The graphics are bottom tier and a throwback to the early 2000s at best.”
    • “Also, the graphics feel really outdated for a game released in 2021; the character models look like they are from the early 2000s.”
  • replayability
    1,178 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts exceptionally high replayability, primarily due to its extensive character customization options, numerous mythic paths, and branching storylines that significantly alter gameplay experiences. Players can engage in multiple playthroughs, each offering unique narratives and mechanics, making it a rich and varied experience. While the game is lengthy, with playthroughs often exceeding 100 hours, the depth and diversity of choices encourage players to return for new adventures.

    • “The game has excellent storytelling, plenty of impactful decisions, and a wide range of builds to choose from; very high replayability value.”
    • “The mythic paths alone allow for a mass of replayability.”
    • “With hundreds of different character build combinations possible, this game has endless replayability and there is something to accommodate every playstyle.”
    • “Incredibly large game without a lot of replayability due to the different mythic paths and countless build possibilities.”
    • “The game offers a lot of replayability through the different mythic paths and their respective content, but with a lack of new game plus options (carry over money and items at least), I wouldn’t be incentivized to play over a hundred hours of this game again.”
    • “I would love to replay it at some point with a different kind of character and alignment, but, sadly, from what I have seen so far the replayability is almost non-existent.”
  • music
    1,124 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous" has received widespread acclaim for its orchestral quality and thematic depth, particularly the mythic path themes that enhance the game's emotional moments. While many players find the soundtrack immersive and memorable, some note that it can become repetitive over long play sessions. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and storytelling.

    • “Silantyev is some of the best music I've heard in any video game, and I've been gaming for a good 20+ years so... (I'm especially looking at you 'Lord of the Dead', lich theme)”
    • “The soundtrack is absolutely mind-blowing and the music really does match the moment extremely well in places like first mythic powers or leper's canyon.”
    • “The music is fantastic, the writing and characters are exceptional, and while the difficulty can spike in areas, every challenge has an appropriate solution.”
    • “I immediately turned off voice acting and music in this as both were shrill and bombastic to the degree that simply turning the volume down wasn't enough.”
    • “The music is so un-melodic and blandly neuvaux-thematic I can barely get the tastelessness out of my mouth.”
    • “The music is repetitive (turned it off after 10+ hours as it is on loops).”
  • grinding
    918 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of "Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous" has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players describing the gameplay as tedious and excessively grindy. The crusade management system, in particular, is frequently criticized for being a chore that detracts from the overall experience, leading to repetitive combat and a lack of meaningful engagement. While some players find enjoyment in the story and character development, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game requires an excessive amount of grinding, making it feel more like a tedious task than an enjoyable RPG experience.

    • “But mercenaries are way too expensive, and it is going to be extremely hard to have a team full of your own characters before act 3 or 4 if no farming.”
    • “Seemed like it might be fun enough, until the crusade part started... wow it's baaaaaaaaaaad.... it's like the most basic gameplay ever, tedious, no variation at all, and it takes forever, and even on the 'story difficulty', the game will brutalize you in the first part; and you have no story option to avoid the trash part of the game, it's railroaded and forced.”
    • “The game is filled with tedious routine, but thankfully you can fix it with mods.”
    • “The crusade management game is tedious and the developers know it, the entire system can be skipped or reduced to 'story' independent from the main game’s difficulty: hence my question, if it is a universally despised part of the game even the developers hated making why have it in the first place?”
  • optimization
    704 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, particularly in later acts, where frame rates can drop dramatically. Despite some improvements over time, the game remains plagued by bugs, memory leaks, and inconsistent performance, especially during complex battles or in areas with heavy particle effects. Overall, while the game offers engaging gameplay and story elements, its technical shortcomings hinder the experience, making it difficult to recommend without reservations.

    • “Very complicated, at some times, very, very difficult, but the optimization and general build-crafting is intensely satisfying.”
    • “For those deep diving, I think you'll find a lot of satisfaction in the customization and optimization available to your party.”
    • “Supurb story, stellar soundtrack, fun gameplay (if you like the incredible optimization-fest that is Pathfinder), visceral combat... it's everything I could have wanted in an epic D&D CRPG.”
    • “A pretty good RPG, but even 3 years after its release, this game is incredibly buggy and in an overall tragic technical state (like many Unity games) as the performance is also really bad given how the game looks.”
    • “This game is beyond a doubt the single most badly optimized experience I have had in gaming.”
    • “The performance is hilariously poor.”
  • humor
    308 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the witty banter among party members and the clever writing that often elicits genuine laughter. While some find the comedic elements, such as quirky character interactions and absurd situations, to be delightful and engaging, others criticize the humor for being forced or cringeworthy at times. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with serious themes, creating moments that are both funny and emotionally compelling, though the execution can vary significantly.

    • “I played through as trickster and was very satisfied by the humorous ways in which you end up dispatching enemies.”
    • “The game's humorous and ironic moments add an extra layer of fun to the gameplay.”
    • “The writing makes the grand moments grand, the humorous moments lighthearted and humorous (without being self-debasing or self-referential 'Marvel-movie humor') and you can really feel the care that went into fully realizing the world & setting.”
    • “Unfunny humor”
    • “Unfunny humor”
  • character development
    220 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is praised for its depth and variety, offering players numerous options and meaningful choices that significantly impact gameplay and story progression. However, some reviews criticize the complexity and overwhelming nature of the character creation system, leading to feelings of confusion and frustration. Overall, while many players appreciate the robust character arcs and the integration of mythic paths, others find certain aspects of character development to be uninspired or poorly executed.

    • “Incredible game with a rich story, really meaningful choices with impact and so much character design choice.”
    • “The mythic paths in this game create a new and amazing layer to character development and story progression.”
    • “The possibilities for character development are enormous.”
    • “Dialogue and character development are, at times, unrealistic, immature, and frankly, boring.”
    • “Character development is boring and uninteresting - yes, you can make a million decisions but you hardly see any difference.”
    • “After 80 hours, the lack of pacing, gigantic maps with no other than grinding/small combat encounters, and weak character development have left me with zero desire to finish this game.”
  • emotional
    136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its well-crafted character relationships and poignant storylines, which evoke genuine feelings of joy, sadness, and fulfillment among players. Many reviewers noted the impactful romances and character arcs, particularly praising the depth of emotional investment in companion quests and the overall narrative. However, some players felt disconnected at times due to pacing issues and a lack of emotional hooks, suggesting that while the game has strong moments, it can also struggle to maintain consistent emotional engagement.

    • “The romance between Irabeth and Anevia felt so genuine, and I felt emotionally committed to ensuring that both of them lived through the end.”
    • “Building relationships and making tough decisions alongside my companions added a layer of emotional depth to the game that left a lasting impression.”
    • “This game has sent me on an emotional rollercoaster with companion quests, made me laugh out loud at meta jokes that fit perfectly into the game, it has challenged me to actually make tactical use of abilities and there are almost always several ways to solve a problem.”
    • “The tedium of a very boring story, far too much fighting and awful level design makes Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous without a doubt one of the worst CRPGs I have ever played, which is granted not an exhaustive list, but it remains the absolute bottom of that barrel.”
    • “Boring story filled with too many teammates similar to annoying undergrads.”
    • “Boring story.”
  • atmosphere
    126 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, enhanced by colorful graphics, detailed environments, and a strong soundtrack that evokes a high fantasy setting. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in writing and voice acting that detract from the overall experience, many players appreciate the game's ability to create a unique and engaging world that feels reminiscent of classic tabletop RPGs. Overall, the combination of art, music, and environmental design contributes to a rich and dynamic atmosphere that draws players into the narrative.

    • “The world of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is beautifully crafted, with detailed environments, atmospheric music, and well-designed dungeons to explore.”
    • “The attention to detail in the depiction of architecture, costumes, and atmospheric effects showcases the mastery of the digital brush, drawing the observer deeper into the visual realm.”
    • “Amazing atmosphere, really feels like a Pathfinder tabletop game.”
    • “The writing is terrible in all these games and the atmosphere is non-existent.”
    • “It lacks a solid base in classic AD&D atmospheres, the things that made BG1 and BG2 legendary.”
    • “Rather than leaning into the atmosphere that the game tries to create, these characters pull you out.”
  • monetization
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism for its invasive tracking practices, including the collection of location data and user actions for advertising purposes, which players feel is akin to spyware. Additionally, the introduction of microtransactions and DLCs is perceived as exploitative, with many players labeling them as cash grabs that detract from the overall experience and fail to address existing bugs in the base game. Overall, the monetization approach has left many users feeling frustrated and unwilling to support the game.

    • “Almost two years after the release, they've updated their EULA and decided to add tracking ('for advertisement purposes') without an in-game option to opt-out of it, and this is what their delusional, out-of-touch developers had to say about it on the Steam forums.”
    • “This software tracks user actions on their computer outside of the confines of the game, tracking advertisement interaction along with other user actions.”
    • “July 2023 update - adding post hoc EULA changes to add 'targeted advertisement tracking' even for a build calculator I cannot recommend.”
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82%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews
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120h Median play time
187h Average play time
50-300h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 396 analyzed playthroughs
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Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous' 232 subclasses make it the ultimate RPG for buildcrafting freaks—especially the overpowered Ranger who gets to ride a griffon from level 1

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Frequently Asked Questions

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a tactical role playing game with fantasy, romance and dark fantasy themes.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 187 hours playing Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous was released on May 4, 2021.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous was developed by Owlcat Games.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous has received positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a single player game.

Similar games include Pathfinder: Kingmaker, Pathfinder: Kingmaker — Enhanced Plus Edition, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, Divinity: Original Sin 2 and others.