Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire is a sequel that plays all of its cards right. It's an enthralling adventure, both for veterans and newcomers, bringing a fantastical world to life that you'll want to explore again and again.

Starting at $4.37Buy now

Get on Steam

Get on Xbox Games Store

Get on PS Store

In "Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire," players explore a rich and dynamic world as a seasoned adventurer, leading a diverse crew across the vast Deadfire Archipelago. Embark on a grand tale of revenge, discovery, and leadership, where decisions carry weight and impact the narrative and world. With an improved real-time combat system and deep character customization, this RPG sequel offers an immersive, engaging experience for new and returning fans alike.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,446 reviews

story1,477 positive mentions

optimization100 negative mentions

Engaging story with rich lore and well-developed characters.
Improved combat mechanics and the option for turn-based gameplay.
Vibrant world with diverse factions and meaningful choices.

Frequent crashes and performance issues, especially on high-end systems.
Main story feels short and lacks urgency compared to side quests.
Naval combat is tedious and often feels unnecessary.

story
4,326 mentions
34 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of "Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire" has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its rich world-building, character depth, and engaging side quests, while criticizing the main storyline for being short and lacking urgency. Although the game expands on the narrative from its predecessor, some players feel that the main quest is overshadowed by numerous side quests, leading to a disjointed experience where the stakes of the main plot feel diminished. Overall, while the storytelling and character interactions are often highlighted as strong points, the pacing and coherence of the main story have left some players wanting more.
- “Brilliant RPG that tells a thoughtful and philosophical story while maintaining a deep yet accessible system which creates a gripping and mechanically challenging but rewarding experience.”
- “The story is captivating and immersive, and the writing is exceptional, with unique characters and companions, with diverse and fun personalities.”
- “The story is great, the choices you make actually seem like they have weight, and the faction element is a nice addition, making the journey informative and filled with 'grey morality'.”
- “Unlike its predecessor, POE II: Deadfire is rather weak in all aspects: combat, world travel, story.”
- “The main story suffers from a lack of focus and is very short, but the rest of the world easily distracts you and gives you plenty of reasons to sail into the Deadfire looking for adventure.”
- “The main quest is laughably short and especially the latter part/ending is just a bad joke.”
gameplay
1,294 mentions
32 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire" has received praise for its significant improvements over its predecessor, with enhanced combat mechanics, a more intuitive user interface, and the introduction of a turn-based combat option alongside the traditional real-time with pause system. Players appreciate the depth of character customization, including multiclassing, and the engaging ship mechanics, although some find the naval battles repetitive and lacking depth. While the game offers a rich world and complex systems, it can be overwhelming for newcomers due to its intricate mechanics and steep learning curve.
- “The gameplay here is superb.”
- “Brilliant CRPG that tells a thoughtful and philosophical story while maintaining a deep yet accessible system which creates a gripping and mechanically challenging but rewarding experience.”
- “The gameplay of Deadfire is much more polished and smooth than Pillars 1 was.”
- “The gameplay is marred by terrible, constant load times even on an SSD and dozens of character building decisions that have no meaning to a new player.”
- “The ship mechanics don't add anything for me.”
- “The ship battle mechanics were a slightly double-edged sword where on one end it was, at first, very challenging and fun to overcome enemies at sea.”
graphics
697 mentions
51 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire" have received widespread acclaim for their vibrant art style and significant improvements over the first game, showcasing stunning environments, detailed character models, and impressive lighting effects. Many players appreciate the unique aesthetic that blends pirate themes with rich, colorful visuals, although some have noted performance issues and occasional graphical bugs. Overall, the game is praised for its beautiful graphics that enhance the immersive experience of its expansive world.
- “Incredible lore and universe, a unique and challenging combat system, great companions, and a really vibrant and beautiful art style.”
- “The graphics are incredible.”
- “The graphics have been greatly enhanced from the first pillars game, and the story and play experience are still just as amazing.”
- “The graphics are a bit disappointing, considering it's still not that old and plenty of older games look better.”
- “The graphic is subpar and still takes time to load; the screen pauses every time you encounter an enemy with the real-time combat mode.”
- “Despite all of the additional graphics upgrades, animations, character voicings, lighting, and wildlife, the game runs smoothly and I've yet to experience any stuttering or dropped frames.”
music
337 mentions
58 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its immersive quality, beautiful orchestration, and fitting sea shanties that enhance the atmosphere. However, some players noted issues with repetitiveness, particularly in certain areas, leading to a desire for more variety in the soundtrack. Overall, while the music contributes significantly to the game's ambiance, it can become monotonous over extended play sessions.
- “The music that plays during ship combat is so good that I've literally been going around bopping slaver ships just to listen to it.”
- “The soundtrack and the art that tell the story are perfectly put together in a brilliant way.”
- “The music is phenomenal, with sea shanties filling the space between raucous fight music, wistful strings in areas of devastation, and awe-inspiring orchestras in cities.”
- “And speaking of repetitive music, this game plays the same exact songs again and again on almost every island you go to and it's mostly this one slow song that's reused from the first game.”
- “The weakest point in the game is...the music lol...especially if you played poe1, not only does poe1 have very memorable epic battle tracks - granted overall both of them don't have that many soundtracks anyways.”
- “On the other hand, the music while onshore is forgettable and the music while sailing is so downright annoying (one can only listen to a few hours of pirate vocals) that I finally had to turn it off - sadly, there isn't a way to turn off just the annoying pirate music.”
optimization
280 mentions
11 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
36 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and long loading times, even on high-end systems. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly for short periods, the overall experience is marred by memory leaks and bugs that necessitate frequent restarts. Despite its engaging gameplay and rich narrative, the poor optimization significantly detracts from the enjoyment, leading many to recommend waiting for further patches before playing.
- “They did a great job with superb performances all around.”
- “The game itself runs fine; good performance, lots of opportunities for modding, colorful scenes, autosaves, turn-based combat - everything I like in an isometric RPG/adventure game.”
- “A few bugs and optimization issues aside (still worth powering through them, in my opinion), this game is pretty fun and incredible.”
- “Unfortunately, the game has massive performance issues that make it borderline unplayable for me.”
- “The performance is atrocious - long load times, frequent crashes (every 2 hours or so), mysterious framerate drops.”
- “The game is poorly optimized, and the support from the devs has ended, leaving the game with several bugs, non-game-breaking ones but still bugs.”
replayability
155 mentions
49 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its extensive character build options, multiple factions, and varied quest outcomes, allowing players to experience different storylines and gameplay styles across multiple playthroughs. While the main story paths are somewhat limited, the depth of customization and the introduction of multiclassing significantly enhance the replay value. Overall, players find the game engaging enough to warrant numerous returns, with many expressing a desire to explore all possible character combinations and faction alliances.
- “The game offers so many options in terms of building your character and the rest of the party that makes this an endlessly replayable game.”
- “The various ways to not only build your own customizable character but all the companions and the various branches you can go down in the story makes this very replayable and likely to soak up a lot of time on even just one playthrough.”
- “Replay value: there are 4 factions and at least 5 ways of finishing the game from what I can tell.”
- “However, the longer playtime, the focus on story and dialogue, and most importantly the 'for members only' sign at the entrance that indicates only Pillars of Eternity 1 veterans are allowed in, makes me think I'll stick to the more replayable single-entry Tyranny instead.”
- “Though I wish there was more content, the replayability of the game makes up for that fact.”
- “That right there just adds a lot more life to the replayability of the game.”
grinding
143 mentions
3 % positive mentions
3 % neutral mentions
94 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that grinding in the game is often perceived as tedious and unengaging, with many players expressing frustration over repetitive ship battles, slow combat, and lengthy travel times. While some players found enjoyment in aspects of the gameplay, the overall sentiment leans towards a feeling of obligation to grind through quests and battles, detracting from the overall experience. Many noted that the game could benefit from streamlining mechanics to reduce the sense of grind and enhance enjoyment.
- “It's not tedious or concerning like Persona or Pathfinder, although it is there and does impact environments and certain interactions depending on when you do what and how.”
- “- Kinetic combat, definitely not tedious. I actually found myself foregoing the turn-based mode in favor of the real-time; I almost always use turn-based in games.”
- “Your crew becomes more effective at boarding ships than fighting with cannons, and I found myself farming gold by spamming the 'board ship' option and speeding up combat.”
- “Everything to do with the ship is so tedious and boring it weighs down the game heavily.”
- “The sailing is also awful; it's just a needlessly large map where you point and click to areas - tedious.”
stability
131 mentions
5 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and various bugs that significantly disrupt gameplay. While some users noted that the overall performance is solid at times, the pervasive technical issues, particularly during loading screens and combat, detract from the experience. Despite the engaging content, many recommend saving often due to the game's instability and ongoing glitches.
- “Technically speaking, the game runs great.”
- “Runs great on my iMac with Big Sur.”
- “On the positive side, the game looks good and runs relatively bug free (at least for me).”
- “Loading into areas, accessing menus, saving the game, even opening combat all lead to freezes and crashes.”
- “The game is pretty buggy in general.”
- “There are random screen freezes or random total crashes all over, real let down I was truly enjoying this game to simply have to stop and wait on devs to fix it.”
atmosphere
101 mentions
50 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire" is characterized by a vibrant and immersive world, marked by its maritime setting and enhanced by stunning graphics, a captivating soundtrack, and engaging voice acting. While many players appreciate the lighter, more exploratory tone compared to the darker atmosphere of the first game, some miss the depth and gravitas of its predecessor. Overall, the game successfully creates a unique and enchanting atmosphere that draws players into its richly detailed environments and lore.
- “The atmosphere and the world is unique, really breathtaking for an RPG.”
- “The hand-drawn environments are generally really good, and the musical score is well suited to the atmosphere of the game.”
- “The atmosphere, exploration, and swashbuckling were good fun that always left me wondering what was hidden in the next set of islands or city.”
- “Writing somehow got worse since the original Pillars, and it shows especially with returning characters like Eder. The humor is more childish, and the whole atmosphere is now less grim.”
- “For some reason, while I was able to completely lose myself in the lore and atmosphere of the first game, I couldn't do that for the second.”
- “Poe2 is an excellent game for fans of CRPGs, and it can easily give you over 60 hours of high-quality gameplay. It's just a shame it strays so far from the gritty atmosphere of the first.”
humor
83 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing and engaging character interactions, often eliciting genuine laughter from players. Many reviews highlight the amusing banter among companions and the quirky, light-hearted tone that balances well with more serious moments. Overall, the game successfully integrates humor into its quests and character dynamics, making for a memorable and entertaining experience.
- “Who doesn't want a plucky southern-accented pseudo-native American with a penchant for soul reaping, violence, and quirky humor following them around on their adventures?”
- “The writing flows a lot better, is consistently funny without being out of place or wacky, and is probably the best narrative I've played in a game in recent memory.”
- “The mix of humor, plethora of dialogue options, and diverse cast of companions also add a lot to the very big world that you get to explore.”
character development
68 mentions
44 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally praised for its depth and variety, offering players numerous choices in skills, builds, and interactions that significantly impact gameplay and storytelling. While some players find the initial character designs and mechanics confusing, many appreciate the rich worldbuilding and the ability to create unique party dynamics. However, there are criticisms regarding the lack of character growth for returning companions and the sometimes restrictive nature of dialogue options, which can limit player agency. Overall, the game is recognized for its engaging narrative and the meaningful consequences of player choices on character development.
- “The story, character development, and lore are really well fleshed out in this game, and you do feel like every action you take has major consequences.”
- “This game has the beauty of character development done right.”
- “The level of detail given to the character development is second to none.”
- “I also have issues with specifically Pallegina since she's returning, but it seems like any character development away from the Vailian Republics in the first game is explicitly ignored for her to return, so that's cool.”
- “There's also practically no character development, because you know all the preferences from the start, so in conversation options it turns into grinding the options to your companion's liking... and talking about that... it's very restrictive on what you are doing, because it forces you down a path because of trying to appease them.”
- “The combat mechanics in the game are very shallow compared to other modern CRPGs even though the character development trees would suggest otherwise.”
emotional
54 mentions
91 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising the well-developed characters and deep interactions that evoke genuine feelings, while others criticize the lack of emotional attachment due to a shallow main storyline and underwhelming companion quests. Despite moments of touching narrative and humor, many reviewers felt that the overall execution failed to create a lasting emotional impact, leaving them disconnected from the game's world and characters. Ultimately, while there are highlights of emotional resonance, the inconsistency in storytelling and character development detracts from the overall experience.
- “The characters are well-developed and memorable, with nuanced motivations and backstories that add emotional resonance to the story.”
- “The deep interactions between the player character and companions contribute significantly to the emotional depth of the game.”
- “Overall, this game's story weaves a novel and emotionally taxing narrative that I would gladly experience for the first time again and again.”
- “Bad writing, boring story.”
- “Characters feel a lot more one-dimensional, the story is shallow and short-lived, there's not a single real dungeon in the game, and exploration is just sailing from island to island where you'll get nothing but boring storybook sections and a one-floor/one-room cave or something to clear out, loot for boring drops, and move on.”
- “I mean it's an okay boring story with liberties taken from actual occult doctrine... only watered down and bland.”
monetization
8 mentions
25 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Overall, the monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback. While some players appreciate the lack of microtransactions and the value offered through DLC, others criticize the advertising as misleading and express concerns about the developers' intentions, labeling them as cash grabbers. However, many agree that the game provides substantial content and replayability without heavy reliance on monetization tactics.
- “The game is even better than POE1; get all DLC, it has no microtransactions and is replayable as hell!”
- “Microtransactions are few and far between (I think I got the last one for free?), so I don't know why people are complaining. They add a lot to the game, such as new islands and storylines.”
- “Developer and publisher are going on the list of companies who make cash grab games.”
- “Microtransactions are few and far between (I think I got the last one for free?) so don't know why people are complaining and they add a lot to the game such as new islands and storylines.”
- “Good game from people who actually like to make games instead of cash grabs.”