Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, a review and look at one of the best RPGs of this year.
After backing and loving Pathfinder Kingmaker, it was an easy decision to follow suit for the sequel. I was one of many that backed Wrath of the Righteous and enjoyed the alpha and beta stages. This is a very different story from the first game, with higher stakes and a more defined goal right from the outset. The game is bigger in many ways, with a more expansive class list and greater options to define your character as you begin your journey into Golarion and the city of Kenebras.
For any RPG fan, it is always important to have several options to define your character to your own liking. The greater the ability to personalize, the better. The game has expanded on those available in the previous entry, and now there are over twenty-five classes to choose from, each with its own subclass. The variety is staggering, with several races on offer, with some having their own further subtypes. It took me a while, but I have tried several, and the Kitsune is one of my favourites by far. Certain races have unique roles amid the classes, providing you with a path that will not be available to any other race in the game. This will open up possibilities to an entirely new way of playing through your game, further expanding on how the game unfolds for you. And that is one of the main factors in this game, a unique playthrough. This is not unusual for any decent RPG, it is also prevalent in the tabletop games about which this is crafted. Being more of a D&D fan, it took me a while to understand the many complexities and offerings that Pathfinder provides, but soon enough, I found myself enjoying the number of options on display. I have to be honest that I have created far too many characters. Trying out the many classes since playing the beta and into the released game. The character creator is great, but I did find that the character models did leave something to be desired, with little in the way of face and hair options and with no way to alter features. I would have liked a way to change height and weight, but that seems not to be the developer's priority. It is a minor annoyance overall, given the type of gameplay style on show. The character creator is one of the highlights of this impressive game.
Having backed the game I have played through both the alpha and Beta stages of the game before enjoying the full release. I have spent well over a hundred hours in-game, playing through the earlier chapters of the game in various playthroughs. The released game is far less buggy than the previous stages, but it has been plagued with several bugs that have impacted my game, one or two that even crashed my games. Thankfully, Owlcat has made an effort to patch these bugs and keep on top of issues that have arisen since the release. That doesn't lessen the impact these issues have had on my enjoyment, but I am satisfied that they are at least working to resolve them. Some of these issues have already been resolved upon writing this post, but I am aware that some players continue to deal with problems.
The game itself is fun, like Kingmaker before it, it has a good enough story to keep you engaged. With the fate of the Worldwound hanging in the balance, the demonic forces pushing ever at the crusaders, you come into play. An unknown dropped into this conflict and then gifted with unusual powers as you rise to lead the Fifth Crusade. The game does a great job of making you feel powerful and gifting you with Mythic abilities that change how you play the game and how the game reacts to your growing abilities. There are at least eight Mythic paths to choose from, with a ninth being hinted at. These paths have their own unique story influencing points, the game reacting to the path you choose by having specific dialogues, quests, and NPCs opening up to you as you move through each act. Speaking of NPCs. Your companions in this game are far less black and white than in the previous entry, with developing complexities and some hints at what are their true motives. Woljif, Seelah, Lann, and Ember are my favourites, but I found I liked all of them. Not so much their actions but their general portrayal and the stories behind them. It would have been nice to flesh them out more. With something more akin to how it was done in Kingmaker, but overall they are all believable and unique. Like any good RPG, there are many weapons, armour, and trinkets on offer for the player to increase their stats and equip on their character. There is a massive array of spells on offer, along with abilities that change with whichever class you have chosen to play. The game also has several prestige classes that can alter the direction of your classes and playthrough. I have to mention the Crusade system, as it does contribute to the overall gameplay. Whilst not the most inventive system it can be fun to play through if you want to manage armies and hunt down rival factions. It is worth noting that this system can be put on automatic. So that you can have very little interaction with it if you wish. The game has five acts in total, and though I have not yet completed it, I am enjoying it immensely.
So to summarise, if you enjoyed Kingmaker you'll most likely enjoy this entry. The game is solid and expands on the previous entry with new systems whilst expanding on those that were in use in Pathfinder. It is not without fault but if you can look past them you will find this game is worth those minor niggles. Any avid RPG fan could easily stack up hundreds of hours as they try the many races and classes, looking to create their own unique playthroughs.
I give this game an easy 4 out of 5. It is a worthy successor to Kingmaker and I can't wait to see what Owlcat Games does next with the series. So if you're a gamer and enjoy RPGs give this one a go. And if you're not an RPG fan, give it a go anyway, it might surprise you.
