Play it on: PC, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox
Current goal: Makes my fortress a little more beautiful
If I’m being honest, most of my play time this weekend will probably go towards once again the incredible UFO 50. (I have now my first two cherry carts!) However, it’s probably time to occasionally mention other games here in the Weekend Guide, so instead I’ll talk about something else I’ve been playing recently, Pillars of eternitythe fantasy CRPG from Obsidian Entertainment from 2015, which follows in the footsteps of genre-defining classics like this Baldur’s Gate And Icewind Dale. The scope is absolutely epic, immediately transporting you into a world with its own rich, compelling history and lore – a world we’ll soon be immersed in again Explained– but it’s also intimate and personal, with exceptionally well-written characters navigating life in a world full of conflict and strife.
Early on, your character is made aware of his abilities as a Guardian, someone who can see and interact with the souls of others. Not only does this allow for some great fantasy RPG plot hooks, but it also brings the story of the game world to life in a way it wouldn’t otherwise. For example, you might encounter someone who in a past life was part of the marauding hordes that drove others from their homes and see how their soul has been scarred by the trauma of participating in something so monstrous, or you might be drawn into that Experience of a person who was persecuted by these hordes. William Faulkner famously wrote, “The past is never dead. It’s not even over.” That’s true in our world, I think, too Pillars of eternity‘s Eora, you really feel how the past lingers and shapes and haunts the present.
Of course, all the great joys of CRPGs are there – beautiful lands to explore, compelling tactical combat, epic quests – and all of that is crucial to what makes it tick Pillars of eternity so extraordinary. But at the moment I’m particularly taken with the writing, which is so clever and rich and marked by a tremendous respect for the player, trusting us to engage with the world and its story when we’re thrown in headfirst, and We trust that we can appreciate its profound thematic depth without having to spell things out for ourselves or hide what it does. It’s so great to come across truly mature writing in a game, especially when it’s coupled with gameplay as rich and engaging as what’s on offer here. – Carolyn Petit
