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Pillars of Eternity

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Linux • 2015

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Quick resume

Prepare to be enchanted by a world where the choices you make and the paths you choose shape your destiny. Obsidian Entertainment, the developer of Fallout: New Vegas™ and South Park: The Stick of Truth™, together with Paradox Interactive is proud to present Pillars of Eternity.

Global score

88/100

Genres

Role-playing (RPG), Adventure, Strategy, Indie

Similar games

    Pros

    • Deep and immersive story with meaningful choices
    • Extensive character customization and party management
    • Rich, detailed fantasy world with lore
    • Tactical real-time-with-pause combat
    • High replayability with multiple classes and dlc

    Cons

    • Steep learning curve with lots of reading required
    • Some technical issues like pathfinding and loading times
    • Combat micromanagement can be tedious
    • Lack of romance options and limited companion interactions
    • Some backer npcs break immersion

    Analysis

    Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Leadership, Story. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Competition.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      5

      "Players have extensive freedom in character creation, party composition, and decision making that affects story and quests."

    • Competence
      4

      "Combat requires tactical skill, micromanagement, and strategic use of abilities; character builds and skill checks affect outcomes."

    • Competition
      -4

      "Focus is on personal story progression and roleplaying rather than competing against others."

    • Continuation
      5

      "High replayability with multiple classes, story branches, and DLC content encourages long-term engagement."

    • Cooperation
      3

      "Party-based gameplay involves managing companions with unique personalities and abilities, requiring teamwork."

    • Creativity
      4

      "Players can customize characters extensively and experiment with different builds and party compositions."

    • Domination
      -5

      "Interactions emphasize mutual respect and narrative choices rather than exerting control or superiority over others."

    • Escapism
      5

      "Immersive fantasy world and story provide strong escape from real life through exploration and roleplaying."

    • Expectation
      -5

      "Players engage voluntarily driven by intrinsic interest and love for classic RPGs."

    • Experimenting
      4

      "Encourages trying new character builds, tactics, and dialogue choices to explore different outcomes."

    • Exploration
      4

      "Rich world with many locations, secrets, and lore encourages curiosity-driven discovery."

    • Expression
      4

      "Character customization and roleplaying choices allow players to express themselves through their avatars."

    • Fantasy
      5

      "Strongly rooted in imaginative fantasy fiction with gods, magic, and mythical creatures."

    • Fellowship
      3

      "Party members have distinct personalities and stories, fostering a sense of community within the group."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players learn game mechanics, character builds, and story nuances over time, supporting personal development."

    • Health
      -5

      "Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity elements."

    • Idle
      -4

      "Requires constant attention and micromanagement, especially in combat and exploration."

    • Intimacy
      2

      "Companions have personal stories and interactions, but no romantic relationships; emotional connections are moderate."

    • Leadership
      4

      "Players lead and manage a party of companions, directing their actions and development."

    • Progression
      5

      "Strong emphasis on leveling up, acquiring items, upgrading weapons, and developing characters."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "While some find the story immersive and relaxing, combat difficulty and micromanagement can cause tension."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Visuals, music, and sound design provide sensory enjoyment and emotional engagement."

    • Status
      -4

      "Focus is on individual story and roleplaying rather than social recognition or popularity."

    • Story
      5

      "Deep narrative immersion with complex characters, branching plots, and rich lore."

    • Strategy
      5

      "Requires careful planning, tactical combat, and problem solving throughout gameplay."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Combat and story choices provide suspense and challenge, though not extreme risk or horror."

    • Value
      5

      "High perceived value due to extensive content, replayability, and quality storytelling."

    • Violence
      3

      "Combat involves fighting and defeating enemies, but also includes non-violent options in quests."

    • Survival
      3

      "Players manage resources like camping supplies and health to survive challenging encounters."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026