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A Masterclass In Old School RPG Storytelling
Will Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous meet the desirers you want to see?
PC/Xbox Series X tested. Dungeons and Dragons might well be an institution at this point, but it is not as timeless as it initially seems. Sure, its 50th anniversary is but two years away, and yes, the game has achieved cultural resonance far beyond the wildest dreams of its creators but still.
It’s just a game.
And yet the game of Dungeon and Dragons distinguishes itself via the dynamic nature of the art form itself. Chess is chess, irrespective of end-game innovation or controversial opening moves. Sure, each game is unique, and yet -- almost perversely -- they are also always the same.
Dungeons and Dragons – as a product -- differentiates itself in deliberate progressive ways. Indeed, depending on how you interpret the nomenclature, we are currently on the verge of entering the 6th edition of the world’s most famous role-playing game. Each edition left an indelible mark on the gaming community, and most -- arguably all -- are still being played to this day.
Well, OK, maybe not all. There is a black sheep in every family, after all.
Fourth Time’s A Charm
The 4th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons sold out upon its release in 2008 but was met with a barrage of criticism, nonetheless. Its forebear, Dungeons and Dragons 3.5, saw publication just three years earlier, and many players baulked at what looked like something of a cash grab. The radical direction Wizards of the Coast chose to take the franchise further frustrated those looking for a more conservative evolution of play style.
There was, thankfully, a way out. The decision to present players with Open Game License (OGL) back in 2000 offered players a tantalising proposition. The barriers to making content of their own had been lifted. The OGL allowed creators to use and produce games and content without the need to develop their own rules system. So long as writers stayed within certain pre-set guidelines, they did not need direct permission to publish material.
Enter Paizo
Redmond-based role-playing game developer Paizo sensed an opportunity. In 2009 – in the wake of customer dissatisfaction with the new direction of D&D- they released the Pathfinder RPG. Utilising a more or less intact version of the 3.5 open licence ruleset, Pathfinder - now in its second edition - was an instant hit. Today it remains one of the most popular role-playing games in the world.
Such popularity was, of course, bound to attract interest from the makers of computer role-playing games. In 2017, Cyprus-based developer Owlcat games announced their intention to create an isometric role-playing game based on the rules and lore of pathfinder. One year later, Pathfinder Kingmaker was released on PC to mixed reviews. Whilst many praised the depth of the story on offer, the game was plagued by several bugs and a difficulty curve that could be quite punishing at times. In 2020, Publisher Deep silver released console versions of the game for Xbox one and PlayStation 4.
The inevitable sequel arrived in 2021, followed by console versions in 2022.
Pathfinder: Wrath Of The Righteous
Wrath of the righteous (WotR) is not a sequel in the true sense of the word; this is no continuation of the events that played out in Kingmaker. Instead, Owlcat set out to create an entirely new story in a different part of Golarian, the world upon which most Pathfinder adventures are set. Like its predecessor, WotR is based on an existing pen-and-paper adventure module, in this case, a 2013 module by Amber E Scott called The Worldwound Incursion.
The game opens as a demonic army descends upon the city of Kenebras, a fortified crusader city situated on the border of a demon-infested wasteland known colloquially as the Worldwound. As our heroes attempt to fend off the rampaging horde, the ground beneath them collapses, sending them tumbling into the catacombs below. The return to the surface – through labyrinthine passages dripping with peril – is a long, arduous trek that serves as both an introduction to game mechanics and a prologue of the events to come.
What happens next is up to the player. More or less.
Choice lies at the heart of this campaign. Character creation presents players with dozens of character classes, paths, feats, and unique traits. Avatar customisation is limited – this is an isometric RPG, after all – but the nuts and bolts of character customisation are breathtakingly detailed. As the story progresses, mythic paths open up, allowing players to transform themselves into a Lich, take on the form of an Angel or Dragon, or perhaps even join the ranks of the demon horde itself. A diverse catalogue of NPC companions compliments this robust catalogue of options. There are 19 in total, some of which are only accessible via choices made during the early or late game.
The Fast And The Curious
Those familiar with the point-and-pause mechanics of games like Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale will feel immediately at home here. Combat comes in two flavours, turn-based – which allows a more tactical approach – and real-time – which requires deft hands and a quick mind. Both are satisfying, although the turn-based mode often proves more rewarding overall. It’s a testament to the game developer’s inclusiveness that both play styles are catered for. The opportunity to mix and match – where generic mobs are taken down at speed whilst set-piece battles benefit from the slower turn-based approach – is a welcome temptation. The difficulty curve seems obvious during such pivotal story beats, but Owlcat provided multiple options to tweak things to the point where skill bottlenecks are easily avoided.
Side quests abound, and the opportunity to romance, betray and intrigue with NPCs often proves a welcome distraction from the relentless threats lurking around every corner. Dungeon crawls – on higher difficulties -- can be gruelling tests of endurance and resource management, emphasised by the unique resting mechanic that makes a welcome return from Kingmaker. Setting up camp is something of a minigame with players asked to assign a night watch, camouflage their respite from prying eyes, and prepare meals to bolster spirits and provide useful in-game buffs.
Patchwork In Progress
However, whilst Narrative flair and satisfying combat are strong points for Pathfinder, Wrath of the Righteous Owlcat failed to hit the mark elsewhere.
To start with, the console version launched in an almost unplayable state. Patches arrived within days, but initial impressions are hard to shift. Why Owlcat shipped the game with the day-one patch absent by a mere 24 hours remains a mystery. Within 72 hours of release, the game found itself in a much more robust state, with most of the game-breaking bugs ironed out and many of the minor niggles addressed as well.
Still, even with the bugs attended to, one other aspect of the game singularly fails to impress. In order to better simulate the demonic conflict raging around your tight-knit party of adventurers, Owlcat developed a separate game mode. This ‘Crusader mode’ attempts to catalogue the course of the larger conflict by allowing players to control large-scale armies. The idea feels like a sound one, but Owlcat’s implementation leaves a lot to be desired. Playing out the conflict across the world map -- where demon armies must be engaged and destroyed for the campaign to continue – is a distraction at best. Worse, the large-scale combat mechanics – reminiscent of might and magic grid-based battle simulations–isn’t that much fun. The temptation to automate the whole process is pressing, or would be were it not for the warning that doing so locks down certain scripted events. For completionists, such a thing is anathema, and the whole thing ends up feeling like a slog.
The Ugly
Although Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous fails to distinguish itself from other similar party-based RPGs, its utilisation of Paizo’s modified 3.5 rulesets lends it the kind of depth missing from many modern RPGs. Graphically, the game does the job; enemies are varied and well-animated, and spell effects light up the screen with satisfying levels of snap, crackle and pop. Voice acting is of high quality, and although the script tends to descend into cliché high fantasy tropes at times, the overall story remains compelling to the very end.
Controls, too, are fluid, with the PC version having a noticeable edge. PC controls mapped onto the Xbox controller work surprisingly well. After a few hours of play, muscle memory kicks in, and you’ll (mostly) forget that the OG mouse and keyboard style of play ever existed.
Word of warning, though, there is a lot of content here. Even without the addition of DLC, players can expect to pour 100+ hours into this game. In an age of myriad distractions, not everyone can commit an entire week of their lives to a single game, but those who relish the idea of getting lost in a vast campaign don’t need Zatu to tell them otherwise.
Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous is a welcome addition to a gaming genre that is going through something of a renaissance. Whilst lacking the pedigree of hotly anticipated titles such as Baldur’s Gate III -- or the unique take on fantasy tropes from games such as Pillars of Eternity --Pathfinder WotR offers a solid campaign, a compelling narrative, and more bang for your buck than a box of homemade fireworks. So, if that sounds like your thing, then – to use the Pathfinder vernacular -- by all means, have at it!
That concludes our thoughts on Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. Do you agree? Let us know your thoughts and tag us on social media @zatugames. To buy Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous today click here!
