I feel a little conflicted with this game. Here I am, literally giving it a 4.5 but I don't feel like talking about what makes this game good. It's what it's missing here or straight up broken which frustrates me.
On one hand, a game that kept me entertained for 100+ hours is automatically a great game. Any piece of media that can get that kind of commitment out of me is special because I'm the kind of person who never sinks too many hours into one game. On the other hand, this game tries its best to keep you from having fun with its questionable design choices and how fucking broken it is as of the latest patch.
Instead of simply letting me go on an adventure with a lovable cast of characters in this cool world filled with interesting lore and do some of the most insane shit you can do in a CRPG like turning into a goddamn golden dragon that actually makes you feel powerful, I'm forced to play the awful Crusader Mode which is a poorly put together Might and Magic clone where you also make decisions about various issues happening around your periphery. That sounds cool on paper but when the outcome of these decisions ultimately, only really affect Crusader Mode, NOT the actual fun part of the game, like exploring and fighting etc.
The army battles in this mode require no strategy whatsoever and it's absolutely broken. A level 3 mage general can decimate a demon army while a level 6 knight general can do jack shit. Luckily, you can disable this mode entirely, the catch is, you'll miss a good portion of the side content and the game will make some decisions for you. Honestly, the less said about this mode the better, so if you value your sanity get the Combat Relief mod.
Another source of frustration is the lack of QoL and shitty interface. Why can't I stack items on my belt? why can't I open more than one window at once, turning comparing items into a chore? why is there no fast travel? why is the A.I. so retarded and you can't give even your companions basic commands like "fight defensively"? Just meaningless annoyances that makes me doubt they even play tested this thing, otherwise they would've realised how infuriating these mechanics (or lack thereof) are. And I'm not even gonna talk about the technical aspect, it's a whole new can of worms that isn't something new or shocking for anyone who has played Kingmaker.
This is a great game, but you should give it 6 months to get patched up, and then get the Combat Relief mod and enjoy one of the best CRPGs ever.
On one hand, a game that kept me entertained for 100+ hours is automatically a great game. Any piece of media that can get that kind of commitment out of me is special because I'm the kind of person who never sinks too many hours into one game. On the other hand, this game tries its best to keep you from having fun with its questionable design choices and how fucking broken it is as of the latest patch.
Instead of simply letting me go on an adventure with a lovable cast of characters in this cool world filled with interesting lore and do some of the most insane shit you can do in a CRPG like turning into a goddamn golden dragon that actually makes you feel powerful, I'm forced to play the awful Crusader Mode which is a poorly put together Might and Magic clone where you also make decisions about various issues happening around your periphery. That sounds cool on paper but when the outcome of these decisions ultimately, only really affect Crusader Mode, NOT the actual fun part of the game, like exploring and fighting etc.
The army battles in this mode require no strategy whatsoever and it's absolutely broken. A level 3 mage general can decimate a demon army while a level 6 knight general can do jack shit. Luckily, you can disable this mode entirely, the catch is, you'll miss a good portion of the side content and the game will make some decisions for you. Honestly, the less said about this mode the better, so if you value your sanity get the Combat Relief mod.
Another source of frustration is the lack of QoL and shitty interface. Why can't I stack items on my belt? why can't I open more than one window at once, turning comparing items into a chore? why is there no fast travel? why is the A.I. so retarded and you can't give even your companions basic commands like "fight defensively"? Just meaningless annoyances that makes me doubt they even play tested this thing, otherwise they would've realised how infuriating these mechanics (or lack thereof) are. And I'm not even gonna talk about the technical aspect, it's a whole new can of worms that isn't something new or shocking for anyone who has played Kingmaker.
This is a great game, but you should give it 6 months to get patched up, and then get the Combat Relief mod and enjoy one of the best CRPGs ever.