Finding Hidden Gems
In a world where dozens of games can be released in a single week, it’s nigh impossible to discover let alone play every title that is released. During a recent conversation with a friend, I mentioned how hard it is to try to play every game that comes out. He wisely said, “We aren’t meant to play every single game that comes out.” So, in that spirit, I love finding and playing games that may not get as much marketing or fanfare but are excellent choices nonetheless. Today, we are taking a look at outstanding RPG Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous by Russian studio Owlcat Games.
Pathfinder is bucking the trend of recent RPGs/ARPGs that are dumbing down stats, complexity, and depth. The character creator alone is a mini-game in itself.
A recent trend that has really rubbed me the wrong way is the dumbing down and simplifying of stats and depth when it comes to a lot of RPGs and ARPGs. Even though simplifying can be a good thing in game design, it’s hard to get some of that old school RPG goodness that has plenty of stats, specs, skills, and spells for us to play with. Pathfinder absolutely excels when it comes to playing the game how you want to play. There are incredibly tough decisions to make in the game that are morally gray and bring a ton of character and role playing depth that is so welcome in an age of copycats and shovelware.
The visuals are absolutely gorgeous with a ton of detail, gorgeous effects, and art that is a sight to behold. To say the game gets dark fast is quite the understatement.
The audio visual aspects of Pathfinder are absolutely top-notch. Fire spells sizzle, lightning crackles, and massive battles play out with pure delight. With graphical options you can bring down to play on older machines, you can also crank them up on a good gaming PC to really see the game in all its meticulously crafted glory.
The voice acted bits are also fantastic and truly bring the characters to life. The music and soundtrack are also on par and it’s shocking how good it all is for a smaller studio.
The story features some fantastic writing along with well acted dialogue. Check and check.
In the end, if you have any interest in the Baldur’s Gate-esque RPGs of old or even are a bit curious in the genre, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a fantastic choice and gets my highest recommendation. It is truly the epitome of a hidden gem and a title that is crafted with love, attention to detail, a respect for old school complexity, and a swansong to the meaty RPGs of old.
Pathfinder is available now on PC with console versions coming in Early 2022.
