Pathfinder: Kingmaker is Owlcat Games’ 2018 party-based RPG, and it’s the studio’s first game, the project that put them on the map before Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader came along. You’re granted a charter to carve out your own kingdom in the untamed Stolen Lands, leading a party of companions through a licensed adaptation of the tabletop Pathfinder ruleset while literally ruling a nation on the side.
It’s an ambitious, dense CRPG that wears its tabletop roots proudly, dozens of classes and subclasses, a huge overworld, and a kingdom management layer that no other game in this series attempted first. That ambition came at a real cost at launch, and the game’s reputation still carries some of that history.
Curious how it stacks up against the rest of the genre? See where it lands in our ranking of the best party-based RPG games you can play right now.
Is Pathfinder: Kingmaker Worth It?
Yes, for CRPG fans willing to push through a genuinely rough start, with real caveats worth knowing upfront. Metacritic’s user score sits at a mixed 7.4, 66% positive, 16% mixed, 18% negative, and critic scores span a wide range, from the mid-60s up to the low 80s. One Metacritic user summed up the appeal well: “more of an heir to BG2 than Baldur’s Gate 3, this is old school isometric RPGing done superbly well.” Reviewers consistently praise the deep character customization, faithful tabletop combat, and a genuinely huge amount of content, 100+ hours by several accounts.
The criticism is just as consistent, and specific. The game launched genuinely buggy, and while years of patches have addressed much of that, reviewers and players alike flag the kingdom management system as poorly explained and disconnected from the main adventure, several called it tedious rather than engaging. The endgame, specifically Chapter 6 and the optional Chapter 7, is widely described as rushed and thin compared to everything before it. It also assumes real familiarity with Pathfinder’s tabletop rules, offering minimal tutorial for a character creator one reviewer called “the most daunting in video game history.” If Wrath of the Righteous is available to you instead, most reviewers and longtime fans consider it the more refined, better-balanced experience, this is the rougher, more demanding original.
Gameplay & Features
Character creation draws on the full breadth of the Pathfinder tabletop ruleset, dozens of classes and subclasses, deep enough that even experienced CRPG players often need outside guides to build effectively. Combat runs turn-based or real-time-with-pause, switchable at any time, across a large overworld dense with side content and hidden encounters.
The kingdom management layer is genuinely unique among games in this genre: as ruler of your own barony, you appoint advisors, manage stability, and make decisions that affect your growing nation, running in parallel to the main story rather than as a separate minigame.
- A full licensed adaptation of the Pathfinder tabletop ruleset, dozens of classes and subclasses
- Combat switchable between turn-based and real-time-with-pause
- A kingdom management system where you literally rule as monarch alongside the main story
- A large overworld with dense side content and hidden encounters
- 100+ hours of content across the main story and kingdom management
PC System Requirements
Pathfinder: Kingmaker is genuinely light on hardware, one of the more forgiving CRPGs on this list.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 7 (64-bit) or newer | Windows 7 (64-bit) or newer |
| Processor | Intel Celeron 1037U | Intel Core i7-920 or equivalent |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 3000 | Radeon HD 5770 or GeForce GTX 960M |
| Storage | 30 GB available | 30 GB available |
It’s also officially supported on macOS and Linux, and it’s playable on Steam Deck.
How to Buy & Play Pathfinder: Kingmaker
The Enhanced Plus Edition is priced at $19.99, and it goes on sale extremely often, frequently dropping to $3-4 during major sales.
- Buy Pathfinder: Kingmaker on Steam, for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Also available on GOG and Epic Games Store.
After purchase, install through your chosen storefront. Lower the kingdom management difficulty if it’s stressing you out, several reviewers specifically recommend this for a first playthrough. If you’d rather start with the more polished sequel instead, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is worth considering, and our full RPG catalog covers more options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pathfinder: Kingmaker worth buying?
Yes, for CRPG fans willing to push through real rough edges. It’s been heavily patched since its buggy 2018 launch, but the kingdom management system and rushed endgame remain common criticisms even today.
Should I play this or Wrath of the Righteous first?
Either works, they’re separate stories. Most reviewers consider Wrath of the Righteous the more polished, better-balanced game, so if you only want to play one, that’s generally the stronger recommendation.
Is the kingdom management system good?
It’s divisive. Several reviewers and players find it poorly explained and tedious, disconnected from the main story rather than woven into it. Lowering its difficulty setting is a common recommendation for a first playthrough.
Do I need to know Pathfinder tabletop rules to play?
Not strictly, but the game offers minimal tutorial for its systems, and the character creator is genuinely one of the most complex in the genre. Outside guides are commonly recommended for new players.
How long does it take to finish?
100+ hours between the main story and kingdom management content, according to multiple reviews.
Who made Pathfinder: Kingmaker?
Owlcat Games developed it, their debut title, published by Deep Silver, releasing on September 25, 2018.
