Pillars of Eternity

Pillars of Eternity is Obsidian Entertainment’s 2015 party-based RPG, a Kickstarter-funded love letter to the isometric CRPGs of the late 1990s, Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment, built for a modern audience that wanted more of that exact style. You play the Watcher, someone who’s gained the ability to see and communicate with souls, drawn into a plot involving hollow-born children and the gods themselves in the original world of Eora.

It recruits a full party of companions, runs on tactical real-time-with-pause combat, and leans hard into the kind of dense lore and mature thematic weight that made its inspirations classics in the first place. Obsidian didn’t just chase nostalgia here, they built something that stands on its own.

It was one of the biggest Kickstarter success stories in gaming and remains one of the best-reviewed CRPGs of its era.

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 Pillars of Eternity Worth It?

Yes, especially for fans of classic isometric RPGs. It holds an 89 on OpenCritic’s “Mighty” tier and a 94 critic score on Metacritic, with an 8.3 user score landing in “Generally Favorable” territory. IGN called it “one of the best RPGs since Baldur’s Gate,” and that comparison holds up across most reviews, deep character creation, a genuinely non-linear structure, and combat with real tactical depth once you learn its systems.

The criticism that comes up most consistently is fairly narrow: voice acting is inconsistent in places, and GameSpot specifically noted the companions don’t build the same emotional connection Dragon Age: Origins managed, even while still finding many of their individual stories compelling. A few reviewers also flagged the sheer density of lore, Eora’s history and pantheon get dropped on you in large chunks without much breathing room, and some minor combat jank shows up in party pathfinding and the occasional difficulty spike. None of this is enough to seriously dent the overall verdict, but if you’d rather have Baldur’s Gate 3’s more polished production values, know that this is a deliberately old-school, occasionally rougher-edged experience by comparison.

Gameplay & Features

You create a custom Watcher, choosing from several original races and classes, then recruit companions across your journey through the world of Eora. Combat runs on real-time-with-pause, position your party, queue up abilities, and pause whenever you need to reassess, a system built to reward careful tactical planning without forcing a fully turn-based pace.

The world design leans heavily non-linear, letting you tackle content in a genuinely open order, and the writing invests real weight in mature themes: faith, mortality, and the consequences of colonization run through the main plot rather than sitting as background dressing.

• Deep custom character creation across original races and classes
• Tactical real-time-with-pause combat, positioning and ability queuing matter
• A genuinely non-linear world structure with real freedom in how you approach it
• Mature, thematically dense writing tackling faith, mortality, and colonization
• The White March expansions add substantial additional content and companions

If you enjoy this style of classic isometric RPG, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin 2 are both worth comparing against for a more modern take on the same tradition.

PC System Requirements

Pillars of Eternity is genuinely light on hardware, one of the least demanding games on this list, and it’ll run comfortably on almost any current PC.

It’s also officially supported on macOS and Linux, and playable on Steam Deck. Console players can find it on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

How to Buy & Play Pillars of Eternity

The base game is priced at $29.99, and it goes on sale extremely often, frequently dropping to around $7-8 during major Steam sales.

• Buy Pillars of Eternity on Steam, for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Also available on GOG, Epic Games Store, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

After purchase, install through your chosen storefront. New players should lean on the in-game Expert Mode toggle if they’d rather skip some of the tutorial hand-holding, though leaving it on is worth it for anyone new to this specific style of RPG. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader are two more deep CRPGs worth comparing against, and our full RPG catalog covers more options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pillars of Eternity worth buying?
Yes, especially for fans of classic isometric RPGs like Baldur’s Gate or Icewind Dale. Minor voice acting inconsistencies and dense lore delivery are the most common criticisms, neither serious enough to outweigh the overall quality.

Do I need to play Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire too?
No, though Deadfire is a direct sequel that continues the Watcher’s story if you want to keep going. This game stands complete on its own.

Is combat turn-based or real-time?
Real-time-with-pause. You can pause combat at any moment to issue orders, giving it tactical depth without a fully turn-based pace.

Who publishes Pillars of Eternity now?
Current storefront listings show Xbox Game Studios as publisher, reflecting Microsoft’s 2018 acquisition of developer Obsidian Entertainment. The game originally launched under publisher Paradox Interactive in 2015.

How long does it take to finish?
Around 60-70 hours for the main story and companion content, more with the White March expansions and full completion.

Who made Pillars of Eternity?
Obsidian Entertainment developed it, funded through a highly successful Kickstarter campaign, and released it on March 26, 2015.