I finally finished this game after starting like 4-5 re-starts at mid game. This due to my obsession with choices and so fort. The story is pretty interesting and can keep you engaged but I must warn you that you really need to like crpgs as there is a lot of reading needed due to not everything being voice acted. The difficulty is also very steep unless you play on normal at least for me who was new to CRPGs.

The game world has sucked me in and I can already foresee many, many hours playing it to come. Enjoying the lore and excited to see where this game takes me.

I've tried multiple times to get into it, but sadly there are multiple glaring flaws. Underwhelming story, underwhelming companions, underwhelming combat.. The lore is interesting, but it feels like an edgy teen novel, not a video game. The whole "people are born with souls" is just so over the top, it's hard to take it serious. It feels like ridiculous teenage edge-lordness.

By far the biggest criticism I have with this game is: COMBAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU XP. That's right, fighting isn't how you level up. This is by far one of the worst, and most baffling design decisions I've ever seen. The infinity engine games were BUILT around combat, but pillars eschews it for lump quest XP. They were trying to make non-violent paths more inciting, but non-violence just robs you of good loot anyway, so there's honestly no point.

The infinity engine games it copies are better in nearly every way, and more modern titles such as Wrath of the righteous, and BG3, are just stronger overall.