Recent reviews by Brolaire of Astora

Seriously, damn Obsidian for making this game...

I wanted to go outside and enjoy the nice weather, take up some new hobbies, meet new people, and just enjoy my summer like I always do. Instead I'm crammed in my hole, playing POE 2 (and POE1 afterwards followed by 2 again, because I HAVE to play the full series), and throwing my summer away...

In all seriousness, this game improves on many aspects of the first. AI the first thing that comes to mind (though has its cons), along with better voice acting and NPC interactions where they bring up things you have done before. The world is HUGE, with lots to do. I missed 50% of the content on my first playthough, so naturally i have to play again. This is a well crafted RPG, but not without its flaws...

Ship battles can become a chore for me at times, when i just want to get to point A to B. As much as I like to read (yes, people still do that these days), the text can get a bit verbose at times. Also the AI, while very customizable, has some characters start as a bunch of moronic monkeys that are hyperaggressive and blow their load prematurely (using important spells at inopportune times). I have to either turn AI off, or I can configure it to play the way I want (Defensively, Support, etc. etc.). Though default AI is excellent for some characters, it is poop for others, and depends entirely on your playstyle. When configured (usually a one time thing), gameplay is very fun. ALSO LOADING TIMES ARE ABSURD!!!! Waiting times of up to 3 minutes?

Overall I had a grand experience! Although my tan needs work, exploring the Deadfire is more important!

Seriously, do NOT play this game if you value your social life...