The Scientific Gamer

I’ll admit I didn’t have the best start with Pathfinder Kingmaker. It’s an isometric fantasy RPG in the style of Baldur’s Gate that’s based on an obsessively literal adaptation of the well-regarded Pathfinder variant of the D&D ruleset. Specifically it’s an offshoot of the 3rd edition D&D rules, which I’ve intensely disliked just about everywhere I’ve encountered it (both Neverwinter Nights games and both KOTOR titles) for reasons that I’ll explain later in the review. Still, it looked very attractive and had an outstanding interface that actually tried to break down all of the 3rd edition bullshit in a halfway understandable fashion, and I quite enjoyed the first hour of the game where you do the tutorial in a mansion that’s under attack by assassins. Once you get into the game proper, though, the very first side quest you’re given is to retrieve some berries from a cave for a hermit alchemist. Not exactly glamorous stuff, but hey, you’re a Level 1 Adventurer, and you don’t get to battle gods and dragons until level 17 at least. Berry hunts are how you work your way up the adventuring ladder.

Continue reading →