Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

Obsidian Releases Free DLC & Patch for Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

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Published: June 8, 2018 1:10 AM

Obsidian Entertainment's release of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire on May 8 was smoother than usual compared to the studio's release history, but it still had several issues common to complex RPGs. A running complaint in the fan community was how unbalanced and easy the sequel plays like in comparison with the original game. However, the original game was also far from balanced at the time of release in 2015. It even became a running joke about the several balancing patches since the original release. In 2014, even before the official release, Josh Sawyer, the game director, wrote a guest editorial for Kotaku, "How To Balance An RPG".

The recent update, version 1.1.0, includes numerous general fixes, some new features, and a particular focus on "Veteran & Path of the Damned Balance Improvements," to appease hardcore fans who didn't feel particularly challenged by the current hardest difficulty modes. It's highly unlikely to be the last update either, as fans continue to discover exploits and loopholes, or request even more challenging patches.

In addition to the update Obsidian also released a free DLC, Beard & Hair Pack, which adds some capillary variety to the player character and their companions, expanding character customization with new beard and hairstyles. According to Obsidian, it is "the third free DLC pack to grace the game since launch and just one of many which are planned to add more content to Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire over the coming months".

The full list of changes is available at Obsidian's official forum and a condensed version was also published in the game's Steam updates. Our first impressions of Deadfire on May 14 were quite positive, and the full review is expected to be published in the near future.

What are your thoughts on Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire? Do this patch and free DLC combo address any issues you had? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Richard Costa
| Staff Writer

Hack for hire, indentured egghead, maverick thoughtcriminal. Mainly interested in Western RPGs, first-person immersion, turn-based tactics, point-and-… More about Richard