I don’t get a lot of time to play computer games these days, what with children, work and everything else that’s going on – so any game that keeps me occupied for more than 70 hours must be pretty special. And Pathfinder:Kingmaker certainly fits that category. It is, in every sense of the word, epic. It put me in mind of Ultima IV – one of the first games that I cut my RPG teeth on – in the level of complexity and scope. That’s a reasonably astute analogy: in some ways, Pathfinder: Kingmaker is a throwback to the old days of epic, single player role playing games – and from where I sit, that’s a good thing.
The plot is pretty standard fare for this kind of game: you’re an adventurer, undertaking missions and quests that are generally some kind of variation of go to this place, kill this thing or get that item, and take it somewhere else, mixed liberally with your usual smattering of dungeon crawls, push button puzzles, and word riddles. There are some exceptions, however, and one thing that sets Pathfinder: Kingmaker apart from other games of a similar ilk is its excellent writing – especially in terms of dialogue and the plotting. More on that in a bit.
As I said before, the game is epic. There are, quite literally, hundreds of locations to visit, and many different types of enemies to slay. There are thousands of objects, including weapons, armour, amulets,potions, scrolls, wands, books and so on. In fact, the sheer amount of stuff in the game is bewildering – and almost overwhelming.
And, on top of all of that, there is a strange kind of side-game – it’s too large for a mini-game – that’s based on kingdom management. Again, this is not particularly revelatory – Baldur’s Gate has something similar- but the level of detail present in this is significant. As Baron, and then King, of the Stolen Lands, you’re responsible for appointing ministers to different roles within your kingdom, deciding upon the construction priorities in your various towns and villages, and solving problems and taking advantage of opportunities as they arise – all the while desperately trying to solve the curses that form a significant part of the main quest. That’s somethign that’s a real strength of the game – normally, I like to take quite a leisurely approach to playing a game – but that’s hardly possible in Pathfinder: Kingmaker – there’s always something that needs to be done right away – and more often, there are two or three competing priorities that require you to make some hard choices. And these hard choices have long lasting – and permanent – consequences. It’s these consequences that really set Pathfinder: Kingmaker apart – there are no easy ways to fix the problems that you face, in many instances. An apt phrase I saw on a discussion board is, ‘Unlike many games, you can’t solve everything with head pats’, and I think that’s very true.
All in all, there’s something adult about Pathfinder: Kingmaker. It’s a complex mess of interconnected challenges, and that makes it a rewarding experience.