GreedFall

Developer: Spiders
Release: Sep 9th 2019
Platforms:
RPG
Engaging
Atmospheric
Flexible
Repetitive
Janky
GreedFall Poster

" Immersive RPG with rich story, political intrigue, and deep companions but repetitive quests "

GreedFall Review

GreedFall is a colonial fantasy RPG that offers a rich story filled with political intrigue, faction dynamics, and meaningful player choices. Players assume the role of De Sardet, navigating a 17th-century inspired world where magic and musketeer-era elements blend. The game features character customization, a flexible skill tree, and companions with personal quests and romance options.

While the story and worldbuilding are praised for depth and nuance, gameplay is often described as repetitive, especially due to excessive backtracking and fetch quests. Combat is generally considered functional but occasionally janky and simplistic, with mage builds often dominating due to overpowered spells. The game world is segmented with limited exploration, and fast travel points are not always convenient. Despite these flaws, the game’s atmosphere, graphics, and lore receive consistent appreciation. Many players recommend it especially when discounted, highlighting it as an underrated gem in its genre.

Highlights

Players praise GreedFall's captivating story and well-developed characters, which bring political intrigue and faction conflicts to life. The unique colonial fantasy setting combining magic with 17th-century aesthetics stands out.

The game’s graphics and art direction are frequently described as beautiful, with immersive environments and detailed armor designs. The RPG mechanics, including skill trees and character customization, allow varied playstyles. Combat, while sometimes criticized, is enjoyed by many, especially the boss fights and the blend of magic, firearms, and melee. The companion quests and their integration into the main narrative are also notable positives.

Criticisms

Common criticisms focus on the tedious and repetitive gameplay, especially the frequent back-and-forth travel and fetch quests that pad the playtime. Combat is often labeled as clumsy, simplistic, or unengaging, with mage builds being overpowered and reducing challenge. Exploration is limited by segmented maps and lack of jumping or freer movement. The reputation system and faction quest pacing sometimes frustrate players. Technical issues like animation glitches, poor lip-sync, occasional bugs, and performance problems were mentioned but not widespread. Some players felt the story and dialogue could be more engaging and that NPCs lacked depth.

Pros

  • Rich and engaging story with meaningful player choices and political intrigue.
  • Unique colonial fantasy setting blending magic and 17th-century aesthetics.
  • Well-developed companions with personal quests and romance options.
  • Beautiful graphics and immersive art direction in environments and characters.
  • Flexible skill trees allowing varied and hybrid character builds.
  • Interesting faction dynamics affecting the main story and quests.
  • Companion quests well integrated into the overall narrative.

Cons

  • Excessive backtracking and fetch quests leading to repetitive gameplay.
  • Combat described as clumsy, simplistic, and sometimes unbalanced.
  • Mage builds often overpowered, trivializing many fights.
  • Limited exploration due to segmented maps and lack of jumping.
  • Fast travel points poorly placed, increasing travel time.
  • Reputation system and faction quest pacing can be frustrating.
  • NPCs often lack personality and dynamic interactions.

Rating Criteria

Story
Difficulty
Graphics
Duration
Stability
Worth the Price
Capsule image

Engage in a core roleplaying experience, and forge the destiny of a new world seeping with magic, and filled with riches, lost secrets, and fantastic creatures. With diplomacy, deception and force, become part of a living, evolving world - influence its course and shape your story.

Release Date Sep 9th 2019
Publisher Focus Entertainment
Developer Spiders
Platforms

User Reviews

Mostly Positive (10,318)
77% Positive 23% Negative

Online Reviews

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Metacritic
72