Pillars of Eternity
Herein Awkward Mixture concludes its review of Pillars of Eternity, and though this is only the third article, word-wise it is nearly six (as is proper). This final article will explore the Lore, Themes, and Ending of Obsidian Entertainments' first unique game.
Before revealing spoilers, the goal is
to uncover the Lore of Pillars in broad strokes. The
developers of Pillars devised a detailed history, stretching
back centuries, which is relevant as background information for the
protagonist's surroundings, but also directly impacts the plot.
Compare this, again, with Divinity: Original Sin. Divinity's
plot does extend incredibly far into an ancient past, but only
includes a few sparse details, one or two events involving three or
four characters, with the few remaining relevant aspects occurring
recently. Even those details rarely connect. Characters and events
are like separate threads, of different thicknesses, sewed clumsily
together. Pillars includes at least fifty gods, nations,
factions, individuals, relevant terminology, and events which fit
seamlessly together like the pieces of a grand puzzle. Each country
and companion feels unique, relevant, acting on their own perceived
interests and competing with the other powers and events. And they
all lead to a tense conclusion, impacting the player's final
decisions.
Pillars of Eternity is replete
with decisions, which culminate in its conclusion, but it also
supports its story with a few powerful themes. Unlike the candy
colored Divinity, Pillars embraces the idea that
goodness is under threat; one true, determined, and dark. The
opening, after a few minutes of dreary tutorials, demonstrates that
Pillars is likely to be a dreadful, deadly experience, if not
for the hero, than for those who inhabit the world around him. While
events rarely damage the protagonist and their companions, the
innocent civilians of the Dyrwood are sure to suffer. Unbearable
sorrow borne, is a key component of the larger plot, but also of the
everyday life of commoners. Children suffer more than most, because
they have less power to resist the forces of cruelty, especially when
it resides, not in monsters, but in the adults around them. Poor
Darrin never made it home from his abusive father and the docks,
while a young lady was delivered to the God of secret hatred and
envy, Skaen, for a diabolical purpose. A third child was nearly
kidnapped, so her soul could be altered, to please the leader of a
Glanfathan tribe. Children are often either sources of pleasure or
means to an end for their abusive elders.
When sorrow isn't enough, Pillars of
Eternity utilizes another tool, dread. Sometimes it is the dread
of loss to come, from the forbidding of an event. Other times it
issues from gruesome sights, such as a score of bodies draped on a
massive tree near a destroyed temple to Eothas. In the piles of
bodies, scattered across the Dyrwood there is loss aplenty for the
protagonist to encounter. And the keening cries of parents, delivers
pathos to drive the loss home. This might seem sufficient emotion to
imbue a game, but Pillars augments these with one final theme.
A significant part of the world the characters reside in is
unknowable. This is said best by the companion, known only as the
Grieving Mother, a character birthed in suffering. In response to
one of the protagonist's many conversations, she says, “Some
questions have answers that can never be learned.” This statement
might as well be Pillar's motto. Companion quests are a
perfect example of this statement. The best of them end with an
unexpected twist, leaving the protagonist and companion uncertain of
how to proceed. Many companions never find the knowledge they seek
in their quest, and this undercutting of their reality threatens
their revolve. It is the protagonists responsibility to help them
find meaning in a world where answers are unobtainable.
Approaching the end of our time in the
world of Eora, there will be
spoilers. To examine any issues with the ending, the knowledge of
some introductory facts are necessary. Pillars of Eternity
reveals three relevant facts early in the game. There exists a
pantheon of Gods. People have souls. A recent event has caused
babies to be born without souls. In Pillars, every time a
person dies, a small piece of their soul breaks off, while a slightly
smaller piece joins to it (In the long run, soul stuff is being
lost). When a soul is reincarnated, the person doesn't remember
their past lives. Except for those who do. They are called
Awakened. Awakened people often suffer madness because their
memories become muddled. Their past selves may even attempt to exert
control. The protagonist is Awakened, but he is also a Watcher, a
person capable of seeing souls.
Fifteen years before the beginning
of Pillars, the Dyrwood was consumed by the Saint's War, where
the God Eothas may or may not have inhabited a human. After he was
killed by followers of another God, and one of the protagonist's
companions, children began being born without souls. Called
Hollowborn, these cursed children withered and died, seeking neither
sustenance or support. In order to reverse Waidwen's Legacy, some
citizens began to reinvigorate the study of Animancy, the study of
the soul and how to control it and alter it. Whether Animacny is
good, evil, or useless, is a crucial question which the game refuses
to answer conclusively. Its practitioners compare it to science,
while its detractors claim it's akin to demonic magic. The people are
also uncertain why some children are born without souls. Did the
killing of Waidwen, supposed host of the God Eothas, cause the curse,
or was it because outsiders trespassed on Engwithan soil? Was
Waidwen even Eothas, or only a madman who claimed to be God
incarnate? Some of these questions are answered, while many are left
unresolved.
Finally the big reveal. Stop, if you
don't want the ending spoiled. Just before the end, Pillars of
Eternity unveils a huge twist. This event divided reviewers and
players. Some thought it was too out there, with not enough details
to support it. Others', presumably because the game garnered good
reviews, liked it. The twist is this. A character claimed that the
Gods don't exist. Of course, I was shocked. The Gods seemed to be
everywhere, altering everything. They'd given me visions, and spoken
in my ears. I had to think over what she'd said for awhile. In the
end it made sense, sorta. She meant, the Gods weren't really gods.
An ancient people had discovered that no Gods existed. Fearing what
people would do in a Godless world, they created Gods and then
committed mass suicide. So there are no Gods, except these
artificial creations are essentially Gods. They are each imbued with
a unique characteristic which they must obey (like revenge, justice,
mercy, or wisdom), they have incredible power, and they exist on a
higher plane of existence. They are Gods! Because I had to think
about it, I would say this revelation falls between good and bad:
it's tolerable. Onto the ending,
One of the biggest lessons the Mass
Effect series should have taught developers, was players need a
proper resolution for all the moving pieces after the dust settles.
Pillars of Eternity includes an epilogue, displayed in still
scenes and written words. Its resolution is straightforward, a
reflection of all the player has accomplished. It expands on the
protagonist's deeds, demonstrating their relevance to the world, and
might display one or two unexpected results, but overall offers no
surprises. In the end, it is exactly what was needed and greatly
appreciated.
In conclusion, Pillars of Eternity is a
fantastically deep fantasy world supporting an incredibly detailed,
well constructed plot. The setting, the characters, and the dialogue
are phenomenal, but even more important is how they are supported by
a handful of well woven themes. All of this is fit into a game,
which is truly open world, though sometimes quests are a bit too
restricted to two simple solutions reflecting good or evil. Combat
is complex and enjoyable, especially because most of the time it is
almost easy, except against bosses, where it embraces a more
difficult style. There are some minor flaws in Pillars of Eternity,
but overall it is a very sturdy structure.
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