Isometric RPG Pathfinder: Kingmaker is out today

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I have a problem: There are too many RPGs that I really want to play. It's not the worst problem in the world to have, I suppose, but it's frustrating when a new one drops and I'm still trying to squeeze in time for Pillars of Eternity. Today would be one of those days, as Pathfinder: Kingmaker, the isometric RPG based on the tabletop game of the same name, is now live. 

Developed by Owlcat Games, Pathfinder: Kingmaker is set in the Stolen Land, a lawless place where players will rise from humble beginnings to build their own kingdoms. "We’re thrilled to see Pathfinder’s world of Golarion so vividly realized by the team at Owlcat,” Paizo Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Erik Mona said.   

"Pathfinder: Kingmaker brings one of Pathfinder’s most exciting epic adventures to computers everywhere, leaping from the tabletop to the computer and bringing the exciting environments and canny creatures of Kingmaker to life on the computer screen." 

The launch trailer is pretty great, but it's the character creation trailer below that really sells it for me. It looks detailed and complex, and even though I'm not sure I'd want to try my luck with a party composed entirely of wizards, the idea that it might actually work is an interesting one.   

We got some hands-on time with Pathfinder: Kingmaker last month and found it promising, but possibly not quite deep enough to sustain its massive heft: Owlcat estimates that it will take 40 hours to complete the main campaign, and another 80 to do all the side quests and kingdom building. Although to be fair, that's an awful lot of time to sink into a singleplayer game, no matter how good it is.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker is available on Steam, GOG, and the Humble Store

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Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.