izigame.me

Shorter game that allows for genuine replay value without sinking 300+ hours into it. Though the game has constraints for choice, NPCs, areas, items, etc. aren't available on _one_ run and I was very satisfied with that. Honestly refreshing since many RPG's decide they need to be near unbearably long for the sake of content. It does however, force you to start your chosen path and game style fairly early and the pacing for the three Acts is quite off. Repeated visits to these smaller(very detailed) maps may make everything feel smaller, which the devs do not want, but it happens. I'm talking PC here, please use Tab to highlight your area because many items or info text to look at can be easily missed if you aren't super curious like myself.
Combat is all cool downs, and magic is overpowered since it's magic. The magic system itself is quite cute with having individual(11 of them) schools of magic and their own Sigils that you change and adapt with accent Sigils. AI is downright silly, you request your tank to hit a different target and they take the longest possible path in existence when short paths exist. Combat also can feel disjointed since you may be attacking a longstanding fort but are given enemies in chunks that rarely hit 10. A few of those and it's a won battle which can feel unimmersive, Walking speed is abysmal too haha. The big bossfights can feel overly long and drag, but by poking and prodding for individual weaknesses and using some light consumables it's fine by me.
Companions aren't as deep as other works by the studio or famous RPG's. You can bang out the available dialogue trees and that's it save big events or for three of them a personal quest.
It's fun to be an evil minion, and by default an evil person. I've seen quite a few complaints about being a bad guy when that's the goal of the game. You can exercise kindness absolutely, and Rebel AND Anarchist paths exist, but save that you are inexcusably an agent of Kyros here to do their bidding and several points have options players are going to see as bad(c'mon fellas. We signed up for it!).
The game does feel like it as a cliff-hanger vibe, especially at the end, or that parts could've used more lore or DLC. Things I am happy to speculate on or dig deeper in text and minor NPCs for, but also parts of the story that I was hunting for that wasn't given. The game stops and feels as though it does not 'end' proper. The game feels like it could've used more dev time to flesh it out overall but here it is. And honestly I love it all the same. I adore the world, I adore why I'm here, my part, speculation on why the Big Bad Evil Guy allowed all this to happen, I liked most of my companions and found them interesting, how people reacted to an evil minion arriving and things I had to do etc..
Generic pro-tips for the interested;
-Bump Lore and Subterfuge to get 'the most' out of the games dialogue options. I am fairly confident Diplomat gives 'the most' flavor text but all background have a few mentions.
-Put Spectral Blur(Illusion+self) and Restoring Touch(Life+self) on everyone possible. Mirror Image(Illusion+Guarded Form. Guarded Form is found in Act 1 at the first military camp you'll go to, a merchant and some troops are disagreeing and could use a Fatebinders judgement) is lovely too.
-Chain and Interrupt accent Sigils are your friend.
-You get a bonus for resting at your base, and consumables make the game much easier.
-You visit a small town on most runs on the western side of the world map. In the town in a companion you can easily miss in their own Sanctuary
-With the DLC, it is meant to be played in Act 2, not Act 3. Also, this won't make any sense right now but trust me haha, don't touch any murals when you go deep into the caverns. At the end of the quest line you have an option to do a specific quest that needs them that will effect your ending and it tends to bug out if you touch those murals more than once.