Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous

Although this tale takes place in the same world as Kingmaker, there's little tying the two adventures together, making this feel more like a total reboot than a genuine sequel. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is the next chapter in the Pathfinder franchise, and has been built from the ground up to shore up criticisms from the previous entry while expanding the gameplay in a slew of different, and variously effective, ways. Still, at its core, the game is an impressively deep yet intuitive role-playing experience.

Freedom of choice is still a key focus in Wrath of the Righteous. Players can play their role in almost any way they prefer, be it as a noble hero, a corrupt villain, or anything in between. This is amplified with the addition of Mythic Paths, which are sort of transformative subclasses, altering players' characters as they unlock unique abilities while becoming an avatar of their chosen path. For example, following the Angel path grants the ability to summon heavenly warriors to help in battle and heal party members, while the Demon path lets players surrender to their rage and transform into a devastating demonic force of destruction. But one place the game stumbles is its new Crusade system. Eventually, players are put in charge of the Fifth Crusade, giving orders to huge armies charged with cutting a swath through the forces of the Abyss. This switches the gameplay from a role-playing adventure to a stripped-down and generally weak strategy mechanic. The dramatic shift is almost jarring, taking players out of an otherwise immersive story. It doesn't help that the strategic elements lack any real substance and feel tacked on just for the sake of fulfilling a Kickstarter goal. Still, even with this hiccup, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous features a wealth of content and freedom, helping to redefine the term "epic," much to the delight of classic fantasy role-playing fans.