Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Ultimate Edition

The first two games in this series were instant classics with their role-playing mechanics and deep story, and fully explored the world of Eora across land and sea. Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Ultimate Edition manages to take things even further, bringing the adventure to consoles for the first time, along with a number of gameplay improvements made since the game originally released on PC. For example, players now have the choice between the real-time combat the game initially launched with, or a turn-based system that gives players as much time as they need to come up with a solid strategy. This edition also features even more story content, adding all three of the game's expansion packs, previously only available as separate DLC (downloadable content) purchases. Each of these expansions add new elements to the experience, from arena combat in a coliseum-like crucible to a dragon hunt in a wintry new realm and even a secret sanctuary built into the body of a dormant god. This ensures plenty of extra story in a game that was already bursting at the seams with plot and gameplay.

Just a bit of forewarning, Pillars of Eternity II isn't for the faint of heart. Aside from some of its more mature content not being suitable for young gamers, the game requires a lot of personal investment. It takes patience and practice to learn how best to micromanage your party's various skills and abilities. Also, there are constant branches in the game's story, giving players choices that may come back to haunt them much further down the road. Still, for fans willing to put in the time and effort, the reward is a fantasy adventure. And thanks to the addition of the all previously released expansion content, as well as the game's overall replay value, the player's cruise through the oceans of Deadfire has plenty of wind behind its sails to keep the journey from ever running aground.