The second DLC for Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous thinks in a completely different direction than the main game. We played inside.
When it comes to taking a proven game concept and bringing it to the people in the form of a new game, innovation is not always easy. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous differed from its direct predecessor Kingmaker primarily because it introduced so-called Legendary Paths in addition to the normal classes.
These legend paths are the reason for our power in this highly complex role-playing game. For our hero or heroine has to compete with demon lords who possess almost divine power. Consequently, the whole hero party must be able to reach a similar level.
Also a consequence of this idea is the scenario of the role-playing game. It is about a massive war between crusaders and demons. Our party takes on forces that could devour the entire world – and triumph again and again. So Wrath of the Righteous tells a thoroughly epic saga.
But what if you didn’t have legendary powers? What if you were more victims of war than an acting party? That’s the side the second DLC Through the Ashes is supposed to show. I played into the expansion and give you a first impression that should help you in your purchase decision.
Why no test?
Of course we would have liked to test Through the Ashes in its entirety, as we did with Inevtiable Excess. But that was not yet possible with Through the Ashes. We didn’t get a key until very late, so I didn’t have the time to play through the DLC completely.
But I didn’t want to deny you a text, so that you at least have a classification for the weekend after release. Next week, it would not have been possible to do a review with a rating because I’m going on holiday. That’s why you can read a first impression now, but we won’t give a rating for the time being. But delayed tests have become a tradition in Pathfinder anyway.
Too weak for heroism
Unlike the first DLC, Inevitable Excess, Through the Ashes does not continue the story of your commander. You begin the DLC with a completely new hero and a fresh group of companions. This group of characters differs significantly from the Commander’s companions in three ways:
(~) No Legendary Powers: Through the Ashes very deliberately jettisons one of the biggest innovations of the main game. In this DLC, you will not be able to gain any extraordinary legend powers. Not only does this mean losing powerful skills (no fat bear!), but there are also no alternative decision options tied to the legend power like in the main game
(~) Low levels: The DLC is supposed to take about 10 hours (probably longer) and in this time your party will not experience many level-ups. In general, no hero will reach a level higher than 5.
(~) Many generic companions: There are only two new companions in Through the Ashes, but the party size remains at six people. Therefore, three companions (and your character) will be created as the story progresses. Similar to the mercenaries in the main game, these companions have no story. But instead, you are completely free to decide which abilities they should have.
The concept of the DLC is that your hero group is too weak for heroism. Many enemies you encounter in the course cannot be defeated by sheer force of arms. Of course, this varies depending on which created party members you are running around with.
Some classes are significantly more helpful than others in the level range of the DLC. For example, animal companions are worth a lot and clerics can cast spells more often than druids, for example.
In order for this group of weak beginners to be able to get by, however, a few new gameplay features have been added.
A gameplay experiment
Owlcat Games is very obviously trying with the DLCs to Wrath of the Righteous not just to deliver more of what the base game excels at. This can be seen very critically, after all Wrath of the Righteous is very much appreciated and fans basically always want what they have proven to enjoy. With Inevitable Excess, the joy of experimentation already caused a lot of disappointment.
Now Owlcat Games is heading in a different direction again, presenting a DLC that feels like the opposite of Wrath of the Righteous’ power fantasy. Instead of beating powerful demons in battle, this time you’ll have to drastically rethink.
Sneaking, for example, plays a much bigger role. Occasionally you have no choice but to scurry past enemies. You are also allowed to use the environment to your advantage much more often. For example, you can lure a large group of zombies in front of a rolling log and flatten them. This is an interesting new game experience, but it brings with it two problems:
(~) Sneaking may not be fun: I, for one, rarely sneak in oldschool RPGs because it’s just not much fun for me, it takes a long time and if it doesn’t work, you’re usually in a very bad place. But if you don’t have any problems with that, then you might like this new focus. Quiet ones don’t get the short end of the stick anymore.
(~) The environment is awkward: Outwitting enemies with the environment sounds fun on paper, but is very awkward in practice. At least in the first areas, the mechanics cause more frustration than joy. Enemies are not easily lured there and some options, such as a burning pool of oil, seem rather ineffective. In turn-based mode, you can forget about the mechanic anyway, because you can’t really direct enemies to a spot in a meaningful way.
Also new are companions who don’t fight alongside you. The story includes a group of refugees that you have to bring to safety. Some of them have special talents and you can use them.
However, these companions can also die, get injured or die of diseases. In that case you will not have this option in the future. At some points you also have to decide which companion is best suited for which task. Again, I really like that!
Who is this DLC for?
I haven’t played through the whole of Through the Ashes yet, so I can’t say much about some points. For example, how the stories of the two new companions will develop and what influence the DLC will actually have on the main game (because that’s what it’s supposed to do).
The most important thing is that Through the Ashes introduces more new characters and tells a more exciting story than the first DLC. There are gripping dilemmas here that force me to make difficult decisions. Are there characters I need to leave behind? Do I send the brave but one-handed craftsman or the sane but cowardly musician into the darkness to explore?
These are exactly the kinds of decisions that make up the core of Through the Ashes. However, the new gameplay mechanics are rather cumbersome and more than once I had to reload in frustration because the plan didn’t work out so well.
So if you want to experience another beautiful Pathfinder story, this DLC has everything you need. Purely in terms of gameplay, however, the DLC can’t keep up with the main game, also due to the low level cap.
Editor’s verdict
I am ambivalent. I actually think it’s great how Owlcat Games approaches its DLCs. Because I like it when development studios dare to do something and don’t always just play the tried and tested formula. That’s exactly what Owlcat Games is trying here.
The two DLCs offer a completely different game experience than the main game. Inevitable Excess relied on lots of puzzles, while now it’s all about exploration and using the environment. Both of these are simply not Pathfinder’s strengths. Especially the use of the environment doesn’t play as dynamically as I would have liked. Especially since I don’t have good opportunities to lure enemies to the right places.
That’s why Through the Ashes is causing me a lot of frustration so far, although I find the more down-to-earth story around weaker heroes very appealing. The decisions are also an exciting part of the DLC. Yes, gameplay-wise it takes a back seat and is often even annoying – but Owlcat is just trying things out a bit. And in the end we could benefit from such experience.
