Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a large single-player role-playing game by Obsidian Entertainment. As a Watcher, you pursue the god Eothas through the island realm of Deadfire. You control a hero party, speak with factions and explore cities, seas and ruins.

The classic computer role-playing game features an isometric perspective, party management, varied dialogue choices and complex combat. The sequel follows on from the story of Pillars of Eternity.

The PC version was released on May 8, 2018. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One followed on Jan 28, 2020 with the Ultimate Edition, which includes the major expansions.

The turn-based combat option added later is a permanent feature of the game, but not a separate re-release.

Deadfire was released natively on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The PC version supports Windows, macOS and Linux. On PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, the respective older console version can be played via backward compatibility.

An announced Nintendo Switch version was never released. So neither Switch nor Switch 2 counts among the platform versions actually released.

You explore Deadfire with a custom-built party. On foot, you explore cities, dungeons and islands. At sea, you sail your ship between locations. Quests can often be solved in different ways through conversation, skills or combat.

Progress comes from experience, new skills, equipment and your relationships with your companions. Choices can affect later encounters and the relationship between factions.

Deadfire received three major story expansions in 2018. Beast of Winter came out on Aug 2 and leads into an icy story around a menacing power. Seeker, Slayer, Survivor followed on Sep 25 and puts combat challenges at the center. The Forgotten Sanctum came out on Dec 13 and adds to the story with a hidden sanctum and new secrets.

There are also smaller bonus packs and the Expansion Pass. The three expansions add to the main game rather than being standalone sequels.

For Windows, Deadfire requires at least 4 GB RAM, a DirectX 11-capable graphics card and 45 GB of storage. The manufacturer lists processors such as the Intel Core i3-2100T or AMD Phenom II X3 B73.

We recommend 8 GB RAM, an Intel Core i5-2400 or AMD Phenom II X6 1100T, and a GeForce GTX 960. macOS and Linux have their own technical requirements.

The god Eothas rises in the form of a giant statue and destroys the fortress Caed Nua. The Watcher survives and follows him to Deadfire to understand what his plan means for the world of Eora.

During the pursuit, the archipelago's inhabitants, trading powers and rival political groups clash. Future alliances and the fate of individual characters also depend on your choices.

Battles can be fought in real time with tactical pause. You give your party members orders, position them, use spells and class abilities, and respond to enemy attacks. The pause lets you re-plan the action at any time.

Armor, attack types, status effects and the makeup of the party affect how well a strategy works. Larger encounters therefore demand more than pure equipment strength.

Deadfire offers a turn-based mode in addition to real-time combat with tactical pause. Characters carry out their actions one after another, which changes positioning and the use of individual abilities.

The public PC test since November 2026 includes an extensive overhaul of the system. Faster characters can act more often, all damage sources deal 35 percent more damage in test mode, and weapon swaps or potions do not cost a regular action within certain limits. Switching between the two combat styles outside of battle is also part of the test.

Your character can choose one class or combine two classes. This allows, for example, melee, magic and support abilities to be combined in different ways. Attributes, talents and equipment determine the strengths of the chosen build.

Party members also develop and take on different roles in combat and conversations. If you like to experiment, you can tune your party's makeup to your own playstyle.

Several companions travel with the Watcher and react to his decisions. They hold their own views, personal quests and relationships with one another. Some conflicts also involve the archipelago's political factions.

In addition to the core companions, other allies can strengthen the party. Their abilities are useful in combat, while their personal stories deepen the world of Eora.

In the Deadfire archipelago, several powers compete for influence and resources. Political conflicts shape cities, harbors and large quest lines. The factions' interests often clash, so not all goals can be reached at the same time.

You can get to know different points of view and take a side. Your answers and actions change how individual groups and characters react to you.

Your own ship connects the islands of Deadfire. You assemble a crew, provision them on journeys and can upgrade parts of the ship. The sea routes open up new quests, encounters and remote places.

Ship travel is more than a loading screen: crew and equipment need attention, while the archipelago provides the backdrop for exploration and dangerous encounters.

Deadfire offers vast islands with settlements, temples, caves and hidden places. The story does not always follow a single straight path from goal to goal. Side quests and exploration let you get to know characters and conflicts away from the main route.

Searching for unusual equipment and information is also worthwhile. Many tasks draw on the history and culture of the archipelago.

Conversations and quests offer choices with long-term consequences. Allies, personal relationships and how you deal with the factions can change over the course of the adventure.

Dialogue often takes a character's background, class or abilities into account. Different answers make further playthroughs with other characters and choices interesting.

The Ultimate Edition for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One bundles the main game with the three major story expansions. On PC, the additional content can be obtained individually or through an expansion pass.

Editions and bonus content are not additional native platform versions. What matters is which content is included in each edition.

Deadfire offers German on-screen text. The PC version also lists English, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese and simplified Chinese, among others.

The English voice-over should not be confused with a full German dub. Languages may vary depending on the store and platform version.

The PC version supports the Steam Workshop. It allows community add-ons and customizations for the role-playing game to be shared. Whether a mod works with your game version depends on how it was implemented.

This PC feature is not automatically part of the console versions.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a single-player role-playing game. The multiple party members are controlled by one person. The main game does not include a co-op campaign or a competitive multiplayer mode.

A public controller test for the PC version of Deadfire has been running since November 2026. With a gamepad, you can control exploration and combat as well as conversations, equipment and ship battles. Steam, GOG and the Xbox app for PC offer access to the test.

Support is initially part of a test version. Mouse and keyboard can still be used at any time.