Later this year, Obsidian Entertainment will roll out a full turn-based combat mode for Pillars of Eternity.
They're rolling out this new gameplay option as a big update for the game's 10th anniversary.
Designed as a revival of classic isometric RPGs such as Baldur's Gate, Pillars of Eternity focuses on real-time with pause combat. That style fits its classic roots, but things have changed in recent years.
Baldur's Gate 3 showed how well turn-based systems work in a fantasy setting, and now Obsidian looks ready to do the same with its next big game.
To be fair, it makes perfect sense. The success of Avowed, which is set in the same universe as Pillars, has pulled attention back toward Eora. It has revived a game many thought had its final major update years ago.
This new turn-based mode isn't something we've never seen before. Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire came out in 2018 with real-time combat, but they added a turn-based option later on. The update went over well with the community and really changed up the sequel's pacing and tactics.
Pillars of Eternity is following the same path, but this time, the approach is even more ambitious. Characters act in order based on initiative, influenced by stats like equipment weight and recovery time.
The timing just makes this even more unexpected. Obsidian is handling several major projects at once, such as the full launch of Avowed and the upcoming Outer Worlds 2.
Even with all that, the studio is still investing resources into a decade-old game. Along with the turn-based reveal, Obsidian dropped a new patch for Pillars, fixing some bugs, smoothing out dialogue, polishing quests, and making a few small but important tweaks.
Longtime fans have a solid reason to revisit Pillars of Eternity, and for newcomers, particularly those who just wrapped up Baldur's Gate 3, this is the perfect time to start.
A decade after its release, Obsidian proves its dedication to the world of Pillars of Eternity is still strong.