How big is this game? (Time to complete wise)

[Necromancin]

I have droped 45 hours so far, still seems to be alot to do. Just got to twin elms area...

[Dorok]

If you have done "everything" before Twin Elms there's quite less to do now. The main quest isn't that long overall, so if you just do stuff to level up enough to do main quest the game can be quite shorter. But with such play, the replay value will be better.

At Hard I started final at level 9, raised to 10 right before final battle and then get lazy after two quick loss with Eder falling very fast and switched to Normal but struggled to beat the final combat. So go do the final level 9/10 is perhaps ok or perhaps a bit low at Hard. With such approach and if your party is already enough high level, you can probably finish the game with few optional quests in 5/10 hours.

If you try do everything it can be quite longer but you'll get many series of easy combats. If you have the DLC you could try reach level 14 before enter in final section to let the game scale that part to your party high level. Not sure if it's wise for a first play,

[Adeptus Stark]

50 hours in, keep restarting with different characters and groups builds. Made it to Chapter 2 once. ;)

[Necromancin]

Originally posted by Tom:

50 hours in, keep restarting with different characters and groups builds. Made it to Chapter 2 once. ;)

Yea i restarted twice lol

[Inorack]

I have only spent about 20 hours in this game and i have barely scratched the surface of the main questline. I keep spending time on my sidequests and stuff. My characters are currently level 4. Im not sure if this is helpful, but i just figured that i would mention the fact that ive spent 20 hours on mostly sidequests and helping my companions with their stuff, so even if the main questline isn't that long there is still alot to do if you want to, as it seems. I just started out playing this game so i might be wrong, but thats the way it seems to me! :)

[jouertue]

+30 hours on hard, level 12, just final fight missing and the expansion, half way down in SH dungeon(very interesting), all side quests i found done and mostly those of companions. one set of bounties done. those are good fights if you want to try, and in the dungeon below the stronghold there's a lot of loot and experience.

[Vita, Mortis, Careo]

First playthrough was 92 hours.

[Necromancin]

Originally posted by Two Bears:

First playthrough was 92 hours.

wao

[Vita, Mortis, Careo]

Originally posted by NeCrOmAnCiN =NuD=:

Originally posted by Two Bears:

First playthrough was 92 hours.

wao

Not sure the sarcasm is warranted, but that was the number.

[Dorok]

How long is a game should be in comparison with other more or less similar games.

For example when I read 30H I think (could be wrong) it's a direct play with skipping many secondary quests and at Easy difficulty to rush to final. So more informative would be as long than x, shorter than y, longer than z.

[Dynamo]

My first time completing the game took 94 hours. That's including the white march. Loved every second of it.

[Necromancin]

Originally posted by Two Bears:

Originally posted by NeCrOmAnCiN =NuD=:

wao

Not sure the sarcasm is warranted, but that was the number.

never meant it as sarcasm these games arnt races just said wao at time...

[Dorok]

For me PoE first play was:
- About 30% shorter than Baldur's Gate 2 Shadow of Ann.
- About 30% shorter than Divinity Original Sin.
- About 20% shorter than Morrowind.
- About 20% shorter than Dragon Age Origin.
- About 10% longer than Baldur's Gate 1
- About 20% longer than Dragon Age 2
- About 30% longer than Wasteland 2
- About 100% Longer than Fallout 1
- About 150% longer than Dragonfall (haven't played yet Director' Cut version that should has a bit more stuff)

LOL :-P

[rubyismycat]

its comparable with baldurs gate in every way only this has better music and that has a better story

[Dorok]

Baldur's Gate has much more areas: 50 outdoor areas which includes 15 areas town related others are wilderness. Pillars of Eternity has only 30 outdoor areas which includes 15 areas town related. That is wilderness of BG1 is 35 areas when it's only 15 for PoE. No surprise it fails reproduce the feeling of exploring and discovering a world of a large region.

Pillars compensate with dungeons, but that's a different aspect.

For the writing, BG1 is much more direct and efficient, in comparison PoE has ton of fillers.

For the tone, it's not the systematic dark tone of PoE that means a better writing, it's just a choice and too systematic. Lighter tone of BG1 is in fact much more concise and efficient.