RPG
Pillars of Eternity
Give it 20 hours
Gets good by 20h then rated almost like by veterans
Fully opens up by 35h rated like by long-time players
Reach the ending 33% of players who started
Started playing 47% of owners
Steam reviews 89% positive of 26,192
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours 1 in 3 reviews are negative (37%); after 35h it's 1 in 13 (8%).
- Fully opens up by hour 35.
- 33% of players who start reach the ending.
- The biggest drop-off is between “Completed Act I” and “Completed Act II”: from 100% to 57% of starters.
- Only 46% of owners have even the first achievement — the rest barely played.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 26,243 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 300 reviews: 75h for positive, 43h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (46.5% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
- Started playing 100%
- Completed Act I You have completed Act I. 100%
- Completed Act II You have completed Act II. Most players quit here 57% −43
- Completed Act III You have completed Act III. 37% −21
- Won the Game!!! Congratulations! You have completed the game. 33% −4
story milestone ending biggest drop-off
Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.
All achievements (48)
story milestone ending side
- Completed Act I You have completed Act I. 100%
- Make an Adventurer Create and hire an adventurer from the Adventurer's Hall. 89%
- 5 Upgrades in Stronghold Complete at least 5 upgrades in the stronghold. 89%
- First 5 Levels of Od Nua Complete the first 5 levels of the Endless Paths of Od Nua. 85%
- Completed Act II You have completed Act II. 57%
- Enchanter Apply 5 or more different enchantments. 57%
- The Watcher With Eight Friends Recruit all companions (excluding those in The White March). 50%
- Disposition Attain rank 3 in at least three Dispositions. 49%
- Middle 5 Levels of Od Nua Complete the middle 5 levels of the Endless Paths of Od Nua. 48%
- Super Murderer Complete the game killing 1200 or more creatures and NPCs. 48%
- All Upgrades in Stronghold Complete all of the upgrades in the stronghold. 45%
- Last 5 Levels of Od Nua Complete the last 5 levels of the Endless Paths of Od Nua. 39%
- The Heir of Caed Nua Defend your position as the master of Caed Nua. 39%
- Completed Act III You have completed Act III. 37%
- Soulbinder Unlock all the powers of a soulbound weapon. 34%
- Won the Game!!! Congratulations! You have completed the game. 33%
- Bounty Hunter Complete at least four bounties offered at the Warden's Lodge or Stalwart. 33%
- Trappy Place 5 or more trap items. 32%
- Alchemist Create 3 or more different potions. 30%
- The Giftbearer Recruit Maneha as a companion. 25%
- Watcher at the Breach Open the sealed doors of Durgan's Battery. 23%
- Herald of the Old Flame Restart the fabled White Forge. 23%
- Scribe Create 3 or more different scrolls. 22%
- Fish Guts and Murder Recruit Zahua and the Devil of Caroc as companions. 22%
- Appease All of the Gods Complete all of the god appeasement quests. 20%
- Chef Create 5 or more different food items. 20%
- A Voice from the Deep Reach the reliquary in the Abbey of the Fallen Moon. 17%
- The Siege of Crägholdt Complete the Siege of Crägholdt quest. 17%
- Called to their Labor Stop the threat you saw in your dreams. 16%
- Explorer Visit every map (excluding those in The White March). 15%
- From the Clouds to the Depths Kill the sky dragon and adra dragon. 14%
- Terror of the White March Defeat the dragon that dwells in the White March. 13%
- Kickstarter Backer Thanks for all of your support! 10%
- The Storied Adventurer Complete a Minor, Average, Major, Grand, and Legendary stronghold adventure. 9.9%
- Among the Moss and Peat Defeat the menace of Mowrghek Îen. 6.0%
- Legendary Enchanter Place the Legendary enchantment on one weapon or shield and one armor. 4.9%
- Path of the Damned Complete the game on Path of the Damned mode. 2.4%
- Expert Complete the game on Expert mode. 2.2%
- Zero Knockouts Complete the game without any party members hitting 0 Endurance. 1.5%
- Solo Complete the game without taking any companions after Cilant Lis. 1.1%
- Trial of Iron Complete the game on Trial of Iron mode. 1.1%
- Triple Crown Complete the game on Expert, Trial of Iron, and Path of the Damned modes. 1.1%
- No Rest for the Pro Complete the game with fewer than 10 rests. 0.9%
- Triple Crown SOLO Complete the game on Expert, Trial of Iron, and Path of the Damned modes without taking any companions after Cilant Lis. 0.9%
- Frozen Crown Complete the White March and Pillars of Eternity on Expert, Trial of Iron, and Path of the Damned modes. 0.9%
- Relative Pacifism Complete the game killing fewer than 175 creatures and NPCs. 0.6%
- Frozen Crown Solo Complete the White March and Pillars of Eternity on Expert, Trial of Iron, and Path of the Damned modes without taking any companions after Cilant Lîs. 0.6%
- The Ultimate Complete the White March and Pillars of Eternity, defeat all dragons, all bounties, and both archmages on Expert, Trial of Iron, and Path of the Damned modes without taking any companions after Cilant Lîs. 0.6%
Steam page Updated: 2026-10-18.