Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - Enhanced Edition

A demon invasion gives you plenty to think about, but Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is better for a steady bike ride than a hard treadmill run. I’d keep the difficulty modest and give myself permission to pause, because sometimes the next important move is reading for a while.

Gameplay

The combat is good when I’m in the mood to plan, and a little exhausting when I’m not. You can play fights in real time with pause or switch to turn based combat, which gives you room to consider what your party should do instead of trying to make every decision while the screen is busy. There are a lot of party abilities and choices to weigh, though, so I wouldn’t call it a game that keeps your hands occupied every second. Sometimes you’re looking at the battlefield and thinking, which is less exercise for the thumbs.

The story has a lot of dialogue and decisions, and I think that’s a big part of why people get attached to it. Your character can follow different Mythic Paths, and the game gives those choices a pretty big place in the adventure. I like having room to shape who I’m playing, but I don’t know that I’d want to be reading every conversation while jogging. It’s a lot of words for somebody who is also trying to keep their feet moving.

Then there are stretches where the game asks you to manage the crusade, which changes the pace from party adventure to a more strategic layer. I’m glad the game has that variety, but I’d probably do that part when I’m stopped or taking an easy break, because I don’t want to make a campaign decision while I’m bouncing along and then blame the treadmill for my poor leadership. The game gives you a lot to do.

There’s also the useful part where you can adjust the difficulty to match how much attention you have that day. I’d start lower than my pride tells me to, especially if I’m exercising, because there’s no benefit to turning each fight into a small committee meeting with demons. I don’t know why I sometimes assume I’ll have perfect focus after I start moving. I won’t.

Category Score: 2 out of 3

Treadmill and Bike Compatibility

Your pace is probably going to decide which combat mode feels better. Turn based combat gives you time between actions and is the safer choice when your steps are making the controller move around, but it can make fights last longer, and long fights are where I start wondering whether I’ve been making the same decision for six rounds. Real time with pause can move things along, but it asks you to keep track of more at once.

Full controller support is a real plus here, and I’d use it rather than try to manage this game with a mouse while exercising. Even with a controller, though, there are menus, dialogue choices, and party decisions that need a little focus. A bike gives you the easier setup for those parts, since your hands and screen can stay steady. On a treadmill, I’d keep the speed comfortable and pause whenever I need to read or sort out the party. It’s not a game where I’d want to prove something to the belt.

I’d skip the idea of playing on a tough setting while trying to push your pace. The story and exploration can fit a relaxed workout, and combat can be paused or slowed down with turn based mode, so you’re not being forced into quick reactions all the time. But the game can still ask you to pay attention for a while, and if you miss a line or make a choice too quickly, it’s annoying to rewind your thoughts while your legs keep going. That’s a very specific kind of multitasking.

For a longer ride, I’d let the dialogue and crusade planning take up the low effort stretches, then use combat as the part where I pay more attention. For a run, I’d keep the run easy or save the game for walking, because I wouldn’t want every fight to become a balance between watching the screen and watching where my feet land. The controller helps a lot. The amount of thinking still counts.

Category Score: 2 out of 3

Computer Requirements

The minimum requirement points to an older, entry level graphics card rather than a recent high end gaming computer, so I wouldn’t expect the game to demand a powerful machine just to get started. I’d check that your computer meets the listed graphics requirement and has room for the 50 GB install, since this adventure takes up more storage than a small collection of demon pamphlets.

Category Score: 3 out of 3

Conclusion and Score

This is a good choice for you if you want a long roleplaying game with tactical fights and don’t mind pausing your workout to read or plan. I’d play it at an easy pace, especially on a treadmill, and I’d look elsewhere if you want something that keeps your attention on fast action from start to finish.

Overall Score: 2.33 out of 3