GreedFall: The Dying World – Review

A dying world…

When the first title in the series launched in 2019, everyone was talking about this promising new RPG. Unfortunately, the game didn't quite live up to the hype; it wasn't a bad title, but it also didn't manage to become the highly praised production we hoped for.

Even so, the first iteration of GreedFall still has better scores on Steam than the second part, which has been in Early Access since September 2024 (76% vs. 62%). On the other hand, the first game was constantly 'polished' through patches that resolved its sensitive issues, such as annoying character repetitions, eventually becoming a truly pleasant experience. The proof of its success? Two years after its launch, it received dedicated versions for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

But times have changed. The first game was created under the wing of Focus Entertainment, but just before its launch, Spiders studio was acquired by Nacon, Focus's direct competitor in the European market. A change in mentality is felt between the two games, and not necessarily for the better, judging by the negative market reaction. Moreover, the situation seems quite murky now, with Nacon having filed for insolvency. It's unclear if it's just a fiscal reorganisation, but such moves rarely bring good news, and the assets of small studios are always the first target in the event of sales for liquidity.

Although Spiders seems to be supported by a handful of loyal fans who appreciated titles like The Testament of Sherlock Holmes, The Technomancer, or Steelrising, these are not enough to protect the studio in such a competitive market.

GreedFall: The Dying World (or the fate of a studio…)

After approximately a year and a half in Early Access, the game officially launched. I believe this was their first big mistake. Throughout this time, the new GreedFall proved to be full of bugs. No problem, you might say, that's what Early Access is for: to fix errors and deliver a 'perfect' game when you start asking for money for it. Unfortunately, upon launch, many problems remained unresolved. Add to that a story which, though interesting in concept, wasn't complex enough to leave a serious mark on gamers, and we have the perfect recipe for disaster.

They could have played the surprise card and not offered Early Access. The game is an AA title anyway, so they could have been bolder. Usually, studios with limited resources choose a clear direction and focus on what they do best. Spiders, however… didn't do that. Their 18 years of experience and the partial success of the first title gave wings to the team of approximately 100 people, who dared to do more! Their mistake? They tried to please everyone. They didn't work to complete a project with their own vision, but rather to give others what they thought they wanted.

The Story?

Jehanne Rousseau, the lead writer, describes the game's world as historically inspired, governed by political intrigue and crime, a 'dirty' world, far from classic heroism. The idea is, indeed, unique. The inspiration from the 15th-16th centuries, the era when European imperialism became an aggressive colonisation campaign, is felt everywhere: from fashion design and customisation options to building architecture.

Even the beginning of the game throws you directly into those times. You are part of a nation of indigenous people whose lands are being colonised. You fight with 'sticks and matches' against much better-equipped invaders, but not for long, as you are taken away to the continent for experiments. After escaping, you form your own team and begin to unravel the threads of high politics, as well as the mystery of the disease called Malichor: a terrible plague that blackens your blood and blinds you. It seems your island has escaped the infection, and those on the continent hope to find the cure with you… and, of course, some resources for the gentry of the time.

Colonialism is accompanied by a fantastic element, denoted by the existence of magic and mythological creatures, but here I see the big mistake: why didn't they stick to just the political aspect? A 'clean' story about colonial power, with personal dramas and Game of Thrones-style twists, would have been much more impactful. But, it seems the magical element 'had' to exist, because that's what's fashionable in RPGs. Anyway, being a prequel, the developers were tied to the world and rules of the first Greedfall…

Graphics and Atmosphere

Art director Cyril Tahmassebi wanted to preserve the visual style inspired by Rembrandt and the Golden Age, which also defined the first game. For The Dying World, they expanded this 'painting' to create new locations and factions. The game uses the Silk graphics engine (a derivative of Sony's PhyreEngine), which seemed somewhat outdated in the previous title. This time, the engine received serious improvements. The 3D graphics and lighting look much better, have dynamism and a modern colour palette. The immersion is real: in the island's forests, the movement of light according to the sun's position is impressive. Cities like Olima (City of Stars), with its Mediterranean air, or Uxantis, are much livelier. However, it must be mentioned that the final experience is not quite as 'free' or spectacular as the trailer suggested. Where else does the graphics engine fall short? In facial mimicry. Characters sometimes look like wooden puppets when they speak, although the game compensates with clothing details.

The music, by Olivier Derivière, is impeccable. The man composed for Dying Light 2, Streets of Rage 4, and the A Plague Tale series, so he knows his stuff. The soundtrack perfectly matches the era and perfectly complements the atmosphere, which remains the game's strongest point.

Achilles' Heel

Unfortunately, the gameplay itself is the big problem. Spiders did exactly what fans asked for: they changed the combat system to one inspired by Knights of the Old Republic and World of Warcraft. The problem is that the developer didn't know how to adapt it to current standards, which is why there are many dead periods in battles, due to excessive cooldowns. Even with tactical pause and three game modes (tactical, hybrid, action-focused), the system seems outdated and is not at all satisfying. Companion AI leaves much to be desired, operating on the principle of 'brawn over brains', and often the strategy boils down to using the abilities with the most damage.

There are, of course, hero classes, a skill-tree with three branches (Warrior, Magic, Tree) and well-written companions. Interacting with the latter is actually quite nice; you have complex dialogues and can romance four of them. Companions feel like part of the story… until the fighting starts.

Interaction with the environment also bothered me. You can't jump, you can't enter water. The game gives you the feeling of an open-world, but quickly puts you in your place: stick to your path! On top of all this are the bugs, crashes, and map markers you can't reach. I hope many of them will be quickly resolved through post-launch updates. However, as a 'pure-blood' RPG, the game forces you to pay attention to decisions. If you don't rely on brute force, you can always resort to diplomacy, threats, or bribery.

Conclusions and Missteps

Spiders tried their best to transcend their AA studio status. They wanted to bring new elements, a unique world, and a dense narrative. I commend them for drawing inspiration from titles like Cyberpunk, The Witcher, or Ghost of Tsushima, focusing on their own identity instead of trying to offer 'something for everyone'. It's clear it was a project made out of passion, not just for money.

But it was precisely this passion that led them astray, wanting to cram in too many mechanics to please the 'nerds'. And now, ironically, those very gamers are not satisfied.

My opinion is simple: the world and lore are fantastic, but if they had combined them with a more spectacular combat system, more freedom, and truly terrifying monsters, it would have been a 'bloody brilliant' title. RPGs need balance: give us political intrigue, but give us fun too! Unfortunately, GreedFall: The Dying World chose to be just a 'solid 7' RPG.

If I were in their shoes, knowing insolvency was coming, I would have said 'fuck it, let's roll!' and risked everything on some crazy ideas to make the gameplay memorable.

Thanks to C.D. Media for the review code and the opportunity to play Greedfall: The Dying World.

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Played on: PC (Steam)
Release date: 10 March 2026
Developer:  Spiders
Publisher: CD Media S.E. (Romania), Nacon (Global)