GreedFall: The Dying World was criticized for its combat system in final reviews

GreedFall: The Dying World Criticized for Combat System in Final Reviews

After about a year and a half in early access, GreedFall: The Dying World has finally left that phase and reached a full launch. Journalists immediately tested the new console builds; predictably, the prequel hasn't matched the reception of the original GreedFall. At the time of writing, it sits at 64 on Metacritic and 65 on OpenCritic, with ~7% rec. rate (yes, really). Most outlets zeroed in on the combat: clunky, awkward, or simply ill-fitting for what the game tries to do. Below are some excerpts — varied takes, but similar gripes.

Gamereactor UK — 70/100

GreedFall: The Dying World seems aimed at people who liked the older RPGs. If titles like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic or Dragon Age: Origins are your thing, this will ring familiar. For me, though, it never quite hooked—beautiful locales, yes, but only half the combat stuff behaves as it should (and a tutorial that sprawls for >3 hours is a slog).

If you were waiting for GreedFall: The Dying World, give it a shot; I wanted to enjoy it. Still, the real-time combat with active pause is so clumsy that it drags the rest down. Mood killer, honestly.

Pros:

• Beautiful and immersive world;
• Tactical combat system;
• Excellent sound design.

Cons:

• Awkwardly implemented real-time combat with pause;
• Sometimes terrible AI;
• Overlong and tedious tutorial/prologue;
• Suboptimal frame rate.

Checkpoint Gaming — 70/100

I had a decent time with Greedfall: The Dying World, but I get why others will shrug. The active-pause combat felt more controllable than I feared, yet it sits oddly between the simpler system of the first game and a proper turn-based approach — so you end up with something that is neither here nor there (vs. classic Dragon Age/Baldur’s Gate vibes). Companions are varied and keep things interesting, which helps because the main plot rarely grabs you.

Pros:

• Side quests are well-written and engaging;
• Ally AI is quite good and doesn't require constant micromanagement;
• NPCs surprisingly often react to your chosen dialogue and party composition;
• Non-linearity in quests.

Cons:

• Main storyline is less engaging because it’s a prequel;
• Real-time combat with active pause doesn’t suit gamepad controls well;
• Loading times can be quite long;
• The brown color palette makes different regions look quite similar.

PlayStation Universe — 65/100

The opening of Greedfall: The Dying World is painfully slow and that hurts first impressions. After the prologue, things improve: the cast, the political squabbles, the exploration — those bits are what fans expect from a Spiders RPG. Combat, though, is a mixed bag. You can lean into a tactical, awkward system or switch off tactics for a looser fight. The developers clearly tried to do more with combat this time, and the result? Uneven. Give it time and it rewards you occasionally.

Loot Level Chill — 65/100

If you like what Spiders usually makes and enjoyed the first Greedfall, there’s a lot here that will feel familiar. The scale is similar, the visuals recognizable, but combat changes will split opinions — some will enjoy the new rhythm, others will not. Newcomers might do better starting with the original on PS5/PC; I found its story and characters more compelling, and the original combat clicked for me more often. This sequel tries to be adventurous—sea travel and all—but sometimes it trips over too many competing systems.

Pros:

• Large world to explore;
• Combat is fun when mechanics work properly.

Cons:

• Forgettable companions;
• Clunky animations;
• Awkward combat system.

TechRadar Gaming — 50/100

GreedFall: The Dying World had the pieces to be a breakout for Spiders, but it falls short. You can wander through lovely forests and towns, yet the tactical side rarely delivers, and the narrative doesn't dig deep enough into the themes it flirts with. In short: pretty scenery, undercooked systems.

Pros:

• Beautiful and varied world where every corner can be explored;
• Lots of very funny hats you can put on your party members against their will;
• Gamepad support feels as natural as keyboard and mouse.

Cons:

• Tiresome, boring combat that tests your patience;
• Confusing, poorly thought-out storyline;
• Very cramped locations that are slow to exit.

GreedFall: The Dying World will be released soon on consoles and PC; whether it clicks for you depends largely on how much patience you have for fiddly combat and uneven pacing.