Game

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

2018

Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4Genres: RPG

11Score

Peak Gaming

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Game metadata from RAWG.

Is Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Woke? Quick Answer

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire scores 11/100 on the IsItWoke scale and falls into Peak Gaming.

That is the story-first end of the scale for this game.

Dialogue serves the narrative without heavy-handed messaging. Character diversity feels organic, enhancing the story rather than overshadowing it.

See the full breakdown below.

Woke profile

How the score is shaped

Eight stored dimensions, each scored from 0 to 20.

Message

Characters

Story

Legacy

Politics

Lead

Tradition

Norms

Column height is the stored score out of 20

Message-first dialogue
3/20
Tokenistic characters
2/20
Ideology over story
4/20
Legacy rewriting
1/20
Modern politics injection
2/20
Protected protagonist pattern
3/20
Anti-traditional framing
1/20
Cultural normalization framing
2/20

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Why it received this score

Based on: Published title analysisConfidence: MediumLast updated: 2026-07-20

Key reasons

Dialogue serves the narrative without heavy-handed messaging.
Character diversity feels organic, enhancing the story rather than overshadowing it.
The plot remains focused on exploration and adventure rather than ideological themes.

View full breakdown

While there are modern elements, they do not dominate the experience.
Character competence is earned through gameplay mechanics and development.

Score signals

Signal	What was measured	Strength	Impact
Ideology over story	How much the overall storytelling prioritizes ideological framing, message delivery, social commentary, or activism-coded narrative choices over pacing, conflict, immersion, and entertainment.	4/20	+3
Message-first dialogue	How much the dialogue, monologues, or character interactions feel driven by overt messaging, moral lecturing, ideological framing, or making a point instead of serving the story naturally.	3/20	+2
Protected protagonist pattern	How much the protagonist fits the protected-protagonist pattern (agenda-driven character construction) rather than competence fantasy. Score HIGH only when: competence appears unearned or unexplained; protagonist rarely faces consequences; antagonists exist mainly to demonstrate protagonist superiority; narrative treats protagonist as symbolically superior; plot shields protagonist from vulnerability. Score LOW when: competence is grounded in training, profession, or past experience; protagonist suffers damage or setbacks; real physical danger and survival tension exist (normal action storytelling). Do not penalize competence fantasy.	3/20	+2
Tokenistic characters	How much characters feel inserted or shaped primarily for symbolic representation, political signaling, or demographic checkbox value rather than narrative depth, organic fit, or strong characterization.	2/20	+1
Legacy rewriting	How much an existing franchise, adaptation, setting, or known property appears significantly altered, reinterpreted, or re-centered in ways that feel driven by modern ideological priorities rather than faithful or organic storytelling.	1/20	+1

AI cultural analysis

A short read on tone, themes, and messaging — not a plot synopsis.

AI read

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire excels in delivering a rich RPG experience that prioritizes storytelling and player choice. The dialogue feels natural and is primarily focused on advancing the plot rather than pushing an agenda, allowing players to immerse themselves in the world without feeling lectured.

Characters are well-developed and their diversity is woven into the narrative rather than being a checkbox for representation. The game does not engage in overt ideological framing, maintaining a classic fantasy adventure tone that respects its roots.