Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth

Set in 12th-century England amid poverty, war and political conflict, the story follows three playable characters: Philip, a monk who becomes prior of Kingsbridge; Jack, raised in the woods and apprenticed as a stonemason; and Aliena, a disgraced noblewoman. Their lives converge as the town undertakes the construction of a cathedral.

Explore scenes, interact with characters and objects, and make decisions in conversations. The gameplay is centered on dialogue and narrative choices, with light point-and-click exploration, simple puzzles and occasional quick-time events.

The story unfolds across three parts and spans more than 30 years. Choices can influence events and character outcomes within an overarching narrative. The game presents its medieval setting through hand-painted 2D scenes, animation, voice acting and an orchestral soundtrack.

Supplied reviews often praise the character-focused story, its emotional moments and the hand-painted presentation, with music and voice acting also recurring as highlights. Some players find the slow pace and light puzzles a good fit for a story-led experience, while others criticize the limited gameplay and feel that choices have little effect on the overall plot. Timed dialogue choices and control or saving frustrations are also mentioned.