Audio Program- Pathfinder Legends-Rise of the Runelords #1: Burnt Offering

Producer – Paizo and Big Finish

Price- ~$11

TL;DR-Well done, but price prohibitive 73%

Basics– Relive the most well loved Pathfinder adventure paths Rise of the Runelords!  This audio program is a one hour reimagining of the first part of the adventure path Burnt offerings.  Follow the iconic Pathfinder characters Ezren, Harsk, Merisiel, and Valeros as they arrive just in time for the Swallowtail festival and just in time for the goblin attack.  Can the group save the town and uncover the deeper plot beneath the surface?

Setting, Sounds, and Execution– The setting feels fantasy.  I enjoyed hearing character talk about the Pathfinder places I’ve read about before and that brought it a bit more to life.  The program had some well done sounds, but you will get a little bit bored as you head the same smashing melon, sliced melon, or clashing steel sound over and over again.  But, the foley artists did do a good job in general.  My biggest complaint is the price.  The program is $10 for one hour of sounds.  I tend to do comparisons to movie prices.  For $10 bucks I can see a two hour movie which is sound AND pictures.  That price point will drive away a lot of people from the product as for double the price you get the adventure path product the story is based on.  And that will take you much more than one hour to play through. 2/5

Characters– It’s the iconics!  You get to hear them!  Fanboy/girl out!  They sound like they should, and their lines are well delivered.  Heck, this one has a well done version of the famous goblin song that we all know and love. 5/5

Story– If you’ve played through Burnt Offerings you know what you’re getting.  I haven’t, but I did play the adventure card game.  I really liked this.  It does a great job telling the story.  I felt I was along the ride for the story.  Its short, and the story moves fast.  So, you don’t get a lot of breathing time in the story.  I would like them to slow down a bit.  I enjoyed Ezren as the narrator as he wrote his adventures down for the Pathfinder Chronicles.  That worked well getting across sections of the story that don’t have an audio component. 4/5

Summary– I liked this.  It was a fun ride on my way to work in the morning.  My main criticism is the length and the price.  It’s only an hour, and most books will take you at least eight to get through.  Audiobooks have a price of ~$15 bucks and those are at least eight.  The length doesn’t make you feel like this is value for money.  But, if you can see past that, you will be on an awesome adventure trying to save Sandpoint. 73%