Tyranny is a plot-driven dark fantasy game. The player assumes the role of a minion at the dark lord's service. Tyranny is a spiritual successor to Pillars of Eternity and uses the same graphics engine and gameplay model.
Plot
The game is set in a medieval world called Terratus that was almost completely conquered by Kyros, an immortal evil overlord. No one has ever seen Kyros, but he spent four centuries uniting all the realms under his reign. Kyros rules through his powerful viceroys, the Archons, who, in turn, command their minions called Fatebinders. The protagonist is one of Fatebinders at Kyros' service. He or she is sent to the Tiers province that is torn by the conflict. Two of the Kyros' armies fight each other, and it slows down the conquest. The protagonist has to stop the conflict or to be executed.
Gameplay
The player has to create the main character from scratch and define his or her abilities. The game has no character classes, and the character skills are individual. The process of customization also includes several questions about the character's background. The answers define how the character is perceived by the others and which factions he or she may join. The factions also influence the main character's abilities and the companions the player can recruit.
Like in Pillars of Eternity, the player has to make difficult decisions that strongly influence the plot and the lives of NPCs. Every dialogue option may lead to a dramatically different outcome.