Spoiler alert! GameBanshee has published a whole pack of helpful The White March content, including a review, a full walkthrough, and guides to locations, companions, and more.

In addition to publishing a full review of Pillars of Eternity: The White March Part I, we've also expanded our already chock-full Pillars of Eternity subsite with a plethora of content from the first half of Obsidian's ambitious expansion pack. Included among the subsite updates are a full walkthrough, a set of locations, new companions, additional bestiary creatures, and more. Before you dive into the content, here's a snip from the review:

There are also over 20 new quests. Many of them give you options for how to solve them. They're also more complicated than simple fetch or assassination quests. For example, in Stalwart Village a layabout asks you to steal some wine from the local inn. If you accept this quest and retrieve the bottle (which only requires you to disarm some traps), then things go sideways when you hand it over, and that leads to a humorous second stage where you have to do something else.

Along with the quests, there are also numerous new environmental interactions, but they're much more complicated than the interactions from the main game. As an example, after defeating the ogres in Stalwart Village, you learn that a house is on fire and that two people are trapped inside. To rescue them, you have to go through a "choose your own adventure" sequence, filled with checks on your attributes, spells, and equipment. So if you have enough Perception, then you can detect a dangerous passageway; if you have a Prybar, then you can move a beam out of the way; if you have the spell Winter Wind, then you can put some flames out; and so forth. The only downside to the interactions is that they have minimal effect on the world. If you rescue the two people from the burning house, then they don't give you a reward, and they don't play much of a role during the rest of the DLC, so it doesn't really matter if you notice the house at all.

More information.

Here are two more reviews for The White March, Part 1.

Freedom CGC

The way that the new content is implemented makes me feel that it is best experienced if you are playing the entire game from the beginning. That way, you will experience it organically as part of the overall adventure. Returning players who have already finished the main game effectively have to travel back in time and pretend that the end didn’t happen yet and that they’re back somewhere in the middle of the story. It’s slightly jarring and comes off as a bit clumsy. The White March provides a solid amount of content, especially considering that the second and final part is on its way.

Kill Screen

Apart from that short burst of invention, there isn’t much reason to drag yourself through The White March. It tunes up the game’s AI and stealth systems, but those changes were also applied to the base game in patch 2.0. If you have a late-game party, it adds jobs you don’t want for money you don’t need, and its few useful items are nearly drowned in a flood of identical low-grade loot that flows directly into your party’s infinite stash-box to be forgotten. It’s an elegant process to watch: an endless stream of trash pouring into a bottomless garbage can.

Gamespot

It's easy to sell the first installment of The White March short when comparing it to the main game, because it just feels like more of the same. While that isn't a deal breaker, as the adventures here would have fit almost seamlessly into Pillars of Eternity proper, this first expansion is a little too predictable and a little too rough around the edges. More innovative side quests, a little more work to fill out some of the settings like Stalwart, and a main plot that either tied into the main storyline or offered a noteworthy change of pace could have made this expansion something memorable. Even though it gives you a chance to revisit one of the best RPGs in years, The White March Part 1 ultimately feels like a missed opportunity to expand that greatness into new territory.

Thanks Eye.

Shacknews interview with Josh Sawyer and Adam Brenneke of Obsidian:

Thanks Couch

And here are a few reviews more for The White March, Part 1, the expansion for Pillars of Eternity.

PC Invasion, a 7:

Reconciling how well mid-point expansions like this one ‘fit’ into the overall game is an awkward task. It’s a bit like suddenly gaining a few extra chapters for a favourite book; a welcome addition (if done well), but difficult to declare as absolutely necessary. The White March is up to the standard you’d expect, and largely familiar (broader combat changes aside) in its scope. Part two may or may not offer greater revelations. For now this expansion is straightforward to recommend, but harder to absolutely rave about.

aNewDomain actually talks about Pillars of Eternity only, but I toss it in here anyway:

And since there is plenty of text to read, readability is very important. The foundation of a good CRPG is the story, and that story is mostly conveyed by text as it is revealed in your interactions with other characters in the game. Pillars of Eternity also includes some excellent voice acting, but most of those sequences involve the main plot. All of the side quests require reading on-screen dialogue.

GameWatcher, 7.5

Cards on the table here, the main plot in The White March never really comes together. It all feels a bit superfluous – why would The Watcher, cursed seer of souls, bother wandering all the way into the frozen wastes on the off chance they might get a better sword? There are a few attempts to tie Pillars’ main plot to the expansion, but they’re largely inconsequential, and the very nature of your main objective can’t help but make your trip north feel a bit like an extended side mission. That’s not to say there aren’t any engaging quests, because there definitely are, but taken as a new chapter of your hero’s story, The White March feels a bit lightweight.

Luke Batt (NZGamer) has reviewed the DLC PoE: The White March Part 1:

It’s always nice to be given new reasons to jump back into games you had lots of fun with, even more-so when they are enjoyable additions. With Pillars of Eternity’s first downloadable content pack, Part One of “The White March”, that’s precisely what Obsidian Entertainment have provided, more of what you enjoyed, but nothing that really blows your mind. [...]

This DLC isn’t meant to only be for people who have maxed their character’s levels, that’s actually one of the beautiful things about it. I started the add-on from the pre-end game save, and the majority of my party were already at level 11, so when I first unlocked and entered the area on the map called “The White March”, I was prompted with a message telling me that I was too high a level to find this content much of a challenge, and asking if I would like the game to increase the difficulty of the enemies. Totally optional, but it was nice to see that they included this. [...]

Truth be told, I enjoyed my time with The White March - Part One. It was a great reason to jump back in, and while it’s not as grand as some of the RPG expansions we’ve had for other games in this genre (see Baldur’s Gate: Throne of Bhaal), it was still a good experience, and one that works almost seamlessly into a new player’s playthrough of the main game. Was there enough to warrant the purchase? I’d say so, but I’m right there with anyone who craves great story, and hopes Part Two ups the ante and brings with it a story to rival the best of them.

Final Score: 7.9/10 - Good

"More of what you loved, but no earth-shattering experiences"

Rock, Paper, Shotgun share what they think about The Pillars of Eternity expansion The White March, Part 1.

If you found the combat in the main game to be a touch unnecessarily difficult (no, stop you – you, the person who says it was too easy on the hardest setting – first, no one believes you, second, shush), then I’m afraid you won’t be less frustrated here. I couldn’t help think that the original Pillars would have been a twenty hour RPG if it didn’t make every encounter with a group of indentikit bads into a painstaking battle. This is the case here too, and while for the most part the uninterested can switch the difficulty down to Easy to let such fights become matter-of-fact, there are some encounters that are way out of proportion.

PCWorld likes it.

The fact is, The White March Part One is good fodder for those coming in fresh and a fine addition for those looking to replay, but isn’t compelling enough on its own for you to come back to Pillars of Eternity if you’ve already finished the game.

Again, that might change with the release of Part Two. The ending of Part One hints at greater repercussions for your actions in Durgan’s Battery, and I’m curious to see whether the second half leans a bit harder towards tying the expansion to the main story—or at least ups the stakes. But for that, we’ll have to wait to find out.

Gaming Nexus give it a score of 8.8

For those Pillars of Eternity fans in desperate need of new game content, The White March - Part 1 is a great first expansion that comes with a wealth of varied content. The part 1 aspect of the title shouldn't put off fans either as the expansion doesn't end with any sort of disappointing cliffhanger or such, it truly feels like a complete package. The majority of content is entertaining to play, especially the focus on the discovering the secrets that lie within Durgan's Battery. Players that can overcome the expansion's high difficulty level will find an entertaining time, while those that enter with low level characters are sure to encounter some frustration.

MMORPG feel it is worth a9

Overall, The White March adds a lot of new awesome to an already excellent CRPG experience. Original Kickstarter backers get The White March part one (and eventually part two) for free, while it’s only $15 on Steam for non-backers. For the 20 or so hours you’ll get at that price, if you liked Pillars to begin with, this purchase is a no-brainer. Even if just for the excellent story of Durgan’s Battery alone, it’s worth every penny. Just be ready to fight, because this content isn’t a stroll in the park and I don’t think Obsidian would want it any other way.

Pillars of Eternity: The White March is available now on Steam and Good Old Games.

“The White March: Part I” is the first addition to thecritically acclaimed game, and includes an extensive array of new dynamic content for both Pillars of Eternity veterans and newcomers. White March expands the story and experience of the original game, adding new locations, quests, and companions to the world of Eora, as well as new gameplay features such as multi-class abilities, soulbound weapons, and a higher level cap, allowing players new ways to play in all areas of the game. The White March: Part I is available today as an add-on to Pillars of Eternity for Windows, Mac, and Linux PC for $14.99. A bundle with Parts I and II is available for $24.99, which will grant owners the second installment immediately upon its release.

In The White March: Part I, Obsidian Entertainment continues the tale of Pillars of Eternity, an RPG inspired by classics of the computer RPG genre. Featuring an expertly crafted story from Carrie Patel, author of the Recoletta series and writer on the original Pillars of Eternity, and Eric Fenstermaker, lead writer on Pillars of Eternity and one of the co-writers of South Park: The Stick of Truth alongside show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the new expansion has new lore and challenges to explore. Set during the middle of the original game similar to the classic Tales of the Sword Coast, the new expansion can be experienced regardless if players have completed the core game or not. Players will venture into a new setting inspired by the snowy environments of Icewind Dale, and meet new companions including The Devil of Caroc, a construct rogue, and the scarred monk Zahua. Additionally, players can make use of new advanced party-based AI during combat and other adventuring challenges.

Phil Savage (PC Gamer) has previewed Pillars of Eternity: The White March - Part 1:

Pillars of Eternity: The White March – Part I is, as you can probably tell from the name, a PC expansion. It's a proper expansion, too. Obsidian are keen to make a sizeable RPG addition that fits neatly into the main game with new areas and a brand new story. At Gamescom last week, Pillars of Eternity director Josh Sawyer gave us an exclusive run-down of the expansion's story. Read on to learn why you're in The White March, and who you'll be meeting along the way.

[...]

For Sawyer, one of the crucial things about The White March, Part I's story is that it won't end in a cliffhanger. "It's like, 'okay, this is now done,'" he says. "Shortly after that, something else happens that's a consequence of [Part I]. That's Part II. It still takes place in The White March, and it's a continuation of that storyline, but we don't have quests that start in the first one that end in the second.

"Let's say someone just wants to buy part one. That's fine. You can play all the quests and there are not going to be any cliffhangers, or shit where you get half of what you expect and have to get the second part if you want to finish it. Of course, you will finish the overall storyline if you get Part II, but it's not necessarily. It stands alone as a single expansion."

IGN asked Creative Director, Josh Sawyer, about The White March's new features:

Pillars of Eternity: The White March - Part 1 will be released on August 25.

Brian Hoss (High-Def Digest):
The Expansion PoE: The White March will change the whole game experience.

Even Obsidian is surprised at how the base game will change.

The idea of a proper game expansion is something of a lost art, what with forgettable, shoddily produced DLC regularly being slapped with the title of 'Expansion.' Of course, isometric RPGs were also considered a lost art not all that long ago. That was before the Kickstarter-rattling 'Pillars of Eternity' hit the market. (Review here.)

Thus, it should come as no surprise that the first expansion for 'Pillars' is most definitely ambitious in aspect and scope. It's even more ambitious than the name, 'Pillars of Eternity: The White March: Part I' suggests. It's pretty clear that with Obsidian and Paradox Entertainment actively developing for 'Pillars' (as opposed to say, ditching it and moving on to a new project), the idea of expanding the game is being fully explored. (...)

The expansion will introduce soulbound weapons whose characteristics will change depending on the class of the party member to whom the weapon is bound. These weapons will get stronger over time, so that choice is even more important.

While these are nice, juicy expansion-esque features, there are others of a greater significance. With the expansion, Obisidian is going to introduce several fan-requested changes that will fundamentally alter how the game is experienced. For example, cross-class (aka multi-class) talents will allow players to really get creative with their party members' skills. Case in point, the rogue who can frenzy like a barbarian, or summon skeletons. These talents won't be exactly like if they were primary class talents, but still, the options will be many.

Class importance and distinction is like to increase, however, what with the soulbound weapons, and the new Party AI scripting system. With class-specific party behavior options, players will gain a greater default way to control their party members, and this deeper set of orders can be toggled on or off with click of the UI or hotkey.

Even still, the way that stealth is handled is changing. In 'Pillars,' the party's stealth status was all or nothing, and at first detection, all party members and most AI enemies were drawn into battle. With the expansion, stealth will be handled on a per party member basis, and that means that players can exercise a much larger degree of tactical ability prior to combat, positioning their party members in a way to exploit detection. This may sound too powerful, especially for those players willing to infiltrate and backstab enemy positions, but there is a catch. Enemies will also behave in manner more attune to individual stealth settings.

These changes are being worked back into the main game, and as it turns out, many enemies have grown a bit wiser and a bit tougher as a result. For veteran 'Pillars' players, these features are bound to touch a nerve, but hopefully in a good way. (Party A.I. changes, Individual Stealth, and Spell Range Indicators, and Accuracy Indicators will be updates for all owners of 'Pillars of Eternity,' and not just expansion buyers.) (...)

Good preview of PoE: The White March at Destructoid - a snippet:

In the expansion, the player character and their allies come into contact with the mayor of Stalwart, who seeks their help in dealing with an encroaching force upon their land. A once great fortress has been long abandoned, leaving all its riches untouched. The mayor wishes for the heroes of Caed Nua to travel through the dangerous mountains of Durgan's Battery to retake it. Venturing to the new area of The White March, a snow-covered land with relics to uncover, players will come into contact with several new characters and foes that may help or hinder their quest to retake the mountain.

During our presentation, we got to see just what sort of trouble your group of adventurers can get into. For those wondering, the new content becomes available once you've acquired your own stronghold, and from there, you can engage in the expansion's content at any time. Taking inspiration from Icewind Dale, a classic CRPG title, the developers at Obsidian wanted to include a vastly different setting to go along with the big jump in difficulty.

Along with the higher level cap (raised to level 14) and new weapons and armor, there are two more companions to join your merry party. The first is Zahua, a drug-addicted monk who possesses powerful unarmed melee attacks that can make quick work of foes, and the Devil of Caroc, a construct made of pure copper who uses stealth and agility along with rogue abilities to get the jump on the enemy. Moreover, there's a new system, multi-class talents, allowing characters to spend points on abilities from other classes to develop skills in areas they couldn't previously.

There's a stronger focus on building characters this time around, and it's clear the developers want players to have more freedom than before. To further illustrate this, the scripted story moments (shown in D&D-esque story prompts) now offer far more options than in the original and each one gives a different result.

(...)

Trailer:

Obsidian announced the first expansion for Pillars of Eternity todat at E3.

“The White March: Part 1,” will extend the story and experience of Pillars of Eternity, as well as adding a higher level cap, new abilities, new companions, and more to the game. The expansion, originally offered as a pledge add-on during the game’s incredibly successful crowdfunding campaign, was revealed by Obsidian and Paradox at E3, and will be coming soon for Windows, Max, and Linux PC.

“Fans’ response to Pillars of Eternity has been incredible,” said Feargus Urquhart, CEO ofObsidian Entertainment. “We knew, when we started work on the game following our crowdfunding campaign, that we had the potential to create the kind of game we’d wanted to see again for a long time. Evidently, we weren’t alone in that. With The White March, we’re going to ensure that we live up to the praise we’ve received and the faith our fans have placed in us.” 

“Our partnership with Obsidian couldn’t have started on a higher note than with Pillars of Eternity,” said Fredrik Wester, CEO of Paradox Interactive. “It was clear to us, from the beginning, that Obsidian had a deep connection to their fans, and with the tremendous success of Pillars of Eternity, there’s no doubt in our mind that they understand what players want from an RPG. We’re looking forward to working with their team for a long time to come.”

Thanks Couch!