Divinity: Original Sin II - Definitive Edition Review
Divinity: Original Sins II Definitive Edition lives up to the namesake. An already well regarded role-playing game on the PC, the console port had much to live up to. Thankfully, Larian Studios made sure that this was more than just your average port. Massive pieces of the game have been changed and reworked in order to work better on consoles, and to be an overall better experience compared to it’s original launch. This makes an already amazing game near perfect. Frame rate has been a smooth, steady 30 FPS and loading screens are surprisingly quick. It did take awhile for me to get used to the user interface, but that might be due to it changing a bit from last game. Every single button on your controller does something different. The camera is really easy to manipulate alongside each playable character. I have seen the occasional texture pop while playing on Xbox One, but those objects never had that problem again. I believe it’s because only certain things render in real-time. Textures are also now apparently better compared to the original PC release, however I never played the PC version to compare. Visually, you cannot deny that the game looks fantastic. There is an incredible amount of detail you can see from towns to forests and every single NPC. Each environment is truly unique!
Divinity: Original Sin and it’s sequel are known for two things: Combat & Dialogue Choice. Essentially, it’s the closest you can get to playing D&D with friends in a video game. With 2 Player Split-Screen Co-op and 4 Player Online multiplayer, the game encourages you to play (and break) it in your way. Combat is ridiculously rich. If you can think it, you can do it. You can build your character in so many different ways. Attacking with spells and even weapons feel great. There is a strange weight and comfort to everything you do in game. Lighting effects make what could have been a typically boring strategic combat RPG feel frantic and flashy at all times. Even at Level 1, you are able to do abilities that look visually impressive.
If you are looking for a quick experience, you might want to look elsewhere. This game is massive in every sense of the word. You can easily get hundreds of hours out of each play-through, and due to the ridicous customization options and flexibility available in this game, each play-through will almost certainly be different. This is a surprisingly original story that feels a bit more grounded compared to the last, while it does build up towards something much more plentiful and worthy. The writing for even throwaway NPCs are hilarious and heartfelt, and each time I chat with a character, you can tell that these developers put their whole heart and souls into this passion project. It’s hard to believe this was all thanks to Kickstarter. Don’t be afraid to start the game a few times to discover what kind of character tags (background) and perks you want! I typically played as a snarky, but kind human noble scholar that has the ability to talk with animals while controlling water/ice as I heal and bash down foes with a giant hammer.
10/10. With the largest amount of freedom given to players in a role-playing game, and wit to keep you occupied, this modern classic and stand next to other legends in the field like The Witcher 3 and Knights of the Old Republic. If you consider yourself a fan of RPGs, then this is a must play.
Source: https://medium.com/@BruceBurhans/divinity-original-sins-ii-definitive-edition-review-9f75f2470c1
