This review contains spoilers
Games of this style generally aren't my thing, the complexity, steep learning curve and overwhelming number of things onscreen fighting for your attention made it a tough one to get to grips with. I pushed on because this was a recommendation from a friend but also because, while I definitely have a certain type of game that I tend to enjoy, I am open to new experiences because how else do you find something new to love? I didn't think I would get on with this but was really glad to come around on it.
Much to its benefit Divinity 2 is quite the unique experience, its a little rough around the edges (certainly hampered by the very poor handling on switch) but its nothing that cannot be overlooked from what is a considerably low budget title. The game seeks to deliver the same sort of feeling as playing a real tabletop rpg and executes it skilfully with many of its own ideas thrown in there - this is one of the main things that kept me going as I love a good bit of d&d. Playing solo d&d as a video game is a hard sell though because of the amount of micromanagement involved, as well as the sheer commitment needed not just in terms of time investment, but in terms of attentiveness too.
For certain kinds of players, the awareness that Divinity 2 demands is a fantastic and immersive experience, constantly calling back to things that have happened in the universe and presenting so much information to the player, from thousands of world building texts to massive, lore soaked environments. For me personally this is a difficult thing to navigate and immerse myself in because after just a few days of taking a break from it, many of the smaller (but important) details are lost and not everything is journaled to be caught up on. Quests are constant, they often overlap and can be completed in many different ways, countless characters and names are thrown around and telling factions of people apart was a big task. It made sense eventually but you're very much thrown in the deep end. For all this I find that Divinity 2 rarely ever 'insists' on itself however, it has an amazing story to tell but it never feels forced or out of your control, you always have a part to play and a decision to be made and that is the games' greatest strength.
Eventually I gathered that I was making the game harder for myself by trying to understand too many things at any one time and darting between quests and areas before I really took the time to understand where I had been. Once I started playing at my own pace and doing quests one at a time as much as possible, it clicked! Distracted by its complicated systems and the daunting nature of managing multiple characters and shaping their storylines (I know having 4 party members is optional but I feel like it wouldn't be as fun and would be significantly harder), I never properly appreciated the sheer quality of Divinity 2's writing & presentation, nor the value it places on player expression. It is a game committed to both tell a great story, and help you shape your own stories - doing both almost flawlessly. From a pure writing and presentation perspective, this game is incredible, with one of the most compelling casts of characters i've seen in quite a while.
It is presented like one big storybook which etches itself as you progress, boldened by its extraordinary soundtrack, voice acting and narration. I fell in love with the Red Prince who is now one of my all time favourite game characters, there's something about vain assholes who turn around and become your closest, most trusted friend that I never get tired of. Even the way he is introduced had me cackling, for a pompous and arrogant royal he actually has a kind heart and an undeniable charm. Lohse is one of my other favourites, I love her down to earth attitude, her upbeat personality and compassion for others. The scene where you bring her back from the brink of being completely overtaken by the demon inside her head was done so well, as was the sequence where you snuff out the countless candles (representing the souls of others whom the demon has taken over). DoS2 is filled with moments like this that feel genuinely emotional and impactful. Some sections of the game can be cheesed pretty easily but there are other times where you can use the games' mechanics and systems to outsmart a situation like finding an alternative route, positioning yourselves smartly in combat, getting creative with teleportation etc - these all feel so good, finding your own way and making your own decisions is absolutely fantastic. There's countless ways to escape fort joy for example and at one point in the game I snuck into a sourcerers' private chambers because I did not trust him and I picked the lock on his desk to find his diary, which revealed that he was actually hunting my people and I turned on him, that felt like an amazing, personally crafted moment using the games' systems and that is just fucking awesome.
As for combat, the game is meticulous in how it seems to try to replicate the feeling of d&d what with the importance of positioning, the management of resources, knowing your enemy, having a well rounded party etc. This works to its benefit in many ways such as the flexibility for player expression and strategy. There is an endless number of ways to approach combat and get creative with things like the environment and elemental effects and I love that. The part I find slightly more frustrating is that the methodical nature really slows it down and too often it grinds combat to a halt. The computer has hundreds of possible actions to consider at any one time and you spend a lot of time waiting on it to make its move. At least 10 hours of this 50-60 hour game is a combination of waiting and watching slow animations - that does get old pretty fast. By the late game there is so much stuff onscreen that the switch simply could not handle it, what with all of the elements, all of the characters interacting with each other and all of the numbers to keep track of. Even a strictly turn based system could not keep combat from turning into a clusterfuck of onscreen visuals and data which does end up being a good bit of fun to be fair. This said it is a super satisfying challenge and every encounter is intentional, meaning there's no real 'grind'. There are areas and encounters that are intended for certain levels but you're never outright locked onto one path, there is a critical storyline but never any sense of urgency and more games should do that. Combining very intentional writing and world building scenarios crafted by professional devs and writers with a players' own personal experiences (and even their own interpretations!) has never been done this well; as far as I have seen anyway.
Divinity 2 sold me with its amazing story, characters, world and awesome level of customisation and decision making. Unfortunately i'm not as convinced when it comes to 'crpgs' as a whole genre so I don't have much if any desire to try out more, I loved my time with DoS2 but I would not want to do it all over again because it dragged on and does have its share of low points, plus I think i'd lack the patience now knowing how the story ends but that's ok! This is an excellent experience overall and one that even I could get to grips with and i'm the clumsiest, most easily overwhelmed person I know!
8/10
Much to its benefit Divinity 2 is quite the unique experience, its a little rough around the edges (certainly hampered by the very poor handling on switch) but its nothing that cannot be overlooked from what is a considerably low budget title. The game seeks to deliver the same sort of feeling as playing a real tabletop rpg and executes it skilfully with many of its own ideas thrown in there - this is one of the main things that kept me going as I love a good bit of d&d. Playing solo d&d as a video game is a hard sell though because of the amount of micromanagement involved, as well as the sheer commitment needed not just in terms of time investment, but in terms of attentiveness too.
For certain kinds of players, the awareness that Divinity 2 demands is a fantastic and immersive experience, constantly calling back to things that have happened in the universe and presenting so much information to the player, from thousands of world building texts to massive, lore soaked environments. For me personally this is a difficult thing to navigate and immerse myself in because after just a few days of taking a break from it, many of the smaller (but important) details are lost and not everything is journaled to be caught up on. Quests are constant, they often overlap and can be completed in many different ways, countless characters and names are thrown around and telling factions of people apart was a big task. It made sense eventually but you're very much thrown in the deep end. For all this I find that Divinity 2 rarely ever 'insists' on itself however, it has an amazing story to tell but it never feels forced or out of your control, you always have a part to play and a decision to be made and that is the games' greatest strength.
Eventually I gathered that I was making the game harder for myself by trying to understand too many things at any one time and darting between quests and areas before I really took the time to understand where I had been. Once I started playing at my own pace and doing quests one at a time as much as possible, it clicked! Distracted by its complicated systems and the daunting nature of managing multiple characters and shaping their storylines (I know having 4 party members is optional but I feel like it wouldn't be as fun and would be significantly harder), I never properly appreciated the sheer quality of Divinity 2's writing & presentation, nor the value it places on player expression. It is a game committed to both tell a great story, and help you shape your own stories - doing both almost flawlessly. From a pure writing and presentation perspective, this game is incredible, with one of the most compelling casts of characters i've seen in quite a while.
It is presented like one big storybook which etches itself as you progress, boldened by its extraordinary soundtrack, voice acting and narration. I fell in love with the Red Prince who is now one of my all time favourite game characters, there's something about vain assholes who turn around and become your closest, most trusted friend that I never get tired of. Even the way he is introduced had me cackling, for a pompous and arrogant royal he actually has a kind heart and an undeniable charm. Lohse is one of my other favourites, I love her down to earth attitude, her upbeat personality and compassion for others. The scene where you bring her back from the brink of being completely overtaken by the demon inside her head was done so well, as was the sequence where you snuff out the countless candles (representing the souls of others whom the demon has taken over). DoS2 is filled with moments like this that feel genuinely emotional and impactful. Some sections of the game can be cheesed pretty easily but there are other times where you can use the games' mechanics and systems to outsmart a situation like finding an alternative route, positioning yourselves smartly in combat, getting creative with teleportation etc - these all feel so good, finding your own way and making your own decisions is absolutely fantastic. There's countless ways to escape fort joy for example and at one point in the game I snuck into a sourcerers' private chambers because I did not trust him and I picked the lock on his desk to find his diary, which revealed that he was actually hunting my people and I turned on him, that felt like an amazing, personally crafted moment using the games' systems and that is just fucking awesome.
As for combat, the game is meticulous in how it seems to try to replicate the feeling of d&d what with the importance of positioning, the management of resources, knowing your enemy, having a well rounded party etc. This works to its benefit in many ways such as the flexibility for player expression and strategy. There is an endless number of ways to approach combat and get creative with things like the environment and elemental effects and I love that. The part I find slightly more frustrating is that the methodical nature really slows it down and too often it grinds combat to a halt. The computer has hundreds of possible actions to consider at any one time and you spend a lot of time waiting on it to make its move. At least 10 hours of this 50-60 hour game is a combination of waiting and watching slow animations - that does get old pretty fast. By the late game there is so much stuff onscreen that the switch simply could not handle it, what with all of the elements, all of the characters interacting with each other and all of the numbers to keep track of. Even a strictly turn based system could not keep combat from turning into a clusterfuck of onscreen visuals and data which does end up being a good bit of fun to be fair. This said it is a super satisfying challenge and every encounter is intentional, meaning there's no real 'grind'. There are areas and encounters that are intended for certain levels but you're never outright locked onto one path, there is a critical storyline but never any sense of urgency and more games should do that. Combining very intentional writing and world building scenarios crafted by professional devs and writers with a players' own personal experiences (and even their own interpretations!) has never been done this well; as far as I have seen anyway.
Divinity 2 sold me with its amazing story, characters, world and awesome level of customisation and decision making. Unfortunately i'm not as convinced when it comes to 'crpgs' as a whole genre so I don't have much if any desire to try out more, I loved my time with DoS2 but I would not want to do it all over again because it dragged on and does have its share of low points, plus I think i'd lack the patience now knowing how the story ends but that's ok! This is an excellent experience overall and one that even I could get to grips with and i'm the clumsiest, most easily overwhelmed person I know!
8/10