As a newcomer to the action role-playing game (ARPG) genre, diving into Divinity: Original Sin II - Definitive Edition on the PS5 was an intriguing and challenging experience. Without prior exposure to its predecessor, I chose to start on this adventure as Lohse, accompanied by Sebille, Fane, and the Red Prince. Here’s a detailed look at what made this game both captivating and, at times, frustrating.

What I Liked

Deep Battle System:
The battle system in Divinity: Original Sin II is exceptionally intricate. While it took a while to grasp the mechanics fully, the complexity is rewarding once everything starts to click. The strategic depth keeps every encounter engaging and thought-provoking.
Meaningful Choices
One of the standout features is how the game handles choices. Unlike many games that push you towards clear good or evil paths, Divinity: Original Sin II offers a spectrum of moral ambiguity. Every decision you make carries consequences rather than moral judgments, adding a layer of realism and weight to your actions.
Rich Lore and Unique Fantasy Elements
The game’s lore is vast and filled with twists and turns that keep the narrative compelling. The fantasy elements are distinct and imaginative, making the world feel both familiar and refreshingly unique.
Entertaining Story
The storyline is well-crafted and occasionally humorous, providing a good balance between serious and light-hearted moments. This blend keeps the narrative from becoming too heavy, offering a well-rounded experience.
Freedom and Agency
The sense of freedom in Divinity: Original Sin II is remarkable. The ability to tackle the world and influence the story through your actions and dialogue choices is incredibly satisfying. It truly feels like you are shaping the narrative based on your playstyle and decisions.

What I Didn’t Like

Horrendous Loading Times
One of the most significant drawbacks of the PS4 version is the long loading times(even on PS5!). Quick loads often take several minutes, breaking immersion and testing patience, especially during frequent transitions.
Clunky Controls
Playing with a controller can be quite janky and unintuitive. The control scheme doesn’t translate well in the PS4 version, making some actions more cumbersome than they should be.
Steep Difficulty Curve
The game’s difficulty, particularly in the early stages, can be discouraging for newcomers. The challenging combat and mechanics may deter those who are not already familiar with ARPGs.
Lengthy Campaign
While a long game can be a positive for those seeking extensive content, Divinity: Original Sin II sometimes feels overly prolonged. There were multiple instances where I believed I was nearing the end, only to discover there were still many hours left. This can lead to a sense of fatigue and impatience.
Unsatisfactory Endings
After investing so much time, the endings felt somewhat underwhelming. The culmination of the journey didn’t provide the payoff I hoped for, leaving a bit of a hollow feeling.
Everything leads down a hatch?
Why is everyone doing some shenanigans in a basement? It seems like a common loop, was to enter a house and go down a secret basement. It's not very imaginative after the tenth time you do it.

Divinity II is a masterfully crafted ARPG with deep mechanics, rich lore, and a high degree of player agency. However, the PS4 version is marred by technical issues and a steep learning curve that may put off new players. For those willing to endure the long loading times and challenging controls, it offers a rewarding and immersive experience that stands out in the genre.

This game was way too long and that final section was way too hard and boring (what was that final boss? Seriously), overshadowing any good feeling I had toward it.

The art is cool, the gameplay is way less boring then N64's Paper Mario for example but the story really gets drawn out too long. It's really funny and charming, including some of the best writing and memorable moments in the Mario franchise, but it just didn't know when and how to finish.

Also the switching weapons, jumping, etc., mechanic is really annoying.

I was feeling a 4/5 up until about halfway through the game but due to everything said previously, it fell really short.

Borderlands main gameplay loop is just pure fun. I felt the story was way too long... it seemed like I was at the end of the game like 5 or 6 times.

A lot of people complain about the writing and I think it's a bit overblown. It's quirky, it's kinda over the top but it hits the funny spot and doesn't take it self as serious as most games.

Voice acting is great, visuals are not very much improved even in the PS5 version, but what the PS5 version does have is glorious 120fps, so a lot of props for the team on that one.

Overall loved it, did most of the side quests, gameplay is great, but the story was way too long.

(Also, that credits song was so corny, come on)

This guys were on something with all this cousin jokes.

This was pretty fun, although some missions felt repetitive or useless and some fat could definitely be trimmed. Definitely not as dated as other 2006 games but it definitely shows its age A LOT.

Some great stuff, some bad stuff, overall enjoyable.

What an amazingly difficult experience!

I bought this game without knowing anything about it and was so surprised when it got me so hooked!

Such simple but effective game design displayed here, with really sharp art direction. More playthrough to playthrough progression would have pushed this to a 5/5 for me.

Recommended it to anyone who likes challenging but fun and addictive gameplay!