It took over 100 hours, but I've finally managed to finish my first playthrough of
Divinity: Original Sin 2! I had read that it was a GOTY contender and I don't think that observation is far off the mark.
D:OS2 managed to maintain much of what worked well in the original game and to improve on some of the weaknesses. Overall, I'd give it an emphatic recommendation--buy it! Then set aside a huge chunk of time so you can enjoy it.
Pros:
--Cast of diverse and interesting characters to choose from. You can choose either to design your own character or you can choose from one of six unique characters who each have their own stories. There's Lohse, the demon-possessed bard; Ifan Ben-Mezd, a human mercenary; Beast, a dwarf pirate/revolutionary; Fane, an undead scholar; the Red Prince, a noble lizard; and Sebille, a tattooed elf with a thirst for vengeance.
Each character has their own unique set of missions that are directly related to them and those missions do add a lot of insight into each character. It's obvious that a lot of thought and writing went into all the "origin story" characters.
Even if you choose one of the origin story characters, you can mold them into whatever class you want them to be. You can also add whatever talents you want and create a hybrid class of your own creation. There's much versatility.
--Combat is very similar to the first game, but has been improved. They decided to add different types of armor--physical armor, which helps block physical damage like attacks with weapons; and magical armor, which helps to block magical attacks from spells and environmental effects--and this helped simplify combat. In the first game I often found myself frustrated by enemies who took little or no damage from attacks. Now, all you really have to observe is the type of armor that an enemy has to know which types of attacks will be the most effective. If they have low magic armor, blast them with magic! I didn't find myself bogged down in bouts of combat that were painfully long.
I also felt like the number of skills and skill books that were purchaseable or could simply be found or rewarded, were much more numerous than in the previous game. Each of my characters had learned so many skills that choosing priorities was rather difficult. To increase the number of skills that your character can access at once, you can invest points into a stat called memory.
In addition to regular skills, you can also use special, very powerful source skills. These skills use a combination of regular action points and a certain number of source points. Source is a very limited resource, so unleashing source abilities requires some serious strategy.
The battlefield itself can be a strategic choice. Ranged characters benefit (greatly--up to 30% more damage) from attacking from high ground. Attacking characters from low ground results in a damage reduction, so it's vital that you plan out the best place to start your attacks.
--Story is strange, but compelling. You play as a sourceror, who learns that they are one of a group of people with special abilities known as the "godwoken." Throughout the game you are mentally contacted by the actual gods (each race has their own) and learn that the gods are weakening and that the void is going to consume all of Rivellon. As the godwoken, your character could rise to divinity and replace the old weakened gods...or not. The entire story hinges on the quest to understand exactly what is happening and why the gods are losing power. There's a real doozy of a twist thrown in at the very end of the game...enjoy!
--Crating system has been simplified and is easier to understand. As you find and read crafting books, you unlock recipes that will automatically be stored in the "recipes" tab. There are no more crafting skills that require skill points (like crafting, blacksmithing or enchanting) so any character can craft item. It's a huge improvement over the obtuse crafting system in the first game.
--Choices that can greatly impact the game. I can't tell you how many times I picked the wrong dialogue options and had to re-load a previous save because I angered a party member and they decided to leave the group. It pays to be cautious in how you relate to those in your squad. Many games vaguely threaten this idea, but few actually make it a reality.
--Varied environments. Crumbling forts, bustling cities, forests, giant graveyards, ships, farms, demon-infested islands...the scenery changes and is engaging and can be beautiful.
--There's plenty to do. My first playthrough clocked in at slightly over 100 hours. I tried to complete any side quests that I found, I explored as much area as I could, and I completed the main storyline. You'll be busy, and entertained, for a good, long while. (I also spent a lot of time re-playing things that I screwed up)
--Voice acting is good. I was surprised at the quality of the dialogue throughout the game. It is nicely acted and fits the characters well.
--Inventory can be toggled to show individual inventory or to show the entire party. This makes managing inventory much, much easier than in the previous game.
--Co-Op play. I didn't utilize this feature, but I think it sounds great. It would be really fun to play with someone else and manage the party together. There is also a game master mode that I didn't mess with.
Cons:
--Autosaves are weird, you really need to make sure that you're utilizing the many, many (there's like 15 or more) quicksave slots. It felt like the only time the game really autosaved was when you were completing quests that related to the main storyline. There were several times where I was exploring that I ran into enemies who were too tough to fight at my current level and I hadn't quicksaved. Fortunately, I didn't have to replay hours worth of content, but it was still irritating to have to re-load and replay sequences all over.
--Crafting system is improved, but is still difficult to master. I remembered how to craft some items, but I still haven't figured out how to make complicated armors and weapons. I could've probably looked up a guide, but it seemed pointless when I could buy or get rewarded with gear that suited my needs. There's still an aspect of discovery to crafting, and I didn't feel like messing with it.
--No quest markers or guides. It's completely up to you to figure out what certain special items are used for when you pick them up or to even find those items in the first place. I know that I have gotten used to games that handhold players through quests and the change to having to figure it out for yourself is tough. I spent a lot of time looking up the solution to quests that I just couldn't figure out. I usually hate to do that, but I was completely stuck and could not advance the quests any further. Even with help there were several quests that I couldn't manage to close. It can be quite frustrating.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is definitely deserving of the praise that it has received. It has been really great to see the modern version of CRPG's in a period of re-birth and improvement and it's clear that Larian is working to refine the genre.
DOS2 manages to be entertaining, highly strategic, and to also incorporate strong characters and stories into the CRPG genre. It's one of the few games that I would recommend paying full price for.
