RPGWatch Feature: Divinity 2 Review

[Corwin]

Alistair, most of us probably didn't play the demo so we can't help you. I only play a demo if it comes out long before the actual game. Since I got my copy from the UK, I had it before your demo even came out.

 

[txa1265]

Alistair, most of us probably didn't play the demo so we can't help you. I only play a demo if it comes out long before the actual game. Since I got my copy from the UK, I had it before your demo even came out.

Apologies from me as well - I knew I'd play the main game and was buried in other games so I never touched the demo either.

 

[crpgnut]

I bought straight too, but if you tell me where the demo ends, I can tell you what % of the game you got to play. If you only got to play on the first island, without traveling to Broken Arrow, you got about 1%. If you can play all the way till you meet Talana, you're talking about 10-15%. I feel I've gotten my money's worth and I'm not even halfway through the game myself. I've finished through the first half of Maxos temple and then restarted with two other characters just tweaking my build a bit. I've reached the same area with character 3 and I'm going to go ahead and move beyond this for the first time tonight.

For those who've finished, I can just go into Orobas Fjords by walking there. My level 14 mage doesn't have much trouble with the level 18 characters in the first area over there...Would I be getting way too powerful for Sentinel Islands if I mess around in Orobas for a while? My fear was yes, so I rolled back because I get over a 1000xp a kill for level 18 creatures.

 

[Acleacius]

Really enjoyed the reviews thanks Corwin and txa1265.

Is it just me or is anyone else driven to annoying distraction by some of the designs of these games like Diablo, Two Worlds and DD2, who go through all the trouble of designing these armors/gear as apparent Sets, then make it blatantly impossible to acquire a set?

They go through the trouble of making them matching by looks, stats and enchantments (i.e. Damage Shield or Retribution Shield), yet no matter what even trying to save and reload a game, the merchant never offers a set.

I think mmogs really get this right, instead of teiring the armors/gear at every level like these games do, they do it every 10 levels. You can choose a set that fits your play style and gives you something to work and your plan spending. You get a nice looking armor set (in most cases), some nice stats for each piece and a bonus for each piece of the set you have if your lucky. It's in and of it's self another quest/reward/accomplishment.

I just don't understand how games like this can seemly spend so much time designing all these different pieces for 40 hours of game play, yet never let the player succeed at accumulating sets, with the exception of *teh ultimate end game set*.

 

[Alistair]

Thanks all - the demo actually ends with your first meeting with the rogue Dragon Knight, and a brief taste of being a dragon. I don't know if that was actually in the full game? So basically it's the tutorial section then a section of valley, with a village, farm etc. I can't remember its name. On the fence about this now. I just picked up ME2 which isn't grabbing me so far. I'll probably get this in a Steam sale. Thanks for the input all.

 

[crpgnut]

Yep Talana is the 10-15% mark. That's a pretty nice slice of the game. You'll not get to see the enchanting part of the game or any of the higher level skills, but still a lot for free. There are several quests to be solved before reaching her.

 

[Maylander]

For those who've finished, I can just go into Orobas Fjords by walking there. My level 14 mage doesn't have much trouble with the level 18 characters in the first area over there…Would I be getting way too powerful for Sentinel Islands if I mess around in Orobas for a while? My fear was yes, so I rolled back because I get over a 1000xp a kill for level 18 creatures.

Your progress there will limit itself, no worries.

 

[Melvil]

Really enjoyed the reviews thanks Corwin and txa1265.

Is it just me or is anyone else driven to annoying distraction by some of the designs of these games like Diablo, Two Worlds and DD2, who go through all the trouble of designing these armors/gear as apparent Sets, then make it blatantly impossible to acquire a set?

They go through the trouble of making them matching by looks, stats and enchantments (i.e. Damage Shield or Retribution Shield), yet no matter what even trying to save and reload a game, the merchant never offers a set.

I think mmogs really get this right, instead of teiring the armors/gear at every level like these games do, they do it every 10 levels. You can choose a set that fits your play style and gives you something to work and your plan spending. You get a nice looking armor set (in most cases), some nice stats for each piece and a bonus for each piece of the set you have if your lucky. It's in and of it's self another quest/reward/accomplishment.

I just don't understand how games like this can seemly spend so much time designing all these different pieces for 40 hours of game play, yet never let the player succeed at accumulating sets, with the exception of *teh ultimate end game set*.

I can't speak for any of the other games, but in Divinity 2 I had no trouble whatsoever finding 3 full armor sets.

 

[Acleacius]

I must be doing something wrong and wishing there was an editor. I am near the beginning in Broken Valley, having a terrible time getting anything decent much less a set to spawn, checking every level and even if I try to reload.

I really like the game and the original, don't mind waiting till the patch it up some but I will give it another try.

Thanks Melvil

 

[Acleacius]

Melvil, tried playing more yet I am not getting anything close to a single set of Retribution Aura armor set, much less three. I had attributed this to the randomization present in games like DD2, Diablo, Diablo2, Two Worlds and many more.

Either that or we are talking about two different games or my version 1.3 is way different than yours.

 

[Cm]

@ Alistair. I may be a day late and dollar short with this late response but I did play the demo and it does not, IMHO, do justice to the game really. It was like a small box compared to the main game play. A very short taste of only a few main skills and actions. As I said, just my opinion.

 

[Alistair]

Thanks CM. I think I'll get the game when time permits.

 

[crpgnut]

I'm not sure about sets, I've never come across a set of armor, but I keep replaying the Broken Valley area. Sentinel Islands just hasn't seemed to grab me much. The whole changing to a dragon was a huge meh.

 

[Maylander]

There are four fixed sets from fixed locations. You get them very late in the game. No point in worrying about them untill you can visit flying fortresses (you'll know when you get there).

 

[crpgnut]

Interesting. Thanks for the update, Maylander. I rarely pay attention to my armor. I just want to add charms and enchantments that buff my spellpower or damage, so I look for slots more than for what the armor actually protects me from. I don't need to be protected if everything dies in one or two hits

 

[Dajjer]

Thanks for the great reviews. I got the game but I decided to wait awhile before getting into it.

I find it interesting that my two favorite RPG franchises (Gothic aka Risen and Div Div) both decided to add arcade action to the game. It reminds me of when they added arcade action to one of the best adventure games ever; Longest Journey. There are at least two reasons for this that I believe play a part in these decisions.

1) Console bucks - I think the conventional wisdom is that you absolutely have to have some kind of arcade action to appeal to that audience.
2) Advancing the state of CRPGs. - there is a faction out there that believes that CPGS have become stale and they need to get better. And if you want to make a game better add more reaction based movements.

I don't adhere to any of these schools of thought. But when my favorite franchises are starting to pay attention, I just wonder what is going on?

 

[Corwin]

As I said in my review, I don't object to the addition of arcade action, as long as it is part of OPTIONAL content. Once it becomes mandatory, I object most strenulously. It was for this reason I hated Pagan and was delighted to read that a later patch fixed this gameplay. If you want to produce a cross genre game, fine. However, please have the decency to advertise this fact so that people like me won't be caught out!!

 

[spiraling69]

As I said in my review, I don't object to the addition of arcade action, as long as it is part of OPTIONAL content. Once it becomes mandatory, I object most strenulously. It was for this reason I hated Pagan and was delighted to read that a later patch fixed this gameplay. If you want to produce a cross genre game, fine. However, please have the decency to advertise this fact so that people like me won't be caught out!!

Larian had a lot to live up to and I imagine they were under a bit of pressure to create something great to match or better the work they did 7 years ago… Do you feel that the developers "rushed" the second half of the game on purpose to meet a deadline or something to that extent? If not, then do you feel that they were trying something unique and mix things up with a surprise, which is now known as the lame second half?

I'll admit that I still have not finished Dragon Age. I played right up to the Landsmeet, but quite after that and really havent played much since. It's hard to keep interest in any game for 40+ hours… The only RPG that I grinded out to the finish with zeal recently is Risen. Either way, whether you buy now or at a bargain later on, Divinity 2 is a RPG that shouldnt be missed!

 

[Malk]

It's really only a few hours after Landsmeet. And there's a lot of talking, so it shouldn't be dull.

 

[Sir Markus]

Divine Divinity 2 was OK, but it could (should) have been a whole lot better, IMO. I lost interest when I got to the dragon/castle part of the game. It wasn't a well thought out 'enhancement' and changed the game for the worse. HORRIBLE design decision, IMO.