The CRPG Analyzer (Version 1.00) for Divinity Original Sin
The three core categories
Character Development,
Exploration and
Story that need to be applied and quantified to determine if an interactive computerized game can be labeled as a Computer Role Playing Game (hereafter referred to as
CRPG) are listed to show the necessary component elements and qualifying factors.
Any proposed or purported CRPG must contain all three core categories and their essential necessary
Must Have conditions fulfilled to achieve the (minimal) CRPG status.
These core categories must maintain some form of progressive nature that will improve from when the game starts and leads to a conclusive game ending.
Each core category and the auxiliary category
Combat also have related
Should Have conditions; the reviewer should make a comment if a Should Have condition is not fulfilled.
So we have these scenarios to reflect the broadness of the genre:
- At least one Must Have condition is violated => the game is not a CRPG.
- All Must Have conditions are fulfilled => the game is at least CRPG'ish or a CRPG light.
- All Must Have and some Should Haves conditions are fulfilled => the game is a CRPG that needs to be further qualified with (sub-genre) tags and/or reviewer comments.
- If all necessary Must Have and all Should Have conditions are fulfilled there's no further discussion necessary => the game is a true CRPG.
Optional elements are listed in the
Nice to Have (NtH) list. With it you get precise information which optional CRPG elements are implemented in the game. A general game info questionnaire is added too, to do some rating.
I. The Checklist:
Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.
- Must Have
C1: you can control and role-play one (=Avatar) or more (=Party) unique characters (-> not only uniform units) yes
C2: you can progressively develop your characters' stats and/or abilities (-> e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, …) yes
C3: Checks against character stats and/or character abilities/skills are necessary to make progress and finish the game yes
C4: you can equip and enhance your characters with items you acquire yes
- Should Have
C5: you can create your characters yes, two of them
C6: the player needs preplanning for the development of the character(s) yes, you can't learn everything in one play-through
C7: the primary means of problem solving, gameworld interaction and overcoming challenges is the tactical use of character/party skills/abilities (-> the player's physical coordination skills are secondary) yes
Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.
- Must Have
E1: your character(s) can interact with the gameworld and find new locations by exploring. yes
E2: your character(s) can find items that can be collected in an inventory (-> there have to be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition and consumable stat boosters.) yes
E3: your character(s) can find information sources (-> e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info) yes- a lot
- Should Have
E4: there are NPCs in the game yes, many
E5: you can choose a path (-> there is at least some branching) yes - nonlinear game
E6: your character(s) can manipulate the game world in some way (-> e.g. pull levers, push buttons, open chests, …) yes
E7: the gameworld can affect your character(s) (-> e.g. weather, traps, closed doors, poisoned areas, …) yes
E8: there are initially inaccessible areas in the gameworld that can only be reached by enhancing your characters' abilities, solving quests or puzzles (-> e.g. unlock locked areas, overcome obstacles, repair bridges, dispel barriers, …) yes
Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.
- Must Have
S1: your character(s) can get information from information sources (-> e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, …) yes
S2: your character(s) can follow quests (-> there is at least one main quest) yes, lots of quests
S3: your character(s) can progress through connected events and play their role yes
- Should Have
S4: the story is influenced by your decisions and your characters' actions and stats/abilities/skills.yes
S5: your character(s) can interact with information sources (-> e.g. NPC conversation, riddle statue question, …) yes
S6: your character(s) can make choices in those interactions yes
S7: at least some of these choices have consequences yes, many irreversible choices
S8: advancing in the story requires thinking of the player (-> e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, …) yes
Combat
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds with elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.
- Should Have
F1: Combat efficiency is in some way tied to character stats or abilities (-> e.g. amount of damage, chance to hit, weapon access, …) yes
F2: Combat works with some random elements (game internal dice rolls) yes
F3: Combat should provide some challenge (-> e.g. preparing, use of tactics or environment possible) yes
Hints:
- A game that fulfills conditions in the categories Character and Exploration but not in Story could be a Dungeon Crawler or a Rogue-Like
- A game that fulfills conditions in the categories Exploration and Story but not in Character could be an Adventure game, a Strategy game or a Shooter.
- A game that fulfills conditions in the categories Character and Story but not in Exploration could be a Simulation game or a Linear CRPG
Bottom Line
D:OS is a Western CRPG with tactical turn based combat that can be played in single player and co-op. It's a fantasy setting, you solve a lot of quests, and besides save the whole existence of everything. Sounds serious but a lot of Larian humor is sprinkled all over the game.
The turn based combat is interesting, challenging and offers many different tactics and options. Enemies are not scaled. Exploring is rewarding and essential to solve the game. A fair amount of puzzles and riddles are implemented, too.
Like the list above is showing all important elements of a full fledged CRPG are there. Some things like the GUI and balancing could be implemented a bit better, but overall a very good game for fans of games like Ultima 7, Baldur's Gate 2 or Fallout.
I have rarely seen a game with so many character options, secrets, crafting possibilities and different combat elements. Put this together with a high quest density, c&c and alternative quest solutions and there is the final score:
9/10 -> Two thumbs up!!