Divinity 2 - Review @ G4

A disappointing score for Divinity II in G4's review of the X360 version, with a rating of 2/5. Poor combat, balance, a bad map and a padded story are all discussed:

With the ability to go from 0 to 60 in 2.6 seconds, top speeds in excess of 253 miles per hour and a sleek design that makes it look like something from the not-so-distant future, the Bugatti Veyron is a marvel of mechanical engineering that might just be worth its $1,700,000 price tag. Well, unless the spark plugs are bad. Or the starter is faulty. Then you just have a very pretty, very expensive paperweight. The point is, if you don't get the basic mechanics right, it doesn't matter what you layer on top of it.

It's a lesson I'm hoping the makers of Divinity II: Ego Draconis learn, and learn fast. Although they've created a game that's grand in scope and deep in options, fundamental problems derail the entire thing, turning this game into, well, a lemon.

More information.

Most of the complaints are either things people here would like, BS, or doesn't apply to the PC version.

This review can be totally ignored.

What I'm seeing here is a strong bifurcation in the review results between European and US reviewers.

Besides that, this review is really poor. I mean complaining because there is no quest arrow? How very pathetic…

G4 is one of those sites that review games based a lot on technical polish and cater to the teenage console crowd who love Halo and MW2, so I'm not surprised it scored poorly. I would've expected 3/5, rather than 2/5, but whatever. They gave Fable II their GOTY award last year, so that'll tell you where their head is at.

Hmmm, let me guess.

"The biggest feature and the one that might get ripped off by other RPGs, is that you're not locked into a single class."

…what? Might get ripped off? Are they seriously implying that the author has never seen this before?

"…the game's targeting reticule is so oversensitive and has such a small area of contact that it is rather difficult to aim accurately."

I cannot speak as to the veracity of this claim in regards to the XBOX 360 version as used per this review, but this is definitely not true of the PC edition.

While health can be restored with food or potions, both do so rather slowly, which gives your enemies time to inflict more damage before you get healthy.

Oh, no! They forgot to include instant-health potions! Why God, WHHHHHYYYYY!

For starters, neither the world map nor the one on your HUD will tell you where to go for any side quests, even when the side quest involves going somewhere you've been.

a) the lack of a quest-compass is a good thing
b) if the "quest involves going somewhere you've been" why do you even need a compass?

Enemy balancing doesn't do you any favors, either, since enemies are individually weak but tough in large groups.

Sounds kinda like reality, doesn't it? Shame this reviewer is such a terrible gamer.

In short, discount this review.
Personally, on a scale of 5 I'd rate Divinity II a 3.7 or so, something in the low 4.x range if I was feeling generous. It's amusing and worth playing, especially if you are a third-person single-player/single-character action-RPG fan, but not particularly spectacular. My own complaints lay in the predictability of the storyline, the inability to attack land-based enemies while in dragon form, the jittery and jerky animations of certain transitions (such as the move from man to dragon, that is especially prevalent if you attempt the change in mid-air) and the artificial boundaries on the world-map, such that your dragon-form will literally go crashing into large invisible walls where none ought to exist.

I liked the fat lady analogy better than the fancy car analogy. These guys need to think up more imaginative analogies, though. Certainly we can compare games to things other than women's bodies and cars …

Yeah, why not food, or beer!!

themadhatter: I think the reason why you can't attack ground based enemies in dragon form is because of balance issues. It would be too easy to kill them as a dragon so then it would be like cheating.

I don't own Divinity II yet, so I can't really judge the review, but it seems to me that's it kinda clear that the reviewer doesn't even like playing these kind of games.

Originally Posted by themadhatter
I cannot speak as to the veracity of this claim in regards to the XBOX 360 version as used per this review, but this is definitely not true of the PC edition.

I've seen reviewers complain about the targeting system of the Xbox 360 version before. Honestly, I think it's fine. It isn't the most exact system and with lots of enemies on screen it is hard to target exactly the right enemy in the back, but for sure this isn't the biggest frustration in the game at all. Besides, you can pause the game with the right stick button, giving you time to point the target to the monster you want to attack. It's hardly a problem that's in the way of having fun playing the game.

Originally Posted by themadhatter
Oh, no! They forgot to include instant-health potions! Why God, WHHHHHYYYYY!

Exactly!! I would have thought this is a great feature. Gameplay would have deteriorated to a potion spamming. Now there actually is some challenge. Besides, this is a pretty standard feature in many RPGs. What is this guy talking about?

Originally Posted by guenthar
doesn't apply to the PC version.

While I agree the review is junk, why should we care if a review of the X360 version applies to the PC version?

I've been seeing a lot of Xbox 360 games getting torn a new ass in reviews lately, especially when it comes to games that have a PC version as well.

The map is also rather useless. For starters, neither the world map nor the one on your HUD will tell you where to go for any side quests, even when the side quest involves going somewhere you've been.

Sigh. I really am starting to believe the up and coming generation has never experienced the thrill of discovery of any kind up to this point in their lives. That a game which does not point you in the direction of every quest is viewed so negativley is sad.

Kids these days are such wimps. Games should go back to things like they had in Bard's Tale where you had to make your own map AND there were things to make mapping really hard.

Originally Posted by BillSeurer
Kids these days are such wimps. Games should go back to things like they had in Bard's Tale where you had to make your own map AND there were things to make mapping really hard.

But see, the thing is, that sort of thing was considered fun. The game sort of spilled into the real world resulting in a bunch of handwritten notes and hand drawn maps. But I'm not even calling for that sort of thing either, all I'm asking (the current-gen media) is why is there this negative knee-jerk reaction to games that don't hold your hand with every in-game task? Why is this such negative?

Originally Posted by JDR13
I've been seeing a lot of Xbox 360 games getting torn a new ass in reviews lately, especially when it comes to games that have a PC version as well.

I wish they would've taken a couple months to polish up the Divinity 2 port for the 360. It would've gotten a much better reception. Console games are judged so harshly for technical imperfections, and this port apparently has quite a few. I can overlook those things, but most reviewers will not, and most 360 gamers will not.

These European RPG companies are really shooting themselves in the foot, by releasing unpolished 360 ports (I'm thinking of Risen also). They are really hurting their sales. If they'd take a little more time with it, dress it up a little prettier, it would go a long way. I don't think they've learned that lesson yet. If they want to get into the console space, they're going to have to deliver a technically polished game, or expect to get slammed in the reviews.

Originally Posted by TheMadGamer
But see, the thing is, that sort of thing was considered fun. The game sort of spilled into the real world resulting in a bunch of handwritten notes and hand drawn maps. But I'm not even calling for that sort of thing either, all I'm asking (the current-gen media) is why is there this negative knee-jerk reaction to games that don't hold your hand with every in-game task? Why is this such negative?

It was fun for about an hour. Then it was just tedious.

Why is having a marker on a map for someplace you've already been "hand holding"? I've played games where I was given a task of some sort and had no idea what I was really supposed to do or where I was supposed to go. In the real world you would ask around or check a map so why is this bad in game?

I enjoy some mystery in both movies and games, when a production begins to treat me like my brain fell out my respect level drops.

Originally Posted by Anderson
I can overlook those things, but most reviewers will not, and most 360 gamers will not.

These European RPG companies are really shooting themselves in the foot, by releasing unpolished 360 ports (I'm thinking of Risen also).

Very, very true - they are playing in a game with clear enough rules, and either ignoring the rules or something else … but either way it is hurting them and the cause of deep RPG's in a large way.