Divinity: Original Sin II - Review by Ye Old Entertainment

The AoE was perhaps funnier in the first game because they had a real effect, even if it was a little overdone to my taste. And in the second game they reduced the effect and played with the dual armour system to try and reach a sort of balance.

In a sense, I had fun with the dual armour, finding the spells that would deplete one and others that would work once it had been removed despite the other type. But that, the reduced potency of all the effects, and the turn-based mode made fights very long.

... And a bit overdone again too, like the beach with those sort of oil blobs exploding all over the place. It was amusing the first 10-20 minutes.

The world, the freedom of action and movement were great. That's something I miss in Pathfinder and most other CRPGs sometimes. Larian is really more sim-oriented, and that allow the player to become quite creative. Other games compensate that with more complex rulesets.

I almost finished the game, but Larian did the one thing I hate more than anything else in a game; just when you think you've beaten the final boss after a massive battle where you expend all your resources because hey it IS the final battle, the boss regenerates into an even more powerful monster and your heroes are spent!!!! Game killer for me I exit and delete, never to be played again.

Corwin said:

I almost finished the game, but Larian did the one thing I hate more than anything else in a game; just when you think you've beaten the final boss after a massive battle where you expend all your resources because hey it IS the final battle, the boss regenerates into an even more powerful monster and your heroes are spent!!!! Game killer for me I exit and delete, never to be played again.

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My pet peeve too. But i managed to get through it. I beat the game twice. The game is definitely broken if you know how. People beat the game at the start of the game using various tricks. I still enjoyed playing the game though.

I highly recommend the Epic Encounters 2 mod.
It solves the 2 armour issue by getting rid of most hard CC
Makes for more build variety and adds in an ascension tree.
It honestly feels like playing a different (and far better designed) system

JDR13 said:

Indeed, there are certainly some ruffled feathers here, and it's easy to see who's emotionally invested.

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Nereida said:

I don't know how old are you, but where I live kids stopped pretending to be tough and calling girls emotional to win arguments only in their own mind, after being blatantly exposed. It's not only childish, it's also sexist.

But hey, man. Whatever works for you. Don't let nobody judge you.

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Exchanges like this are confusing. Are men not allowed to be emotional? If someone says you are emotionally invested, does that immediately make it an insult and assumed gender? I guess I'm not up on the latest version of victimness where you can jump from a generic statement statement to personal assault and calling someone sexist.

Corwin said:

I almost finished the game, but Larian did the one thing I hate more than anything else in a game; just when you think you've beaten the final boss after a massive battle where you expend all your resources because hey it IS the final battle, the boss regenerates into an even more powerful monster and your heroes are spent!!!! Game killer for me I exit and delete, never to be played again.

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Yes this was annoying!
Thanks to the forum I seen it coming but if I was blindsided it would have been worse.

Wisdom said:

Exchanges like this are confusing. Are men not allowed to be emotional? If someone says you are emotionally invested, does that immediately make it an insult and assumed gender? I guess I'm not up on the latest version of victimness where you can jump from a generic statement statement to personal assault and calling someone sexist.

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Nah it's just JDR being himself as usual. It's his posting style.

He provoked her, she took the bait, and he got a response. It's what he wanted.

@Nereida next time just ignore him and don't reply it works.

Nereida said:

You're not alone, and I know this site in particular has a large sequit of Larian-haters for some reason, especially since they got the BG IP. Which is funny when you consider at the same time there is an equally large sequit of fans of mediocre studios like Piranha Bites and similar companies that have showed nothing but clunky and disappointing products for the last 15 years. It is what it is.

That said, I appreciate that you couldn't finish it, I had trouble too because the game went on for too long it felt. I always have that problem with games that last more than 80-100 hours, and that's the reason for I never finished Fallout 4 or Skyrim either.

The reason I do manage to push myself with CRPGs like DOS, or more recently, Pathfinder WotR, is that the challenging turn-based combat in the higher difficulties alone works as an incentive. most other long games tend to become trivial past the halfway point when the character is a god amongst peasants and that's where I eventually drop it off.

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I've got nothing against Larian. I actually have the opposite view of what you mention above. I bought both DOS1 and DOS2 and just couldn't get into them. On the other hand, I also bought BG3 EA and played for over 30 hours and had tons of fun.

Some games can be fun for some and not for others. Doesn't always need to be based on love or hate for devs.

Nereida said:

You're not alone, and I know this site in particular has a large sequit of Larian-haters for some reason, especially since they got the BG IP. Which is funny when you consider at the same time there is an equally large sequit of fans of mediocre studios like Piranha Bites and similar companies that have showed nothing but clunky and disappointing products for the last 15 years. It is what it is.

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Yeah I can 100% agree pro-tip don't dis the Gothic games on this site. I mentioned all three games are dated and in need of remakes. Also hinted at rose tinted googles.

You should have seen the responses I got.

That said, I appreciate that you couldn't finish it, I had trouble too because the game went on for too long it felt. I always have that problem with games that last more than 80-100 hours, and that's the reason for I never finished Fallout 4 or Skyrim either.

The reason I do manage to push myself with CRPGs like DOS, or more recently, Pathfinder WotR, is that the challenging turn-based combat in the higher difficulties alone works as an incentive. most other long games tend to become trivial past the halfway point when the character is a god amongst peasants and that's where I eventually drop it off.

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My personal opinion is the combat pads the game to much, just like the Pathfinder PC RPGs. It would help if more developers let you switch combat modes, but that is rare.

As for game length yeah more isn't always better.

Wisdom said:

Exchanges like this are confusing. Are men not allowed to be emotional? If someone says you are emotionally invested, does that immediately make it an insult and assumed gender? I guess I'm not up on the latest version of victimness where you can jump from a generic statement statement to personal assault and calling someone sexist.

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Yeah, the sexist comment was kind of interesting. I'm apparently guilty of triggering the exchange somehow, but I can assure you that gender was not a factor. That's why I just gave it a thumbs up moved on.

Of course it wouldn't be complete if we didn't have Couchpotato trying to fan the flames in his typical cowardly manner.

Pladio said:

I've got nothing against Larian. I actually have the opposite view of what you mention above. I bought both DOS1 and DOS2 and just couldn't get into them. On the other hand, I also bought BG3 EA and played for over 30 hours and had tons of fun.

Some games can be fun for some and not for others. Doesn't always need to be based on love or hate for devs.

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I'm really glad to hear that. I am keeping fully spoiler-free from BG3 because I want to be impressed and amazed by every little thing in the final release as I discover it all by myself when the game is fully playable, from beginning to end, and I have little idea of how the game is looking at the moment. One of the rants I hear most from the anti-Larian crowd is "It's not BG:3, it's DOS:3. They're profaning all that the BG franchise is for publicity".

It's not that I wouldn't love if there was a DOS:3, but I also would like it to be called DOS:3, in that case.

Hearing someone neutral who didn't like DOS games that much but is enjoying the BG3 EA, I assume that because there is a notable difference between those games that sets them apart, is very good news to me.

Pladio said:

I've got nothing against Larian. I actually have the opposite view of what you mention above. I bought both DOS1 and DOS2 and just couldn't get into them. On the other hand, I also bought BG3 EA and played for over 30 hours and had tons of fun.

Some games can be fun for some and not for others. Doesn't always need to be based on love or hate for devs.

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Nereida said:

I'm really glad to hear that. I am keeping fully spoiler-free from BG3 because I want to be impressed and amazed by every little thing in the final release as I discover it all by myself when the game is fully playable, from beginning to end, and I have little idea of how the game is looking at the moment. One of the rants I hear most from the anti-Larian crowd is "It's not BG:3, it's DOS:3. They're profaning all that the BG franchise is for publicity".

So hearing someone neutral who didn't like DOS games that much but is enjoying the BG3 EA, in part because there is a notable difference in style between those games, is very good news to me.

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They kept the good parts of D:OS1&2 like gorgeous big maps, a lot of freedom, good story and voice acting. They added the D&D lore and the D&D 5E ruleset with some adaptations, and made the area of effect less omnipresent (no choice since it would be devastating in 5E).

You can still make oil-filled barrels explode, cut ropes to let items fall down and throw things (sim-like interactions with the environment).

It's a shame that D:OS has put off a whole category of players, because I'm pretty sure they'd enjoy BG3.

Nereida said:

I don't know how old are you, but where I live kids stopped pretending to be tough and calling girls emotional to win arguments only in their own mind, after being blatantly exposed. It's not only childish, it's also sexist.

But hey, man. Whatever works for you. Don't let nobody judge you.

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It's also a generations thing.

There are 2 Millennials in in the department/team I'm working in, and they are so much different than everyone who's older. There has changed a lot with the younger generations.

Wisdom said:

Are men not allowed to be emotional?

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In older generations, men at least aren't allowed to show that, except in sports, as spectators (soccer/football etc.).
At least here, but, as far as I know, also elsewhere, there's a huge masculinism fashion going on right now. Like with the German "Deutschrap". Ties in with that I personally call "the heavymetalization of games".

Alrik Fassbauer said:

It's also a generations thing.

There are 2 Milennials in in the department/team I'm working in, and they are so much different than everyone who's older. There has changed a lot with the younger generations.

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I appreciate the comment, though I rather just drop it.

Lest I get too emotional and become the laughing stock of one or two "tough kids" who will have a kick out of you being emotionally invested, regardless on whether you are or not, but because they said you are, you are automatically the loser. Teenager logic. It's because having emotions is such a glaring flaw in their minds. In the other hand, they are Batman, there, all alone behind their computers since 1990, which is about when acting like Batman stopped being cool, though they never got the memo.

Best to keep the topic going and enjoy the opinions of those who have an opinion on the topic. Skip those that keep trying to sabotage the interlocutors with childish personal attacks time and time again. When you have been around a while you know who they are, so it shouldn't be too hard.

I don't think pretending to be a victim while simultaneously doing the passive-aggressive thing is really going to work. Most of the members here aren't that dumb.

Another teenager logic - "I'll imply that not thinking what I want people to think is dumb, thus they have no choice but to think what I want them to think - else they are dumb".

People have their own mind. Whether they think anything I said "works" is their choice, and you are the one assigning and imposing feelings on others, constantly, because in your mind it makes you superior. You're amongst adults here. If you act like Trump, you'll be treated like Trump.

I also don't think that constantly trying to spin what I'm saying is going to work either. Do what makes you feel good though.

Nereida said:

I appreciate the comment, though I rather just drop it.

Lest I get too emotional and become the laughing stock of one or two "tough kids" who will have a kick out of you being emotionally invested, regardless on whether you are or not, but because they said you are, you are automatically the loser. Teenager logic. It's because having emotions is such a glaring flaw in their minds. In the other hand, they are Batman, there, all alone behind their computers since 1990, which is about when acting like Batman stopped being cool, though they never got the memo.

Best to keep the topic going and enjoy the opinions of those who have an opinion on the topic. Skip those that keep trying to sabotage the interlocutors with childish personal attacks time and time again. When you have been around a while you know who they are, so it shouldn't be too hard.

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What I actually meant was, that, according to what I've heard from them, Millenials and younger generations in general are more sensitive regarding emotions. Or, in other words, it is more allowed than in generations like me (40+).

I might have interpreted that wrong, of course, because 90 % of the members of the department/team I'm in are female, which includes those Millenials. Which means that I have really no information from male employees of that age.

It's just so that when I try to explain how things are in my age (40+), I often get reactions of disbelief and that "things are not this way in my generation", so to say.

I can only try to explain what's going on my my generation, and all I can se is that things have changed a lot. It's like with Feminism : There has been made a LOT of positive development for women within the recent decades - compared to what I lived to see in my generation and older.

It might also be a factor that the firm I'm working in is not a "normal" firm; it is rather a social oriented one which was build up to give work to all handicapped people of all ages and with all sorts of handicaps - chronic illnesses, body handicaps, psychological handicaps etc. This is not an environment within the - as we call it - "free economy". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caritas_Internationalis


But, apart from that, there's still this toxic Masculinism going on, and it imho clearly shows in a) what kinds of games we get and b) what art style they have.

Nereida said:

Another teenager logic - "I'll imply that not thinking what I want people to think is dumb, thus they have no choice but to think what I want them to think - else they are dumb".

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"Someone is wrong on the internet"

Nereida said:

Teenager logic - "I'll imply that not thinking what I want people to think is dumb, thus they have no choice but to think what I want them to think - else they are dumb"

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JDR13 said:

I don't think . . . is really going to work. Most of the members here aren't that dumb.

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JDR13 said:

I also don't think that constantly trying to spin what I'm saying

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Can we take that as a sign that you're done being triggered now?