Divinity 2 - First German Review

Kostaz said:

Something like a release-day patch?

Is the game even Gold yet?

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German PC version is gold and testable. First Patch is already in the QA, seems to work fine. Xbox and all international releases have been delayed to September.

Avantenor said:

German PC version is gold and testable. First Patch is already in the QA, seems to work fine. Xbox and all international releases have been delayed to September.

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I might add that I bought the game a couple of hours ago. I had the opportunity to play maybe two or three hours until now and I like what I see so far. Of course I haven't seen a lot so that may change.

And yes, the voice acting is very good and the humor/irony is on a level. Not too funny but also not deadly serious.

The first few people are already playing the game.

I decided not to look into the Divinity forums that much anymore - until I have the game myself. And since I want the CE, this cannot be as early as the first days of August.

I cannot stand some of the posters there as well - their replies are a grammar-conscious one's worst nightmare ... I have even begun a small quarrel with some newbie there, who was claiming how absolutely dull and bad Drakensang was - plus it included - in his opinion - far too much text.

I have the impression as if the very first buyers are those who are attracted by the "action" thing of Divinity 2, and the prospect to play a mighty, all-powerful dragon.

Some newer posters strongly reminded me of the Codex ... In all of its ... image ... cliché ...

Alrik Fassbauer said:

I have the impression as if the very first buyers are those who are attracted by the "action" thing of Divinity 2, and the prospect to play a mighty, all-powerful dragon.

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Hey!

I'm actually skeptical about that part of the game. I just can't imagine it very well. But we'll see. If I start bitching about useless dragon action you'll know that I don't like it.

Alrik Fassbauer said:

... I have even begun a small quarrel with some newbie there, who was claiming how absolutely dull and bad Drakensang was - plus it included - in his opinion - far too much text.

I have the impression as if the very first buyers are those who are attracted by the "action" thing of Divinity 2, and the prospect to play a mighty, all-powerful dragon.

Some newer posters strongly reminded me of the Codex ... In all of its ... image ... cliché ...

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As one could notice of recently, you´ve grown more an more to jumping to premature conclusions based on your bias concerning RPG and singular encounters you´re generalising from in an overboarding way.

Anyways.
Most of the people flocking in now and requesting help are amiable and outgoing folk - if you just know how to take them, show you´re taking them for serious with their issues.
Especially you have to keep an eye on their increased level of anxiety caused by ill-fated exeperiences with former game releases (namely Gothic 3).

Going head-to-head as you´ve practised recently at various accounts is certainly less productive.
But hey, when one bad temper meets the other...


To contribute to the topic in the end:
Current tech issues seem at bay.
The circle mainly around dysfunctional AA/AF, some start-up issues with videos and the inevitable occasional copy protection occurrence (one potential showing so far).

The latter is implemented "the Drakensang way" btw (same publisher in Germany):
- SecuROM
- straight DVD in drive test
- no online registration
- no activation
- no limits in install or play

That aside the game is basically welcomed and well received for graphics and depth and quest options (although most players are still in the early stages - that otoh is shining and well thought through acc. to reviews).

Still, one has to keep in mind that the official release day is just tomorrow.
So the "big wave" is yet to come.

As mentioned, again the previously announced release day patch is already in the final stages to be published.
And lar personally has posted a first aid guide already as well.


Cheers,
Ragon, The Divinity Mage

Ragon der Magier said:

As one could notice of recently, you´ve grown more an more to jumping to premature conclusions based on your bias concerning RPG and singular encounters you´re generalising from in an overboarding way.

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I have just grown some kind of bitter in recent times.

I think I should more and more withdraw from the gaming industry. There are too many developments I don't like - but the newer generations love them, force them.

Currently, I'm withdrawing from several areas - interests - I had. I think that this will be just one more. One day.

Gorath said:

There is no such thing as a "European Publication"

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I was under the impression that Gamestar was a German publication, since it's all in German language. Hence my crazy leap to say 'European Publication.' Anyway, I stand corrected.

I only wanted to clarify that the European markets are small and local. Europe as a whole doesn't have its own gaming identity. A game by a Belgian studio is a foreign product in Germany, just like Fallout 3. With the slight difference that the lead publisher is based in Hamburg this time.

Gorath said:

I only wanted to clarify that the European markets are small and local. Europe as a whole doesn't have its own gaming identity.

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I fully agree with this. And it's also wrong to believe a local game will get better reviews, i can name a buttload of swedish games that got way worse reviews here (sweden) than in the US..

bemushroomed said:

I fully agree with this. And it's also wrong to believe a local game will get better reviews, i can name a buttload of swedish games that got way worse reviews here (sweden) than in the US..

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Eehhhhhh...it depends. Local reviewers do tend to give some major titles a free pass, especially on things like technical flaws or outdated graphics, which just "aren't they fault", and sometimes "cultural" traditions make a big difference; like how Pathologic's setting is much easier to grasp for Russians and other ex-Bloccies than for the rest of the world, or how Drakensang leans on a rich pen and paper tradition that hasn't spread beyond the border much.

But I guess that when they do get harsh they get extra harsh. That's kind of the nature of the beast, really.

But yeah, the point stands that while "European Publication" is a perfectly valid term, using it to imply that "European Publications" give higher ratings to "European games" is a bit silly.

JDR13 said:

I don't know. How many Mexican video games can you name?

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I think it depends on how many pesos they give the magazine / site.

I gave it 7.5 out of 10. It is a good game, but there are some minor glitches and bugs that prevented me giving it an 8.0. So, 7.5 is the "hard but fair" mainstream score. Some of the critical points can be solved by patches and if they do so, I have no problem in giving it the higher ranking, later. For die-hard CRPG fans it could also be an 8.5 then. But I guess that's not the opinion of the mainstream audience. Take a look at the first video at page 1 and the last one at the second, regarding the AI and the missing "death after deep fall".

It is a very pleasant game. It is a funny little action game, somewhere in between The Elder Scrolls and Diablo, but more on the light side of the CRPG genre. Story has some inconsistencies, but it's ok. Doesn't really matter, because the action gameplay distracts from some strange progressions of the narrative. Fast character progress outweighs a lot.

Avantenor said:

Take a look at the first video at page 1 and the last one at the second, regarding the AI and the missing "death after deep fall".

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Yeah that was quite the leap of faith there, at first I thought he was aiming for the water, or that he was going to cast some kind of flight/levitation spell. Did the devs really intend for that to be possible?

Avantenor said:

I gave it 7.5 out of 10. It is a good game, but there are some minor glitches and bugs that prevented me giving it an 8.0.

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I hope you remember to hold Dragon Age, Arcania, Risen, Alpha Protocol and Drakensang 2 to the same standard when they come out.

So, 7.5 is the "hard but fair" mainstream score. Some of the critical points can be solved by patches and if they do so, I have no problem in giving it the higher ranking, later. For die-hard CRPG fans it could also be an 8.5 then. But I guess that's not the opinion of the mainstream audience. Take a look at the first video at page 1 and the last one at the second, regarding the AI and the missing "death after deep fall".

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I can't follow you. 7.5 is your score on GamersGlobal. But what's the connection between GamersGlobal and "the opinion of the mainstream audience"?

Personally I do not care so much for the AI thing and the fall to death and I think many action rpg gamers can live with it also. If so, it's clearly an entertaining game and on a personal level I would rate it more 8.0 than 7.5. But our professional rating philosophy is based on certain criterias that have to work for all the games we are rating on our site. That one say it is not 8. It's based more on rational arguments, not on personal opinions. And regarding the AI Bugs that neither Gamestar nor PC Games mentioned (and I played the game already with patch 1.1 RC), it can't be rated better than 7.5.

I hope you remember to hold Dragon Age, Arcania, Risen, Alpha Protocol and Drakensang 2 to the same standard when they come out.

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I guess so. It's not said, that I am the one who is gonna test it. The best thing of an editorial system, you always have an advocatus diaboli.

Avantenor,

I'm curious how you would rate it when compared directly to Divine Divinity. Would you say that it surpasses its predecessor in your opinion?

I didn't really like the first installment. They already felt a little bit outdated when I played them the first time. I also never really liked that Diablo 2D top down action gameplay, I think it's quite boring. So yeah, in my opinion D2 surpasses its predecessors, in terms of accessibility and gameflow. I also think 3rd person 3D is the way it should have been done right from the beginning. The combat system is more appealing and so it caught my interest from the beginning.

€dith: Patch 1.1 is available. It adds Mini Map and Quicksave. Can't believe they missed that for the gold master. Patchlog also contains some critical updates. Seems, they were on a rough schedule.

Hopefully everything will be fixed for the English release. Any word if it will be released down in Oz?

Hopefully the roll-out of patches will continue ...

I hope so, too.