Between 2011 and 2017, I found myself playing less and less games. This due to both having time constraints and feeling fed up with all the day-one patches, DLCs, pre-order bonuses, and lootboxes that were becoming increasingly the norm (they are now, unfortunately). I found myself either playing a quick of DOTA2 to calm my multiplayer urges or short (<10 hours) engaging single-player games (e.g. Dishonored, Firewatch, etc). RPGs, once my favourite genre, were out of the question. When Divinity: Original Sin 2 first came out, with some hesitation, I decided to give it a go. I am glad that I did as the game did not disappoint and Larian had done a great job at supporting the game instead of milking it. Since I finished my first playthrough, I found myself 'hungry' for more RPGs and single-player games.

The main story is engaging enough, but may feel rather generic if you are a fellow RPG veteran. The playable characters' personal stories are far more interesting --especially Fane's-- and add a re-playability value to the game.

Where the game really shines in is in its mechanics; both in and out of combat. Like most tactical RPGs combat consists of rounds where all combatants' turns are in order based on their 'Initiate' value. During their turn, each combatant spends Action Points (APs) to move, attack, or use their abilities. You can have up to 6APs (4 for most characters), but basic attack and most abilities cost 2APs. The combat order is not set in stone: crowd control abilities can force combatants to skip their turn, some powerful spells can make a character play twice, or you can simply delay your turn to see how the battle plays. The terrain of the battlefield is an advantage or a disadvantage. For example, a height difference between two opponents influences the damage dealt by range attacks and spells. Meanwhile, any elements (e.g. fire, water, steam clouds, and others) found in the battlefield or produced through spells can be exploited. Electricity on a wet surface will shock all enemies --and friends-- standing on the water. A fireball will set ablaze any oily or poisonous surface, or convert water into steam. Out of combat, you have your 'typical' RPG experience: dialogues with multiple options; some requiring stats checks, character-specific traits, or prior actions. You can loot/steal/move any object you see as the world is not only rich in details, but also highly interactable. There are plenty of --good-- puzzles to solve. One criticism for the game is how it handles its open world. The game consists of multiple chapters, each with its own map where you can freely move around. However, you cannot move freely between chapters. Once you leave an area, you can't go back. I understand that this was done due to thematic reasons. At least, each chapter/map has PLENTY of things to keep you busy. Note, playing the game on co-op feels like a completely different experience than in solo plays. You loose much control over the course of the battle or how the story progress, but at the same time, it helps you get into the mindset of your main character.

The graphics are good, if not excellent for a top-down isometric RPG. By now, I have run the game on a variety of configuarions: a Dell XPS 15 (with a 1050), HP Elitebook X360 1040 (with a UHD 620), and my desktop at home (5960X CPU, but the GPU changed trice: first a 1070, then a 2070S, and now a 3080). In all of these platforms, the game run good. On the Dell, with the weak 1050, it even managed to run at a fairly playable 4K/25-30FPS. On my desktop at home, with both the 2070S and 3080, I get 100FPS at 3440x1440 (some drops on the 2070S, but none on the 3080).

If the 80-100 hours of content are not enough, the game offers a Player vs Player mode, where you use preset characters in arena-like battlefields. There is also a 'Gamemaster Mode' for pen and paper RPG fans (e.g. DnD), where the game acts as a visual assist of your offline RPG campaign.

Overall, this is a solid 10/10 for me.

Between 2011 and 2017, I found myself playing less and less games. This due to both having time constraints and feeling fed up with all the day-one patches, DLCs, pre-order bonuses, and lootboxes that were becoming increasingly the norm (they are now, unfortunately). I found myself either playing a quick of DOTA2 to calm my multiplayer urges or short (<10 hours) engaging single-player games (e.g. Dishonored, Firewatch, etc). RPGs, once my favourite genre, were out of the question. When Divinity: Original Sin 2 first came out, with some hesitation, I decided to give it a go. I am glad that I did as the game did not disappoint and Larian had done a great job at supporting the game instead of milking it. Since I finished my first playthrough, I found myself 'hungry' for more RPGs and single-player games. The main story is engaging enough, but may feel rather generic if you are a fellow RPG veteran. The playable characters' personal stories are far more interesting --especially Fane's-- and add a re-playability value to the game. Where the game really shines in is in its mechanics; both in and out of combat. Like most tactical RPGs combat consists of rounds where all combatants' turns are in order based on their 'Initiate' value. During their turn, each combatant spends Action Points (APs) to move, attack, or use their abilities. You can have up to 6APs (4 for most characters), but basic attack and most abilities cost 2APs. The combat order is not set in stone: crowd control abilities can force combatants to skip their turn, some powerful spells can make a character play twice, or you can simply delay your turn to see how the battle plays. The terrain of the battlefield is an advantage or a disadvantage. For example, a height difference between two opponents influences the damage dealt by range attacks and spells. Meanwhile, any elements (e.g. fire, water, steam clouds, and others) found in the battlefield or produced through spells can be exploited. Electricity on a wet surface will shock all enemies --and friends-- standing on the water. A fireball will set ablaze any oily or poisonous surface, or convert water into steam. Out of combat, you have your 'typical' RPG experience: dialogues with multiple options; some requiring stats checks, character-specific traits, or prior actions. You can loot/steal/move any object you see as the world is not only rich in details, but also highly interactable. There are plenty of --good-- puzzles to solve. One criticism for the game is how it handles its open world. The game consists of multiple chapters, each with its own map where you can freely move around. However, you cannot move freely between chapters. Once you leave an area, you can't go back. I understand that this was done due to thematic reasons. At least, each chapter/map has PLENTY of things to keep you busy. Note, playing the game on co-op feels like a completely different experience than in solo plays. You loose much control over the course of the battle or how the story progress, but at the same time, it helps you get into the mindset of your main character. The graphics are good, if not excellent for a top-down isometric RPG. By now, I have run the game on a variety of configuarions: a Dell XPS 15 (with a 1050), HP Elitebook X360 1040 (with a UHD 620), and my desktop at home (5960X CPU, but the GPU changed trice: first a 1070, then a 2070S, and now a 3080). In all of these platforms, the game run good. On the Dell, with the weak 1050, it even managed to run at a fairly playable 4K/25-30FPS. On my desktop at home, with both the 2070S and 3080, I get 100FPS at 3440x1440 (some drops on the 2070S, but none on the 3080). If the 80-100 hours of content are not enough, the game offers a Player vs Player mode, where you use preset characters in arena-like battlefields. There is also a 'Gamemaster Mode' for pen and paper RPG fans (e.g. DnD), where the game acts as a visual assist of your offline RPG campaign. Overall, this is a solid 10/10 for me.