Divinity: Original Sin

Sulphur on 9/7/2014 at 17:43

"(http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-07-09-divinity-original-sin-review) I can think of no finer compliment to pay Divinity: Original Sin than this: while it was rarely in danger of not being my favourite Ultima-inspired game since Ultima 7, it's the first one I can say - not without a lot of guilt, mind - that I might have enjoyed more than its inspiration. You'd think that nothing could live up to 20 years of fondness for a beloved game whose crap bits have long been mentally erased - and yet if Original Sin has a few rough edges smoothed off by patches in the near future, it's got a real shot at the title."

Well, shit. Maybe I should have pitched some dosh at the loveflaps of their tents when the kickstarter was running. Yo, Renz? Why didn't you goddamn tell me before it was too late? HUH? HUH!!?? :mad::mad::mad:

So people who've bought it, start yakking it up in here. More info. All the info. Opinions. Haikus. Interpretive youtube dance videos made in inspiration, it doesn't matter. Post a liveblog. A playblog. If this is really the game it's being made out to be, we need to be talking more about it. And I probably need to go and get it sooner or later, don't I.

Malf on 9/7/2014 at 18:11

Sorry, I would have posted effusive praise about this game earlier, but I'm too damn busy playing it.

Edit: Oh gods, I really should elaborate, shouldn't I?
Look, it really is rough around the edges. Plenty of times you'll be left scratching your head wondering what the feck you should be doing next. Many a time you'll suspect you've critically borked your characters thanks to the remarkably stingy progress system (by modern standards that is). The companion system is cursory at best when it comes to giving a damn about the guys accompanying you. And the rock, paper, scissors minigame will have you cursing the computer for a cheating asshole.

But none of that really matters.

It'll draw you in with maps that on first glance appear tiny, but in reality are packed full of weird and wonderful things.
The look of the thing will continually delight you, in a way that I've only experienced in the Trine games in recent years. It has graphical oomph and an incredible sense of whimsy.
And the thing that will keep you coming back for more?
The combat.
Glorious, imbalanced, messy, turn-based combat.
More than any other RPG I've played, Original Sin is about controlling the battlefield and moulding it to your will. Pools of flame, clouds of static and noxious vapours, punctuated by sheets of treacherous black ice, and all of which can be placed at a moment's notice.
That placement and the complex yet logical interaction of these hazard fields makes for a game unlike any other. And because there's no obsession with balance, these things can be awesomely, hilariously over-powered.

Right, that's enough for now.
Back to playing.

henke on 10/7/2014 at 17:40

Quote Posted by Sulphur

So people who've bought it, start yakking it up in here. More info. All the info.

I too would love to hear more about it. I have no idea what this game is, where it came from, or why it has people so excited. I've never played any of the Ultimas, or any of the other classic isometric fantasy RPG things either so I'm really in the dark here. I'm as confused about this as I imagine most people are about SpinTires.

Malf on 10/7/2014 at 22:41

Have you played Fallout henke?
Arcanum?
Temple of Elemental Evil?
It's that sort of game; a classic turn-based, Western-style RPG with some neat twists. And those are a very rare thing these days. Pillars of Eternity and Wasteland 2 are also examples of the revival of this sorely missed genre. It's a good time to be an RPG fan :)

GodzillaX8 on 11/7/2014 at 00:02

Quote Posted by Malf

Don't forget Torment and Shadowrun Returns. (And if you wanted to count the Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition releases, those are neato too)

henke on 11/7/2014 at 06:14

Oh right, I have played a bit of Fallout. And Shadowrun Returns. So it's that kinda thing, eh?

Renzatic on 11/7/2014 at 06:37

Yeah, it's very much in the vein of those two games. Though ultimately, it is more of its own thing. I feel safe enough to say that you should go ahead and buy it. You'll more than likely love it.

...sorry if I'm not making any sense here. I am wore right slap the hell out, and I'm about to go to bed.

henke on 11/7/2014 at 17:13

Added to wishlist! I'll pick it up! At some point. Maybe.

gozioso on 11/7/2014 at 18:02

This game is a blast to play. I've been playing pretty much non-stop since it was released. I just finished it yesterday.

Pros:

- Utterly oozes old-school charm
- Huge amount of game content (Steams lists me at 116 hours!!!)
- Great turn-based combat system
- Good character development system
- Great graphics and sound
- Pretty stable (only very sporadic crashes during quick load)
- I encountered no major game-breaking bugs (your mileage may vary)

Cons:

- Desperately needs a SkyUI style UI overhaul for managing inventory
- Due to the non-linear nature of the game, things can be done out of order, causing side quests to become unfinishable
- Too much Diablo-esque random loot...needs a lot more hand-placed items, in my opinion
- Some of the puzzles are based on too much trial and error (including some very poor pixel-hunting crap...YUCK!!!)
- ALT key needs to be changed to highlight ALL items on the screen with which you can interact
- Skill book vendors should always stock all of the books they can carry. It is really tedious to constantly reload until you get the ones you want.
- 3 rows of quickbars(30 slots) per character are too few considering the plethora of skills/items
- Some of the side quests are buggy
- It is easy to accidentally "mis-click" on an animating enemy in combat, causing you to walk to them instead of attack
- Backstab positioning can be a bit finicky

Bottom line:

This game was, quite frankly, a joy to play. This is the kind of game that Temple of Elemental Evil aspired to be but failed. I give it my highest recommendation. I can't wait to see what awesome stuff the community comes up with...

9/10

Zerker on 11/7/2014 at 20:40

FYI: The game is also on GOG now if you want it DRM-Free.