Review Divinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga Review

[CraigCWB]

Now I'm conflicted. On the one hand I don't like it being made easier, but I'll certainly go for removing the need to level up. I hate it when jrpgs force you to do that and it's usually a deal-breaker for me.

It's really quite a lot easier, and the only way you could avoid leveling up is if you didn't do any of the optional quests. They seem to have attempted to compensate for the easy-mode gameplay by reducing the availability of charms and what-not but there are an unlimited number of ways players can powergame/exploit their way through, and most of them are easy to discover. And they still haven't fixed the oddball damage-stacking bugs. I would have liked this game a lot better if it wasn't so gimmicky. Way too many ways to maximize your exp, maximize your combat ability, maximize your loot. I suppose some people like that but I'd rather spend more time playing the game and less time gaming the system.

 

[DalekFlay]

It's also worth pointing out that I don't think the original game is that hard, you just have to dodge, jump and actively avoid damage. It's something to get used to as most hack n' slash RPGs you just stand there mashing the left mouse button. In this game, at least the original version, that gets you killed in seconds against high-level enemies.

So really the grinding and leveling is for people who want to be a higher level than the monsters they face so they don't have to actively engage in combat as much.

 

[Roguey]

I'm not sure how and when this game engine became the devil. Be that as it may, this is the worst example of it I've seen yet and I refuse to blame the game engine for the obvious lack of skill of the people who were using it to make this game.

Until I see a good action game made with Gamebryo, it's not a good engine for action games and everyone should just stick to making strategy games and sims with it. Red Ocean is Gamebryo-engine German PC FPS from 07 and it has a similar awful look and movement comparable to Fallout 3/NV. Tenchu: Shadow Assassins on the Wii? Same deal.

What pan? I had quite a few issues with D2 camera, but none of them was about lack of control over it or cool-yet-useless view angles. From practical point of view it was nearly flawless.

When that person attacked, it seemed like every few seconds it'd zoom in and swoop for no particular reason. Disorienting.

Well, it is H&S. Not an RPG, although it has surprising amounts of dialogue, C&C and all this typical cRPGish stuff. Next time you will baww that some FPS uses first person view and you abhor that.

I know it's a hack and slash, it just doesn't look particularly good. Even decent might be a stretch. Ideally I'd want Devil May Cry with dialogue trees or at least a heavy de-emphasis on what's clearly a weak aspect.

The redeeming aspects involve a lot of good, actual humour, a lot of non-generic dialogue, c&c, lack of handholding, imaginative levels with tons of scenery porn, awesome soundtrack (nearly muted in the video, which also featured one of it's least impressive parts) and some sort of laid-back charm seen previously in titles like Anachronox and later Wizardries.

Possibly would have been better off as an adventure game? I do like funny dialogue and puzzles, and I'll probably give it a try just for that when I feel the time/price is right for that kind of experience. I've nearly exhausted this year's "wading through ick for laughs" tolerance with Obsidian's output.

 

[DalekFlay]

I think Divinity 2, with AA forced, is a really stunning game. It has high-res textures and a lot of detail, the dungeons and interiors are especially beautiful to look at.

 

[CraigCWB]

denizsi,

After 15+ years of gaming, exploration for the sake of exploration does get old. Badly. You don't mind it when you're young and have nothing but the time but it's really the second biggest time-wasting piece of shit feature that gives you nothing. Make me walk the first time I'm exploring any place and but let me zip in and out of previously visited places from there on, maybe with the exception of interrupting the fast travel on events. Otherwise, I'm sick of exploring.

It's not "exploring" when you are re-visiting places you have been before numerous times. The whole concept of exploring implies you are going places you haven't been before in hopes of finding something interesting and unusual. There isn't much of that to be had anymore, and there hasn't been since the 1990s. Even sandbox games don't seem to be including any free-form exploring anymore. Morrowind did, but did Oblivion? Or Fallout 3? Being led around by the nose all the time one of the things that makes me think that RPG developers just don't get it about what makes an RPG an RPG anymore.

Roguey,

Until I see a good action game made with Gamebryo, it's not a good engine for action games and everyone should just stick to making strategy games and sims with it.

I never claimed it was a good engine for action games. It is, however, about as good as it gets when it comes to an engine for RPGs. You can get away with static environments and simplistic character modeling and animations in an action game but in an RPG you end up with a gameworld that seems fake, like we see in Bioware games. If there's a better game engine that's been used to make RPGs, I haven't played any of them... got any recommendations for me? And by "better" I don't mean "looks better" - I mean, it can do all that Gamebryo can do better than Gamebryo can do it.

 

[Roguey]

The only 3D engines that come to mind are the ones used in the Gothics and Risen. Someone else would have to say whether or not Two Worlds 2's Grace engine beats or matches it and I'm hoping for great things with Tsood and Onyx. But yes, 3D RPG engines have been lousy for the most part. 2D is a different matter but that's something of an unfair comparison.

 

[DraQ]

When that person attacked, it seemed like every few seconds it'd zoom in and swoop for no particular reason. Disorienting.

If you don't wiggle your mouse around it won't pan - that's dem mooselooks or sumthin'.

Possibly would have been better off as an adventure game?

Possibly Anachronox would have been better off as something different than JPG. Doesn't make it any less awesome.

Div2 may not be outright awesome, but from the encounter with Talana onwards it was thoroughly enjoyable ride.

 

[Dantus12]

Sorry to ask here,but,played the first one .Ego Draconis,and I'm completely confused.about Dragon Knight,there is no loot,no potions,no formulas,and far less enemies,after staring new game in Dragon Knight.
Is this a bugy install or what did I miss?Sorry again.

 

[commie]

]If you don't wiggle your mouse around it won't pan - that's dem mooselooks or sumthin'.

Mouselook DraQ? Since when have you been part of the decline?

 

[DraQ]

]If you don't wiggle your mouse around it won't pan - that's dem mooselooks or sumthin'.

Mouselook DraQ? Since when have you been part of the decline?

Since it became incline. Also, till became decline again. I'm weird this way.