Divinity Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition

[Multidirectional]

So, this game is shit already?

 

[Perkel]

So, this game is shit already?

No just usual fags flinging shit at people.

It've been said already but:

Divinity: Original Sin is a fun game. It doesn't have best writing or best TB combat but everything is stewed together and creates delicious soup.

I would love to see what Larian will do with their experience with DOS and how their system will evolve in next game.
Also they will probably go completely into emergent mechanics trying to move everything to tag system so that we will be able to have even more creativity and game breaking tactics.

 

[Multidirectional]

It did make me focus on it for a week and a half, making me clock over 90 steam hours for a single playthrough. Of course it helped that I wasn't working at the time but still, it's very rare for a game to do this to me nowadays, I generally have a lot of them installed and juggle them in short doses, taking a long time to finish them, that is, if I even do finish before uninstalling. That would be my in depth review of this game. Will probably play again eventually, after all the patching is done.

 

[Greatness]

Maybe it's because I didn't play it in multiplayer, but I didn't even finish D:OS. The early game was pretty cool with decent difficulty and fairly unique combat, but the writing, setting, artstyle, and noncombat aspects are all awful. Lucky it was buggy back then and I could easily skip the whole segments of arguing with myself through 2 PCs. That has to be one of the worst ideas I've ever seen in a game. Still I lost all motivation not long after Cysael when the game lost any semblance of difficulty and the combat became a repetitive grind with slow animations. If a game is gonna rely on its combat system rather than it's writing to keep you interested then it needs to actually have some consistent level of challenge.

As boring as the first half of Wasteland2 is, at least the writing eventually improved and kept me interested enough to finish it.

Gonna play Dragonfall next, but of the others that I've played from this year I'd probably rank them in order: Blackguards, Wasteland 2, MM:X, D:OS, Banner Saga. I have a feeling Lords of Xulima might beat them all, from what I've read about it here on the codex.

 

[Onholyservicebound]

Fucking storyfags in this thread mang.

Muh story waaah, muh dialogue waaaah, muh c&c waaaah

I would understand this if W2 had Planescape level of writing throughout. But it fucking doesn't. It's banal, shit boring at the best of times.

At least Larian understands what it wants to achieve and has some fun doing it.

There's no such thing as storyfags, storyfag is just a codeword for RPG fan, used by the butthurt vocal minority, aka the strategytards who are too retarded to realize that turn based strategy and RPGs are a different genre.

Lol, Brilliant, so the difference in quality of writing,c&c,dialogue, reactivity, etc, is only able to be used comparatively if it reaches a ridiculously high(Probably unattainable) ceiling? Well then, using the combat(And remember, that's literally all you have.) isn't really valid in D:OS, It needs to be the Jagged Alliance of fantasy, I'd understand valuing the combat if it was actually fun and worth playing throughout. But it fucking isn't, it turns into a complete shitfest less than halfway through the game and doesn't ever recover.

Fuckin A man, I guess if a game wanted to be a popamole piece of shit and managed to achieve that while being fun that'd make it goty as well, lol.

So, this game is shit already?

No, but it isn't great either, it's a better RPG than SRR, It does a few things well and has a really enjoyable opening act. For most casualfags who only play the beginning to middle of games anyway this isn't an issue, but the game as a whole leaves a lot to be desired. And unless W2's patches manage to make the game considerably worse, it ain't no RPG of the year. Well, i can't speak for RPGwatch or kotaku, but it isn't to me, but hell, I know enough people on the 'dex that think Skyrim is a quality RPG, so who knows.

 

[Chaotic_Heretic]

D:OS is like Ultima 7 with shittier writing and way better combat

 

[TheGreatOne]

Does D:OS have any significant story branching near the end? If not, then on top of having more challenging combat through out the game and more strategically demanding encounters, a hand held budget title from 2011 (Devil Survivor 2) also has more storyline C&C than D:OS (5 or 6 different endings, though the big decisions don't show up until very late in the game and all include killing the same boss, but for different reasons). Which isn't a slight against D:OS but kickstarter RPGs in general. Too much emphasis on graphics and eye candy, just look at PoE.

There's no such thing as storyfags, storyfag is just a codeword for RPG fan, used by the butthurt vocal minority, aka the strategytards who are too retarded to realize that turn based strategy and RPGs are a different genre.

Actually it represents old school game design mentality, that is gameplay should come first. What's a video game good for if it's not a good game? A game can have an exceptional narrative and still fail as a video game, which is quite common these days due to the obsession with cutscenes and taking all the interactivity and challenge away from the player.

 

[Mangoose]

Fucking storyfags in this thread mang.

Muh story waaah, muh dialogue waaaah, muh c&c waaaah

I would understand this if W2 had Planescape level of writing throughout. But it fucking doesn't. It's banal, shit boring at the best of times.

At least Larian understands what it wants to achieve and has some fun doing it.

There's no such thing as storyfags, storyfag is just a codeword for RPG fan, used by the butthurt vocal minority, aka the strategytards who are too retarded to realize that turn based strategy and RPGs are a different genre.

Lol, Brilliant, so the difference in quality of writing,c&c,dialogue, reactivity, etc, is only able to be used comparatively if it reaches a ridiculously high(Probably unattainable) ceiling?

Well, not exactly. A storyfag is someone who overly cares about quality of writing and story and doesn't care to address C&C and reactivity. I don't consider C&C and reactivity to be "storyfag" because IMO they are real gameplay mechanics. Incidentally, there's not much C&C and reactivity in DOS (so it is a valid complaint) but we got storyfags complaining endlessly about generic plot and unfunny attempts at humor and other un-gameplay-related issues.

I pretty much agree with everything else you said though. This is pretty concise accurate to my view: "No, but it isn't great either, it's a better RPG than SRR, It does a few things well and has a really enjoyable opening act. For most casualfags who only play the beginning to middle of games anyway this isn't an issue, but the game as a whole leaves a lot to be desired."

It definitely does a few things well but leaves a lot to be desired.

However one interesting thing about this game, and other Larian games, is the "adventure-y" aspects - riddles, puzzles, secrets, experimentation with crafting, etc. (Except the shitty tiny ass buttons... and also the interface in terms of crafting)

 

[Darth Roxor]

but then the Belgian 'humor' sets in.

location: Germany

 

[Rake]

D:OS is like Ultima 7 with shittier writing and way better combat

Not a good exchange. I would take Ultima 7 any day.

 

[RK47]

D:OS is like Ultima 7 with shittier writing and way better combat

Not a good exchange. I would take Ultima 7 any day.

*dong.... dong....... dong........dong....dong dong...dong...dong..*

time to hit the C key.

*dun dun dun dun dun dun dunnnn dunnn dunnn dunnn dunn dunnn*

*screen flashes red*

time to drink yellow potion.

*unpause*

*dun durun dun dun dun dun durnn duunnn durnnnn*

victoly.

It sounds harsh, but that's combat in U7 for me.
It's a good game, but I don't really believe anyone telling me the combat is even any good.
It's shit.
But like all shit, it has some good moments.
Like when it comes out.

 

[Mangoose]

D:OS is like Ultima 7 with shittier writing and way better combat

Not a good exchange. I would take Ultima 7 any day.

*dong.... dong....... dong........dong....dong dong...dong...dong..*

time to hit the C key.

*dun dun dun dun dun dun dunnnn dunnn dunnn dunnn dunn dunnn*

*screen flashes red*

time to drink yellow potion.

*unpause*

*dun durun dun dun dun dun durnn duunnn durnnnn*

victoly.

It sounds harsh, but that's combat in U7 for me.
It's a good game, but I don't really believe anyone telling me the combat is even any good.
It's shit.
But like all shit, it has some good moments.
Like when it comes out.

It even has worse inventory management than DOS

 

[Jasede]

He meant Ultima 7 as a whole, not the combat by itself.


It's really hard to compare anything to Ultima 7 since it's two games, and they're both pretty excellent, combat aside. But D:OS feels nothing like those games. How could it? Thanks to technical limitations, Ultima 7 1 and 2 were amazing. Huge, sprawling maps you could explore at your leisure in the first part and a tightly-written story in the second part that made you explore enormous, interesting dungeons and watch the world burn. I hate to use that word but it really fits here: those games were epic.

D:OS is just, you know, like a Larian game. Small scale. Humble. Sure, the combat is 'better', but it's not good enough combat to stand on its own and the things that aren't combat aren't all that engaging. Well, to me, anyway.

 

[RK47]

yeah man, gotta love losing a small key in the middle of 20 pork chops, 2 horse ribs, and 5 crates of wine.

 

[Jasede]

It's amazing how many times I lost the all-important Serpent Earrings.

 

[mindx2]

... but I actually liked the inventory system of Ultima VI & VII... .

 

[Onholyservicebound]

Muh story waaah, muh dialogue waaaah, muh c&c waaaah

There's no such thing as storyfags, storyfag is just a codeword for RPG fan, used by the butthurt vocal minority, aka the strategytards who are too retarded to realize that turn based strategy and RPGs are a different genre.

Well, not exactly. A storyfag is someone who overly cares about quality of writing and story and doesn't care to address C&C and reactivity. I don't consider C&C and reactivity to be "storyfag" because IMO they are real gameplay mechanics. Incidentally, there's not much C&C and reactivity in DOS (so it is a valid complaint) but we got storyfags complaining endlessly about generic plot and unfunny attempts at humor and other un-gameplay-related issues.

Good point, I was just taking Volrath's distinction as is.(muh c&c) But I guess with that definition I wouldn't consider myself a storyfag.

There's no such thing as storyfags, storyfag is just a codeword for RPG fan, used by the butthurt vocal minority, aka the strategytards who are too retarded to realize that turn based strategy and RPGs are a different genre.

Actually it represents old school game design mentality, that is gameplay should come first. What's a video game good for if it's not a good game? A game can have an exceptional narrative and still fail as a video game, which is quite common these days due to the obsession with cutscenes and taking all the interactivity and challenge away from the player.

It's a disregard that, I suck cocks moment. I value interactivity, hell, it's one of my big arguments against people who honestly think FO3 and NV are the same. The story in a Beth shitfest is akin to watching a really awful michael bay film, it's a cinematic experience that makes the dorito munchers feel like they're part of something epic. Whereas an interactive game like FNV treats the story as part of the game instead of a crappy movie for you to yawn through, you have control of the narrative, you kill who you want, you make choices, those are things I value.

Obviously it should be a good game, but a game with good combat and bare-bones RPG elements can hardly be consider a great RPG, even if "it's fun" to kill the mans. A great CRPG should ideally excel in the mechanics that define the fucking genre, no? Better combat is never a bad thing, but it sure as hell isn't enough to carry an RPG.

 

[RK47]

... but I actually liked the inventory system of Ultima VI & VII... .

It was elegant. until you needed something important , small and irreplaceable.

 

[Mangoose]

He meant Ultima 7 as a whole, not the combat by itself.


It's really hard to compare anything to Ultima 7 since it's two games, and they're both pretty excellent, combat aside. But D:OS feels nothing like those games. How could it? Thanks to technical limitations, Ultima 7 1 and 2 were amazing. Huge, sprawling maps you could explore at your leisure in the first part and a tightly-written story in the second part that made you explore enormous, interesting dungeons and watch the world burn. I hate to use that word but it really fits here: those games were epic.

D:OS is just, you know, like a Larian game. Small scale. Humble. Sure, the combat is 'better', but it's not good enough combat to stand on its own and the things that aren't combat aren't all that engaging. Well, to me, anyway.

Dude. It was a joke. I'm starting to doubt you have a sense of humor.

Just kidding, I already figured out that out a while ago.

Obviously it should be a good game, but a game with good combat and bare-bones RPG elements can hardly be consider a great RPG, even if "it's fun" to kill the mans. A great CRPG should ideally excel in the mechanics that define the fucking genre, no? Better combat is never a bad thing, but it sure as hell isn't enough to carry an RPG.

For me, I don't really consider Larian games to be "true" RPGs (and really nowadays I don't care about genre "definitions" anymore). They're more like adventure games with RPG elements (and previously, Diablo-style combat elements). Actually I don't even know if DOS is an adventure game. It's like a - what kind of shit can you pull - game. First run I played with a 4-element mage with a lot of Speed, so I could cast any environmental combo I wanted. I never really had long fights except for bosses (hp bloat) and whenever I accidentally smokescreened the field so I couldn't do shit. And honestly I can avoid almost any encounter with an invisibility-type skill and teleport pyramid.

This time around I have a Zombie, so if there's a poison trap I just run him through and teleport pyramid the rest of the party. I also maxed out on charm skills (and arrows) so half the enemies are busy fighting each other, while I'm throwing AOEs at all of them And I still have a moderate amount of secrets/puzzles I didn't figure out the first time, that I'm trying to figure out now. Also experimenting with crafting... Just made a one handed sword that has +15% in each elemental resistance, and I'm pretty sure that's not in any recipe book.




Edit: Even though I'm "excusing" it as not an RPG, I still agree that it's a game that does several things well but has many weaknesses, too. And also, I do quite understand and empathize with those who expected a traditional RPG but didn't get one. However if you've played a Larian game and you still expected a traditional RPG, you're a moron.

 

[Black]

There's no such thing as storyfags, storyfag is just a codeword for RPG fan

And that's enough of RPG Codex for today.
See ya'll tomorrow.

 

[Onholyservicebound]

Anti-storyfag is just a codeword for anti-RPG.
Tacticular cancer for the combatfags
RPG codex for the RPG fans.

 

[TheGreatOne]

Anti regenerating health is just a codeword for FPS hater.
RPGs existed before late 90s

 

[garren]

I tried Ultima VII recently but I was hugely turned off by the UI. Reading the font hurts my goddamn eyes, the drag and drop inventory system feels all clunky as hell, and I hate the fact that you have to scroll the mouse further away from the character to run faster. Anything to make playing this game less painful? Yes I have Exult installed.

 

[Mangoose]

Anti-storyfag is just a codeword for anti-RPG.
Tacticular cancer for the combatfags
RPG codex for the RPG fans.

To me, gameplay is gameplay. Everything else is flavor - not that you want bad flavor, but that it is not fundamental. I'm probably being pedantic here as I'm just saying what I said before. But seriously, C&C, combat, character building and development, etc. is all gameplay mechanics, and those are most important.

But seriously, I've given up on the definition of an RPG. The only stipulation I would say is nondisposable characters/protagonists that are be developed and customized throughout the duration of gameplay.

I guess.

 

[Black]

But seriously, I've given up on the definition of an RPG.

Wimp.
There's still so much more to DISCUSS.