Divinity Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition

[cvv]

Oh, you'd be surprised how fast you'll start wanting to rush through the content (especially the writing).

Is BG3 writing just as cringe?

BG3 writing is a creative tabletop GM who keeps introducing cool shit but has no regard for structure or coherence. If you enjoy D&D camp you’ll like it, if you don’t, YMMV.

I enjoyed D:OS overall but the writing was fanfictiony, unskillful, without any style or class, topped with terrible, cringy German humour. As much as ppl make fun of Pillars mechanically, the writing in that game oozes professionalism and experience in comparison.

It's like a difference between a lunch in an American fast food with piles of stale burgers, oversweet doughnuts, tough hot wings, burned chips, a horde of kids screaming in a bouncy castle and a mariachi band yodeling next table and a lunch in a stylish sushi restaurant with soft lightning and harmony of tastes.

I guess in BG3 it's the fast food all over again then.

 

[Maxie]

it's rectified in DOS2 where every backstory is connected to another and every faction mentioned in the game has a specific bid, they're not all manipulated by the God King swirling his moustache and sneering obnoxiously
too bad the actual quality of writing is just the same larian drivel

 

[ERYFKRAD]

From the few snippets of the game I've seen, BG3 seems to be full of cliches and overdone tropes. Astarion's "vegetarian" vampirism and the creepy surgeon who vivisects people are great examples. I'm sure that every short clip I can find will be some sort of familiar trope. That's why I'm in no rush to play it even though I can also easily pirate it if I wanted to.

Quoth the castrati paladin

At least you still remember my castrati paladins ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Terrible stuff is harder to forget. Also my memory is a blessing and curse.

 

[Zewp]

Oh, you'd be surprised how fast you'll start wanting to rush through the content (especially the writing).

Is BG3 writing just as cringe?

For the most part it doesn't have that over the top "look at me, I'm so funny and random" humor that Larian's previous games did.

 

[Sunsetspawn]

Remember when Larian was good?

Spoiler

Pepperidge Farm remembers

 

[PorkyThePaladin]

Remember when Larian was good?

Divine Divinity. Good, serious RPG with decent humor sprinkled in lightly.

 

[Spike]

it's rectified in DOS2 where every backstory is connected to another and every faction mentioned in the game has a specific bid, they're not all manipulated by the God King swirling his moustache and sneering obnoxiously
too bad the actual quality of writing is just the same larian drivel

Please make it stop. I am enjoying OS 1 and I love Larian but Swen please just let me finish the game so I can get on with my life. It just won't end!

"BG3 writing is a creative tabletop GM who keeps introducing cool shit but has no regard for structure or coherence." -Grunker. You just summed up OS 1 too. Am I playing too slow/autistically? Something about a void dragon and it just keeps going, I just want to play other things please make it stop.

 

[Sunri]

Move two steps explosive traps open a chest it explodes dig up a grave it explodes reeeeeeeeeee

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Move two steps explosive traps open a chest it explodes dig up a grave it explodes reeeeeeeeeee

What did you roll, a minefield tester?

 

[Vyvian]

Been playing this off and on, I'm in the mines but I think I fucked myself not having invisibility or a sneaky character.
Are these sentry guys always invincible or is there a trick to make them able to take damage?

 

[Roguey]

Been playing this off and on, I'm in the mines but I think I fucked myself not having invisibility or a sneaky character.
Are these sentry guys always invincible or is there a trick to make them able to take damage?

Tenebrium weapons but you won't get those for a while. Load up on invisibility potions.

 

[Vyvian]

Been playing this off and on, I'm in the mines but I think I fucked myself not having invisibility or a sneaky character.
Are these sentry guys always invincible or is there a trick to make them able to take damage?

Tenebrium weapons but you won't get those for a while. Load up on invisibility potions.

Thanks. Yeah I've been merchant hopping and getting all I can.

 

[Cat Headed Eagle]

People kept saying rogues were nerfed in comparison to EE, but apparently some of their abilities are still useful.

 

[Zlaja]

Mandatory stealth sections in party-based RPGs:

 

[Sunri]

I missed whole snow location and now I can't access last dungeon lmao

 

[Sunri]

Good thing that you can skip all main story moments and puzzles with those little pyramids just jumping around and throwing them through gates doors and magic walls superior design hehe

 

[Spike]

Good thing that you can skip all main story moments and puzzles with those little pyramids just jumping around and throwing them through gates doors and magic walls superior design hehe

It's a cool idea but not implemented the best for sure.

 

[ShaggyMoose]

Been playing this off and on, I'm in the mines but I think I fucked myself not having invisibility or a sneaky character.
Are these sentry guys always invincible or is there a trick to make them able to take damage?

The Deathknight sentries are easily avoided and also have very limited movement once engaged, although I would just reload at that point. You can get through this without sneak or invisibility and you don't need to fight them.

 

[behold_a_man]

I missed whole snow location and now I can't access last dungeon lmao

I was able to get to the final boss without freeing Icara. Did you get stuck in the Source Temple (here, you need to find 12 blood stones to proceed - it's hard, but not impossible without touching Hiberheim) or in the First Garden, after the fight with Leandra (here, you need to use the Death Knight Control Wand on the portal - which is something no one will tell you, since Leandra is dead and Icara is not present)?

I admire the narrative in the main plot in this game: on one hand, there is an overarching story about the Void, Astarte and the guardians, and on the other, there is an all-too-human part of the main story with Icara, Leandra, Councillor Jake, Zandalor and all the mortal characters; the thing is, they barely intertwine, and your aim is to proceed with enslaving the Void Dragon again rather than indulge in lowly affairs - so, accordingly, while almost all the main quests are related to hunting down first Jake, then Icara, then Zandalor, you can finish the game by just getting through the Source Temple (having acquired 12 blood stones beforehand - which are related to the otherworldly plot, since they were parts of the Tapestry of Time the guardians tore to hide their incompetence) and to the First Garden, without touching the main quest at all - the only difference is whether Icara will be present in the final confrontation, and in what form.

This freedom leads to some absurd situations - like Arhu telling you to stop Leandra and find Icara in the Luculla Forest - while you have no idea, who either of them is - or Zandalor casually resurrecting himself, because Icara isn't around, so she can't resurrect him in the Source Temple - but the game does acknowledge her absence, and there are no major problems if you don't follow the main quest.

 

[Sunri]

Yes, i was able to complete the game i skipped the source temple with this trick never finished the tapestry tho i think i missed 2 stones

 

[Max Damage]

I've reached armored goblins on the forest level, and the game's a fucking slog. I don't remember any other turn-based game that I've played being this boring and repetitive, worst of all, the fights take forever because the animations are sloooooooooooooooooow. I've got my fun out of Cyseal, but fuck if I'm going to bother finishing rest of it.

 

[PorkyThePaladin]

Shit game, news at 11. The animations WERE slow AF, tactics are pretty weak (how many times can any retard combine oil+fire or water+lightning before that shit gets old), but all of that pales in comparison to the sheer horror of Larian writing.

 

[behold_a_man]

I've reached armored goblins on the forest level, and the game's a fucking slog. I don't remember any other turn-based game that I've played being this boring and repetitive, worst of all, the fights take forever because the animations are sloooooooooooooooooow. I've got my fun out of Cyseal, but fuck if I'm going to bother finishing rest of it.

You can ignore Luculla and go straight to Phantom Forest, it should be more fun that way. Encounters there are sparser and more intense.

 

[Drowed]

I liked it back then, and I guess I still like it today. It's not an amazing game or anything, but the fact that it was released in 2014 certainly gave it a big boost in my perception. You pretty much had no other options if you wanted to play a CRPG that was even vaguely inspired by classic games. Not that this makes the game any less mediocre, but if your tolerance level for Larian's brand of humor is high enough, it's not a bad experience.

The fact that I got the game for free in a giveaway here on the Codex might have colored my experience, I'll admit. But I do remember playing the game to completion and doing most of the quests. I remember liking it enough that I didn't feel like my time was wasted, but I've never reinstalled the game since and I'm not sure if I ever will. Again, it's not that the game is really bad, but if I'm going to replay something, there are dozens of better options to spend my time with.

 

[Desiderius]

I check out of Larian games when they stop giving you new skills.

Kind of like MMOs.