God DAMN Divinity II is addictive

[DraQ]

I agree with level limits being stupid

Excess fluff removed.

 

[Felix]

Currently at Orobas Fjords as a popamole warrior

 

[WarHamster]

Warning: Wall of text ahead! (TL;DR version: Div2 is OK, but not super-duper great.)

Late to the party, I know, but I only recently got back to Div2 after reading many gush about it here and elsewhere. I had played Div2:ED a bit when it was released, but dropped it quite quickly, only after several hours of gameplay (did the early quests in the Broken Valley) - it just didn't grab me. The clunky combat, totally random and levelled loot, plus the rather boring start were the main culprits. So, wanting to see if the (recent) praise for Div2 was deserved, I decided to give Div2 another try (and even got DKS as I found it cheap).

This time I've gotten further and am now at the end of Maxxos' temple, but unfortunately I'm still not very impressed. Okay, I'll admit DKS has its moments, but it also unfortunately has its problems. The main weakness of Div2 is, IMO, the uneveness of its quality and balancing. Balancing is especially wonky at times and seems to fluctuate quite unpredictably. The early game is a cake walk, then after meeting Talana the difficulty takes a sudden jump. E.g. the skeletons near Lovis' tower were pretty tough and made me resort to desperate MMO-style pulling and kiting tactics. For awhile it was fun to hit and run the skellies, but the jump from slaugher gobbos without any problems to "WTFBBQ! these skellies drop me in two hits" is quite jarring and comes off as poor balancing. The difficulty evens out quite fast, however, only to jump abruptly again. E.g. around the time you get to Maxxos' Temple, the fight against the Black Ring guys in the pass and then the Dragon Slayers by the temple were big spikes in difficulty. I don't know what level you're supposed to be to fight the three Dragon Slayers, but I was around lvl 10 and the fight is so uneven it wasn't even funny. My only option was to be brave like Sir Robin and high tail it out of there and, again, pull and kite, which I'm not too fond of but had no other choice. I could've tried to level up some after escaping the fight, but I seriously doubt few levels would have made much of a difference. The main Slayer, who's name escapes me, basically one-shots you if he gets a chance and that doesn't leave you much for fighting it out against him. Had I not invested in some bow skills I would've been hosed. Totally.

This repeats inside the temple when you need to fight the Slayers looting the library. Meleeing them was 100% suicide. Their leader, again, basically one-shots you and his friends aren't pushovers either. Not much room to maneuver there either. Pulling them one or two at a time to the corridor leading to the library and shooting them to death with a bow was the only option for me (as my character is not a spell-slinger). And again, this required MMO tactics, namely pulling braindead mobs, which I really would not like to see in a single-player CRPG. Amdusias, in human form, same thing (but you can't start trading shots with him, he packs much bigger guns). Was this game only balanced for mages?! And perhaps archers. I read from in-game hints, that you can respec further down the line. Well, if I ever manage to get that far, I will surely change my character to a mage. Meleeing in this game is just ridiculous and clunky.

Do note that I wasn't expecting a "streamlined experience" and easy fights, a la most modern CRPGs, but the way the difficulty fluctuates and the way the MQ repeatedly puts you in fights you're ill prepared to win without gimmicks is a bit, eh, frustrating and I would've liked a more balanced progression through the Broken Valley. Granted, it's refreshing that a modern CRPG doesn't hold your hand, but nevertheless, the nearly constant see-sawing between "Yo-ho-ho, I'm gonna kill you with my eyes closed and hands tied behind my back" and "Charge! No, runawaayyy! Aaaieeee!*dead*" doesn't score many points in my book. I do like tough fights and I have no problem with unbeatable enemies at your current level, like e.g. in Gothics, but the Div2 way is so haphazard and uneven that it comes off as poor game design to me.

Then there's the uneveness of the story and quests. But I think I've blathered on too much already. So, I'll leave you with this. The first time I got interested in the story was when I met Talana and then Damian. It intrigued me and I was left to wonder what's really going on. Then immediately after that, I meet the most cliched mage NPC I've seen in ages, Zandalor, wearing a pointy hat with stars on it, no less! He does the time-honored mage/mentor/sage routine and I was left to wonder if the game's really worth my time afterall. Extreme highs and lows, just like with the balancing.

 

[hoverdog]

E.g. around the time you get to Maxxos' Temple, the fight against the Black Ring guys in the pass and then the Dragon Slayers by the temple were big spikes in difficulty. I don't know what level you're supposed to be to fight the three Dragon Slayers, but I was around lvl 10 and the fight is so uneven it wasn't even funny. My only option was to be brave like Sir Robin and high tail it out of there and, again, pull and kite, which I'm not too fond of but had no other choice. I could've tried to level up some after escaping the fight, but I seriously doubt few levels would have made much of a difference. The main Slayer, who's name escapes me, basically one-shots you if he gets a chance and that doesn't leave you much for fighting it out against him. Had I not invested in some bow skills I would've been hosed. Totally.

This repeats inside the temple when you need to fight the Slayers looting the library. Meleeing them was 100% suicide. Their leader, again, basically one-shots you and his friends aren't pushovers either. Not much room to maneuver there either. Pulling them one or two at a time to the corridor leading to the library and shooting them to death with a bow was the only option for me (as my character is not a spell-slinger). And again, this required MMO tactics, namely pulling braindead mobs, which I really would not like to see in a single-player CRPG. Amdusias, in human form, same thing (but you can't start trading shots with him, he packs much bigger guns). Was this game only balanced for mages?! And perhaps archers. I read from in-game hints, that you can respec further down the line. Well, if I ever manage to get that far, I will surely change my character to a mage. Meleeing in this game is just ridiculous and clunky.

You know there are those things called 'side quests', don't you?

 

[dr. one]

the nearly constant see-sawing between "Yo-ho-ho, I'm gonna kill you with my eyes closed and hands tied behind my back" and "Charge! No, runawaayyy! Aaaieeee!*dead*" doesn't score many points in my book

it certainly does in mine. this is a good game design.

 

[Felix]

Meleeing them was 100% suicide

I chopped them to death with my blades, guess I'm pretty awesome because i did the impossible, eh?

 

[WarHamster]

You know there are those things called 'side quests', don't you?

Yep and I've done them. Haven't exactly hoovered the area of side quests, but did all side quests in the village (N-E part of BV), for example. I also did (IIRC) all the side quests in the Maxxos' Temple, but still had to use the teleporter in the library to go out and level some more as Amdusias was too tough. I'm sticking to my opinion: I find the balancing in DKS wonky.

I chopped them to death with my blades, guess I'm pretty awesome because i did the impossible, eh?

I salute your Uber-Skillz! I could not do it without pulling and archery.

 

[hoverdog]

If you tackled the Temple at lvl10, you had it coming. All the Broken Valley was there to level up, but you railroaded yourself into the main plot and you're disappointed that it's too hard. Thumbs up

The dragon knights are laughable btw

 

[PWSteal.Ldpinch.D]

Are the flying fortresses necessary? What level should you be to tackle them?

 

[Raghar]

Are the flying fortresses necessary? What level should you be to tackle them?

Not.
Whatever you want. When you would be at too low level you'd level up quickly.

 

[Crispy]

WarHamster, care to share with us some of the details of your character's build?

I personally will try not to eviscerate your choices too badly; the fact that you took the time to write out that wall of text shows your sincerity. Maybe we can help.

(Go easy on him, guys)

 

[dr. one]

Are the flying fortresses necessary?

no, thankfully.
just destroy their defences in dragon form, dragon drop on chests and proceed to teleporters. fully cleaning even one of them is tedious, monotone and would most likely create an unwelcome disconnection with the rest of the game. at least that´s how i see it.
those in BV are quite small and might prove to be a relatively hassle-free source of experience though.

the level to tackle them most likely differs depending on difficulty setting.
iirc, on nightmare level 26+ was sufficient.

 

[Satori (original)]

That franken girl with the lisp was a right piece of ass.

 

[Black]

.

I actually liked clearing planetary fortresses. I think it's then when the game's combat is as its beast, as you are outnumbered, have to use your all your skills and possibly consumables to survive, need to summon your shit and often switch between human and dragon form and vice versa.

 

[Felix]

Exactly what I experienced, have to switch to the dragon form to heal because regenerate is not quick enough, the only thing bother me is the framerate drop...

 

[Murk]

You know there are those things called 'side quests', don't you?

Sidequests aside, my first play through of the game was a meleeist with no magic (save for 1 rank in heal and at the very very end, a few in summon demon) who used two-handed weapons, and I had no problem with any of those.

After experimenting with archer and mage builds, I can only say that every build is viable and if you can't make it through a fight its because you suck or are doing it wrong.

 

[DraQ]

the nearly constant see-sawing between "Yo-ho-ho, I'm gonna kill you with my eyes closed and hands tied behind my back" and "Charge! No, runawaayyy! Aaaieeee!*dead*" doesn't score many points in my book

it certainly does in mine. this is a good game design.

This.

Minimal goal of balancing - making game beatable at least by reasonable builds - has been achieved. Desirable, but not obligatory goal of making the game provide challenge at least during some boss fights has also been achieved. The balancing is good enough.

I find such an uneven ride much more interesting than sleepy, smooth one with all encounters being the same.

Also, cliched? - my impression is that Divinity 2 is the kind of game that dons idiotically elaborate armour, grabs cliche by the balls, hops on its back and rides it around while dual wielding Epic Glowing Magic Swords of Many Prefixes and spouting witty one-liners till the cliche drops dead from exhaustion. Then it finds itself another cliche...


Accusing Divinity 2 of cliches is like accusing Wiz 8 of having campy villain or accusing Anachronox of being goofy and having goofy loser and jerk for a protagonist.

As for the fortresses, they definitely had interesting atmosphere and visual style. I managed to enjoy them, but they were monotonous, because they lacked diversity and certain cleverness to their defences and player lacked means to wreak havoc on spectacular scale in his dragon form.

Still, I prefered them in ED where they at least forced you to do something other than just airdrop on top of the teleport.

 

[AlaCarcuss]

E.g. around the time you get to Maxxos' Temple, the fight against the Black Ring guys in the pass and then the Dragon Slayers by the temple were big spikes in difficulty. I don't know what level you're supposed to be to fight the three Dragon Slayers, but I was around lvl 10 and the fight is so uneven it wasn't even funny. My only option was to be brave like Sir Robin and high tail it out of there and, again, pull and kite, which I'm not too fond of but had no other choice. I could've tried to level up some after escaping the fight, but I seriously doubt few levels would have made much of a difference. The main Slayer, who's name escapes me, basically one-shots you if he gets a chance and that doesn't leave you much for fighting it out against him. Had I not invested in some bow skills I would've been hosed. Totally.

This repeats inside the temple when you need to fight the Slayers looting the library. Meleeing them was 100% suicide. Their leader, again, basically one-shots you and his friends aren't pushovers either. Not much room to maneuver there either. Pulling them one or two at a time to the corridor leading to the library and shooting them to death with a bow was the only option for me (as my character is not a spell-slinger). And again, this required MMO tactics, namely pulling braindead mobs, which I really would not like to see in a single-player CRPG. Amdusias, in human form, same thing (but you can't start trading shots with him, he packs much bigger guns). Was this game only balanced for mages?! And perhaps archers. I read from in-game hints, that you can respec further down the line. Well, if I ever manage to get that far, I will surely change my character to a mage. Meleeing in this game is just ridiculous and clunky.

If you tackled the Temple at lvl10, you had it coming. All the Broken Valley was there to level up, but you railroaded yourself into the main plot and you're disappointed that it's too hard. Thumbs up

The dragon knights are laughable btw

This.

There's no way you did very many side quests in BV if you were only lvl 10 by the time you got to the temple.

I'm playing on 'nightmare' and didn't find any of the fights outside or inside Maxos temple overly challenging. Can't remember what lvl I was, but it sure as shit was much more than 10.

Seriously can't believe your complaining about difficulty spikes in an RPG while trying to tackle certain fights way too early. Sounds to me you'd be better off playing Oblivion where everything is scaled to your level.

You're railroading the fucking game. Try taking your time and enjoying it.

 

[DraQ]

Sounds to me you'd be better off playing Oblivion where everything is scaled to your level.

And we can't have that on our Codex.

 

[Ruprekt]

The real reason the Codex Divinity 2.

 

[Ruprekt]

It is an amusing game.

 

[Felix]

The real reason the Codex Divinity 2.

But no reaction from anyone in the world....

 

[Mangoose]

ok so been playing divinity 2 having alot of fun i got to a place with a mine and a guy screaming about get away from the mine we are gonna blow it up well i saved here but i try to reload my game and all i get is a black screen but my mini map shows i am moving if i try to move there has to be a way to stop this as its my only save aside from auto save but auto save was 6 levels ago

 

[Kashrlyyk]

ok so been playing divinity 2 having alot of fun i got to a place with a mine and a guy screaming about get away from the mine we are gonna blow it up well i saved here but i try to reload my game and all i get is a black screen but my mini map shows i am moving if i try to move there has to be a way to stop this as its my only save aside from auto save but auto save was 6 levels ago

Did you try to load the autosave and then load the other savegame?

 

[Mangoose]

ok so been playing divinity 2 having alot of fun i got to a place with a mine and a guy screaming about get away from the mine we are gonna blow it up well i saved here but i try to reload my game and all i get is a black screen but my mini map shows i am moving if i try to move there has to be a way to stop this as its my only save aside from auto save but auto save was 6 levels ago

Did you try to load the autosave and then load the other savegame?

ya but same thing happens i dont kno wat to do