Decline Is Divinity: Original Sin the single most annoying RPG ever?

[Blutwurstritter]

Divinity:OS was a breath of fresh air when it was released. I enjoyed it back then. The setting was interesting enough and although the story turned out poorly, the gameplay more than made up for it. Focusing on the worst parts never helps. Its not like an Adam Sandler movie, where you are left with nothing but the terrible jokes.

 

[agris]

mein gott, a porky post i agree with

 

[Faarbaute]

I thought it was a great lighthearted adventure.

If you're looking for escapism though, I guess it fails at that as it never tries to hide to you that it's a game.

 

[Gangrelrumbler]

Everything outside of combat in Divinity:OS and its sequel was grating. Only so much a man can take. The game is so aggressively unfunny, it's no joke.

Also Minsc is pure cancer.

I used to hate Minsc back in the day but companions from the great RPG reneissance (from Pillars to Wrath) made me miss the guy.

 

[Falksi]

Fucking hated it and some of that hate was definitely for some of the reasons Porks lists.

Fucking dire game.

 

[The Jester]

1. Inane NPC voice overs that never stop, nor can be cancelled. These fucking epically moronic NPCs have nothing of value to say, they just say some long drawn out bullshit pseudo-theatrical line that is utter shite the very first time you hear it, but then they keep it on repeat loop. Makes me afraid to trade with NPCs, because those lines will just go on and on and on.
.

QuietDayOnTheMarket

 

[The Jester]

I'll take moronic humour over the try-hard "maturity" present in most other games any day of the week.

Also, Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 were full of those cringe, try-hard zany jokes but it doesn't seem to bother people as much.

I'll take retarded edgy Grimdank over the "LOL Random Wacky humor xdxdxdxd" present in most other games any hour of the day.
It doesn't help when developers put their reddit humor in games set in demonic apocalypse, looking at you WoR.

 

[PorkyThePaladin]

Minsc was comedy by contrast. He might not have been for everyone, but his humorous insanity contrasted with the seriousness of the other companions, the main plot, etc.

D:OS is a game where every fucking NPC is a worse written version of Minsc. Every fucking NPC in the world, down to the cats, squirrels, sheep, the undead, the orcs, talking shells and furniture, etc. So the shocking contrast becomes the retarded norm.

 

[octavius]

Minsc has probably the most insightful comment of any CRPG companion. It's like in a lucid moment he has access to the Codex of Ultimate CRPG Wisdom and speaks The Truth about what makes a good CRPG:

Spoiler

Less talk, more fight!

 

[KateMicucci]

It's funny (not) that Larian took the criticisms of DOS1 writing to heart, and make DOS2 writing full retard grimderp. Descriptions of rape, gore, sadism, abuse torture, spouses and children dying horribly of disease, oh yes and DM NPCs biting holes in your earlobe. And DOS2 is still criticized for not being edgy enough. Why? I guess because the edgy writing is at odds with the art style, gameplay, and everything else that's more important than npc speech bubbles. Your combat with the blood-soaked torturer doesn't really work when the torture-zombies he sicks on you slip ans fall on a magic sheet of ice with a cartoon sound effect.

 

[V_K]

Is D:OS EE the most annoying RPG ever?

Nope, that would be BT4. I survived something like 15 hours of DOS, while refunding BT4 way before the 2 hour cutoff mark.

 

[Gangrelrumbler]

It doesn't matter if the game is wacky and funny or grimdark. The issue is if the game feel genuine. Games like Divinity or WoTR doesn't feel like they were written by someone who actually enjoys fantasy adventures or cares about the ganre. They feel like modern American comic. Some garbage put onto page just to fill space. "This part is grimdark, so I'll better write about rape, incest and degeneracy, that part is supposed to be funny so everyone will talk like a moron". Old Divinity games had much, much more amateurish writing but you could feel that the devs were engaged by the world they've created. I swear I can feel when writers don't give a shit. Minsc was a bad joke character and so was Bairdotr. But you can feel that someone at Bioware actually found the joke about giant space hamster funny, while Bairdotr was just there because everyone agreed that this is what a funny character should act like. It's not just nostalgia talking. There are still games written like the Divine Divinity: amateurish writer who is really into the little universe that he created. Take Underrail. Nothing in the game is terribly original or clever. The overall setting is just Metro, towns feel Falloutish, plot is just go from point A to B chasing macguffin until the inevitable final boss fight. But you can see that the devs took this universe seriously, that they're fans of the genre and that they felt that all of that mattered. Wrath, Kingmaker, Pillars, D:OS etc. feel like TV shows writers phoning in another script of on episode of a mediocre show that will get cancelled in 2-3 seasons tops. It's also likely that I'm going crazy.

 

[Blutwurstritter]

The atmosphere of D:OS 1 reminded me of a fairy tale; graphics, music, writing - the whole package. It never struck me as something that should be taken seriously. The characters are obviously not normal even-tempered personalities; they are often monothematic and exaggerated. I do understand that this can be grating if you can't engage with it or manage to ignore the worst of it.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Minsc was a bad joke character and so was Bairdotr. But you can feel that someone at Bioware actually found the joke about giant space hamster funny, while Bairdotr was just there because everyone agreed that this is what a funny character should act like.

I don't even recall her being humorous, Wolgraff was the one that was humorous. And he's easily one of my favorite RPG companions of all time.

 

[Gangrelrumbler]

Minsc was a bad joke character and so was Bairdotr. But you can feel that someone at Bioware actually found the joke about giant space hamster funny, while Bairdotr was just there because everyone agreed that this is what a funny character should act like.

I don't even recall her being humorous, Wolgraff was the one that was humorous. And he's easily one of my favorite RPG companions of all time.

I thought he was supposed to be the tragic character. Not being able to speak and all.

 

[Daemongar]

Minsc isn't even in the "Top 10 of Annoying Companions." That list would be made up entirely of Dragon Age companions and Neeshka from NWN2. Minsc had pretty good stats (18/93 STR) and was a useful companion through the whole game. Khalid was even more annoying and was a fighter with a 15 STR, but nobody ever considers him annoying as no one would ever keep him in their party long enough to find out.

 

[BruceVC]

I don't mean the worst, I mean specifically the most annoying. Remember that guy Mud from Gothic, who would follow you around and say inane shit until you attacked him? Well, D:OS EE seems to be exactly like that in RPG form. Examples below:

1. Inane NPC voice overs that never stop, nor can be cancelled. These fucking epically moronic NPCs have nothing of value to say, they just say some long drawn out bullshit pseudo-theatrical line that is utter shite the very first time you hear it, but then they keep it on repeat loop. Makes me afraid to trade with NPCs, because those lines will just go on and on and on.

2. Equally bad combat voice overs/taunts. There is a fight in Black Cove, with a three-way between your party, the Orcs and the undead, and they keep insulting each other with the same stale bullshit lines, over and over, on repeat, and what's worse, the line doesn't even run in parallel to combat, the combat stops while they deliver the line. All 500 times.

3. Constant 3rd grade level humor in writing and quests that only a child would laugh at. There are legitimately funny RPGs that don't take themselves too seriously, like say Anachronox, but this ain't it. It's not funny, just retarded.

4. Main plot that is not just terrible on its own merits, but also tries to shoehorn the co-op angle, with 2 chosen ones instead of 1.

5. Endless procession of crates, containers and other trash to sift through. Yes, I realize this plagues most RPGs, but still.

6. Messy traps/combat side-effects. It's really easy to get wiped if you don't see some stupid trap under a bunch of crates, or during a fight your/their fire/lightning hits the wrong cloud/puddle.

The combat system itself is not bad, and the world design of at least the first area is good, but the quality of writing and this annoying bullshit sap the will to play this shitfest.

I always find it interesting how people can have such different views on game like D:OS2 , I played it for the first time about 14 months ago and it did take about 5-6 hours before I really started understanding and enjoying the combat mechanics and effective combat strategies. And once I understood the combat it made the game incredibly interesting and fun but also when you get on higher levels each combat session is like a mini- adventure where its very rewarding to plan each party members actions against enemies

And I didnt have issues with the narrative or side quests, I cant really remember them but I do remember they were entertaining .So I spent about 110 hours playing it and I cant recall any of your list being a factor but they were in the game like the endless crates and things like traps ....but I can say with honesty they were not an issue

 

[Shaki]

It's funny (not) that Larian took the criticisms of DOS1 writing to heart, and make DOS2 writing full retard grimderp. Descriptions of rape, gore, sadism, abuse torture, spouses and children dying horribly of disease, oh yes and DM NPCs biting holes in your earlobe. And DOS2 is still criticized for not being edgy enough. Why? I guess because the edgy writing is at odds with the art style, gameplay, and everything else that's more important than npc speech bubbles. Your combat with the blood-soaked torturer doesn't really work when the torture-zombies he sicks on you slip ans fall on a magic sheet of ice with a cartoon sound effect.

D:OS critics: We want more serious and immersive game, not shit filled with retarded poultry jokes and 8yo humor.

Larian: OK, WE PRESENT D:OS2, NOW CHICKEN IS DEMONIC AND IT KILLS ITS WHOLE CHICKEN FAMILY BWAK BWAK BWAK

D:OS critics: ... seriously?

Larian shills: HURR DURR LARIAN GAVE YOU WHAT YOU WANTED AND YOU STILL CRITICIZE THEM

At this point I really can't say if Larian shills are legit that dumb/delusional, or if they're just pretending.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Edgy RPGs should be illegal.

 

[Larianshill]

I didn't enjoy beginning the game and being told that I'm the saviour of the multiverse 15 minutes in. DOS2 is far better in that regard.

 

[Cryomancer]

Both DOS games are awful. Is sad that they are above Temple of Elemental Evil in codex popularity poll.

 

[fantadomat]

The game is shit,but there is a lot worst than it.....but seeing how butthurt rusty is......yeah clearly the worst game.

 

[Dishonoredbr]

Tried DOS2. Quited after 15h ,after getting out of the Fort because the companion barely reacted between them and the way the PC's dialogue was writen pissed me off.

Why would anyone make dialogue options like that. Also the humor was trash.

Same apply to DOE1. I tried for 10h and quited for the same reasons..

 

[the_shadow]

You must gather your party before venturing forth.
You must gather your party before venturing forth.
You must gather your party before venturing forth.
You must gather your party before venturing forth.
You must gather your party before venturing forth.
You must gather your party before venturing forth.
You must gather your party before venturing forth.
You must gather your party before venturing forth.
You must gather your party before venturing forth.
You cannot rest while your party is scattered.

 

[Rieser]

The "humor" is what ruins it for me. I can handle other retarded bullshit in the game like the armor system (no, rusty, I don't need to read more inane paragraphs on the virtues of mental retardation) but the cringy writing constantly trying and failing to make you laugh frustrated me to no end. Especially because it's thrown into a story that tries to be edgy as fuck meaning the writing is always at odds with itself, and none of it is good. Granted, I never even got remotely close to finishing the fucking thing so I'm only talking about the first two acts, but I've no reason to believe it picks up.