Review: Divinity: Original Sin II

Divinity: Original Sin was met with universal acclaim when it was introduced over two years ago. This should not be surprising, as the title featured a massive world to explore had almost no restrictions on how the player went about completing it. This story driven adventure featured a multitude of side quests that could be handled in a variety of different manners, resulting in a SLG game guide experience that becomes uniquely tailored to the player's choices and play style. Creating a worthy follow up to to such a quality game is no small task, but Larian Studios seems to be up to the ambitious task of creating a sequel that doesn't simply match the quality of its predecessor but also surpass it.


Weapon Abilities include Single-Handed, Two-Handed, Ranged, and Dual Wielding. Defense Abilities include Retribution (Damage is reflected back at the attacker), Leadership (Increasing Bonuses are granted to the party), and Perseverance (Grants Physical and Magical Armour when certain conditions are met). Players may put points into these as w

Things are a little bit different this time around. For starters, the Divinity: Original Sin **** II takes place over 1,000 years after the events of the original. The Divine is no more, and the Void is ever expanding and will consume the world if allowed to grow unchallenged. In addition to the great time gap between the two games, the role of the player in relation to the magical force known as Source has been completely flipped. No more are we engaged in a witch hunt but instead we step into the shoes of a Sourcerer and get to experience what being on the receiving end of said witch hunt feels like.

Most PC gamers who enjoy RPGs are aware of Divinity: Original Sin its near-universal acclaim . The praise is not undeserved either; the original Original Sin was a massive RPG with meticulous attention to every detail across the board to ensure it would stand out among all other PC games. With both its critical and commercial success, any follow up has some troll-sized boots it needs to fill, and while the early access build only offers a fraction of the adventure, things are already shaping up to indicate Divinity: Original Sin II has the potential to surpass the incredibly high standards set by its predecessor.

In a departure from the first game where the player assumed the role of a Source Hunter to rid the world of the forbidden magic known as Source, we are now taking on the role of a Sourcerer. Taking place 1000 years after the events of its predecessor, the story begins with the player being held prisoner in Fort Joy, a misnomer if there ever was one. The Divine is dead and the Void is expanding, which will eventually consume this godless world if it remains unchallenged. Sourcerers are taking the blame for this turn of events, with the player being the main target for the Magisters of the Divine Order's witch hunt. Fort Joy is where you were sent to be "cured" of your powers. While the specific method of "curing" is not spelled out in detail, the self preservation instinct kicks in to send the message the only objective for now is to get the hell out of Fort Joy.


Rivellon is the world in which Divinity Original Sin 2 takes place. In this realm, Source is the energy from which all living beings are made. Some of these individuals can use Source to cast spells or improve upon their fighting abilities. An organization that is known as the Divine Order is persecuting these users of Sou

There are numerous preset classes to choose from: battlemage, conjurer, inquisitor, fighter, shadowblade, wizard and several more. In addition to the preset build players can select talents such as Elemental Affinity, Ambidextrous or Picture of Health to name just a few of the many. These talents provide stat bonuses or abilities, with one of the more interesting ones being Pet Pal that allows the character to speak to animals. Origin tags contribute to the character's background and open different dialog options such as barbarian, mystic or outlaw. The player may also choose an Origin Instrument for their character between bansuri, tambura, oud or cello, and this instrument may play automatically during certain parts of the game.


The sheer number of options can be daunting to any new player of Divinity Original Sin 2. For this guide, the term "abilities" will cover Attributes, Combat, Civil Abilities, and Skills. Here is an overview of abilities for beginn

Divinity: Original Sin II is projected to be completed sometime in 2017. The Early Access build is accessible in Steam with a preorder. This version is obviously not the full game and may not have the same level of polish the final product will, so those wanting the complete final build would be advised to wait until it becomes available. For those wanting to get into the new Original Sin now, this build is worth the asking price. The first act of the campaign is available for both single and multiplayer modes which is easily a dozen hours of content and letting the players get their feet wet in experiencing the unbridled freedom of choice that is offered. The PvP Arena is available with select maps playable now with more coming in the future. Approximately half the skills are available across eight of the ten schools of magic. Those who take advantage of Early Access will naturally be upgraded automatically to the retail release upon completion.