Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition Review

Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition has just recently been released for consoles. Originally released in 2014 for PC, the game received fantastic reviews. What is it that makes this game so interesting? How does the console version stack up against the PC version?

One of the biggest draws to this game is the co-op. The Enhanced Edition has both online and couch co-op. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to try either. Another big draw is how the game plays. There is no hand holding; combat is challenging, but it is very rewarding. The game is tough, but I didn't think it was Dark Souls II tough. If I lost in battle, I just reloaded and tried again. The character creation and shaping is another feature I really enjoyed and reminded me of playing Baldur’s Gate on PC back in the late 1990s.

There are so many options and classes to chose from, gamers can create and shape their Source Hunters anyway they want. Players can mix and match rogues, elemental wizards, clerics who can tank, rangers who can summon and the list goes on and on. Many of the attributes are best served for the play style gamers want to use, stealth attacks vs. crafting, vs extra Action points. Many of these remind me of the Fallout series and I looked forward to leveling in Divinity Original Sin. I was 5 hours in and decided I didn't need to be playing as fighter. I started over with an elemental wizard and a ranger.

The story is robust, gamers are playing as Source Hunters who are out to stop rogue magic know as the source. The plot gets a little complicated beyond that and there are plenty of side quests and other activities to keep players busy. There are NPCs to recruit, new skills and spells to learn, hidden treasure to find, and the list goes on and on.

The combat is another element which should keep players intrigued. Outside of directing your players who and where to attack with spells and weapons elements come into play. If there is oil or poison on the battlefield why not ignite it and help turn the tide of battle? Better yet, scout out the location sneakily with a thief and throw down a few barrels of water and electrify them once combat starts. This paired with some flashy and damage dealing magic should keep gamers entertained. The combat is also challenging and turn based, those great tactics I mentioned earlier can get turned against you in battle. Enemies are not dumb and will employ the same sort of elemental tactics when they attack players.

One of the biggest changes from the original was the the edition on a few more modes of difficulty. There is Explorer mode, which allows gamers to focus on exploring the world and makes game easier for newcomers. Hardcore mode ramps up the difficulty and from what I have read it isn't just the fights that get tougher. Larian Studios also mentioned in a few online articles they fixed the character development in the middle of the Enhanced Edition and fixed the ending.

I haven’t played Divinity Sin on PC but at times I really wanted a mouse and keyboard. The console controls are responsive and it is easy to scroll around the world, and target enemies in combat. The only gripe I have with the controls are there is no easy way to micro-manage the inventory between four characters. I would have to unequip stuff to repair it or shuffle it around to see who could equip what. Those are minor nuances compared to the great experience the game offers. If I could sum this up in a mash up of PC RPGS from the 1990s, I would say Dungeon Siege, meets the tactics of Fallout 2, meets the party development, combat, and story of Baldur’s gate, meets the loot collection of Diablo II. Divinity: Original Sin plays like a fantastic pen and paper RPG and I recommend it for anyone who wants to put the time in. Rumor has it the game is over 60 hours long for just the story.

Score 4.5 out of 5

It could be contender for GOTY for me. It is going to one of those games I will want to come back to once I have completely finished everything just to play it again.

Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition was provided for review by the publisher