Divinity Original Sin 2: Definitive Edition Review – Slow and Steady

It’s not an easy game to get into, but Divinity: Original Sin 2’s Definitive Edition rewards patient and dedicated players with a great deal of depth in every regard. The Definitive Edition has plenty of notable changes that make it the version to grab, even if it’s still a bit slow to start.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition
Developer: Larian Studios
Price: $44.99
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
MonsterVine was supplied with a PS4 code for review

When Reviews Manager Diego reviewed Divinity: Original Sin 2 last year, he described it as “one of the best RPG’s of all time”. This kind of praise is hard to come by, so I found myself becoming pretty interested in the game. Then review season came, and any free time I had was swiftly converted into written content. Then recently, I was pitched Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition for review. After doing extensive research into the differences between the two titles, I hopped in, ready for a Diego-approved adventure. And while I wouldn’t go so far as to call it one of the all-time best RPGs, I’ll say that Original Sin 2 is pretty damn good.

The basic gist of Original Sin 2 is as follows. You play as a Sourcerer: a person gifted/cursed with the ability to use Source (a living energy). The world of Rivellon is being increasingly threatened by the fearsome otherworldly Voidwoken, and you and your fellow Sourcerers are being imprisoned and blamed for this new threat. Upon starting the game you’re given the choice of six playable characters, or your own custom avatar.

As fun as making your own character is, I felt I’d be better able to experience the story as one of the game’s existing characters, so I chose Fane. Why? Because he’s a dickish skeleton, which is enough reason for me to pick someone. I found all of the characters to be enjoyable though, with the Red Prince standing out in specific. I never got tired of travelling with such a vain and endearing lizard-man, which is entirely because of how well he’s written.  Though this is a sequel, the world of Original Sin 2 feels standalone. The roles of each character and race were established early on, so I always felt in the loop during the story.

Speaking of which, a lot of dialogue and questlines have had their writing touched-up in the Definitive Edition, while over 150,000 lines of dialogue have been re-recorded. Inventory management has been made far more convenient, as looking into your inventory displays what all four party members are carrying, instead of just your own belongings. There are plenty of balance tweaks and visual updates as well, with the full list of changes being available here.

“There’s a lot to set up in Original Sin 2, both in terms of its narrative and its gameplay. While I can understand this, that understanding doesn’t stop the first five-or-so hours from being dry and a bit confusing.“

One of the biggest additions to the Definitive Edition is its new tutorial area, which helped me immensely when I first started playing. Upon starting the game, you’re thrown onto a boat that is enroute to Fort Joy. The Definitive Edition adds an optional area that acquaints you with the many mechanics of Original Sin 2 while introducing you to new minor characters. The new area was quite successful at easing me into the game, and provided enough enjoyable character banter and loot to keep it fun. The fact that you can skip it entirely will no doubt be welcome news to those who are familiar with the base game, or to players who just want to hit the ground running.

This isn’t really a “hit the ground running” type of game though, which is frustrating but understandable. There’s a lot to set up in Original Sin 2, both in terms of its narrative and its gameplay. While I can understand this, that understanding doesn’t stop the first five-or-so hours from being dry and a bit confusing. Most of the early-game enemies have different types of armor equipped to protect them from physical and magic attacks, while you’re given very little to work with in the equipment department.

While this somewhat encourages you to “fight smarter, not harder”, I would have preferred to be on a more equal playing field while I learn the ins and outs of combat. I would often have to reload saves or run away half-dead for walking towards the wrong area, as I would quickly learn that I didn’t stand a chance against these decked-out enemies. After completing multiple combat-free sidequests, the game felt far more balanced, and far more enjoyable as a result. I love difficult games, but the first few hours of Original Sin 2 feel more unfair than challenging.

Once I got the hang of things, I started to see the appeal of Divinity: Original Sin 2. The world is full of intrigue and charm, largely thanks to the top-notch writing. Making dismemberment puns with a talking severed head is something I’ll never forget, while convincing a group of enemies that you’re one of them, only to slay them, is an incredibly satisfying experience. Every character in Rivellon has their own thoughts and beliefs, and will react differently to each character in your party.

“Positioning yourself advantageously and combining status effects can be key, or you can cheese the battle before it even begins with some thievery or manipulation.“

Combat is suitably complex, as mentioned earlier. Once I had my bearings, I found myself trying all sorts of weird attack combinations to see what weird exploits I could conjure up. The sheer variety of skills and spells to learn is nothing short of impressive, and it encourages experimentation in how you level your character up. Combat itself is slow at first, but addictive as time goes on. Each encounter becomes a careful and strategic battle that requires as much thought as it does experience, which I definitely appreciate. Positioning yourself advantageously and combining status effects can be key, or you can cheese the battle before it even begins with some thievery or manipulation. The freedom afforded to you in each battle is probably the best thing about Original Sin 2, as it may be even better than its writing.

I was surprised at how meticulously crafted the visuals of Original Sin 2 are, as I often had the camera zoomed out. Upon taking a closer look, I found the environments and character to be remarkably detailed. The gorgeous soundtrack rounds the package out wonderfully, while the expertly-performed voicework can either be suitably dramatic, or wonderfully goofy.

The Final Word
It may start slow, but Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition is a deep and well-made tactical RPG that only gets better as it goes on. Though less patient players may understandably bail early, sticking with Original Sin 2 will reward you with an excellent game that is only made better by its Definitive changes.

MonsterVine Review Score: 4 out of 5 – Good