DIVINITY: ORIGINAL SIN

Okay, I know we're a little late, but the wise people say that "good things take time to happen". Divinity: Original Sin is simply and unpretentiously the title that old school rpg players have been waiting for for the last few years. Being the "offspring" of a highly successful kickstarter campaign, Divinity: Original Sin pays supreme homage to the classic Black Isle rpgs (and beyond!) that have nurtured generations of gamers and defined the fundamentals of online rpgs. Thankfully it doesn't stay there but adds the necessary touches to give a freshness and a distinctly modern character that is in keeping with the times. Of course there are shortcomings, mistakes and minor problems but not enough to detract in the slightest from the value and quality of this summer's top role-playing game. So follow me on an enchanting fantasy journey that unites the past and the future with exceptional mastery...

The world of Divinity: Original Sin is not that different from other, classic fantasy worlds. Orcs, wizards, undead creatures, dungeons, ancient temples, bustling cities, chaotic forests and many more classic fantasy elements parade across our screens in a familiar but beloved ensemble. In this particular world there is a powerful malevolent force, the Source, with those who make use of it being considered blasphemous and demonic. A special caste of adventurers called Source Hunters are tasked with "policing" the world and hunting down Source in all its forms. We begin with our two freshly assigned Source Hunters taking on the task of solving the murder of an official in the city of Cylean. The story begins by exploring what little evidence we have, and slowly along the way evolves into a dynamic world-saving scenario (as usual).

At the start we create two characters by choosing from a variety of classes. In the game we can find two additional companions, eventually completing a classic adventuring party of four. In Divinity: Original Sin, classes do not limit our choices. Want a rogue who shoots flame balls? Would your tank benefit from possessing necromantic powers? How about a mage who is proficient at crafting two-handed weapons? The options available really are infinite and turn the game into a huge puzzle in which you fill in the pieces in your own, personal way. It makes sense, of course, that an all around character will simply be good at many things but not excellent at specific ones. But since the game shows its old school nature very early on, it's best to stick - at least in your first playthrough - to the classic role-playing game standards.

The game throws you in the deep end from the start. After a short tutorial dungeon you enter the town of Cylean to explore the murder and unmask the perpetrator. You'll come into contact with dozens of interesting NPCs and hundreds of lines of dialogue will cross your screens. The smallest detail may matter, and for this reason it's a good idea to take notes frequently. I beg your pardon? Will your quest log indicate where you ought to go for the next mission? You are sorely mistaken, my friends. Divinity: Original Sin is old school, believes it and proves it in every aspect. There is no quest log but a journal which is exactly what it says... a collection of notes. Everything new you learn is recorded there... just recorded! The game won't tell you where to go, who to talk to, what your next objective is. YOU are the one who has to piece together the clues and discover the next location you will explore. And exploring unfamiliar places means only one thing: fighting!

Combat is one of the game's strongest assets. It is purely tactical and turn based. Forget the false turn based system of Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale with its -necessary- infinite pauses. The overall mechanic is rather more reminiscent of that of Temple of Elemental Evil with the addition of action points. Each move, ability or spell requires a number of action points. You spend the necessary number and perform the actions you want. By saving action points for later rounds you can perform more expensive abilities/spells with - naturally - stronger effects. Note that there is no kind of grid with squares or hexagons as usual, so you can move and act freely in space.

Where the combat system takes off, however, is in its inspired use of the elements. All elements of nature, through the spells and abilities performed during battle, interact with each other in a spectacular way that changes the environment and the balance. A puddle of oil can be turned into a fiery inferno by casting a simple, cheap fire spell on it. A spell that creates rain can extinguish the flames in the room, but at the same time, those involved in the conflict will get wet and become vulnerable to magic that uses lightning. A wet surface can become ice and those who step on it can slip. Pushing and moving objects such as wooden boxes and barrels containing liquids (water, oil, etc.) is also possible, resulting in the shaping of the battlefield according to the strategies we want to implement. A huge world of options and experimentation opens up before us, literally. Divinity: Original Sin offers the best turn-based combat system ever presented in a role-playing game, period.

Moving on, the game is huge and worthy of full exploration. Every single element is important, and sometimes a combination of information that at first seems unrelated is required to move on. The existence of puzzles is of particular importance since solving the most difficult ones usually leads to secret passages that include excellent loot. The dialogues are unique and many times you will see your team members debating amongst themselves, arguing over the decisions you make. This is where the game turns into a rock-paper-scissors mini game, with the winner's opinion being the one that ultimately prevails. Overall, the world of Divinity: Original Sin is vibrant and will feel bigger than it really is. This is helped by the detail that has gone into the design of even the smallest corner of the map. Nothing has been left untouched. For example, you will rarely come across a house that doesn't have a second floor or cellar (it usually has both!). If you have an appetite for exploration I guarantee you won't be bored for a single moment.

There is also a crafting system in the game which is quite realistic. Although there are scattered recipes that give you information about materials and how to create potions and items, you can freely experiment with whatever you have in your possession. Functionally, however, it is a relatively slow and time-consuming system. By drag 'n dropping crafting materials on top of others you acquire new items. Some of these require a particularly laborious process though, as the production chain from the first crafting materials to the last is huge. Note that certain items also require the existence of furnaces, mills, anvils etc in the environment. In practice you will create several potions and various kinds of arrows, as two clicks are enough to complete the process (and you will have some useful items in your backpack). In conclusion, the crafting system probably doesn't have much to offer and very few people are likely to bother with it.

In terms of visuals and sound, the graphics are gorgeous with bright colors and beautiful dark shadows... in the dungeons of course! Some character models are perhaps a little too crude (especially when zooming in), though it's something that doesn't bother me. The soundtrack that accompanies your wanderings is enchanting and firmly within the fantasy framework. Especially the violin melodies combined with the splashing sounds of the waves are simply dreamy. The voiceovers are minimal, involving only your team members and work well. The effects of the spells during battle are the ones that make the difference though as they will fill your screen with a colourful orgy and will impress you: from the animations of spell execution to the explosions and their devastating effects, everything works to your eyes' delight. Unfortunately there are some incomprehensible delays at points and as much as I tweaked by dropping the quality on some options, the game suffers a slight delay in screen scrolling. It's nothing annoying and I believe it will be fixed in an upcoming patch, but it still ruins the overall seamless experience.

Of course, not everything is beautiful and rosy. The game is full of glitches and -lesser- bugs and although it has been improved a lot after continuous patches, it hasn't reached the desired result yet (see the screenshot as an example). The pathfinding of your team will often annoy you but it is a common phenomenon in team based roleplaying games where we "babysit" an entire group of characters. The question is, when will it finally be effectively addressed in games in the genre? But the biggest pain in the ass of all is the unwieldy inventory whose management is a real nightmare. Having four entire inventories at our disposal with hundreds of items each, it's obvious that we would expect to have tools and shortcuts available to move and act within them with ease. Instead, the process is clunky... too clunky I would say! To craft a potion, for example, you need to move all the ingredients into the same inventory. To identify a magic item you would have to transfer it to the character with the magnifying glass and the corresponding skill. Purchases must also be made by the character who has the item, and for a subsequent purchase of ANOTHER item that is in ANOTHER inventory, the process must be repeated from the beginning. Honestly the situation in this area could be much better with a few basic additions and maybe a common inventory for certain item types. I hope in a future patch there will be an improvement because managing the inventory as it is now takes literally hours and is inconvenient and tedious.

Divinity: Original Sin is truly a gem despite its shortcomings and few problems. Old school gamers are sure to appreciate it and get lost for hours in its deep and vast world. Younger players, if they manage to get into the mood and get through the first slow hours of gameplay, will find themselves in front of a masterpiece they certainly didn't expect in 2014. In a few years I'm sure we'll be remembering it as we now remember legends of the past. The Baldur's Gate of the new generation is here!

Pros

Cons