Divinity II: Ego Draconis

Guest review by Sopheap Eang

Divinity II: Ego Draconis plays similar to the online giant World of Warcraft.  That's not a bad thing, why change something that isn't broken, right? Did I mention it didn't go online? It's my one and only complaint.

The story starts off with a very well made cut scene that includes the soon to be nemesis.  Afterwards the player is sent off to a tutorial village.  Here, the basics of the game are taught. The game uses standard WASD controls are us-ed.  The number keys 1 through 6 are used to map certain skills or items for quick use.  All of the other windows for items, the world map, etc. can be accessed using the ESC key.  Each window can also be accessed by individual keys.

Something to be noted is that every character is voiced. It's a nice touch.  The graphics in the game are acceptable. It doesn't do a whole lot to "raise the bar", but it does a good job of maintaining the standard. With different computers, different impressions are made.  To truly appreciate the game, a top notch computer is a must.

Throughout the adventure, a multitude of environments are visited.  Woodland paradises where small rabbits frolic in the fields. To dark caves and corridors where turning a corner could mean death. One scene I personally found enjoyable were raiding goblin settlements. Then taking their hearts to sell to a soldier in a nearby village. 

Quests in this game are a large source of where a player gets his/her points to level up.  These quest made me question my sense of right and wrong.  For example, it's a time of famine, and a villagers pigs, who he thinks of as family, are taken by soldiers to feed other starving people. Will you sympathize with the pigs' owners.  Ultimately causing the death of others, or will you say its okay to part a man from his "kids".  There are many quests that make you think about good and bad. They shape who you are in the world of divinity.

Character development is where all the replay value is coming from.  The player has control over every aspect of their character.  Their physical prowess with melee weapons, their to pick off targets from a distance, and their metal strength to perform magic.  Notice I said "and", the game doesn't limit a player to classes.  Having the ability to mix and match skills make gameplay very different for different character builds.  Giving hours and hours of play.

Divinity II: Ego Draconis from Larian Studios puts up a good fight against other games in the RPG genre. I can see myself playing this for a very long time.  Making this game worth every penny it's worth.