Often given the most attention in the world of video games are the console wars between Xbox One and PlayStation 4, so much so PC games have not been given the window they deserve to be advertised, of course this is outside of World of Warcraft etc. What is even rarer are games successful on the PC making their way onto the console and succeeding as much as they have done. Most of you will be well aware of the high quality in the Steam store but they don’t move over to the console which is a real shame because we have seem games flourish and evolve, Fallout being the blueprint. So when games do move over such as Divinity Original Sin I am keen to try them to see if they hype and positive reviews are really that great off PC.
And that is where we are today, Divinity Original Sin is a symbol of how PC games are portrayed and also is very generic of what PC games offer. Massive depth, great story and interesting Sci Fi. It ticks all of the stereotypical boxes of the PC RPG we have come to expect and love, it was also very well received on that particular platform but the console is a whole new kettle of fish, some games make it and most do not.
Divinity is story of a 2 heroes with roles titled as Source Hunters, the source is toyed as something of magical power but the game doesn’t explain really what the Source is all about for newcomers. The game centralises around a few different stories but the main one which seems to interlink them all is the murder of a key figure within the army ranks, as you investigate Divinity pulls you off to a random far away part of the galaxy, homestead, in which you learn about the power of the star stones. Tasked with finding these, Divinity adds more and more depth to its already rich storyline, it can feel convoluted at times, but Divinity does make good choices in order to streamline the story as well as giving the player that choice you need when playing RPGs.
As always surrounding these type of games is the war element and the afore mentioned Sci-Fi features heavily throughout as Orcs continue to be the surge of the human race, throwing in some undead soldiers for good measure to and you have a melting pot containing a hurricane. It all makes for quite a spectacle and gives the dialogue within Divinity a wide load to really have at it throughout the various array of unique characters you encounter, whether that be on land, sea or space.
However one of the most intriguing communications on the game comes from the 2 main, both playable, characters who are rarely apart throughout the tale. The constant decision making between AI and player makes single player interesting as the game can sometimes force you down a path you may not wish to go down. This is similar with Co-Op too as players can argue in the presence of each other and settle it on the game with an old fashioned rendition of Rock, Paper, Scissors. This is also how you win arguments against the AI with the higher the skill point meaning you get more point for a correct turn, the first to 10 wins and the game continues down that chosen path.
Which leads me on to the levelling system quite nicely, this is split down and broken into different areas such as Attributes and Abilities, attributes feature heavily in the way your character interacts we key skills such as strength and perception, this is also where you can win the battle against your AI companion or your mates in co-op. Abilities focus on the individual skills such as Spells, Weapons and Melee to name a few, each of those sections are broken down into individuals once again, for example, upgrading my cross bow in weapons gives me greater range and higher damage. Divinity has done a very good job with this set up, it covers all grounds that you will want to upgrade and master, everything is open for the player to make sure that this is your journey and not one which holds your hand.
When it comes to player decisions it is amazing to see such a wide variety of paths and additions which Divinity presents itself, we have seen this before though in games and it has been shackled by the games combat. No more though. The combat is fantastic and works well, the turn playing move makes you think tactically about the next decision, whilst also caring about how the player next to you will fair. This is proven when taking on boss levels within Divinity, they are fun yet challenging and whilst not being the only positive.
Divinity also makes very good use of combat in spells outside of the fights with the full arsenal being available to solve issues in your path such as break out fires which block the path of your progress to poison clouds which need to be cleared in order to advance, Divinity has a flawless movement for these with little issue making it fun to play. Adding into this, the inventory which makes use of the weapons you find, or are given, quite well with a quick selection tool allowing easy navigation. Without it the inventory is a complete mess, I found it difficult to locate the items I needed to advance with some items in particular not being clear enough that I knew there meanings.
Divinity Original Sin is one of those RPG styles which will have you undoubtedly have you come back for more and more as you try and figure out the solution to this murder as well as all of the plenty of other side quests which keep you actively involved throughout. But with little direction the game can feel a little convoluted at times with plenty going on at once, I blame myself slightly for this for not realising when I took on so much. Divinity is as enjoyable as any RPG on the market and will be overlooked by those who fly to Fallout etc, but Divinity has many charms which make it a very enjoyable experience.
