Has anyone played Divinity: Original Sin? Any thoughts?

[stumpy]

I have seen references to Divinity: Original Sin many times over the past year or so. I enjoy the swords-and-sorcery genre, so this buzz has earned some curiosity from me. I have not played any of the earlier Divinity series (or any of Larian's games), and my impression is that this is a new effort for them and not a continuation of the previous games (though the world setting may be the same).

Many of the claims may be pushing credulity, but none that I have heard are impossible. It's supposed to be a game in the spirit of NWN, with fun game play, lots of flexibility in character creation, solid multiplayer with the ability to host MP games for friends, etc. Of course, the campaign that comes with the game has gotten positive reviews. But, the key additional feature needed for any game that is trying to succeed NWN is that it has an accessible modding tool that let's people who aren't professional developers design and build their own campaigns. Despite all that, my somewhat cursory scan of the reviews seems to indicate that D:OS has all of that. And, it is available DRM-free on GOG.

So, I am curious if anyone here has taken the plunge and what your thoughts are? FWIW, I am more concerned about the gaming mechanics (how well combat works, how well spells work, etc.) than about the aesthetics of the game. And, how active is the fan community in creating new campaign modules, etc?

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

I will be buying this game, but have not yet played it.  It has, however, received near universal acclaim and was number 1 selling game on steam for weeks, having shattered the sales of all previous games from the series, all while being self-published and crowd-funded.  It's probably a safe buy.

If you have a Steam account, however, I might be able to cut you a deal, so send me a pm if interested.

[stumpy]

That's consonant with what I have seen, as well. I haven't yet visited any D:OS communities that may have sprung up, so I haven't gotten much in the way of first-hand impressions yet, either of the game as it ships nor of how active the modding has gotten. Since I don't actually have time to play another game at the moment, I plan to keep my ear to the ground for a while longer,

Thanks for the potential hookup with steam.

[Talavar]

It's pretty awesome actually.  Very much in the spirit of old-school turn and party-based RPGs.  It's very easy to get in over your head, and absolutely crushed by the enemies.  It's also a pretty large game.  Definitely recommended.

[stumpy]

Very cool. I am not opposed to awesome. :-)

As a benchmark, how would you compare it to other games in the genre, like Dragon Age: Origins?

[Talavar]

Very cool. I am not opposed to awesome. :-)

As a benchmark, how would you compare it to other games in the genre, like Dragon Age: Origins?

It definitely feels older-school than Dragon Age.  You can very easily wander into areas that will having you reaching for the reload button, voice acting is sparse, and some puzzles are opaque.  The main story is less compelling than a game like Dragon Age, and its definitely has less of a polished shine, but the gameplay is fun, particularly if you enjoy strategic turn-based fights.