Posted on: January 16, 2010 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

The sheer amount of things individuals can do whenever they pop in their copy of Divinity II is astonishing. Of course, fans of the 2002 original will understand this, but for those that did not pick up the original, it provides a number of unique twists and turns that will impress anyone that is even tangentially familiar with the RPG (role playing game) genre. First off, the two facets of Divinity II that will be most noticeable – the visuals and the voice work – are surprisingly strong for a genre that does not necessarily need cutting-edge levels of either.

The immersive world of Rivellon is leaps beyond similarly-detailed worlds (World of Warcraft, Gothic 3), while the voice acting is not hokey nor unbelievable – one could conceivably believe that the voice issuing forth is the character’s “real” voice. The free-form nature of Divinity II should be the game’s strongest suit. Where characters ultimately have to settle into specific roles (warrior, priest, magic-user), Divinity II allows players to develop their other personas in a realistic way. Those that choose to go down the path of Dragon Knights will be able to shape-shift in a way that is typically not present in most RPGs, with the incredible power of dragon-kin available.

While some may think that the collection of vanquished foes’ body parts is a little on the morbid side, the creation of abominations that then provide assistance to characters is something else that no other game can claim as their own. Finally, the distinctive quest lines available to players provide different gear and storyline options depending on however individuals decide to take the game. It may be over seven years between releases, but Divinity II is a worthy addition to the Divinity line. For those that felt that the original title was limited or otherwise weak, Divinity II has taken that step forward and may just be able to declare itself the best RPG of the year, even at this early stage. If you can get into a good RPG, make sure to pick this up for the Xbox 360 or the PC.

Rating: 8.3/10

Divinity II: Ego Draconis (Xbox 360) / 2010 CDV Software / http://www.cdvusa.com

Leave a Comment