No. 3 Divinity Original Sin
No. 2 Divinity Oiriginal Sin 2
Both of these games are the one entity for me, sort of. 500+ hours, 3 playthroughs of DOS and 2 Playthroughs of DOS2. I find both games to be on par with one another even though DOS2 does evolve things yet there is much to be said about the simplicity of DOS and as with the story and world size and simple square maps. I prefer it in many ways, also tonely with the whimsical nature of it there is just something to it that hits right but with that said DOS2 ups the game quite a bit and even though it takes more effort to play it is rewarding for that effort and while it looses many things that DOS brought to the table like that 90's feel it also brings so much that it is hard to argue that it's not the better game and for me, the greatest CRPG ever. Both titles take this genre, one that other titles don't even break my top 50 and solidifies it, gamifies it and just perfects it all. It fixes everything weak about the genre, the week loot, the flimsy pause combat, the feeling like you're going from dialogue box to dialogue box for no other reward and then adds in so much more like scenarios and quests that have actual video game puzzle focus, this cool elemental system, an illusion of emergence like no other, differing paths that feel like they were actually crafted and scripted. Wanna blow up a town with a bunch of barrels voiding the whole areas quests lines, cool, nothing is off the table but what's different here and absolutely amazing is how carefully crafted it all feels.
The games are addicting on many levels, there are gameplay loops within gameplay loops whitin overall gameplay loops and right down to the itemization it's all so gamified and addicting while still holfing the genres core feature like choice based dialouge and doing it very well. The turn based combat in my opinion is the best there is, I can't put to words why that is so but I just love it and the encounters can sometimes go for 45 minutes, you make a mistake and die and it's so good you feel no pain replaying the scenario.
I consider these games 10 out of 10s but they aren't perfect, they are so good though that they rise over their minor flaws such as repeating dialogue in NPC chatter, a weak third act in DOS2 and insanely difficulty final fights (a few final fights in DOS2) that make you wonder if you're supposed to slaughter everyone for EXP before finalising areas and yes I have done this on subsequent pkaythroughs to min max but in DOS2 I simply have to lower the difficulty in the final two hours. Point is, there is much that can be improved and perhaps my first pkaythrough of Baldurs Gate 3 is where I will find that improvement.
For now, these two game remain the best CRPGs for me and are just one slot short of being my best game/s of all time. I love them so much, equally yet on different levels, I even have come to love their flaws like the NPC chatter. I wish I was good enough to finish them on the highest difficulty for the platinums, alas, I never will be.
Last edited by LegitHyperbole - 5 days ago
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