Divinity II: Ego Draconis
- September 24, 2009
- Larian Studios
- 30h median play time
Divinity II: Ego Draconis is an action-packed, open world fantasy RPG that allows players to switch between human and dragon forms for combat. Its interesting plot, beautiful game mechanics, and exceptional atmosphere are complemented by pretty visuals, an excellent soundtrack, and humor, but are hindered by lots of grinding, poor optimization, and numerous bugs. Players assume the role of a dragon seeking revenge, making for a unique and engaging gaming experience.
PC
Xbox
Xbox 360
Reviews
- Engaging story with witty dialogue and humor.
- Ability to transform into a dragon adds a unique gameplay element.
- Variety of quests and character customization options enhance replayability.
- Frequent crashes and infinite loading screens on modern systems.
- Combat can feel clunky and unbalanced, with difficulty spikes.
- Graphics and animations are dated, affecting immersion.
- story828 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of "Divinity II" has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its engaging narrative, humor, and character development, while others criticize it for being convoluted, poorly written, or lacking depth. Many appreciate the variety of quests and the ability to make meaningful choices, but some find the quest design frustrating due to vague directions and a lack of markers. Overall, while the main storyline may not be groundbreaking, the game offers a rich world filled with entertaining side quests and a unique blend of humor and fantasy elements.
“The story and writing are genuinely superb and go toward making this a great game, and a real success for Larian after Beyond Divinity seemed very lackluster compared to Divine Divinity.”
“The strongest aspects here are the story, writing, and characters, and as long as you can deal with the technical/performance problems, the story and the character customization alone outweigh the cons.”
“The story is witty and engaging, and the combat is a mix of Diablo and Skyrim.”
“The story struggles with its own continuity throughout; the writing team didn't share notes or just didn't care, which is a shame.”
“The narrative itself retcons Divine Divinity and in turn is totally retconned by the original sin sequels, so don't feel like you're missing any important parts of the storyline if you skip this game.”
“The story is overwhelmingly unoriginal and I'm not a fan of the ending.”
- gameplay271 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this action-adventure RPG has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant design flaws and unpolished mechanics that detract from the overall experience. While some enjoy the unique elements like mind reading and dragon transformation, others criticize the combat for being repetitive and lacking depth. Despite its challenges, the game offers a rich world to explore and a compelling story, making it appealing to fans of fantasy RPGs, albeit with caution regarding its gameplay execution.
“Gameplay is cool, story is cool, difficulty is actually legit (hard is actually hard), secrets, hidden stuff, dungeons, mind reading, etc. lot's to discover here.”
“The gameplay is dynamic and well polished.”
“Great game with unique gameplay and great graphics for its year of release.”
“This is one of those games where the main challenge is maintaining your composure at all the terrible gameplay design choices instead of just raging at the screen due to the terrible implementation.”
“The story is about as dull as that game, but even though I enjoyed parts of Divinity 2, I can't really say I enjoyed the combat gameplay that much: it's very repetitive, has random difficulty spikes and seldom rewards your efforts.”
“This game is clearly confused, as its developers tried to put several gameplay elements together that could make sense but are in its combination all over the place.”
- graphics223 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated, reflecting its 2009 release, but many players find them adequate and charming, especially when compared to modern standards. While some users report technical issues like choppy performance and limited graphical options, others appreciate the artistic style and detail, noting that with tweaks and mods, the visuals can significantly improve. Overall, the graphics may not be cutting-edge, but they contribute positively to the game's nostalgic appeal and immersive storytelling.
“Whether it's the open green spaces in the early game or the dense Aleroth late-game, the art style and details are consistent and cohesive.”
“The graphics are really nice, not the latest tech in 3D rendering, but they have a nice artistic style to them.”
“The graphics are amazing, especially considering it was released in 2009.”
“First I've encountered choppy/laggy graphics.”
“Poor graphical areas even in max settings.”
“There are very few graphics options, and the ones you can adjust do not make a significant difference.”
- humor161 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending clever dialogue, quirky characters, and amusing side quests that keep the experience engaging and entertaining. While some humor may feel dated or campy, it often elicits genuine laughter through witty writing and unexpected twists, reminiscent of classic comedic styles. Overall, the game successfully balances serious storytelling with a lighthearted tone, making it a joy for players who appreciate humor in their RPGs.
“The game is full of secrets, side quests, and funny moments.”
“The humor alone makes Divinity II a joy to play, but honestly speaking, this game is brilliant in almost every respect.”
“Some of the quests and dialogue lines in this game are so cleverly written and engaging that they had me literally burst out laughing.”
- music128 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising it as "legendary" and "superb," highlighting its ability to enhance the atmosphere and evoke a sense of adventure. However, others criticize it for being inconsistent, with some tracks described as "cringe" or "headache-inducing," and report issues like sound bugs and music that doesn't match the gameplay. Overall, while many players appreciate the soundtrack's quality and emotional impact, there are notable complaints about its execution and technical issues.
“The music is legendary.”
“Lastly, the music slaps as is tradition with Larian games so far.”
“The soundtrack and sound design are superb.”
“The music is terrible, but you can turn it off :)”
“The soundtrack is unbearably bad for an RPG.”
“Music is quite bad, unfortunately.”
- stability53 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs, crashes, and glitches that significantly impact gameplay, particularly during loading screens. While some users have experienced relatively stable sessions, many others have faced persistent issues that can render the game unplayable at times. Overall, the consensus is that the game suffers from a lack of polish and quality control, making it a frustrating experience for those sensitive to technical problems.
“Other than that, the game itself is mercifully bug-free as I only found 2 in nearly 100 hours of gameplay: 1) a couple of levers that should cause a platform and chest to appear in one of the sides but don't work, resulting in missing some random loot; 2) there is one locked box for which the key is completely missing from the game, also resulting in missing some random loot.”
“The plot and quests offer a good variety and are generally bug-free.”
“Game is really buggy; during the Flames of Vengeance DLC, I had crashes at every third load screen after restarting the game.”
“There are numerous bugs and glitches that make the game unplayable.”
“I wanted to recommend this game for a number of reasons, but listing all the cool aspects of the game seems pointless because of the game-breaking time-wasting loading-screen bug (freezes on saves/reloads/switching areas).”
- optimization35 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant stuttering and performance issues, particularly on modern systems. While some users found workarounds, such as locking the framerate to 30 FPS, others reported that the game runs poorly even on decent hardware. Overall, while the game can be enjoyable despite its technical flaws, many players feel it requires better optimization for a smoother experience.
“Still highly enjoyable and runs smoothly now.”
“+ good optimization, I could play on my very old laptop where I cannot play games such as Oblivion.”
“This game must be amazingly optimized because I have never had such a beautiful game run so well on my cheese sandwich of a computer (uhhh barring the easily worked around C++ issue lol).”
“Horrible stuttering on modern systems.”
“But this game's performance is so bad, even on a decent PC.”
“It's an old game and runs like garbage, stuttering and terrible frame rate.”
- grinding29 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in the later stages where quests and combat become monotonous. While some appreciate the unique elements and writing, many express frustration with the lack of variety in enemies and the grind required to reach higher levels, leading to a sense of boredom. Despite these criticisms, a few players still find enjoyment in the game, suggesting that the grind may be tolerable for those seeking mindless action.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The quests can get a bit tedious after a while.”
“The game is fun, but it gets tedious after a point.”
“Fun for a while, but it gets tedious very quickly and lasts for way too long.”
- atmosphere21 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and diverse environments, ranging from horror-themed areas to nostalgic fantasy settings, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack and engaging NPC interactions. While some music tracks may not always align with the atmosphere, the overall experience is described as captivating and unique, inviting players to explore its richly designed world. The combination of strong storytelling, character development, and atmospheric elements contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
“But they also masterfully use it to build up atmosphere that might diverge from the norm, such as horror-themed areas like cultist bases, murder-mystery-esque mansions, and asylums.”
“It ticks my usual boxes very well… attractive and atmospheric fantasy world that invites exploration, third-person presentation, action combat, puzzle-solving elements, engaging story, intelligent script full of irony and sarcasm, solid voice acting, and good score.”
“The game is wonderfully atmospheric, and is also unique.”
“I am roughly 6 hours into the game and while the game's weird nostalgic atmosphere will probably drag me further in, I have a few central issues with this game.”
“The background music doesn't match the atmosphere always.”
“I must say that in my time playing so far, it feels a lot like the first Witcher game in many aspects, such as combat (without mandatory timed attacks), soundtrack, environment, atmosphere, and storytelling.”
- replayability17 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many players enjoying the ability to make different choices, explore various character builds, and engage in numerous side quests. However, some users express concerns about limited replay value due to issues like boring combat and downtime between fights, suggesting that while the game offers substantial content, it may not appeal to everyone in terms of replayability.
“Good replayability too, so you can choose to act differently, side with someone else, or play totally different.”
“I can, with my whole heart, say that this game is one of the best games I have ever played. This game is replayable time after time, and equally fun every time. The reason I have low hours is that I owned the game outside of Steam before getting it here. Super game!”
“The storyline is well done, the game offers many funny side quests, and replayability through an interesting character progression.”
“There are some minor problems with it - there's a lot of downtime in between fights early game, and I don't think it has a lot of replayability.”
“No replay value in my opinion, because of the boring combat.”
“Truthfully though, the replay value is slim to none, but if you're looking to burn about 60 hours, you could do far worse.”
- character development8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game features strong character development, highlighted by memorable voice acting, music, and impressive character design, including options for diverse playable characters. Players appreciate the blend of humor and storytelling, with character progression tied to gameplay elements like leveling and skill development, enhancing the overall experience. The initial gameplay phase, focused on becoming a dragon, is seen as a valuable contribution to character growth.
“Game has great character development and wacky British humor throughout.”
“Great atmosphere, great story/storytelling, and good character development (skill and item-wise).”
“The game has quite a bit of character development.”
“Can't complain and you have the option to play as a lady (really like the art style/character design on her, very pretty) and the armor designs are legitimately good.”
“- completely free character development.”
- monetization5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is highly praised for its absence of microtransactions, loot boxes, and additional DLC purchases, providing players with a complete experience without any cash grabs or paywalls. This approach is seen as a refreshing change from the practices of other major publishers.
“No microtransactions, thank you!”
“If you look closely, this does not have loot boxes, pointless DLCs, paywall content, microtransactions, or just about any money-grubbing tactic used by the likes of Ubisoft or EA these days.”
“It's really nice that everything is included in one package; no additional DLC purchases (cash grabs?) are needed.”
“No additional purchases (cash grabs?) here.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, citing feelings of nostalgia reminiscent of classic titles like Fable and Oblivion. While the game evokes heartfelt moments and appreciation for the developers' efforts, it also elicits frustration during challenging gameplay segments.
“The game made me feel nostalgia and took me back to the days of games like Fable, Oblivion, and the like.”
“For every heartfelt chuckle or legitimate moment of curiosity I had, there was a moment or three of a frustrated sigh, loading the last save and trying once again to complete some menial task or fight.”
“I watched the video and was very touched; it was heartfelt to see all the hard work they put into this game.”
