Divinity: Dragon Commander

61%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,482 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Divinity: Dragon Commander Game Cover
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"Divinity: Dragon Commander" is a strategy-RPG game that combines turn-based combat with real-time strategy elements. As the Dragon Commander, players will command troops, engage in aerial combat, and make political decisions that will affect the course of the game's story. The game features a unique blend of fantasy and steampunk aesthetics, with diverse characters and a variety of customization options.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

61%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,482 reviews
story284 positive mentions
stability34 negative mentions
  • The game successfully blends RTS, turn-based strategy, and RPG elements, creating a unique gameplay experience.
  • The character interactions and political decision-making are engaging and well-written, providing depth to the story.
  • Flying as a dragon with a jetpack adds a fun and exciting twist to the combat mechanics.
  • The RTS combat is often unbalanced and can feel repetitive, leading to a reliance on auto-resolve for battles.
  • The political choices can feel binary and lack nuance, making it difficult to navigate complex moral dilemmas.
  • The game suffers from bugs and crashes, particularly during RTS battles, which can hinder the overall experience.
  • story846 mentions

    The story of "Divinity: Dragon Commander" is a blend of engaging political intrigue and character-driven narratives, set against a backdrop of empire-building and sibling rivalry. While the main plot is often described as linear and somewhat predictable, the rich character arcs and the choices players make significantly enhance the experience, making it a highlight for many players. However, some critiques point to a lack of depth in the overarching narrative and the integration of gameplay mechanics, suggesting that the story could have benefited from more meaningful consequences tied to player decisions.

    • “The story is simple and straightforward with excellent humor and like all Divinity games is blatantly self-aware.”
    • “I absolutely adore this game and encourage anyone looking for a good story-based RTS to give it a try; Larian has always delivered quality and this is no less than a quality product.”
    • “The story portrayed through the cutscenes is certainly well told, but serves as more or less a justification to go from one map to the next.”
    • “The plot and characters are all boring and stereotypical, as if written for children, although they try to raise 'heavy' subjects, in a very heavy-handed manner.”
    • “The writing for the story and dialog is weak, the characters never change or remember anything you've done in the past except as a numerical percentage that adds bonuses/penalties in the RTS mode.”
  • gameplay666 mentions

    The gameplay of "Divinity: Dragon Commander" is a mixed bag, combining elements of real-time strategy (RTS), turn-based strategy, and role-playing, but often falling short in execution. While the unique mechanics, such as controlling a dragon in battles and engaging in political decision-making, offer some fun, many players find the RTS components to be simplistic and clunky, leading to a repetitive experience. Overall, the game is more appreciated for its story and character interactions than for its gameplay depth, which many reviewers describe as lacking or frustrating.

    • “Very few games pull off mixing direct combat with RTS gameplay, grand strategy, and role-playing, but somehow this one strikes a satisfying balance.”
    • “The dragon combat is well-implemented and adds another dimension to the gameplay.”
    • “Dragon Commander meshes together numerous gameplay mechanics into one solid game, making it a unique experience.”
    • “The gameplay here is, to be honest, quite bad.”
    • “The actual gameplay, on the land that is, is absolute horrid.”
    • “For a game that boasts being an RTS game, it has abysmal gameplay and visuals when you are in the RTS part of the game.”
  • graphics187 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful art style, detailed character designs, and immersive environments that contribute to a visually stunning experience. However, some players criticize the graphics in the RTS gameplay as outdated and lacking variety, suggesting a disparity between the high-quality visuals in other areas and the combat scenes. Overall, while the graphics are generally well-executed and appealing, they are not without their flaws, particularly in the strategic elements of the game.

    • “The graphics and sound design in Divinity: Dragon Commander are top-notch, providing an immersive and visually stunning experience.”
    • “Overall the game is fantastic in terms of animations, voices, graphics, and gameplay done better than even some triple-A titles, astonishing production quality.”
    • “The game's graphics are well-executed, with beautiful landscapes and detailed characters.”
    • “You can have some fun, but the game itself is nothing I would recommend due to its older graphics and gameplay.”
    • “It's bugged, there's no tutorial, graphics look old, no story... feels like it was made by junior developers with no money while being rushed.”
    • “For a game that boasts being an RTS game, it has abysmal gameplay and visuals when you are in the RTS part of the game.”
  • humor150 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing and engaging character interactions, often blending light satire with absurdity and political commentary. Players appreciate the well-crafted dialogue and the self-aware tone, which adds depth to the comedic elements, making the experience both entertaining and thought-provoking. While some aspects of the gameplay may not resonate as strongly, the humor remains a standout feature that enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “Most of the dialogue is well written and can be genuinely funny instead of relying on cheap jokes for laughs.”
    • “The characters are absolutely hilarious, the banter between them is far from politically correct and nothing is off limits.”
    • “The humor in the game is excellent, adding a light-hearted touch that makes the time spent on the raven truly enjoyable.”
  • music130 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its energetic and immersive qualities that enhance gameplay, while others find it repetitive or not particularly noteworthy. Some players highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as epic and fitting for various game scenarios, while a few criticize it as annoying or underwhelming. Overall, the soundtrack is often regarded as a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to the atmosphere and player experience.

    • “The soundtrack alone is enough to buy this game while it's on sale ($4).”
    • “Also, the music in this game is absolutely amazing and I cannot stress this enough; I spent several minutes just listening to the music while I was trying to conquer the map before being annihilated because of my rushed decisions.”
    • “Larian Studios did not disappoint, and again brought Kirill Pokrovsky onboard once more for a breathtaking soundtrack, one that truly sets the mood.”
    • “It's not surprising I found the OST so bad.”
    • “So in short, this game is a terrible, atrocious waste of a magnificent OST and a choice-studded storyline; more than anything, it makes one wish the devs had had at least some clue as to how one creates fun gameplay.”
    • “Also, the music is a bit annoying, I'm playing the Stellaris soundtrack instead.”
  • replayability76 mentions

    Replayability in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the variety of choices in political decisions and romantic outcomes, others find the linear campaign and short playtime limit its overall replay value. Many highlight the potential for multiple endings and character arcs, particularly through different playthroughs focusing on various wives or political strategies, suggesting that those who enjoy exploring all options may find significant replayability. However, some reviewers caution that once the campaign is completed, the lack of substantial content may diminish the incentive to replay.

    • “Despite what many other reviews say about this game, it is extremely fun and has a ton of replay value.”
    • “Despite that short playtime, there's tons of replayability if you want to see all the possible political, romantic, and companion decisions you can make.”
    • “The dragon adds amazing replayability value to your battles, giving you the sense of empowerment and fun as you rain down fire and brimstone.”
    • “The story is very linear though, so replayability is not too great, except if you want to try different storylines of your possible brides.”
    • “I was able to complete the game in under 10 hours, and besides seeing different character arcs from your generals (or picking a different wife), gameplay-wise, there isn't a lot of replayability.”
    • “Only thing I'd say is once you have completed the game's single player, there is not much replay value to this game.”
  • stability34 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of severe bugs that disrupt gameplay, including game crashes and glitches that can lead to losing battles. Many players find the controls and mechanics poorly implemented, making the experience frustrating rather than enjoyable. Overall, the game's ambitious design is overshadowed by its persistent technical issues, leading to a general recommendation against playing it.

    • “Nope, the game is extremely buggy to the extent that it makes you lose a battle.”
    • “For a game I really enjoy, I have to give it a thumbs down because of the game-breaking glitches.”
    • “Considering how buggy it is, I really can't recommend it, even on sale.”
  • grinding34 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with many expressing frustration over the repetitive nature of battles and the lengthy mechanics involved. While some appreciate the option to skip or auto-resolve battles, the overall sentiment leans towards the gameplay feeling like a slog, detracting from the enjoyment of the game's core concepts. Despite these criticisms, a few players still found enjoyment in the experience, highlighting the mixed reception of the grinding elements.

    • “Found this game to be horribly tedious; worse yet, you can't even seem to enjoy being a dragon at any given time because the AI pulls a storming move all day, every day, every minute.”
    • “Another completely overrated game in Larian style: lots of cool features, loads of interesting ideas, but the gameplay is simply tedious; the RTS portions are never-ending slugfests.”
    • “After playing the game for as long as I have, I'd say the off-the-field decisions are boring and clearly favor one way of thinking, and the strategy (where the meat of the game is) is a disgraceful, tedious afterthought.”
  • character development24 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its depth and charm, with players noting strong writing, engaging dialogue, and well-designed characters that evoke emotional investment. The incorporation of sociopolitical themes adds a layer of complexity, making the character arcs stand out compared to typical RTS/TBS games. While some critiques mention a lack of nuance in certain areas, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to create memorable and relatable characters.

    • “Larian adds a lot of charm, a dash of humor, and a surprising amount of character development to this game.”
    • “The dialogue and character development, as well as the incorporation of real sociopolitical issues into a strategy game, is absolutely brilliant.”
    • “The characters have personality and it's quite easy to start caring about them - I'd say the character development is better than most RTS/TBS games.”
    • “No thought is given to the finer nuances of character development, politics, and government.”
    • “The dialogue and character development, as well as the incorporation of real sociopolitical issues into a strategy game, is absolutely lacking.”
    • “Really makes one think how they come up with the character designs.”
  • optimization22 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, particularly during intense skirmishes, leading to frame rate drops below 60 fps on high settings. While it runs smoothly on Linux with Proton for some, others report persistent optimization problems, including warnings about system requirements and poor transitions between gameplay elements. Overall, the game shows potential but suffers from execution flaws that hinder its performance.

    • “For the most part, the game runs smoothly on Linux with Proton.”
    • “Well yes and no, the only element that falls flat on its scaly behind is the RTS element, the RTS part of this game is basically swarm spot K, swarm spot Q to take over base B while defending base A. However, its other elements are fantastic and executed extremely well. The art style is fun and the game in itself is fun and original. The optimization is great, no issues whatsoever, also little to no bugs. Pick it up, totally worth every penny.”
    • “Some choices you make politically can hinder or boost your performance in turn-based and real-time because of the support you have in the region.”
    • “The game has some optimization issues: I have played this game across three systems, but on my latest system, when viewing a skirmish battle from the corner or during enough fighting, the game drops below 60 fps at 1920x1080, max settings.”
    • “Lots of potential, but executed horribly and with poor optimization.”
    • “The transition between dragon and unit managing is downright horrendous (camera flips and remains how you left it, wondering which way is north/south, etc.). It also seems to have some bad optimization issues as it keeps telling me your system does not meet the requirements for 'high quality textures' and may cause system instability every time I launch the game.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the story for being predictable and the characters for lacking depth, leading to a disconnection from the narrative. However, some players appreciated moments that made them feel powerful and engaged, likening their experience to that of a general or emperor, despite the overall pacing and lack of new content in later stages.

    • “This game managed to hit some good notes for me, in that it made me feel like a general and an emperor, which I haven't seen many games do.”
    • “The balance isn't perfect - it takes way too long to beat the game at the rate you do things, not that I mind a long and heartfelt battle, but I was having nothing new to do when I got into the second act.”
    • “Terrible boring story with the most obvious twist, bad villains that you couldn't care less, atrocious NPCs, bad jokes (a constant for Larian) and the game itself, the RTS is so bad that you will wish to skip every time.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised as its strongest feature, characterized by a blend of calming music, impressive visuals, and effective sound design that enhances the overall experience. Players highlight the captivating mood created by the ominous visuals and quality audio, which together immerse them deeply into the game's world.

    • “The atmosphere and mood of the game is its strongest aspect.”
    • “You have this calm music in the background with only part of a huge ominous head visible, and I found the atmosphere of that scene fabulous.”
    • “The sound design is also commendable, featuring quality effects and atmospheric music that complement the gameplay.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The game features real money in-game purchases, which has raised concerns among players about its monetization strategy. Many users feel that the gameplay experience is limited, often ending prematurely, which detracts from the enjoyment promised in promotional materials.

    • “Here a casual playthrough (easiest mode) is a short game that ends in loss before the game really gets to develop towards anything you see in the ads.”
    • “Does this game use real money for in-game purchases?”
    • “I loved this game when I saw the first ads for it on Steam; it looked like incredible fun.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
13hAverage play time
2-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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