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[ByWatterson]

So I'm nearing the end of Act 1 in BG3, and it's just a remarkable experience, all the choice, creativity in combat (I just cornered and pushed the hag into the hole!), etc. I'm really loving it.

Now I'm looking at Larian's previous games. Are they on that level for someone who hadn't played CRPGs until BG3? And do they translate as well to a controller?

 

[Mister Wolf]

Divinity 2 uses a completely different combat system. It fucking sucks too.

 

[Gaiff]

Divinity 2 uses a completely different combat system. It fucking sucks too.

By that, I sincerely hope you mean Divinity II and not Dinitiy: Original Sin II.

Assuming OP is talking about D:OS and D:OSII, I find the combat in D:OSII better than in BG3 actually. The ruleset of D&D just serves to further annoy me and make the combat system sometimes way too complicated and reliant on chance. D:OSII especially strikes a correct balance between complexity and challenge. It's the one aspect I wish Larian had dialed back in BG3. Combat can get downright tedious at times.

Everything else in BG3 is better though. Writing, characters, production values are much higher, puzzles and quests are better. There's nothing it doesn't do significantly better than D:OSII apart from the combat like I said. BG3 is a proper AAA RPG. D:OSII feels like an indie game by comparison.

 

[ByWatterson]

By that, I sincerely hope you mean Divinity II and not Dinitiy: Original Sin II.

Assuming OP is talking about D:OS and D:OSII, I find the combat in D:OSII better than in BG3 actually. The ruleset of D&D just serves to further annoy me and make the combat system sometimes way too complicated and reliant on chance. D:OSII especially strikes a correct balance between complexity and challenge. It's the one aspect I wish Larian had dialed back in BG3. Combat can get downright tedious at times.

Everything else in BG3 is better though. Writing, characters, production values are much higher, puzzles and quests are better. There's nothing it doesn't do significantly better than D:OSII apart from the combat like I said. BG3 is a proper AAA RPG. D:OSII feels like an indie game by comparison.

Yes, referring to Original Sin 1 and 2. Didn't realize it had competition in the divinity space.

 

[Gaiff]

Yes, referring to Original Sin 1 and 2. Didn't realize it had competition in the divinity space.

Then I should think you'll like both D:OS games but I find BG3 significantly better than either. They don't measure up to the sheer amount of different choices and outcomes that BG3 gives you. If you need something to scratch that CRPG itch, they'll do but they're definitely not BG3 despite being excellent games in their own right.

 

[Corian33]

Yes, referring to Original Sin 1 and 2. Didn't realize it had competition in the divinity space.

The much older original Divinity games from the same developer are good too, but closer to Diablo 1-2. But with way more RPG stuff.

To answer the original question, OS 1 and 2 are both very well made games, but BG3 is on a different level. It’s this team mastering their craft. If you go back and play them, OS 1 will feel very generic, while OS2 is closer to BG3 with much more interesting party members and story. Both are much more light hearted than BG3.

The combat is familiar but simpler than BG3. However there is a huge emphasis on using the environment and creating combos like spilling water then casting lightning, etc. Highly praised at the time but again BG3 on another level. Extremely difficult games if you just try to play melee default attack characters. You have to be clever and cheesey to succeed.

 

[Mister Wolf]

By that, I sincerely hope you mean Divinity II and not Dinitiy: Original Sin II.

Assuming OP is talking about D:OS and D:OSII, I find the combat in D:OSII better than in BG3 actually. The ruleset of D&D just serves to further annoy me and make the combat system sometimes way too complicated and reliant on chance. D:OSII especially strikes a correct balance between complexity and challenge. It's the one aspect I wish Larian had dialed back in BG3. Combat can get downright tedious at times.

Everything else in BG3 is better though. Writing, characters, production values are much higher, puzzles and quests are better. There's nothing it doesn't do significantly better than D:OSII apart from the combat like I said. BG3 is a proper AAA RPG. D:OSII feels like an indie game by comparison.

The Magical Armor/Physical Armor system of Divinity OS 2 is awful.

 

[Thirty7ven]

You are not going to get anywhere near the same level of presentation.

 

[StereoVsn]

So I'm nearing the end of Act 1 in BG3, and it's just a remarkable experience, all the choice, creativity in combat (I just cornered and pushed the hag into the hole!), etc. I'm really loving it.

Now I'm looking at Larian's previous games. Are they on that level for someone who hadn't played CRPGs until BG3? And do they translate as well to a controller?

Divinity OS2 is a great game, but BG3 is just on another level due to production values. Still I highly recommend it.

Couple more games I would recommend. One is Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous. It’s an amazing game and if anything I like certain aspects better vs BG3. It’s a proper high level campaign so you get to play with all kinds of magic uses and options. You also have a lot more class varieties. I highly recommend this game.

Another game is Pillars of Eternity 2. The first game was fine but I think it was quite tedious. The sequel was much better as long as you make an effort to explore side content.

 

[drotahorror]

So I'm nearing the end of Act 1 in BG3, and it's just a remarkable experience, all the choice, creativity in combat (I just cornered and pushed the hag into the hole!), etc. I'm really loving it.

Don't you still got another 100 hours to go? Or are the other acts short?

 

[Wildebeest]

The next "big" multi-platform CRPG release is Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.

 

[ByWatterson]

Don't you still got another 100 hours to go? Or are the other acts short?

LOL, no idea. Looking forward to whatever and how much is next.

 

[splattered]

I really liked divinity 1 and 2, and pillars of eternity 1 and 2... Beat them all on xbox

 

[Topher]

Divinity 2 uses a completely different combat system. It fucking sucks too.

No...it doesn't.

 

[manfestival]

I loved my time playing DOS 2. In fact, that is how I knew what to expect out of BG3. I see no reason to avoid DSO2 at all.

 

[Mozzarella]

Yes! definitely.
Divinity Original Sin 2 was my choice for RPG of the previous generation, its a great roleplaying game that offers interactive and tactical gameplay, and great world to explore with fun side quests to do.
Its only weakness is that the story is bad, the companions however are pretty solid, and the dialogue is entertaining thanks to the narrator voice acting and its not serious tone, it knows its a generic story and it embraces it.

My only flaws of DOS2 are as i said its story and its itemization, the itemization is based of Diablo system so it can be a turn off, thankfully they added DLCs later with legendary loot that is unique and worth exploring for.

Obviously i would say Baldur's Gate 3 is the better game, but Divinity OS2 gameplay and combat are just as fun imo.
The main difference is that Baldur's Gate 3 cranks it all up to 11, its what happens when Larian culminated all their work into one, what they learned all those years and they went full ambitious with it, it also adapts DnD so by default it has a more indepth RPG system, than Divinity games.

Be aware that DOS1 & DOS2 have no presentation like BG3, its just dialogue and no cutscene or acting or whatever.

I would say DOS1 is not a must play if you enjoy CRPGs but its recommended.
However DOS2 is a must play, just like Baldur's Gate 3, so give it a shot and dont be discouraged by its early game, it can be challenging.
Learn to play around its mechanics and its armor system and you will have plenty of fun, there is a lot of cool tactics you can pull in that game.

 

[Larxia]

LOL, no idea. Looking forward to whatever and how much is next.

To give you an idea (I really take my time, loving the game, also these are steam hours so they count the playtime between reloads, some afk etc) :
I finished Act 1 at around 80 hours, act 2 at around 115 hours, and I'm currently at 207 hours and haven't finished act 3 yet, although the end is near.

It is the longest single player game I have ever played I think. I mean without counting replays, DLCs etc, just talking about pure unique content and beat the story, this is really the longest I've seen, and it's amazing. It manages to be that long while also NEVER making you do the same thing twice, it's so refreshing to have a game where there isn't a "type" of "activity" spread all over the map over and over, where you don't see patterns repeating etc, just new content everytime, all the time, for a long time.

As far as I'm concerned however, I don't have interests in Divinity original sin 1 & 2 because I think the presentation is really a big factor of why I like Baldur's Gate 3 more than these. Being able to switch between cameras and walk around with a more standard 3person camera is amazing, I do use the top down camera often too, but I like being able to switch depending on what I do. Also having all the dialogues be cutscene instead of wall of texts to read changes everything.
Another reason specific to PC is that Baldur's gate 3 has a wasd mod that let you move around with WASD, but divinity original sin 1 and 2 don't have that.

 

[Imru’ al-Qays]

I'm in Act III of BG3 right now and honestly it's turned into a bit of a slog. I actually find the combat enjoyable enough, but all the atrocious inventory micromanagement compounded with the fact that the story is kind of ass and I can't figure out where to go to progress whichever of the billion loose threads I have unresolved is making me doubt I'll ever finish.

 

[FinalBossWithTheMostPower]

Nah, BG3 is that special.

Yes, even Act III.

 

[Corian33]

I finished BG3 at just over 80 hours. I know there there’s another 30-40 hours I could have spent going to every optional area and side quest. A LOT of my quest threads ended in a mess even though I was trying to be the good guy mostly. I loved the game but was mostly ready to get it over with by the end.

I can’t fathom how people can play through the game multiple times already. Unless you have no job, no family, play no other games. What are these people doing?

 

[bbeach123]

The game was great but knowing myself I would totally drop this game (and many others crpg) a few hours in .

The things that keep me playing till the end of act 1 : The narrator voice , the fully voiced dialogue + close up camera , the funny environment/dialogue check .
From that point its just too late to stop .

 

[Buggy Loop]

Yes...

I find fun in almost every cRPGs around. BG3 is GOAT but it doesn't mean the others aren't worth playing. They have other niches, styles, lore, etc.

Divinity original sin 2
Pillars of Eternity
Baldur's gate 2
Shadowrun dragonfall
Planescape Torment
Torment Tides of Numenera
Fallout 2 (yes..)
Disco Elysium
etc...

It's one of the best genre and writing in them is upper tier compared to "gaming" games.

 

[bender]

Play the real GOAT, Shadows of Amn.

 

[SteadyEvo]

Is playing the first 2 required to enjoy this one? If I loved Witcher 3 will I like this?

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Is playing the first 2 required to enjoy this one? If I loved Witcher 3 will I like this?

Not required to play first 2. This is new story.

Witcher 3 I don't think is comparable in any way. You play this for completely different reasons.

Personally, Witcher 3 is not exactly my type of game. It has too much emphasis on story and characters. This one is more balanced, you get ok story and characters but better gameplay and build variety, more rpg systems.

 

[Edmund]

BG3 rules but I don't like the Divinity games. Instead, try Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous.

Also go play Jagged Alliance 3!

 

[Zathalus]

Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous.
Pathfinder Kingmaker
Pillars of Eternity 1+2
Baldurs Gate 1+2
Icewind Dale
Neverwinter Nights
Wasteland 3
Divinity Original Sin 1+2
Shadowrun Trilogy

I can recommend all of these. None really offer the flexibility of BG3 in terms of approach to the environment itself, but they are all good RPGs with plenty of choice and combat depth.

 

[SpokkX]

I liked dos1, and loved dos2

BG3 is better than both in every way though. Still if i had not played them I would play them now. Especially dos2 is great still

Though their tone is a bit too silly sometimes imo

 

[Zheph]

BG3 is miles ahead divinity 1and 2 IMO

I would strongly recommend BG2 if you can its old but still one of the best games

 

[Regginator]

I played some of D:OS1 on PC a few years ago, and liked it but for whatever reason dropped it for something else. I think I preferred (and ended up loving) Pillars of Eternity then.

A few months ago, in preparation for BG3, I started playing D:OS2 on PS5 (PS4 disc), and I thought the combat was dreadfully slow. Dropped it after an hour or four. I don't know whether that means that OS1 plays a little faster, or that playing OS2 with a controller (as opposed to OS1 with keyboard and mouse) felt slower.

It kinda soured me on my anticipation for BG3, and when I found out it was digital only, I was out. For the time being at least. I'm still waiting for a physical PS5 copy for BG3, or for it to go on sale. Spending 70 bucks for a digital game is currently too rich for my blood.

 

[Draugoth]

It's basically BG3 but with much less production value. Chances are that if you liked BG3 you will like Divinty

 

[The Cockatrice]

Divinity 2 uses a completely different combat system. It fucking sucks too.

Do not listen to this dumbass. Divinity OS2 has a much more fun combat system than BG3. BG3's gameplay isnt what people praise about it, is it's story impact and choices. Hell there are far superior dice mechanics out there if you're only into gameplay such as Pathfinder.

DOS2 Gameplay is actually the best compared to all crpgs to this date, followed by Pathfinder, classic BG, Pillars, and lastly BG3.

 

[Senua]

D:OS2 was so good wtf is this thread

 

[nowhat]

Is playing the first 2 required to enjoy this one?

There are some references to the previous two games, and there are some (IMHO quite unnecessary) cameos, but the game is set like a century after the first two, so it can totally be played as an individual title.

Having said that, if you're not familiar with D&D lore, you may want to google/wiki some of the races/deities/locations/events/whatnot to get more context.

 

[LazyParrot]

I thought DOS2 was better than BG3 /shrug

 

[Hugare]

Playing DOS 2 made me realise how important BG 3's presentation was to my enjoyment

Watch some youtube video of the prologue and you'll get an idea