Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition

Divinity: Original Sin 2 delivers turn-based combat that feels like a sandbox. Rain makes surfaces wet, lightning electrifies puddles, fire creates steam, and teleporting enemies into your traps never gets old. Every encounter becomes a puzzle where positioning, elemental synergies, and clever use of height advantages matter more than gear score. The combat system rewards experimentation—discover that oil barrels explode, that you can freeze blood pools, or that your co-op partner can teleport you across chasms, and suddenly each fight opens dozens of tactical paths. The character-building depth rivals pen-and-paper RPGs. Instead of rigid classes, you mix combat schools, civil abilities, and talent perks to sculpt builds that feel yours. Want a necromancer who summons bone spiders while wielding a two-handed axe? A rogue who teleports enemies into traps while pickpocketing mid-combat? The system accommodates wild creativity, and respeccing midway through lets you pivot without restarting. What elevates this above solo CRPGs is how co-op weaves into every system. Partners can split the party to explore separately, debate dialogue choices through a rock-paper-scissors minigame when you disagree, and coordinate combo attacks that feel like shared victories. One player might charm an enemy while another sets up a massive AOE; you're genuinely playing together, not just occupying the same map. The learning curve is steep. Expect to spend your first few hours parsing tooltips, understanding action-point economy, and learning which status effects counter others. Combat on Classic difficulty punishes sloppy positioning and poor builds, though Explorer mode eases the pressure for groups focused on exploration and choice. Sessions naturally chunk into 45–90 minute quest arcs, though quicksaves let you drop out anytime. Pacing slows during the dense opening act as you learn systems and explore the starter island. Once the world opens, the campaign sprawls across four massive acts with minimal handholding—you'll consult journals, experiment with solutions, and occasionally hit difficulty spikes that demand tactical rethinking or side-questing for levels. This freedom feels liberating for patient groups but can overwhelm those expecting tighter guidance.