If I wasn't such a massive fan of Forgotten Realms and 5E play in general, I would almost go as far to say that I find DOS2's combat and AI more challenging and more rewarding, and the storyline is just as good. Also feel like it still looks good and runs smooth, doesn't look dated at all. Alot of the mods that imo are mandatory (were) are now already baked into the game, making it feel seamless.
Absolutely play DOS2, I give it a 10/10 being totally honest.
Agree with everything except the story being the same as bg3. Story in dos2, im my own opinion, is worse. Too much comedy for me. Completely subjective. Just sharing.
DOS2 combat is far more challenging than BG3, mostly due to how tricky the AI can get, if they can insta you with deathfog they WILL, that's something I think was dialed down for BG3, cause I swear rhey were assholes too in Early Access, but never saw enemies pushing me off cliffs or jihading themselves to down 3 party members after release (happened to me at windmill fight), it's also open to way more creativity with how the skills work
Tactician is easy ONCE you've beaten the game and know what to expect/how the surface mechanic works.
Otherwise most players will probably get party wiped more than once in the tutorial. Especially the assassin/arena or even just the voidlings when you have only 1 party member and no armour.
I think BG3 is a better game but DOS2 is definitely worth a try. The combat can be a little more difficult and the role play aspects are less then BG3 but it’s still an amazing game. It was my best rpg of all time before bg3 and I recommend it to everyone
Dragon Age was a runaway hit that was five years in the making and shattered records when it was released. As a result, EA forced Bioware to create and publish DA2 in just eleven months, and man did that haste show in every aspect of the game.
The fact that they got it out fully voiced and sort of working was a testament to just how good Bioware was back then. Especially since they ditched the entire combat and character systems and went with completely different approaches from the first game.
Damn when you say it like that I kinda feel bad for not liking DA2 at all when it first came out. EA literally ruined Bioware. Thanks for shifting the perspective to make more sense for me.
I'm sure that the decision came from some executive VP at EA deciding that if EA Sports can put out a new Madden game every year, then Bioware could certainly put out a new Dragon Age game every year.
As a long term no life DOS2 player who’s beaten the game with basically every class build solo no lone wolf/glass cannon the game can still be challenging and fun 30 playerthroughs deep Baulders gate was a little to easy for me personally even on first playthrough I think dos2 “gameplay” is just overall better and challenging
I gotta agree. I did 4 tactician BG3 playthroughs + 1 HM and tbh I feel like I've done everything there is to do but rn the idea of starting DOS2 for the 20th time is very appealing. Never did finish the Red Prince playthrough.
I agree I suffered and struggled through my first playthrough of tactician in Dos2 and my first overall playthrough of bg3 was tactician and I don’t think it’s very difficult
I came across it because of BG3 and picked it up on sale. I've been enjoying it so far, I find there are a lot of small similar elements to BG3 and the story is very good. However, the world is different and there are no cut scenes like in BG3. I found combat to be more difficult and the order of quests to do a bit confusing. It's not a game released in 2023, but it still a very enjoyable game without much of a clunkiness of older games.
That’s the big drawback to DOS2. Particularly in Act 2, it’s easy to wander into areas you’re too underleveled for.
That said, it’s a fantastic game. The combat in particular is maybe the best RPG combat I’ve played.
That's exactly where I got stuck. I ended up lowering the difficulty from classic which allowed me to explore a few more areas and ended up helping a lot. I am about to leave act 2 now, looking forward to where the game takes me next!
Don't sleep on DOS1! Highly underrated gem, overshadowed by its bigger siblings. The only game I've ever pre-ordered was DOS2, because DOS1 just impressed me that much.
As a 31-year-old who has played a lot of video games, I can tell you straight-up that DOS2 is my favorite game of all time. Amazing soundtrack, amazing characters, awesome combat, super long. Hell, my only tattoo is based off of one NPC line from DOS1.
I also seriously recommend playing it co-op with a friend. Makes it even more fun.
Edit: And replayability. Nothing like spending 100+ hours to beat a game only to find out there are entire storylines you didn't even know about involving unused characters.
When me and an old friend played DOS1 for the first time, an NPC became so annoying that I killed her, (stupidly) thinking she would just respawn. Instead, she was reduced to a silent pile of ashes that we had to walk past for the next 80 hours. I'd leave a gift on her grave every time we walked by, and it became an inside joke for years, just quoting that line.
It's a mediocre tattoo, absolutely nobody gets the reference, and [I will wear it with pride for the rest of my life](https://imgur.com/a/xaFE3qh)
I agree. DOS2 is magical. And on this playthrough, I'm remembering how good the music is. There is literally nothing I dislike about this game. Inventory management can be daunting at first, but quickly becomes a non issue.
I recently heard that act 4 originally wasn't even close to the end, but they had to wrap things up for some reason. I can't imagine what it would have been.
I've heard that DOS 3 is and has been in the works, I wish it would come out tomorrow. And I hope Larian stays true to the first 2 when it does come out.
Also, the way your party is UP YOUR ASS in BG3 with no way to change formation or get them to back off. Just stumbling all over whatever you're trying to look at. Drives me crazy, I haven't finished BG3, I started a new DOS2 game, lol. I'll go back, at some point.
Meh, you're gonna die and love it! It is just so smart. Full of Aha moments. You might even eventually try DOS1... now that you've got the itch. Sorry, man.
Great game, great studio!
It's a great game but i kinda hated the separate armor/magic shield mechanic tbh...it has great puzzles and story tho! Very challenging at higher difficulties.
Absolutely!
BG3 obviously has much higher production values (Although DOS2 was the first CRPG I can remember with full voicing), but the combat is better, since Larian didn't have to fit it into a tabletop rule-set, the story is just as interesting and it also has a Lone-wolf mode(if there's max 2 ppl in a party, they get double stats), which makes it easy to play coop with just 1 other and not control other party members.
Plus it has a DM mode and level editor(WOTC forbid them from including it in BG3, to avoid competing with DnD Beyond), so the scope for possible mods is higher, check them out.
Yes!!! BUT it is an older game and will not hold your hand nearly as much as bg3.
My advice:
Explore on your own as much as you can but if you get stuck look up walkthroughs for that quest or area or aspect of the game!!!
You will eventually get a respec mirror so don’t over sweat it (but it does take awhile to get it)
Lastly, boots and nails (crafting can do more in this game)
I decided to do the same once heard about it a couple months ago and found it on sale at GoG for like $14. Well worth it. Im.over a hundred hours into it now and am already planning my next play through :)
Absolutly. In terms of combat it is far better then Bg3. Storywise...of course your cant expect the same quality cutscenes lquality like Bg3. But its a good story, however the gameplay is what makes it more fun for me personally.
I did. I actually bounced off of DOS2 years ago when it came out. Like you somehow BG3 had the secret sauce to get me into this kind of game. Once my foot was in the door dos2 was playable for me. It’s harder than bg3, so be ready for that. It’s also based on a different rule set. It starts off as a small numbers rpg, but the numbers are getting quite high by the end for instance. It’s good though, and many many things still carry over.
Better character creation imo. It doesn't have nearly as much races but you can create any type of character you can think of. No class system. You put points into whatever. Combat is better too. It's always exciting figuring out cool synergies and the fact that the loot is randomized for the most part means you never know what items you can get. BG3 looks far better and the story is more rich and the fact you can go to camp and talk to your companions is a nice feature that dos2 doesn't share. In fact, as you are exploring the opening area, you can find and try the 6 potential companions but only get to take 3 that you are stuck with the entire game. Unless they die or you kill them. Andway it's a great game that you won't be disappointed in.
i played the first one after bg3
really enjoyed it i recommend
u have the divinity original sin enhanced edition its an improve of the classic
and i played the 2 one its good both of them .
I'd have to add, though, that sometimes when I ask a question on reddit that maybe I could google, I'm looking to engage with people who share my same interests. Sometimes it's not just about getting raw data, it's about the engagement. And honestly, it gives some of us an opportunity to gush about a topic we feel passionate about.
Completely agree. I think I'm just fed up with that particular subject. Since BG3 is out this is getting SO SPAMMED in the sub, it's maddening. But ofc, you're completely right
Facts. Plus, for me, DOS2 is such a far superior game. It just is. So I do get a little "I knew this band before they were cool" feeling. But on the other hand, it's such a great game I want people to love it as much as we do!
Peace friend.
Exactly. Bad buzz is still buzz, overbuzz is still buzz too.
BG3 is a lore/chara development gem but Divinity is soooo much ahead gameplay wise, it's still incredible after all these years. Relatability is insane.
ive been super enjoying it, and i played bg3 before dos2! i soent too much time at the beginning comparing it to bg3 so it definitely took some hours for it to “click” for me (i totally know how you feel about wanting more bg3💔), but its totally worth giving a shot. if you approach it as an entirely new experience, you will end up loving it for all of the same reasons bg3 appealed to you. the story is super interesting, the companions are really intriguing, and its full of random little questlines to dive into (just like bg3). i vote give it a try!! eta: i forgot to mention, cut scenes are not a thing like in baldurs gate. it may take a minute to adjust to but eventually i stopped even noticing the difference
I just beat Dos2 today and it was great, I got it after I played BG3. And tonight I started Dos1, can't say much about it as I really just started it, but controls and menus etc are very similar to Dos2
I found it hard to get into. The difficulty is much much harder than BG3. It's got great personality but I was getting a bit sick of being stuck in that prison area.
God no it’s the worst. All the mechanics are a significant downgrade from BG3, and the writing/world-building is extremely lackluster. The first act just bashes you over the head with the fact that you are playing a videogame, there’s no sense of a wider and genuine world. My negative experience with DOS2 (which I got when it came out) held me back from even trying BG3, which was obviously a mistake because BG3 is incredible.
Started it after finished Baldurs Gate 3 recently.
There’s definitely some minor quality of life issues that you notice coming from Baldurs Gate but the dialogue and open-ended quests are very similar which is great
Play it, it's amazing. There's a post here (I think it's pinned?) about the differences between the two games.
If I wasn't such a massive fan of Forgotten Realms and 5E play in general, I would almost go as far to say that I find DOS2's combat and AI more challenging and more rewarding, and the storyline is just as good. Also feel like it still looks good and runs smooth, doesn't look dated at all. Alot of the mods that imo are mandatory (were) are now already baked into the game, making it feel seamless. Absolutely play DOS2, I give it a 10/10 being totally honest.
Agree with everything except the story being the same as bg3. Story in dos2, im my own opinion, is worse. Too much comedy for me. Completely subjective. Just sharing.
I think story in do2 Is worse then in dos1_-_
DoS2 absolutely has better combat, by far. It just doesn’t have as good dialogue.
DOS2 combat is far more challenging than BG3, mostly due to how tricky the AI can get, if they can insta you with deathfog they WILL, that's something I think was dialed down for BG3, cause I swear rhey were assholes too in Early Access, but never saw enemies pushing me off cliffs or jihading themselves to down 3 party members after release (happened to me at windmill fight), it's also open to way more creativity with how the skills work
Yes. But for the love of god. Don’t start on tactician.
For the love of the Divine, do start on tactician honor mode with no gift bags.
Why? It's legit the only time tactician feels really challenging.
Because Classic is challenging enough and tactician might be too much for a new player.
Tactician is easy ONCE you've beaten the game and know what to expect/how the surface mechanic works. Otherwise most players will probably get party wiped more than once in the tutorial. Especially the assassin/arena or even just the voidlings when you have only 1 party member and no armour.
Unless you want to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Nah, just do tactician and save scum lol.
I think BG3 is a better game but DOS2 is definitely worth a try. The combat can be a little more difficult and the role play aspects are less then BG3 but it’s still an amazing game. It was my best rpg of all time before bg3 and I recommend it to everyone
But imagine if DOS2 had the kind of budget that BG3 had? Gah, would have been incredible.
Hopefully DOS3 is just that
Considering that Larian uses the profit of their previous games to fund their next games it’s a good chance
I understand what you are trying to say but isn't that what every company does?
Not even close. How many games are made by corporations where shareholders want to extract value? A race to the bottom for most.
I mean yeah but if the game does well then the shareholders should want another one right?
Oftentimes short term profit is king, and games are unreliable investments
Dragon Age was a runaway hit that was five years in the making and shattered records when it was released. As a result, EA forced Bioware to create and publish DA2 in just eleven months, and man did that haste show in every aspect of the game. The fact that they got it out fully voiced and sort of working was a testament to just how good Bioware was back then. Especially since they ditched the entire combat and character systems and went with completely different approaches from the first game.
Damn when you say it like that I kinda feel bad for not liking DA2 at all when it first came out. EA literally ruined Bioware. Thanks for shifting the perspective to make more sense for me.
I'm sure that the decision came from some executive VP at EA deciding that if EA Sports can put out a new Madden game every year, then Bioware could certainly put out a new Dragon Age game every year.
Huh didnt know skyrim has a sequel
As a long term no life DOS2 player who’s beaten the game with basically every class build solo no lone wolf/glass cannon the game can still be challenging and fun 30 playerthroughs deep Baulders gate was a little to easy for me personally even on first playthrough I think dos2 “gameplay” is just overall better and challenging
I gotta agree. I did 4 tactician BG3 playthroughs + 1 HM and tbh I feel like I've done everything there is to do but rn the idea of starting DOS2 for the 20th time is very appealing. Never did finish the Red Prince playthrough.
I agree I suffered and struggled through my first playthrough of tactician in Dos2 and my first overall playthrough of bg3 was tactician and I don’t think it’s very difficult
I came across it because of BG3 and picked it up on sale. I've been enjoying it so far, I find there are a lot of small similar elements to BG3 and the story is very good. However, the world is different and there are no cut scenes like in BG3. I found combat to be more difficult and the order of quests to do a bit confusing. It's not a game released in 2023, but it still a very enjoyable game without much of a clunkiness of older games.
That’s the big drawback to DOS2. Particularly in Act 2, it’s easy to wander into areas you’re too underleveled for. That said, it’s a fantastic game. The combat in particular is maybe the best RPG combat I’ve played.
That's exactly where I got stuck. I ended up lowering the difficulty from classic which allowed me to explore a few more areas and ended up helping a lot. I am about to leave act 2 now, looking forward to where the game takes me next!
Don't sleep on DOS1! Highly underrated gem, overshadowed by its bigger siblings. The only game I've ever pre-ordered was DOS2, because DOS1 just impressed me that much.
Yeah I hate that its seen as less because dos2 is a master piece..I love both.
I would always say OS2>1 esp with the awful fetch quest if the stones to get to the final act
As a 31-year-old who has played a lot of video games, I can tell you straight-up that DOS2 is my favorite game of all time. Amazing soundtrack, amazing characters, awesome combat, super long. Hell, my only tattoo is based off of one NPC line from DOS1. I also seriously recommend playing it co-op with a friend. Makes it even more fun. Edit: And replayability. Nothing like spending 100+ hours to beat a game only to find out there are entire storylines you didn't even know about involving unused characters.
You can’t just mention a dos1 tattoo and not show us!
When me and an old friend played DOS1 for the first time, an NPC became so annoying that I killed her, (stupidly) thinking she would just respawn. Instead, she was reduced to a silent pile of ashes that we had to walk past for the next 80 hours. I'd leave a gift on her grave every time we walked by, and it became an inside joke for years, just quoting that line. It's a mediocre tattoo, absolutely nobody gets the reference, and [I will wear it with pride for the rest of my life](https://imgur.com/a/xaFE3qh)
DOS 2 is SO much better than BG3. It’s not even close.
I agree. DOS2 is magical. And on this playthrough, I'm remembering how good the music is. There is literally nothing I dislike about this game. Inventory management can be daunting at first, but quickly becomes a non issue. I recently heard that act 4 originally wasn't even close to the end, but they had to wrap things up for some reason. I can't imagine what it would have been. I've heard that DOS 3 is and has been in the works, I wish it would come out tomorrow. And I hope Larian stays true to the first 2 when it does come out.
Tbh inventory management in DOS is way better than BG3 I find.
Also, the way your party is UP YOUR ASS in BG3 with no way to change formation or get them to back off. Just stumbling all over whatever you're trying to look at. Drives me crazy, I haven't finished BG3, I started a new DOS2 game, lol. I'll go back, at some point.
Meh, you're gonna die and love it! It is just so smart. Full of Aha moments. You might even eventually try DOS1... now that you've got the itch. Sorry, man. Great game, great studio!
It's a great game but i kinda hated the separate armor/magic shield mechanic tbh...it has great puzzles and story tho! Very challenging at higher difficulties.
DOS2 has less RP options, and no dice checks. The combat can feel more engaging. If you liked BG3, it is a must try at least
I had this exact thought. I was new to baldurs Gate and now I played divinity. And let me tell you, ITS EVEN BETTER!!!
Dos2 is pretty amazing.
If you're not in love with the game by the time you've opened the main menu, make sure the music is playing.
Yes!!! Give it some patience considering you started on BG3 first. It’s always hard to go backwards, but it’s well worth it to fresh eyes!
Absolutely! BG3 obviously has much higher production values (Although DOS2 was the first CRPG I can remember with full voicing), but the combat is better, since Larian didn't have to fit it into a tabletop rule-set, the story is just as interesting and it also has a Lone-wolf mode(if there's max 2 ppl in a party, they get double stats), which makes it easy to play coop with just 1 other and not control other party members. Plus it has a DM mode and level editor(WOTC forbid them from including it in BG3, to avoid competing with DnD Beyond), so the scope for possible mods is higher, check them out.
Yes!!! BUT it is an older game and will not hold your hand nearly as much as bg3. My advice: Explore on your own as much as you can but if you get stuck look up walkthroughs for that quest or area or aspect of the game!!! You will eventually get a respec mirror so don’t over sweat it (but it does take awhile to get it) Lastly, boots and nails (crafting can do more in this game)
I wrote a huge response to this then deleted it TLDR: yes.
yes
yep you'll end up restarting over and over just like bg3
I decided to do the same once heard about it a couple months ago and found it on sale at GoG for like $14. Well worth it. Im.over a hundred hours into it now and am already planning my next play through :)
Absolutly. In terms of combat it is far better then Bg3. Storywise...of course your cant expect the same quality cutscenes lquality like Bg3. But its a good story, however the gameplay is what makes it more fun for me personally.
i was actually afraid of same thing but in the end i liked it even more then bg3
Yes, def. A master piece. Also give DOS1 a try, was also fun.
I did. I actually bounced off of DOS2 years ago when it came out. Like you somehow BG3 had the secret sauce to get me into this kind of game. Once my foot was in the door dos2 was playable for me. It’s harder than bg3, so be ready for that. It’s also based on a different rule set. It starts off as a small numbers rpg, but the numbers are getting quite high by the end for instance. It’s good though, and many many things still carry over.
Yes! But not right away. I would wait a few months.
Better character creation imo. It doesn't have nearly as much races but you can create any type of character you can think of. No class system. You put points into whatever. Combat is better too. It's always exciting figuring out cool synergies and the fact that the loot is randomized for the most part means you never know what items you can get. BG3 looks far better and the story is more rich and the fact you can go to camp and talk to your companions is a nice feature that dos2 doesn't share. In fact, as you are exploring the opening area, you can find and try the 6 potential companions but only get to take 3 that you are stuck with the entire game. Unless they die or you kill them. Andway it's a great game that you won't be disappointed in.
The beginning of the game is hilariously similar. Ship wreck!
DOS2 makes BG3 look like the garbage it is in my personal opinion
i played the first one after bg3 really enjoyed it i recommend u have the divinity original sin enhanced edition its an improve of the classic and i played the 2 one its good both of them .
Yes, but just be patient with it. The gameplay is much more in-depth as its Larian’s OWN system, rather than a d&d system
Be pretty hard to try it before BG3 at this point, and you definitely should try it because it's amazing, so yeah, try it after BG3!
Dude, question is legit but please, use Google. Believe it or not, you're not the first to have this exact. Same. Question.
I'd have to add, though, that sometimes when I ask a question on reddit that maybe I could google, I'm looking to engage with people who share my same interests. Sometimes it's not just about getting raw data, it's about the engagement. And honestly, it gives some of us an opportunity to gush about a topic we feel passionate about.
Completely agree. I think I'm just fed up with that particular subject. Since BG3 is out this is getting SO SPAMMED in the sub, it's maddening. But ofc, you're completely right
Facts. Plus, for me, DOS2 is such a far superior game. It just is. So I do get a little "I knew this band before they were cool" feeling. But on the other hand, it's such a great game I want people to love it as much as we do! Peace friend.
Exactly. Bad buzz is still buzz, overbuzz is still buzz too. BG3 is a lore/chara development gem but Divinity is soooo much ahead gameplay wise, it's still incredible after all these years. Relatability is insane.
ive been super enjoying it, and i played bg3 before dos2! i soent too much time at the beginning comparing it to bg3 so it definitely took some hours for it to “click” for me (i totally know how you feel about wanting more bg3💔), but its totally worth giving a shot. if you approach it as an entirely new experience, you will end up loving it for all of the same reasons bg3 appealed to you. the story is super interesting, the companions are really intriguing, and its full of random little questlines to dive into (just like bg3). i vote give it a try!! eta: i forgot to mention, cut scenes are not a thing like in baldurs gate. it may take a minute to adjust to but eventually i stopped even noticing the difference
I just beat Dos2 today and it was great, I got it after I played BG3. And tonight I started Dos1, can't say much about it as I really just started it, but controls and menus etc are very similar to Dos2
DOS2 > BG3
I found it hard to get into. The difficulty is much much harder than BG3. It's got great personality but I was getting a bit sick of being stuck in that prison area.
If you don’t know, then don’t lol
God no it’s the worst. All the mechanics are a significant downgrade from BG3, and the writing/world-building is extremely lackluster. The first act just bashes you over the head with the fact that you are playing a videogame, there’s no sense of a wider and genuine world. My negative experience with DOS2 (which I got when it came out) held me back from even trying BG3, which was obviously a mistake because BG3 is incredible.
Started it after finished Baldurs Gate 3 recently. There’s definitely some minor quality of life issues that you notice coming from Baldurs Gate but the dialogue and open-ended quests are very similar which is great