I love Kingdom of Loathing. I played a lot of Kingdom of Loathing way back in the day. I thought I would love this. I kinda did. Kinda... I think I'm just too old and this game is too much "of the age" for me to get really into it. I think they nailed it, and I love their work. I'm absolutely pleased as punch to own the game, but I just couldn't get into it like I did with Kingdom of Loathing.
As a self-proclaimed RPG lover, I want to love this game. I really, really do. I try constantly to find a game to fill the gap that KOTOR, Dragon Age: Origins, and Jade Empire left. I can't quite seem to do it. Divinity is one of the games that I hoped would be able to. I've taken two or three good whacks at the game with varying results. Most the time, I don't get off the prison island because I just get so overwhelmed by the open endedness of it all. The combat is brutal, the lore is deep, the mechanics are pretty complicated. The story is great, the choices mean something, and these are all incredible things. Unfortunately, for me, this game feels like work to play. I have to constantly remember all the things that I need to. I have to plan my combat meticulously. I have to be very, very careful not to wander into an area where I'm going to get absolutely stomped on because I might lose 2 hours of gameplay if I do. I tried playing with a friend as well. While I get the concept and I feel like it could lead to amazing adventures, I just wish there were a simpler way to manage it. I love the idea, but I think I'm just too smooth brained to get it. I give it 3 stars because the game is so well done. It's the perfect open world RPG, but I just think it's too open for me. Sometimes I need to be put in a really roomy cage
I think this game is very well thought out. It's punishing; It's immersive; It's a whole ****-ton of cinematics. I think that was one of the things that made it hard for me to get into. It felt like the first part of the game was 4 hours of cinematics. The combat is brutal. You're not a hero. You're a peasant who needs to work on your skills before you'll be able to do anything meaningful. Life is hard, and you die.... A lot. Still, don't let that dissuade you. The game can be a bit slow at times, but it's also rewarding. I haven't finished the game, but I toy with picking it back up every now and again, only to be dissuaded by the fact that I know I've forgotten everything about the game and will have to relearn it all from scratch.
What can I say? This is turn based at its best and somewhat weirdest. I've put ~40 hours into this, but that's just scratching the surface. This is challenging, sometimes frustrating (because the odds are stacked against you), but oh so rewarding. Please do yourself a favor and buy this game.
