Love this game, but unfortunately this GOG version is buggy and unplayable. Still I give it 5 star because the game itself is great.
Reminds me of Baldur's Gate 1 a lot. But a much more modern, obviously. The pace, the style and the atmosphere is very similar. I also like that the game's setting. At first, it might seem that the plot is happening in the standard medieval fantasy universe. But when you play a bit more, it becomes clear that the lore was inspired by the early colonisation of America. The gunpowder weapons, the factions, the history - everything points to that.
One of the most thought-out and well balanced medieval strategy game I've played in a long time. Yes, it's really punishing, but it makes you play even more. It's really like a casino
This was one of my favorite games when I was a kid! And I couldn't get a working version of it to try to bring back those memories for all these years. They should've made this re-release a long time ago :) So here are my thoughts on the game itself: - A mysterious and a bit cryptic story which is (surprisingly) based on Persian and Indian mythology. - A very satisfying and gory, yet somewhat punishing for the player combat system which was quite advanced for its time. First, you have to learn your moves, timings, and the reach of your weapon, and then you hack and slash the heck out of your enemies. Watching orc's limbs falling apart after your lightning counterattack with a two-handed sword is very satisfying! - The technical aspects of the game were also quite advanced. The dynamic shadows (seeing on the wall a moving shadow of a goblin that holds a torch is really immersive), the animations made using motion capture technology, etc, etc. - And, most importantly, the game feels like a real adventure. The setting, the narrator's voice, the map of your travels from one level to another. Everything is so well designed! Now, here's what I think about this GOG re-release: - First, the good things. The widescreen mode, improved graphics, support of a joystick, and achievements are amazing. - The negatives. The very first time I launched this version of the game and played it, the controls felt really weird and unresponsive, and the camera was also acting weird. The game was really unplayable to me. I was really pissed. I launched the old version of the game through the GOG Galaxy and everything worked fine, but there was no widescreen mode, achievements, and other improvements. I had to tinker with the options of the new version to make it work (the new camera mode in the graphics options had to be disabled). I think a player that pays for the new release of an old game shouldn't have such an unpleasant experience. The game should work fine when you launch it.
Before buying this game I've read some of its reviews here on GOG saying it's "Not Baldur's Gate". Despite this, I decided to purchase it and check it out. And I have to say that after playing for quite a while, I still don't understand the complaints. The game is clearly heavily inspired by Baldur's Gate 2 (I've completed that classic for 2 or 3 times). It's quite weird in a good sense, cruel, and clearly has an epic feel to it. Obviously, there are some things that require polishing or reworking, such as too bright colors, occasional lack of feedback from D&D roll mechanic (for example, lock picking checks), and some other nuances. From a technical point of view, the game is very ambitious. I liked Larian's approach to game engine building even from the first Divinity. Here, they further improved what they already had. The interactivity with the environment, freedom of moving and jumping for your heroes, and many other things. On top of that, they added really cool Drangon Age-like cutscenes with detailed facial animations. If Larian continues with this game with the same enthusiasm and professionalism, it can become a new classic. So guys, before posting a poor review, think twice. Maybe you're exaggerating your complaints a bit?
