Divinity: Original Sin 2 Review — The Benchmark for Modern CRPGs

When Larian Studios released Divinity: Original Sin 2 in September 2017, it didn’t just deliver a strong RPG – it reset the bar for what a PC role-playing game could be. The game earned a Metacritic score of 93 on PC (Metacritic, 2017), making it one of the highest-rated CRPGs ever published, and it sold over a million copies within the first month of release, according to Larian’s own announcement. Nearly a decade later, the Leading Edition continues to sell on Steam and consoles, demonstrating staying power few games in any genre achieve. For anyone asking whether this title belongs in your library, the short answer is yes – but it helps to understand what you’re getting into.

At a Glance: Key Specs and Fast Facts

Background: How Larian Built the CRPG Renaissance

Larian Studios, a Belgian developer founded in 1996, spent years on the fringes of the RPG market before breaking through with Divinity: Original Sin in 2014. That game, crowdfunded on Kickstarter alongside contemporaries like Pillars of Eternity and Wasteland 2, helped prove that old-school, top-down CRPGs could still find a massive audience. The sequel built on every system that worked and discarded what didn’t. Larian’s ambition for DOS2 was blunt: make a game where players could talk their way out of almost any fight, where the environment itself was a weapon, and where every major decision left a traceable mark on the world.

The Kickstarter campaign for Divinity: Original Sin 2 raised over $2 million from more than 40,000 backers in 2015 (Kickstarter, 2015), signalling intense demand before a line of game code was publicly shown. The Leading Edition launched in 2018, adding significant narrative rewrites, a reworked final act, and console support for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A Nintendo Switch port followed in 2019, broadening access substantially. This iterative, community-responsive development approach would later inform Larian’s work on Baldur’s Gate 3, widely considered the spiritual successor to DOS2.

Story and Setting: Rivellon at Its Darkest

DOS2 opens with your character imprisoned aboard a ship as a Sourcerer – someone who can wield Source, a primal magical energy that the ruling Divine Order has outlawed after it began attracting demonic entities called Voidwoken. You escape, wash up on an island prison called Fort Joy, and begin unraveling a conspiracy that eventually asks you to decide the fate of divinity itself. The premise sounds familiar in outline, but the execution goes far beyond the template.

What distinguishes DOS2’s narrative from most CRPGs is its willingness to make your companions genuine rivals. Each of the six origin characters – Fane, Ifan ben-Mezd, Lohse, Sebille, the Red Prince, and Beast – has their own questline that intersects with, and sometimes actively opposes, your own. In multiplayer, these tensions become real player conflicts, where one party member’s storyline quest might demand killing an NPC another party member is protecting. This design, which Wikipedia’s article on the game describes as a system of “competing motivations” (Wikipedia, “Divinity: Original Sin 2”), creates narrative friction you rarely find anywhere else in the genre.

The writing quality is high throughout – not universally brilliant, but consistently above the CRPG average. Key moments hit hard: the revelation of Fane’s backstory, the personal horror of Lohse’s possession arc, and the genuinely tragic framing of the final chapters all demonstrate that Larian’s writers understood emotional stakes as well as lore-building. The game world of Rivellon rewards curiosity: books, letters, and environmental details layer a history going back thousands of years, and players who dig into that lore find one of the richest settings in the genre.

Combat and Build Systems: The Tactical Heart

The combat system is turn-based and grid-adjacent – characters move across terrain, and positioning matters as much as raw stats. The elemental interaction system is the defining mechanical feature: fire ignites oil puddles, electricity detonates clouds of steam, poison fuel fires spread into infernos. A well-placed Tornado spell can clear hazards in one action; a poorly aimed Fire Ball can wipe your own party. This creates battles that feel like improvised chemistry experiments as much as tactical contests.

The class system is technically classless. You choose a starting template (Ranger, Fighter, Wizard, etc.) but can freely mix skills from any school as you level. A Warfare/Necromancer hybrid who heals from dealing damage, a Summoner who fields an army of totems, an Assassin who chains backstabs with teleportation – the system accommodates all of this without breaking. RPG game mechanics like leveling and combat rarely offer this density of legitimate options, and the result is that two players who complete the same playthrough might have entirely different mechanical experiences.

The learning curve is steep. DOS2 does not hold your hand through character creation, and a poorly planned party can stall out badly by Act 2. Newcomers to the CRPG subgenre should read a brief build primer before committing to a character – the game’s internal documentation does not fully communicate which combinations underperform. That said, the Leading Edition significantly smoothed early pacing and rebalanced several systems that punished new players in the original 2017 release.

The elemental interaction system turns every battlefield into an improvised chemistry experiment – and that unpredictability is precisely what keeps combat interesting across 100 hours.

Multiplayer: The Co-op CRPG Done Right

DOS2 supports up to four-player online co-op or two-player split-screen, and this is not a bolted-on feature. The game was built from the ground up for cooperative play, and the experience of navigating the origin characters’ competing motivations with real friends adds a dimension that no single-player run can replicate. One player might be attempting a pacifist playthrough while another is triggering every fight available. The game handles these diverging intentions gracefully, using a voting system for some decisions and allowing private conversations with NPCs that other players cannot overhear.

For a deeper look at co-op RPG options across the genre, our coverage of the best multiplayer RPG games online provides context on where DOS2 sits relative to MMORPGs and other co-op titles. Within the CRPG category specifically, DOS2 remains the benchmark – no other title in the space offers equivalent co-op depth at this production level.

Technical Performance and Platform Support

On PC, DOS2 runs well on hardware going back nearly a decade. The minimum specs call for an Intel i5 (2010+), 4GB RAM, and a GTX 550 – modest requirements that reflect the game’s focus on systems depth over visual spectacle. High-end machines push the visual quality considerably higher with better lighting, shadow resolution, and draw distances, but the game is never ugly even at lower settings. Frame rates on modern PCs are consistently stable; there are no reported ongoing performance regressions as of mid-2025.

Console versions hold up reasonably well. The PS4 and Xbox One versions run at 30fps with some load time friction, and the Nintendo Switch port is a technical achievement given the hardware limitations – though the UI, originally designed for mouse input, shows some awkwardness on a controller. PS5 and Xbox Series X run the PS4/Xbox One versions via backward compatibility with reduced load times.

The Game Master mode, unique to DOS2, allows one player to act as a dungeon master while others play through custom scenarios. This feature positions DOS2 as both a game and a platform for TTRPG-adjacent experiences, and the community has produced thousands of custom campaigns available via the Steam Workshop. As of 2025, the Steam Workshop for DOS2 hosts over 10,000 community mods and scenarios (Steam Workshop, 2025), adding replayability far beyond the base game.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 vs. Key Alternatives

The CRPG space has grown substantially since 2017. The most direct comparisons are Baldur’s Gate 3, also by Larian, and Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous from Owlcat Games. Here’s how they compare across key dimensions:

BG3 surpasses DOS2 in production values and narrative polish – it is the most expensive CRPG ever made, with a reported budget above $100 million (various press reports, 2023). DOS2 remains the better pick if you prefer a more mechanical and systems-forward experience, and it’s the cheaper entry point into Larian’s design philosophy. Pathfinder: WotR is the right call for players who want tabletop Pathfinder’s ruleset rendered faithfully and who don’t need co-op.

Pros, Cons, and Verdict

A 9.3 out of 10 feels right for DOS2 in 2025. The few weaknesses – particularly the late-game pacing and the inventory management friction – are real but minor relative to the breadth of what the game delivers. For anyone interested in single-player RPGs that provide 100+ hours of story, this is one of the most reliable recommendations in the genre. The Leading Edition has addressed the worst of the original’s rough edges, and the price has dropped far enough that value-for-money is essentially a non-issue.

DOS2 earns its place as the benchmark for modern CRPGs not by doing everything perfectly, but by doing more things well simultaneously than any other game in the genre.

Who Should Play Divinity: Original Sin 2?

DOS2 is ideal for players who want a tactical challenge with genuine build variety and a story that responds to their choices. If you enjoy games like The Witcher 3 or want to move deeper into the CRPG subgenre after loving Baldur’s Gate 3, DOS2 is the natural next stop. It is also the right game for groups of two to four friends who want a shared RPG experience with real depth.

It is a harder sell for players who prefer real-time action combat (see Elden Ring for that experience), or for absolute newcomers to the genre who haven’t yet built a tolerance for inventory management and character-building research. The beginner’s guide to getting into RPG games on this site can help establish a baseline if you’re unsure whether CRPGs are right for you before committing 100 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Divinity: Original Sin 2 still worth playing in 2025-2026?

Yes, without qualification. The game’s core systems – elemental combat, the classless build framework, and the reactive narrative with competing origin questlines – have not been surpassed within the CRPG genre. Baldur’s Gate 3 is newer and more polished in presentation, but it plays differently enough that the two are complementary rather than redundant. The Steam review average sits at 96% positive (Steam, 2025), which reflects a player community that has tested the game across thousands of playthroughs and still recommends it overwhelmingly. The Leading Edition also receives periodic compatibility patches, keeping it functional on current operating systems and hardware. If anything, the CRPG renaissance that DOS2 helped spark means there’s now a larger community of guides, build resources, and forum discussions to support new players than existed at launch.

Do I need to play Divinity: Original Sin 1 first?

No. DOS2 is set in the same world as the original Divinity: Original Sin but tells a self-contained story set centuries later. Characters, factions, and locations differ significantly, and the game provides all the lore context you need through in-world books, NPC dialogue, and environmental storytelling. Playing DOS1 first will enrich some background details and deepen appreciation for certain callbacks, but it is not a prerequisite. Many players start with DOS2 and find it perfectly accessible as a standalone experience. If you finish DOS2 and want more Rivellon, going back to DOS1 Enhanced Edition is a fine idea – but the reverse order is equally valid. Larian designed both games to stand alone.

How long does it take to finish Divinity: Original Sin 2?

According to HowLongToBeat (2025), completing the main story takes roughly 60 hours for focused players. A completionist run that explores all side quests, origin character storylines, hidden areas, and optional bosses runs to approximately 100-150 hours. A second playthrough with a different origin character and build adds another 40-60 hours because the story shifts meaningfully depending on which character you choose and which factions you align with. The Game Master mode and Steam Workshop community campaigns extend that playtime essentially indefinitely. The base game alone represents exceptional value measured purely by hours-per-dollar, even at full price.

Is DOS2 good for co-op play?

DOS2 is among the best co-op RPG experiences available, period. It supports up to four players online and two players in split-screen, and the game was designed with co-op in mind from the ground up rather than as an afterthought. Each player controls one or more party members and can take private conversations with NPCs, pursue competing questlines, and even work at cross-purposes to other players. This creates a genuinely dynamic social experience unlike traditional single-player CRPGs. The main consideration is that co-op can accelerate some quests and complicate others when player goals conflict – but this tension is a feature, not a bug, and is one of the most memorable aspects of playing DOS2 with friends. Online co-op requires each player to own a copy of the game.

What is the best starting class or origin character?

For new players, the Ranger (archer) or Fighter (melee) starting templates are the most forgiving because their mechanics are straightforward and they perform well without min-maxing. Among origin characters, Ifan ben-Mezd is often recommended as the best first-time protagonist because his personal questline is self-contained and his Wayfarer starting template is versatile. Fane is the most lore-rich origin choice and provides unique dialogue options throughout the game, but his undead racial mechanics add complexity that can overwhelm newcomers. Experienced CRPG players may prefer building a custom character to maximize build freedom without a locked backstory. The classless system means any starting point is correctable through leveling – no starting choice is permanently crippling.

How does DOS2 compare to Baldur’s Gate 3?

Baldur’s Gate 3 is the better game by most objective measures – higher production values, more cinematic presentation, more voice acting, and a Metacritic score of 96 versus DOS2’s 93. However, DOS2 offers a more systems-heavy mechanical experience with greater build flexibility outside the constraints of D&D 5e rules, and it’s significantly cheaper. The two games share DNA – Larian made both – but differ enough in tone and execution that playing one does not make the other redundant. DOS2’s elemental interaction system is more chaotic and creative than BG3’s combat, while BG3 offers superior narrative production and character writing. Most CRPG enthusiasts play and love both. DOS2 is the better entry point if budget is a consideration.

What platforms is Divinity: Original Sin 2 available on?

DOS2 Leading Edition is available on PC (Steam and GOG), PlayStation 4 (playable on PS5 via backward compatibility), Xbox One (playable on Xbox Series X/S via backward compatibility), and Nintendo Switch. The PC version is the most feature-complete and offers access to the Steam Workshop’s library of over 10,000 community mods, the Game Master mode at its best, and mouse-and-keyboard controls optimized for the UI. Console versions are fully functional but show some UI friction from the keyboard-first design. There is no native PS5 or Xbox Series X version with dedicated enhancements; the console performance uplift comes from the hardware’s backward compatibility improvements rather than a dedicated port.

Is there DLC or expansion content for DOS2?

The Leading Edition includes all previously released DLC content, meaning anyone buying the Leading Edition today gets the complete package without additional purchases. The most significant additions bundled into the Leading Edition are the four Gift Bag updates, which add quality-of-life improvements like Pet Pal for the whole party, a re-spec mirror in Fort Joy, a new crafting bag, and several armor/weapon sets. Larian has not released paid expansion DLC for DOS2 – instead, they moved development resources to Baldur’s Gate 3 after the Leading Edition. The community has filled that gap with Steam Workshop content, including full campaign mods that add many additional hours of new story content.

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Sources

• Metacritic – Divinity: Original Sin 2 (PC) review aggregate: https://www.metacritic.com/game/divinity-original-sin-2/
• Wikipedia – Divinity: Original Sin 2 article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divinity:_Original_Sin_2
• HowLongToBeat – Divinity: Original Sin 2 playtime data: https://howlongtobeat.com/game/38050
• Steam – Divinity: Original Sin 2 store page and review data: https://store.steampowered.com/app/435150/Divinity_Original_Sin_2__Definitive_Edition/
• Kickstarter – Divinity: Original Sin 2 campaign page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/larianstudios/divinity-original-sin-2

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