Deadfire vs Divinity OS 2

[firkraag888]

This is an interesting topic. It will be very interesting to compare how well these two games are reviewed by the public and how well they sell.

 

I think one of these two games will set the new benchmark for RPGs.

 

I have just started playing Dos 2 EA and boy is it good. I bit to goofy and childish but it has definitely got my attention which is very rare for video games these days. Dignity 2 will be far better then the original I think.

 

For me pillars 1 was far better then divinity 1.

 

I am betting that deadfire will beat Divinity 2. I hope it does anyway because I want to see games like pillars and deadfire being made for many years to come.

[rjshae]

D:OS was fun at first, and the tactical combat was excellent. But I generally prefer cRPGs that take themselves seriously.

[firkraag888]

Just checked. Dos2 only raised $2mil in there crowdfunding campaign. Was a long campaign too 60 days I think

[TheisEjsing]

Just checked. Dos2 only raised $2mil in there crowdfunding campaign. Was a long campaign too 60 days I think

D:OS 2 got a way bigger budget than PoE II. 

[Madscientist]

I have played the alpha of DoS2 too, and I think this early version was already much better than many full games at release. And the official launch adds tons of other things too.

My main problem was that the game goes too crazy with environmental effects. Even in small battles the whole map will be filled with poison, fire, ice or electricity. After the battle, it takes longer to remove these effects ( so I can walk around again) than the battle itself.

 

I think both games are very similar in some way. Both are big games where both the first and the second part where founded through crowdfunding. The first part of each game has been build from scratch. For PoE, the game system (stats, dice rolls, classes, . . .) and setting was completely new. For DoS, there were games in this universe before, but it was the first party and turn based game they created. The first parts of both games were very good and successful.

 

If this means that even the beta of PoE2 will be better than most other games, I will be very happy. So far, it looks very good. The devs learned a lot over time from PoE ( AI and balancing improved a lot, the expansions had better encounter design than the original game) and they can use this for PoE2. They also added lots of fun things: multi classing, a more open world, . . .

[Guest Blutwurstritter]

I preferred the gameplay of D:OS to PoE 1, while PoE was better at world building and story. I guess it depends what aspects are more important to you, although i got the impression that Larian improved the story in D:OS 2. All in all both were great games and it looks like the successor are on a good way to be even better. 

I especially liked how different both games played out, although they appear to be in a similar genre. If they keep up the quality it won't be PoE 2 VS D:OS 2 but rather PoE 2 AND D:OS 2 without a doubt, speaking for myself.

[Wormerine]

I, on the other hand, feel like those two games are difficult to compare. Yes, they are both isometric and they are both RPGs, but what they value is completely different. While there is certainly an overlap in the audience I wouldn't be surprised of both developed completely different fanbase. 

I am looking forward to Deadfire more, mostly because I know I will play it. D:OS2 on the other hand... I am yet to beat D:OS1 - my gaming buddy is on the other side of the world. And if its anything like the first one, I am not going to enjoy it that much singleplayer.

[Sedrefilos]

First off, I don't believe there is intentional competition between the two games (and companies) and thus the VS seems a bit excessive. Each game is unique and besides the genre they don't have so much in common. Most probably most rpg gamers will try them both. I'm definately one of them.

 

What I want to highlight, though, is that extra mile that Larian took.

 

For starters, they fully voiced thier game when they said it was out of the question at start. It wasn't even a stretch goal. They just felt it'll add to the game and they jist did it. Kudos.

 

Second, and most important, imo, is the udead. In case someone doesen't know what this is about, you can play as undead, which significally changes the game experience. Most people react in fear when they see a skeleton walking and talking and they either run away or attack you. This means you need to always conceal your charatcteristics (head and tosrso) to walk among the rest of the people unnoticed. There are other people or factions who are more open-minded or have different worldviews that might not have problem with you being undead. Being Undead also impacts gameplay where healing spells damage you but you get healed by poison among other neat stuff.

Now, this sounds huge. Will Godlikes (Pillars' "weird" race) have that level of love in terms of reactions around you in Deadfire? I'd love that to be the case.

Thankfully D:OS 2 comes out long before Deadfire and it looks really really good. I hope Obsidian takes notice and consider to walk that extra mile too, whatever they decide it'll be for their game.

Edited September 1, 2017 by Sedrefilos

[injurai]

I think they will both set standards, and as far as I can tell they are very different. I haven't played D:OS but it doesn't really capture my fancy. People always cite it's gameplay, but that style of turn-based gameplay really turns me off. Larian seems like a great company though, and GM-mode is a game changer.

 

Infinity-like crpgs on the other hand are exactly what I'm into. Unfortunately this style of crpgs went unexplored for over a decade, and really has only had a few examples upon it's return. Deadfire will inevitably ship without some features that I'd very much like to see the medium include. I can imagine a slew of features to pull in from 4X and RTS games to better serve the combat. I can think of many optional settings. So the medium still has a lot of headroom for it's fundamentals to grow. Tyranny has also showed us some neat experimentation so there is always the growth towards the unorthodox as well.

[ShadySands]

I liked the combat in D:OS a lot more but PoE was easily my favorite of the two.

[EbonyBetty]

I pretty much agree with everyone in this thread. I definitely look forward to PoE II more than D:OS II. In my sense, I have three completed playthroughs of PoE, while I've restarted D:OS at the beginning at least three times. For some reason, D:OS loses me somewhere around the middle. I will admit the environment and gameplay are engaging, fun and makes you think outside the box to get around certain problems, but (like most people in this thread have mentioned) it doesn't take itself seriously and the character development is about an inch deep. the story is a big factor for me, tbh I'm not a huge fan of PoE's gameplay mechanic but it's the story and love for the companions that keep me going.

 

One of these days I'll probably finish D:OS (maybe the sequel coming out will motivate me) and buy D:OS II because I support Larain's work ethic, respect for the customer, and their passion to try new things and put the effort in to do it. I think PoE II and D:OS II have a nice friendly rivalry going on and co-exist in harmony. PoE takes care of the storytelling-oriented gamers and D:OS takes care of the gameplay-oriented gamers, meanwhile, both fandoms can rave about how great the game is and recommend it to fanboys on both sides. 

 

TL;DR: More excited for PoE 2, but hope D:OS 2 all the best and hope they continue to set a bar of quality for other indie RPG developers to follow.

Edited September 1, 2017 by EbonyBetty

[Karkarov]

I don't get the comparison, it is like comparing a plum to a peach.  They are both round, they are both fruit, they both have a seed in the middle, and a stem.  Similarities pretty much end there. 

The same is true of these two games, they have very broad surface things in common... but once you bite into them you see they are very different.  Much like Ebony I have not beaten D:OS to this day, despite beating all the Divinity games prior to OS.  Playing it is too much of a slog.  The "tactical" stuff gets old fast, like some already said some battles take longer to clean up than they do to fight.  The story is weak, and that is at best.  Nothing makes me want to see what comes next, cause I know it is just another "tactical" fight with a talking bush, or a gender confused skeleton, or a goblin suicide bomber, or a zany bombastic mage.  It just feels very been there done that.

 

On the other hand much of Eternity can be won with little tactics.  Let's be honest, a high level team can just 3-4 ability their way through most fights no problem.  The thing is.... I actually want to see what's next.  I want to know what happens when I find that old forge. how does life turn out for my companion in post game, how many ways can I resolve this orlan baby situation, etc etc.  Cool combat is fine and all, but when it is backed up by a boring world and a story I am not interested or immersed in... I am going to get bored and move on.

 

So to me, they are two totally different games.  Eternity is for people who like traditional real time with pause isometric games.  Original Sin is for people who like more complex tactical combat, ESPECIALLY with multiplayer.  There is no friendly competition, or rivalry, they are aimed at two different kinds of RPG fans.

Edited September 2, 2017 by Karkarov

[FlintlockJazz]

Two similar but very different games, like Karkarov said like comparing two different fruit.  They will hopefully both be gamechangers in their respective fields, and they may even learn off each other too in some regards.  Difference between them is like the difference between the Neverwinter Nights games and the IE games, obviously Pillars is the IE game in that comparison while Divinity is the NWN with its focus on multiplayer gameplay and user-created modules though it is also very different from them too granted.  NWN1 never appealed to me the way the old IE games did, and not in the same way, due to being not very alike.  I am sure I will play both Deadfire and OS2 and enjoy them for very different reasons.

[firkraag888]

I just figured out why I stopped playing Divinity 1.

 

The combat in Divinity 2 takes fore ever. Some battles can last for over an hour and the more you progress in the game the longer the battles take. The more skills and abilities/ magic items you accumulate make it even more time encompassing. After a big fight taking an hour it's not uncommon to go straight into another big one.

 

It is beginning to become a drain playing Divinity 2. I can't see myself finishing it by any means

[TheisEjsing]

I don't get the comparison, it is like comparing a plum to a peach.  They are both round, they are both fruit, they both have a seed in the middle, and a stem.  Similarities pretty much end there. 

 

The same is true of these two games, they have very broad surface things in common... but once you bite into them you see they are very different.  Much like Ebony I have not beaten D:OS to this day, despite beating all the Divinity games prior to OS.  Playing it is too much of a slog.  The "tactical" stuff gets old fast, like some already said some battles take longer to clean up than they do to fight.  The story is weak, and that is at best.  Nothing makes me want to see what comes next, cause I know it is just another "tactical" fight with a talking bush, or a gender confused skeleton, or a goblin suicide bomber, or a zany bombastic mage.  It just feels very been there done that.

 

On the other hand much of Eternity can be won with little tactics.  Let's be honest, a high level team can just 3-4 ability their way through most fights no problem.  The thing is.... I actually want to see what's next.  I want to know what happens when I find that old forge. how does life turn out for my companion in post game, how many ways can I resolve this orlan baby situation, etc etc.  Cool combat is fine and all, but when it is backed up by a boring world and a story I am not interested or immersed in... I am going to get bored and move on.

 

So to me, they are two totally different games.  Eternity is for people who like traditional real time with pause isometric games.  Original Sin is for people who like more complex tactical combat, ESPECIALLY with multiplayer.  There is no friendly competition, or rivalry, they are aimed at two different kinds of RPG fans.

While you make solid points as you always do, I don't think your conclusion is that simple. Both game campaigns were aimed at the niche marked of top down isometric roleplaying fans. While the games are widely different, most people who enjoy one of them will find joy in the other as well. They're not rivals, but they are aiming at the same type of player.

PS:T and BG II were very different games as well, but they still attracted alot of the same crowd.

[Madscientist]

I just figured out why I stopped playing Divinity 1.

 

The combat in Divinity 2 takes fore ever. Some battles can last for over an hour and the more you progress in the game the longer the battles take. The more skills and abilities/ magic items you accumulate make it even more time encompassing. After a big fight taking an hour it's not uncommon to go straight into another big one.

 

It is beginning to become a drain playing Divinity 2. I can't see myself finishing it by any means

First of all, I think you mean DoS2, because Divinity2 is a completely different game (single char action RPG).

Second, most fight will be over in a few turns. Either you CC and overpower the enemies before they can act, or the enemy finishes you fast. If you really need a lot of time to beat enemies then you do something wrong. The larian forums are full of people who say that the game is too easy because they destroy every enemy in 2 turns. (by turn I mean the period in which every char in this battle acts once). It is like in this forum, where several people complain that PotD is too easy.

Anyway, there is no battle in any divinity game that last an hour.

 

----------------------------------------------------------

 

I will buy both games in any case.

Well, actually I already did because I am a backer of both games.

 

PS:

To all people who say that you cannot compare those two games:

I can compare everything with everything else.

To prove this, I will compare you (the other forum members) with the moon:

The moon is bigger, heavier and older than you.

 

If anyone of you is several thousands kilometers large, over 4 billion years old and also able to use a computer please contact me.

This may be the start of an interesting friendship.

Edited September 2, 2017 by Madscientist

[Quillon]

For me RTwP>TB & grounded>over the top fantasy, therefore Deadfire.(And 3D>2D backgrounds but Deadfire gave me pause; it really looks beautiful this time around which was not the case for Pillars1 for me. Tho I still think 3D is better for RTwP combat).

 

I enjoyed some of DOS1 and would have played it past act 1 had there not been 2 main characters, hated it. Thankfully its not the case for its sequel.

[Skie Nightfall]

D:OS became boring, repetitive and storyless after I finished the first act. It's actually something Divinity games suffer from. Great gameplay, but I never continue past the first area. There's no hook. And D:OS specifically has very low roleplay value IMO. It's amazing how amazing I thought the game is at first until I really got tired of it. High potential though, so will check out the sequel.

PoE was absolutely amazing for me. Only with both expansions I felt like it's dragging a bit. Hope the second one won't disappoint. Definitely my most anticipated game at the moment.

[Wormerine]

What I want to highlight, though, is that extra mile that Larian took.

 

For starters, they fully voiced thier game when they said it was out of the question at start. It wasn't even a stretch goal. They just felt it'll add to the game and they jist did it. Kudos.

 

Second, and most important, imo, is the udead. In case someone doesen't know what this is about, you can play as undead, which significally changes the game experience. Most people react in fear when they see a skeleton walking and talking and they either run away or attack you. This means you need to always conceal your charatcteristics (head and tosrso) to walk among the rest of the people unnoticed. There are other people or factions who are more open-minded or have different worldviews that might not have problem with you being undead. Being Undead also impacts gameplay where healing spells damage you but you get healed by poison among other neat stuff.

Now, this sounds huge. Will Godlikes (Pillars' "weird" race) have that level of love in terms of reactions around you in Deadfire? I'd love that to be the case.

Thankfully D:OS 2 comes out long before Deadfire and it looks really really good. I hope Obsidian takes notice and consider to walk that extra mile too, whatever they decide it'll be for their game.

Going "an extra mile" can manifest in various ways though. I do share your sentiment though and hope for Deadfire's factions, relationships and race/class mechanics to be far more involved than what we usually see.

[firkraag888]

 

I just figured out why I stopped playing Divinity 1.

The combat in Divinity 2 takes fore ever. Some battles can last for over an hour and the more you progress in the game the longer the battles take. The more skills and abilities/ magic items you accumulate make it even more time encompassing. After a big fight taking an hour it's not uncommon to go straight into another big one.

It is beginning to become a drain playing Divinity 2. I can't see myself finishing it by any means

 

First of all, I think you mean DoS2, because Divinity2 is a completely different game (single char action RPG).

Second, most fight will be over in a few turns. Either you CC and overpower the enemies before they can act, or the enemy finishes you fast. If you really need a lot of time to beat enemies then you do something wrong. The larian forums are full of people who say that the game is too easy because they destroy every enemy in 2 turns. (by turn I mean the period in which every char in this battle acts once). It is like in this forum, where several people complain that PotD is too easy.o

Anyway, there is no battle in any divinity game that last an hour.

 

----------------------------------------------------------

 

I will buy both games in any case.

Well, actually I already did because I am a backer of both games.

 

PS:

To all people who say that you cannot compare those two games:

I can compare everything with everything else.

To prove this, I will compare you (the other forum members) with the moon:

The moon is bigger, heavier and older than you.

 

If anyone of you is several thousands kilometers large, over 4 billion years old and also able to use a computer please contact me.

This may be the start of an interesting friendship.

I am an IE veteran. Played dos 1 . I no what I am saying.

 

The combat drags out for a long time trust me.

[Karkarov]

While you make solid points as you always do, I don't think your conclusion is that simple. Both game campaigns were aimed at the niche marked of top down isometric roleplaying fans. While the games are widely different, most people who enjoy one of them will find joy in the other as well. They're not rivals, but they are aiming at the same type of player.

PS:T and BG II were very different games as well, but they still attracted alot of the same crowd.

Make no mistake, I am not saying one person can't like both games.  I like Dues Ex games, Eternity, and Grand Theft Auto V, and those are three wildly different games.

 

All I am saying is, that if you like both games, it is for different reasons.  Truthfully I think Original Sin has more in common with X-Com than it does Eternity, but I like X-Com okay too so..... *shrug*

Edited September 2, 2017 by Karkarov

[Sedrefilos]

Divinity OS and Pillars are descendants of two different schools:
Divinity is the spiritual successor to Ultima games while Pillars is the successor to Infinity Engine games.

I'm mostly a fan of IE over Ultima and that's why I liked Pillars more, but DOS was so fun to play and so appealing to my eye that I played it to the end and enjoyed it despite its goofyness and its weak base story. Larian gave much attention to detail that won me

 

In the end I'm very happy that both games exist, each doing its own thing and both set standards and raise bars for the genre.

Edited September 2, 2017 by Sedrefilos

[firkraag888]

The more I play dos 2 the more I am disliking it.

 

It is no where near as fluid as pillars. So clunky and rigid. Goofy childish quests. You fight monsters like big cartoony frogs. No originality in it.

 

i am confident deadfire will out sell it.

[Flow]

I backed and will certainly play both, but I never actually managed to finish D:OS 1. The writing just turns me off.

 

Hopefully, they're improved that a bit in D:OS 2.

[rjshae]

I'm just happy to be living in a time when we can debate the relative merits of two excellent party-based cRPGs.