Baldur's Gate 3 convinced me to finally try out Larian's last critically-acclaimed RPG, and it's fast becoming my new obsession

GamesRPGDivinity: Original Sin 2Baldur’s Gate 3 convinced me to finally try out Larian’s last critically-acclaimed RPG, and it’s fast becoming my new obsessionWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. GamesRPGDivinity: Original Sin 2Baldur’s Gate 3 convinced me to finally try out Larian’s last critically-acclaimed RPG, and it’s fast becoming my new obsessionWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Larian Studios) In video games, you definitely shouldn’t try to lower your health on purpose, right? Yet here I am, in Divinity Original Sin 2, putting that logic right in the bin. At this moment, I’m actively trying to get hurt in the throes of a battle. I’m not even fighting back, I’m just spamming end turn for each party member until one character takes enough hits. Everything about it feels wrong – like I’m setting myself up to fall – but after seeing how this can play out if I do otherwise, I have to follow my instincts. If I just stick it out, I can avoid bloodshed. I just know it. I only feel confident to test this theory thanks to Larian’s latest RPG, because ifBaldur’s Gate 3has taught me anything, it’s that the solutions or methods to resolve conflicts aren’t always the most conventional ones. Sure enough, the battle ends not with my death but when my character’s health bar gets low enough. Everyone involved in the fight lives to see another day, and my resolve to hold back from retaliating is instantly rewarded as a result. I’ve been meaning to try out Divinity Original Sin 2 foryears, and encounters like this one have me kicking myself that it took me so long. As a diehard RPG fan, I’ve long since had an interested eye cast on Larian’s much-acclaimed adventure. After all, it has a lot of ingredients that speak directly to me: companions, romance, choice and consequence, and a hefty helping of role-play. It’s been recommended to me several times over since it first released in 2017, but it wasn’t until I mastered Baldur’s Gate 3 that I truly felt confident I could get on with its systems. A new beginning (Image credit: Larian Studios) Afterreturning to Dragon Age Origins because of Baldur’s Gate 3, the itch to try something new in a similar vein only intensified. My mind immediately went to Divinity Original Sin 2, and as luck would have it, the Definitive Edition just so happened to be on sale on PS4. All the stars seemed to align, and I had to take it as a sign; now was the right time to at long last dive in. The first thing I had to decide was who to play as, which is no simple thing when you’re welcomed into a game with a cast of intriguing established characters to choose from. Just like Baldur’s Gate 3, Divinity let’s make your own custom character or play as one of the premade origin characters. After reading many, many reddit threads, the consensus was that playing as an origin character was a good call for beginners like me, and while there are plenty of cases made online about who’s best to pick, I decided to go for the origin that called to me the most. More often than not, I’m drawn to individuals with a silver tongue, those with roguish qualities, an air of mystery, or anyone with a creative flair. In Baldur’s Gate 3,the bard is far and away my favorite class when it comes to role-playing. Character development(Image credit: Larian Studios)My favorite Baldur’s Gate 3 NPC is everything I love about Larian’s RPG: “I had no idea there would be Rolanites or a Rolan nation or Rolan empire” Character development (Image credit: Larian Studios)My favorite Baldur’s Gate 3 NPC is everything I love about Larian’s RPG: “I had no idea there would be Rolanites or a Rolan nation or Rolan empire” (Image credit: Larian Studios) My favorite Baldur’s Gate 3 NPC is everything I love about Larian’s RPG: “I had no idea there would be Rolanites or a Rolan nation or Rolan empire” With that in mind, Lohse ticked a lot of those boxes for me out of the possible lineup. Not only is she a musician and performer with the quips of a Jester, she’s also got a pretty intriguing secret. In Lohse’s own words, her body is “a playground for sprites, spirits… and worse”, and a voice that’s louder than all others appears to be out to take over her body. In fact, as I would come to discover later on, that very voice is what led to the unfortunate skirmish where I had to let her get hit several times over to avoid killing an elf I’d helped save moments before. A part to play (Image credit: Larian Studios) Having done a run in Baldur’s Gate 3 as Astarion, Ireally enjoy how the origins have their own questline– it feels like you’re experiencing their personal story and getting a different perspective on the world that’s unique to them because of it. Happily, much the same applies in Divinity. For Lohse, a bad gig led to her capture, and the voice in her head is an ever-pressing concern as she vyes for freedom. Plus, you don’t have to go it alone, with the other origins joining you as party members. Each one has their own background, motivations, and arc, and I love the way they react to actions – that kind of feedback just makes my presence in the world feel so tangible. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more (Image credit: Larian Studios) Larian’s writing chops are here in full force too, and the storytelling and depth of the older RPG – even so early on – already have me thinking it will be my new obsession. I relish being able to dive into a new world, meet characters whose stories I’ve yet to explore, and have the freedom to experiment and make choices as Loshe that feel impactful. Despite how quickly I’m picking everything up, the amount of freedom it gives you when it comes to your approach means my first run in Divinity Original Sin 2 still very much feels like a learning experience, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m so glad my time with Baldur’s Gate 3 helped me put my apprehensions to one side. Now I just need to make up for lost time. 11 years later, nothing has rivaled the swansong expansion for my favorite sci-fi RPG series. 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a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up 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of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti 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tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5 Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”