Recent reviews by HOLEPOUNDER

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Its a shame the game is getting bombed by angry vic 2 fans. Such is the nature of sequels to PDX games, I guess. Really great game with excellent depth.

Really excellent game. If you like turn based strategy rpgs then this is a must play. Translated well from the board game.

Nobody is talking about it but this game is based in the Majesty universe. Its a 4x hexagon based game that digs into the lore /world of that franchise which was a very enjoyable surprise to to me being that I thought it was dead. The spell system is fun, and the hero management is cool. Very enjoyable game if you like 4x games. Only critique is that the the branching building pathways can be very confusing which can be making specific units a little cumbersome, but overall this is a hidden gem.

A great entry for the franchise. Similar play style to xcom, but with many tactical and QOL improvements. Many different ways to build out the classes. If you like this genre of game, and like Warhammer 40k, then this is an instant buy. The final mission will really put your knights to the test. Also very cool that you get to see/fight a Primarch in this game. Haven't had that experience in many other W40k games.

This is a really excellent game, cant say enough positive things. The first one was also great, some people are too harsh on this game because of how much they liked the first one.

The turn based mode is a huge addition, even if the game isn't entirely designed for it. If you liked
DOS1/2 or DAO, this is another one of the best games in those genres. You don't have to have completed the first game. Really hoping for a 3rd installment.

Larian has done it again with another 10/10 clasic RPG experience. I cant wait for the EE for this beauty. Breakdown below.

Pros:
+++++Free complete respecs are available any time after act 1. Allows you a lot of room to experiment and discover what builds are the best/most fun.
+++Same great combat, build customization, and RPG experience from DOS1EE
++Lonewolf is back
++Race/preset lore choices on character creation
++Amazing mutliplayer support, up to 4 players
++PVP made more easy and fun though the declare war and online arena system
++Tons of flavor and unique items. Several kinds of items i have never seen in another RPG
+All the classes/builds are viable just like in DOS1
+New source point system tries to control spells that trivialize the game
+Great flavor and level design
+A classic soundtrack
+Open your game to the world and let people join or join random games
+Difficulty settings range from "wow are they even trying to hurt me" to "this fight will take multiple hours to figure out and clear"
+Many new races/enemy types
+Memory system prevents you from having to manage 3 full spell bars and makes characters feel more unique/specialized compared to the party.

Mixed/preference:
+/-Game is significantly harder than DOS1EE
+/-Some of the more broken spells and abilities have been removed
+/-CC has been massively nerfed
+/-Crafting has also been nerfed, but all crafting can be done from level 1
+/-Stealing has been slightly nerfed, now after you steal you have to portal away for a few min to let the heat die down.

Cons:
-Source point controls are easily bypassed, but are also cumbersomely attached to abilities are are needed to do basic things out of combat, like bless. The game also disincentivises experimenting with new abilities if they have source point costs, because you have to refill the source points after. Some abilities are attached to source points that are clearly not good enough to warrant the source point cost, and the ability will never be used.
-some people report lots of bugs, but I have done many playthroughs and have not encountered anything that I could not resolve in-game
-cant dye your outfits anymore
-with the new system, tons of things have been removed. No more weapon or armor modification except poisoning and adding runes.
--No orcs (c'mon man wtf)
---Parties with split damage types (magic/physical) are heavily penalized by the new armor system. Biggest gripe by far. If your party is split 2-2 the game will be much harder. If you have 3 physical damage and 1 magic damage, the magic damage hero will often feel like it isnt contributing much to the encounters unless it is summon/support.

Overall the game is absolutely amazing. I may have a lot of cons on that list, but just like a spouse, its easy to nit-pick the flaws of something you love so much. Additionally, I am comparing the release version of DOS2 to the EE version of DOS1. I strongly encourage anyone who likes RPGs or is interested in a more classic/hardcore RPG experience. You will not regret it.

It's hard to find a game that provides such an authentic and satisfying RPG experience. DOS:EE is a thouthfully written and immersive RPG that is tied together by strategic and enjoyable gameplay at its core. Topped off with a way to play with a friend in mutiplayer and its clear why this game deserves a 10/10.



Pros
+++F L A V O R F U L E X P E R I E N C E+++
+Rich in content, many optional quests, decisions that affect the world, compelling narative
+Coop/multiplayer
+Great job balancing
+Classic RPG experience with some needed modern touches
+Classless system allows for a lot of build varieties
+Loot/merchant/combat systems are great and accomodating to the players playstyle.
+Lots of replay value
+EE added so many amazing things. Love the voice work. Not a fan of cheese?


Cons
-Some things in the game can be very unintuitive, and will likely be skipped by most first time players, like crafting.
-Some master spells cheesify the late game (15+), and enemies usually dont have access to them, making things pretty onesided.
-P2 in multiplayer gets occasional UI bugs, but nothing that affects gameplay, and saving/reloading usually fixes it.
-the str/dex/int requirement on almost all weapons and armor can make item choices feel restrictive at times (ie no high level sheilds for a caster to use wand/shield combo even though the level 1 shields with no requirement are good enough to make the build work, probably unintentional lol)


To summate, its been a long time since a game has made me feel this way. The most recent was likely DA: O, which I think this game is still better than.

Legitimate 10/10 game. If you like RPGs, do not miss this one.

10/10 developer support!

I know it says I only have 19 hours, but I actually have many more.

Pros-
+++Civ+RPG elements
++Quest system and quest victory
+Not hard to look at
+Satisfying and dangerous combat
+campaign is LONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
+lots of customization

Cons-
---Very Limited maps
--AI is pretty bad
-Many elements of the game are underdeveloped and can be virtually ignored(read: water)
-magic/spellls while looking great are hardly as useful as you might hope
-poorly balanced heros and factions


Overall-
Would recommend. Game is a lot of fun. 40 is harsh because it isnt nearly as replayable as civ IV or V. If you catch it on sale its a great buy. I'm really looking forward to the next game, because if they can polish up the weak spots, it may become one of the greatest games out there.