While many changes and updates have been discussed, this is not a complete listing of all the new features and improvements present in Divinity: Original Sin. As the slg game building guide continues to develop, more information will be provided leading up to the release of the final product. For those who cannot wait until its completion, this title will be available on Steam Early Access September 15. Stating definitively that this is an improvement on the original is impossible based on only playing a small portion of an early build, especially since the original set the bar to some lofty heights, but it's safe to say fans of Divinity have every reason to be excited about Original Sin II.

Origin characters are ready-made characters that have their own base personality and backstory. These characters include Beast, a dwarf who led a failed rebellion against the queen, Fane, an undead human who woke up with the world he knew long gone, Ifan ben-Mezd, a human who was a crusader who lost his faith and has become a Lone Wolf mercenary, Lohse, a star chanteuse whose body is now host to a mysterious entity who makes its presence known at inopportune times, The Red Prince, a brilliant warrior general who was exiled for cavorting with demons, and Sebille, an elf slave turned assassin who hunts her former master. While certain classes make more sense for these character's history, the player is free to change their build into whichever one they wish to play as. The Origin characters can also be recruited into the player's party, and their presence will activate origin events the player can engage in specific situations and they also open up certain dialog options. When recruiting them, changing their class is worked into the dialog so the player has a lot of customization options in their party. The player can also split up the party if they want to have someone do some sneaking around alone or divide the party into two groups of two, which is easily done by moving the portraits of the character in the upper left hand corner.

There are many treasures and interesting hidden encounters on the island and a good portion will be missed if the player is fixated on only solving the quest that is supposed to lead to the escape from Fort Joy. Original Sin II gives the player a lot of freedom in regards to their play style and how they want to interact with NPCs, but remember that every action carries its own consequence. During the review play through, Fane started peaceful and diplomatic with all magisters and other NPCs lurking about Fort Joy and always sought a non violent solution for each encounter, that is until one particular incident happened. A cat had decided to follow us, and even thought with the Pet Pal talent he didn't speak very much he was a friendly companion. During some exploration of Fort Joy Fane and his companions came near a locked gate, they weren't causing any trouble and guards told us to step away. As we started to take our leave a guard shot an arrow at the cat without provocation killing it instantly. These guards then saw a display of poison and fire that left their charred, broken corpses arranged in a display that would make John Wick proud. A well timed autosave from not even five minutes prior allowed for a load where the feline companion was back good as new, but this time Fane was getting on the other side of that gate, and these same guards were preemptively killed again before they could bring any harm to the cat. This had a slight impact in how the magisters viewed us in town, so from this point on the play shifted to a much more aggressive style that was intolerant of magisters.

The world of the sequel has also become much darker than the first time we visited it. The narrative is more grounded this time around, but with the Divine being dead and the Void growing things are much more desolate and dismal this time around, though with the greater emphasis on doom and gloom the distinct narrative voice we have come to know from Larian studios remains in place. In addition to the humans and humanoid races, information may also be gathered by communicating with spirits and animals. The battle engine will feel familiar to players of the original, though certain tweaks have been made such as the ability to combine elements such as fire and poison when one of those agents of death just doesn't seem like quite enough. Additionally, blessing and cursing areas can alter the very ground combat is taking place in, incurring bonuses or penalties to whoever sets foot in the effected area.

The character creation process has received a massive overhaul. The player is no longer restricted to only playing as a human as Divinity: Original Sin II offers the option of also playing as a dwarf, elf, lizard, or undead. Each of these races has their own unique ability. For example, an elf can gain the memories of another individual through the simple act of cannibalism. So if you happen to stumble across a corpse, grab that severed limb, liberally apply some seasoning and let the elf party member chow down to unlock some of their memories. Dead men do tell tales, and they are also delicious part of a balanced diet.