There are numerous preset classes to choose from: battlemage, conjurer, inquisitor, fighter, shadowblade, wizard and several more. In addition to the preset build players can select talents such as Elemental Affinity, Ambidextrous or Picture of Health to name just a few of the many. These talents provide stat bonuses or abilities, with one of the more interesting ones being Pet Pal that allows the character to speak to animals. Origin tags contribute to the character's background and open different dialog options such as barbarian, mystic or outlaw. The player may also choose an Origin Instrument for their character between bansuri, tambura, oud or cello, and this instrument may play automatically during certain parts of the game.

**Divinity Original Sin 2 ** has an in-depth crafting system with the ability to create hundreds of potential crafted items. Players can spend hours upon hours combining items to try and make new ones through trial and error, or they can cut to the chase. Here are the top crafting recipes players need to k

Most PC gamers who enjoy RPGs are aware of Divinity: Original Sin its near-universal acclaim . The praise is not undeserved either; the original Original Sin was a massive RPG with meticulous attention to every detail across the board to ensure it would stand out among all other PC games. With both its critical and commercial success, any follow up has some troll-sized boots it needs to fill, and while the early access build only offers a fraction of the adventure, things are already shaping up to indicate Divinity: Original Sin II has the potential to surpass the incredibly high standards set by its predecessor.

There are some RPGs that hold the player's plan, at least through the beginning parts of the game. Divinity: Original Sin II **** is not one of these games. The player is given objectives and some hints at where they might need to head to accomplish them, but nearly unlimited freedom is given to the player in how they wish to go about it. This freedom on top of proverbially being thrown to the wolves level of hand holding can be overwhelming for players not used to it, but this means how the game unfolds is entirely up to how the player wishes to accomplish the myriad tasks. For example, if you have ever played an RPG and wished you could just hack everyone to death and not have to attend to the errands of an annoying NPC, that freedom exists. I am not suggesting that killing every NPC in the game will lead to the optimal experience with this title, but the freedom is there for anyone who wishes to try it. The barbaric blood path is a choice, the numerous dialog options as well as other behavior choices could make completing the story a very cerebral experience.

Instead of being limited to being human, Divinity: Original Sin II gives the player the option to also be an elf, dwarf, lizard, or undead, though that last one which is personally the most interesting option is not presently available in the Early Access build. There are also optional origin stories that the player can use for their character, four are currently available but more will be included in the final release. Origin stories not selected by the player will be seen in NPCs met during the game that could join the party. These different origin stories add an extra dynamic to both single and multiplayer modes. Not all characters will have the same objectives they want to achieve, which can lead to some conflicts. With their being freedom to play the game any way a player decides, how conflicting goals among party members are addressed is entirely up to the player's imagination. This can be even more interesting in multiplayer, especially since the option to have four players simultaneously is now included. Playing with three other people who all have conflicting objectives can elevate the role playing element beyond what can be achieved in most video game RPGs.

Several weeks ago I was fortunate enough to get some hands on time with Divinity: Original Sin II at PAX . That experience only gave a brief glimpse into what is offered in this build and I imagine I will feel the same way about the Early Access build when the complete game is released. The predecessor was a massive choice-driven RPG that was in the vein of classic computer RPGs. The bar was set high by Divinity: Original Sin and everything that made that title so great returns here and then some. Making any definite declaration about a SLG game news's quality prior to its final release is impossible and I do not want to over hype this title to the point of having expectations it can not reach, but anyone who enjoyed its predecessor needs to keep this one on their radar, regardless of whether they want to wait for the final version to come out or if they want to dive into the early build right away.

In a departure from the first game where the player assumed the role of a Source Hunter to rid the world of the forbidden magic known as Source, we are now taking on the role of a Sourcerer. Taking place 1000 years after the events of its predecessor, the story begins with the player being held prisoner in Fort Joy, a misnomer if there ever was one. The Divine is dead and the Void is expanding, which will eventually consume this godless world if it remains unchallenged. Sourcerers are taking the blame for this turn of events, with the player being the main target for the Magisters of the Divine Order's witch hunt. Fort Joy is where you were sent to be "cured" of your powers. While the specific method of "curing" is not spelled out in detail, the self preservation instinct kicks in to send the message the only objective for now is to get the hell out of Fort Joy.