Without the experiences that Larian gained from another role-playing game, there probably would never have been Baldur’s Gate 3 in this form. You can now buy this game on Steam with a hefty discount.
Which game is being talked about? This refers to Divinity: Original Sin 2. The role-playing game was released on September 14, 2017, on Steam and can be played both solo and in co-op mode. Original Sin 2 was the last release from Larian Studios before they began work on Baldur’s Gate 3 (short BG3).
Currently, you can save a lot at Divinity: Original Sin 2 on Steam. The role-playing game costs only €13.49 instead of €44.99 until June 9, 2025.
The game is by no means as well-known as BG3, but it laid a very important foundation for its success. Much of what fans love about the new Baldur’s Gate has its origins in this series – and was refined in part 2.
What is the game about? You play a group of so-called Source Mages. As such, you possess particularly powerful abilities. However, these will lead to your downfall: After the death of the Divine, the Void comes, and you are blamed for it.
As in BG3, you have the choice to play a pre-made character or create your own. This character can be quite wild: Do you want to play a flesh-eating elf or a skeleton resurrected from the dead? This decision affects how the world reacts to you – and how you interact with it.
Top-notch role-playing in the shadow of an even better one
Is the game still worth it today? Many players’ answer to this question is yes. The game has an overall “very positive” rating on Steam, and even the recent reviews are still “very positive” at 91%.
- Steam user Lamiroir_ has put 390 hours into the game at the time of his review: “The story, the companions, the character-building, the world, the voice acting, the music – EVERYTHING is absolutely top-notch in my opinion.”
- ghost writes after 135 hours in the game: “I started playing this game after I finished Baldur’s Gate 3, and I wonder why I missed it before.”
However, the comparison to BG3 can also become a downfall for the game:
- Gravy gives a thumbs down after 24 hours and writes: “I’m roughly halfway through Act 2, and the nicest thing I can say about Divinity 2 is that Larian learned a lot about what to avoid when developing Baldur’s Gate 3.”
So you should be clear about what to expect here: a very good role-playing game that does not always reach the quality of BG3. For example, not all dialogues are voiced, so you will have to read complete conversations at times. In addition, you experience a standalone story that has nothing to do with the world of Baldur’s Gate or the characters within it.
The fact that Baldur’s Gate 3 exists in its current form is due to many circumstances. Nearly, the game would not have existed at all – and the reason for this lies with Larian itself. You can read more about this in this article: Baldur’s Gate 3 almost didn’t exist, because Larian did one thing really poorly.
