Coming from BG3 to DOS2, it was kinda weird because of how different the combat is. The combat is definitely inferior to BG3 because of how many mechanics its missing, but after you get used to it, the game and story are just as fun and interesting as BG3. Worth the try in my opinion.
View all comments
I just finished Act 2 in DOS2, after playing 900+ hours in BG3.
It's a good game. Good graphics, good combat, good setting, good map design, etc.
I have only 2 strong critiques
A) You are starved for XP, at least on "Classic" difficulty
Act 2, there are no real "optional" quests. If you skip the seemingly-optional quests, then you won't rank up enough to be able to handle the "real" quests.
You can alleviate this by going full "murder hobo" and killing the regular NPCs when you're "done" with them. But without that, you're going to want to do every little quest you can find. Or else be -1 or -2 levels to the required missions.
B) Gear is kind of like Diablo-4 -> constantly swapping gear for upgrades
Random gear, and a lot of it becomes obsolete within 2-3 levels. And you have more levels here than BG3.
So with your team of 4, you're constantly swapping out weapons that you find or can buy.
How is B a bad thing? The opposite (bg3) makes looting a boring chore because you know in 99/100 containers you open you will only find garbage that is only remotely comparable to something you got in act1 or 2...
I haven't played DoS, so apologies if I'm misunderstanding how the gear works, but I personally relate to this as a bad thing if I'm understanding it right. Every game I've played where the weapons and armor I'm finding are always objectively better and better throughout the game make my gear setup feel much less personal. I'm thinking games like The Witcher 3, Hogwarts Legacy, etc where the gear you find isn't special in any way as you progress, it's just "Better." There was no sense trying to optimize gear or get attached to anything I liked because it would undoubtedly be replaced soon. I hate that type of system, as it takes the fun out of finding gear and weapons for me.
In BG3, there was definitely gear that was "better" throughout the game, but most of the gear was more "unique" in its own way, and what might seem like garbage to my bard wouldn't seem like garbage to somebody's monk or ranger or wizard. I remember finding Phalar Aluve with my bard and LOVING it so much because she was a performer with a singing sword. She used that thing all the way through the end of the game because that was HER sword. I would have hated to feel I had to switch it out because it wouldn't hold up through the end game.
Im sorry but i just disagree at a fundamental level. There is nothing more disapointing to me in BG3 than spending literally HOURS AND HOURS scavenging every container, every hidden brick, every little corner of the map for treasure, which is everywhere, only to keep finding items that are either copies of stuff i already own or interesting sounding items that just arent better than that one unique i got way back in act1 or early act2. And lets be honest, more than half the time your just finding gold or consumables. (both of which are entirely pointless since the game is too easy anyway)
The amount of times you replace your gear in bg3 is hillariously bad. To the point that it makes it completly pointless to even have a gear and loot system. (i ran most of the game with A LOT of gear you find exploring act1...)
DOS2, even if its too much for some people, at least rewards you for exploring and talking to every npc/vendor with new opportunities to gear up, and provides enough of a challenge that you DO want to upgrade your gear as often as possible.
I just dont understand this whole sense of attachment to a piece of gear you seem to imply has value. We just think differently at a fundamental level.
With that said, and before i get attacked by some random person that thinks im shitting on the game, im not, i love the game, but for entirely different reasons than the ones that DOS2 does better, in my opinion.
We can agree to disagree, this was just my personal opinion!! People enjoy different things about games and that's certainly not a bad thing ☺️
I'll be honest, I'm not the sort of person who feels the need to open every vase I walk past, so I wouldn't say I've spent "hours looting." I play these games much more for the immersion, companion relationships and narrative than I do for the combat and gameplay so that could certainly be where our tastes differ! If I find armor that "fits" my character, I would much rather be able to keep that armor (and even upgrade it ideally) than replace it over and over with things my character would never really wear. I am also the type to wear pretty armor over functional armor, so there's that, lol. Amazing Helmet that gives instant crits and makes my character a God, but also covers their pretty face? Straight to the trash 😂
I will say again that I haven't actually played DOS, so I don't have personal experience with its looting system and I may be misinterpreting it from the comments! I just know that I personally enjoyed the gear in BG3 far more than other games I have played. I think part of it is that I enjoy all the gear being somewhat equal in power but "unique" rather than greater in power but otherwise it's the exact same. I suppose a balance between the two would be the most ideal for my taste!
I do think that I agree with you that BG3 doesn't have much super impressive gear in the later part of the game compared to Act 1, but I also think it depends on the class you're playing. I found some really awesome gear for my sorcerer in act 3, but my bard wore the same stuff from Act 1 on. Some classes get way better gear than others - I've never played a monk, but I always find really awesome monk gear that I can't use but would probably love to find if that was my class. There's also some really great Heavy Armors in Act 3 that I am never able to use because I usually have only one person in heavy armor. BG3 also needs more boots, period. I wish it was spread a little more evenly. I also think BG3 suffers from Act 1 generally being the best and most content heavy act in a lot of ways, including the quality and amount of gear that is available.
Reguardless of our different opinions you should totally try dos2. At the end of the day they are very similar, even at a soundtrack level
It's definitely on my list!! BG3 was the first true CRPG I played, so I'm now planning on working my way through them!! I wanted a break from Larian so I don't get burned out, so I'm playing Pillars of Eternity (the first one) right now. I think I'll play DoS once I'm finished with that!
Hmm I also felt that some items in BG3 felt more... unique than in most other games. But I never enjoyed the whole looting and gear mechanisms in most games. I find it super annoying that in Diablos you spend so much time in your inventory and in most games I run with some crap all game long. I didn't finish a single set in Witcher 3 for example (luckily on death march it was still easy enough to not have to deal with it... or oils or elixirs or anything)