Review by: Jason McMaster

There's no beating around the bush in Divinity II, the new 3rd person role-playing game from Larian Studios – once the brief tutorial ends, you're knee-deep in the action. Starting out as a highly trained warrior, your goal is to become an official Dragon Slayer, a member of the group who protects the common people from the half-human Dragon Knights. Oddly, when you become a Dragon Slayer you have to take on the memories of a dragon, which wipes out all of your training. We've all seen the "get your powers back" line of game design, so just be prepared – you’re in for some power-regaining.

Once you complete your ritual, all hell breaks loose. A Dragon Knight has been spotted in a nearby settlement and thus it’s time to get to work. Don't get too excited, however, as you're a new Dragon Slayer and not ready for the battle. It's time for some "fetch" quests! As expected, you'll spend a lot of time on various inane quests that the townspeople have few qualms about sending you, a highly-skilled warrior, to manage. "I miss my pet pigs!" No problem, I'll handle it.

Actually, the simple quests give you a chance to take a peek at the outside world, which is the best part of Divinity II. There's something mysterious and enchanting about seeing a far off part of the terrain and thinking "I can eventually get there." Much like the Gothic games, you can wander the countryside and find enemies to fight… whether you're strong enough to fight them or not.

As for the main quest, well, you'll need to level a bit to take on some of the challenges. After becoming a Dragon Slayer, you're approached by the final Dragon Knight. She's dying thanks to your mentors' impressive skills in battle and has one last gasp of hope for her cause. As she lay dying before you, she passed on her memories and essence, essentially making YOU the final Dragon Knight. Now that's a plot twist!