Larian Studios have officially confirmed the news of their next game in the mythical Divinity universe series which is turn-based combat. CEO Swen Vincke spilled the beans, labeling it a ‘turn-based RPG that is showcasing everything you have seen from us in the past but elevated to the next level.’ To say it differently, if you enjoyed the tactical chess-match of Baldur’s Gate 3 or Divinity: Original Sin 2, you would feel like home. And if not, well, the voices are already in war.
If someone overlooks the tweet, there is a straightforward confirmation about the play style for the upcoming project. The developer of the blockbuster hit Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian Studios, has announced that their new title in the Divinity series will, without a doubt, have the same strategic, turn-based combat that made them famous. This information was brought forward by the CEO, and he focused on their unique shift in style.
So, the announcement came and the internet reacted pretty much the same as it was expected. Some people described the feedback somewhat exaggeratedly as… split. A large number of people are ecstatic. ‘NC’sVeryOwn’ said BG3 was their entrance into the genre’s deepest areas and they were ‘def def check this out whenever it drops on ps5.’ Another user Zihlus made no bones about it and said: ‘BG3 was the key that made the world see turn-based as being alive again. Sandfall’s E33 made it rock solid. Turn-based RPGs are back not as if they never left, but back in the spotlight!’ One can almost feel the joy in the surrounding, right? It is as if a large group of gamers who favor the genre the most and it has now been acknowledged on the biggest platform and they are now ready for more.
But, the other side of the coin is… the instant ‘God dammit’ from TJ Heathen tells the complete story for a certain group. User HiTzz (gerulis20) tried to present the schism from a different point of view, answering to someone: ‘Just not for me, idk hard to explain why, but it feels way too disconnected i just dont like such combat mechanic.’ And GameNight87 shared a feeling that was not uncommon at all, saying that they have spent around five hours playing Larian’s last couple of games and then never returned, the reason being lack of time or patience to fully enjoy the systems. It is a ‘you either like it or you don’t’ kind of feeling, and the discussion in the replies is typical gamer talk.
A few players were perhaps hoping for a ‘maybe, just maybe’ scenario. Alfred_Dulaire proposed a feature, ‘Maybe there will be an option to turn on/off turn base so you can play it hack and slash if you want.’ But honestly, that is not Larian’s style of working. Their whole design philosophy is built upon intricate, environmental, turn-based mayhem. Adding a real-time mode would be akin to… creating a racing game that also permits walking. The thing is, you wouldn’t be playing the same game.
Additionally, the practical side of things raises the red flag. Koding Nights pointed out a problem that was more or less the same old tale every gamer who has been through a battle with a bunch of weak enemies must tell: ‘Hopefully they will sort out the issue with infinite battles with mobs where you have to wait for each of them to slowly move and attack for several minutes before you can even do anything.’ Ouch, that’s a trap. The trouble is, when you are fighting a large crowd, the pace can come to a complete standstill. It is an argument that can be easily backed up, and you have to trust Larian’s ‘next level’ includes some pretty clever solutions for that problem.
The entire discussion really underscores how much of a game-changer Baldur’s Gate 3 was. It converted millions of new players to the turn-based fold. User ‘RighteousKngFu’ said BG3 was their first real try and now they are tickets for Divinity. But it also left some players who liked action-oriented games behind. ScubaSteve1219 (whose replies seem to be missing from the data but are referred to by others) apparently considered it a ‘bummer’ leading to a huge thread about personal tastes. Beezy simply responded, ‘There’s nothing wrong with turn-based,’ while ITISNICKMELLO pointed to Persona as the series that rekindled his interest saying it felt like the genre was stale before that.
So what does it mean for Larian? They are taking a very strong stance of their identity. After the universe-sized success of BG3, they could probably do anything. But they are going back to their own original IP and doubling the core gameplay that earned them fame. It is a bold move. They are not just following the trends on Xbox.
