Divinity: Original Sin

by Derk Bil
previewed on PC
Goals
The first stretch-goal adds a player home, or more specifically; a Homestead on the Shelter Plane At The End Of Time. Located there, it is bound to not just be any old/generic abode. Instead, it will be a representation of the sum of your decisions made throughout the game, but how exactly this will be worked out remains to be seen.
Next up are a number of things that will make character development even more interesting. Similar to Fallout’s perks, a set of personality traits will be made available to your character. One that will surely come in handy is being able to send inventory items to your home, but many will give you an edge in certain combat situations. The ‘loyal’ trait, for example, will enhance your abilities while fighting alongside a companion but will penalize you when you are trying to flee. If you take the ‘slippery’ trait, you may not need to flee at all though, as it will increase your chances of getting hit altogether.
For the third goal, Larian will invest the funds to significantly improve Original Sin’s henchmen system. Rather than throwing anonymous henchmen at the player, they plan to add individual companions that have more diversity, depth and their own very own quests to pursue.
This last stretch goal adds a weather system and a day-and-night cycle and it is quite possibly the most fun addition that Larian could ever make. I mentioned a thunderstorm earlier but that’s not really going to happen unless the fourth stretch goal is achieved. When it does, townsfolk will start their day with the rising of the sun and go about their townsfolksy business until the night sets in. The nasties on the other hand, become more active during the night. It will also affect magic. For instance, on a warm sunny day the positive effects of the rain you just conjured up may dwindle fairly rapidly. It also opens up the door for many more character traits, such as ‘not a morning person’ or ‘nocturnal’.
Tune in
Regardless of the success of the Stretch goals, Original Sin will be accompanied by a soundtrack created by Kirill Pokrovsky. The music promises to be both familiar and refreshing as Kirill has made orchestral scores for Divine Divinity, Beyond Divinity and Divinity II: Ego Draconis. Gamers familiar with the series should feel right at home.
The amount of time a player can invest in Original Sin is already quite significant but the stretch goals could virtually explode this to new heights. More information about Original Sin’s core gameplay can be found in our Gamescom preview from last summer.