In case you have not heard but, there is a unusual, spiky monolith within the Mojave Desert. Adorned with large eye-like orbs and legions of demonic creatures, the sport hints at one thing that will probably be unveiled as a part of The Sport Awards 2025. And with the registration of some new emblems, it seems like we have already got a solution as to what that’s. It is a new recreation referred to as “Divinity” by Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian Studios.
When you’re one of many thousands and thousands of gamers who first discovered about Larian by means of the massive success of Baldur’s Gate 3, the phrase God may not imply a lot to you. However followers of the studio will let you know that BG3’s success is rooted in Divinity, a six-game collection that Larian labored on virtually completely from 2002 to 2017. if This Monolith and trademark leak really reveals divinity, and can see the Belgian studio return to its unique fantasy world and maybe convey with it an entire new fan base.
If a recreation like this, which may be very hypothetical at this level, is your first foray into the Divinity universe, you would possibly need to give a fast rundown of what to anticipate. Allow us to be your information to divinity and be the primary to say (very pre-emptively)…
Welcome to Liberon
Very similar to Baldur’s Gate takes place within the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons & Dragons, Divinity has its personal wealthy, unique setting: the world of Rivellon. There are vital similarities between the 2. Each are rooted in Tolke-esque fantasy tropes and have classically styled medieval landscapes and places. A number of races exist. Similar to in D&D, you possibly can anticipate encounters with people, elves, dwarves, lizard-like beings, and the residing useless. Though magic is frequent in Ribellon, it’s thought of extra harmful and is extra strictly regulated than in D&D’s Sword Coast.
Like Baldur’s Gate, Divinity additionally incorporates a lot of extra esoteric components, from steampunk to science fiction and extra, making its world somewhat extra outlandish than the lands explored in conventional fantasy like The Lord of the Rings. Ribellon is usually a really foolish place, and the affect of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels is regularly felt in Divinity’s writing. In truth, Terry’s daughter Leanna Pratchett additionally wrote a second tie-in novel. However that is to not say Rivellon is frivolous. There is a deep vein of fascinating lore mined over the collection’ six installments.
Which means Ribellon is the same story setting to the one we loved in Baldur’s Gate 3, but it surely follows solely Larian’s guidelines moderately than the foundations set by Dungeons & Dragons homeowners Wizards of the Coast.
What’s divinity?
Divinity is an RPG collection, however its evolution has been something however regular. When you take a fast take a look at every of the six video games, you will discover no less than 4 totally different approaches. The primary recreation within the collection, Divine Divinity, and its sequel, Past Divinity, are motion RPGs impressed by Diablo. Divinity 2: Ego Draconis, however, is a third-person RPG. a bit It is just like Dragon Age and The Witcher. Divinity: Dragon Commander barely A Complete Warfare-flavored technique recreation and the most recent within the collection, the Unique Sin duology is a classic-style RPG most just like Baldur’s Gate 3. Larian has experimented extensively over time, so there is not any clear indication as to what format the following recreation within the collection will use (although given the success of Baldur’s Gate 3, it will be sensible to wager on one thing related).
One other uncommon component is the method to timelines. Though Rivellon has a constant historical past and story that threads by means of the collection, every recreation is ready years (and generally centuries) aside, that means that every is one thing of a standalone expertise. Simply as Baldur’s Gate 3 does not require any expertise with the collection, however has loads of nods to the earlier two video games, you possibly can play Divinity: Unique Sin 2 with none expertise with the earlier recreation. I ponder if future video games within the collection will proceed this custom, particularly since Larian has numerous new followers who aren’t accustomed to the studio’s earlier work. If the leaked trademark is to be believed, this new mission is just referred to as “Divinity.” This title was in all probability chosen as a result of it does not indicate that it’s essential to play a number of different video games.
What does “divinity” imply?
The title of the divinity is derived from its fundamental lore. 1000’s of years earlier than the occasions of the primary recreation within the collection, Divine Divinity, the Council of Seven, the governing physique of Liberon, sacrificed itself to guard the dominion from an evil wizard. A “Holy Order” was established of their reminiscence and tasked with passing on their information to the following technology.
An occasion of divine divinity speaks a prophecy a few savior who will shield Riveron from the following existential risk, a demon referred to as Chaos. That savior seems to be you, and also you ascend to turn into Divine Lucian. This character additionally seems in Divinity 2: Ego Draconis and Divinity: Unique Sin 2. The idea of God will not be central to each recreation, however is regularly explored inside the story.
How related is Divinity to Baldur’s Gate 3?
The collection has modified a lot over its lifetime that a lot of the Divinity collection is definitely fairly totally different from what Larian created in Baldur’s Gate 3. However the Unique Sin duology is clearly a blueprint for BG3. These are isometric RPGs that span a number of areas, with tactical turn-based fight and the same “hands-off” method to quest design.
Each are price taking part in, however Unique Sin 2 is essentially the most full, each when it comes to gameplay depth and narrative energy. That is the place Larian pioneered the “origin story” characters who would later turn into the heroes of Baldur’s Gate 3, and Ribellon’s solutions to Astarion, Gale, Shadowheart, and others are equally brilliantly written. That is additionally the sport wherein the studio established its “tag”. It is a system that gives character-specific dialogue choices that can assist you higher roleplay a selected race or class.
Maybe essentially the most admired system within the Unique Sins dilogy is its elemental results. Solid a rain spell to make one thing moist, then use your lightning capability to conduct electrical energy to that moist floor. Flip over the oil barrel to create a puddle, then shoot a hearth arrow into it to set it on fireplace. Stab your enemies, freeze their blood, and watch them slide by yourself icy entrails. A lot of this elemental interplay can also be integrated into Baldur’s Gate 3, however is extra pronounced in Unique Sin. Anticipate no less than 1 / 4 of the battles to contain bonfires all through the world.
Tips on how to play the sacred video games so as
As talked about above, the timeline hole separating the Divinity video games implies that they technically do not exist. immediately There are sequels, and you’ll play them in just about any order you need. When you’ve performed Baldur’s Gate 3 and need to study extra about Divinity, I extremely suggest you simply play Unique Sin 2, which is extensively thought of to be the most effective recreation within the collection. Initially unique to PC, it’s now out there on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Swap, and even iPad. However for those who actually need to dig into the lore and discover the complete timeline, this is how it is best to method the collection.
Divinity: Dragon Commander (2013)
- It is an epic technique recreation set hundreds of years earlier than the occasions of the RPG.
Divinity: Unique Sin (2014)
- The CRPG with turn-based fight was set 1000 years earlier than the unique recreation and targeted on two “Supply Hunters” monitoring down harmful magic customers.
Divine Divinity (2002)
- A Diablo-like ARPG that chronicles the ascension of Lucien the Divine.
Past Divinity (2004)
- Set 20 years after Divine Divinity, this ARPG sequel tells the story of one in every of Lucian’s servants whose soul is sure to an evil Loss of life Knight.
Divinity: Unique Sin 2 (2017)
- A CRPG that could be a sequel to Unique Sin when it comes to recreation design, however takes place after the unique two video games and offers with the outbreak of “Voidwoken” monsters in Rivellon.
Divinity 2: Dragon’s Ego (2009)
- Gamers play as a knight who can rework right into a dragon on this 3D motion RPG set a long time after Lucian’s ascension, when the adopted son of God has turn into a tyrant.
Matt Purslow is videogameaddicted’s Options Editor.