Hi, so I've heard/read quite a lot about how D:OS 2 is better than the first D:OS game, but I am wondering specifically how it is better. What changes and improvements have been made, compared to the first game?

I am playing D:OS 1 atm and I think I'm getting fairly close to the end (currently exploring the Phantom Forest area). I think it's a really good game. My opinion of it is that the engine is fantastic; however, I think the game that has been built on the engine is decent, but has some room for improvement.

Specific areas where I think D:OS 1 could be improved:

I think the writing in general is a bit of a weak point. The plot is 'ok', but not amazing and I wouldn't say there are many characters in the game that are particularly memorable. Imo, the writing is not on par with Baldur's Gate 1/2 or Pillars of Eternity. Also, the game seems to be populated with quite a lot of silly humor, cheap gags and quite a few characters that are either over-the-top or overly annoying. For example, I felt compelled to kill Aolettet in the Air Plane, because she was too annoying to be allowed to live. So, has the quality of the writing been improved in D:OS 2? Does it have a similar level of silly humor?

Another thing I didn't like with D:OS 1 is that there seems to be an over-abundance of magic items lying around in general. You go into a dungeon and when you come out, you are literally up to your armpits in magic loot. It's at a level where you are constantly struggling to offload all the loot, to clear out your inventory, and it renders the crafting system somewhat useless with regards to magic weapons and armor. Because the last thing you need is more magic 'stuff' cluttering up your inventory. Imo, the game would have been better if magic items were significantly rarer. It would have made it more satisfying when you do find some magic loot and it would have made the crafting system more worthwhile. So, have they scaled back the frequency of magic loot in D:OS 2, or is it at a similar level?

The static weather sticks out as something that could really do with improvement. There are places where you walk 5 steps to the right and it starts raining. You walk 5 steps to the left and it stops again, which is rather immersion-breaking. Has the weather in D:OS 2 been made any more dynamic?

Another thing is that some of the combats seem to rely a bit too much on 'ambushings'. It seems quite common that, especially for the more 'boss like' enemies, as soon as combat starts they immediately summon several demons out of nowhere (in contrast to Player Characters, who are only ever allowed to have 1 summon each). It seems a bit inexplicable and not entirely 'fair', as it makes it very hard to size up encounters through good scouting and plan for them in advance. Again, it doesn't really help with immersion. I recently had a combat against the Immaculate dude in the basement of the Immaculate Cathedral and as soon as combat started, 5 quite powerful demons immediately spawn out of nowhere. Although, by now I am somewhat getting used to it. So, does this happen quite a lot as well in D:OS 2?

Just to re-iterate, my intention is not to savage D:OS 1, although it probably looks like that is what I am doing. I am being super-critical, but most of the above issues are fairly minor and I still think it is a great game and well worth playing. Right now, I am probably leaning towards a 4-star review.

So anyway, I am very curious as to whether any of the above issues have been addressed in D:OS 2 and what the general impressions are of those that have played it on how it is better than D:OS 1.

For me, so far, it's the writing.

The game mechanics don't seem that different, although DOS2 gives you a bit more freedom with character creation and party I feel, but the characters are definitely more interesting to me.


I am a story person and need a story and plot to keep me going in the game - I can't just play a game for the sake of it because I get bored, and that is a problem I had with DOS1. One thing I've found with e.g. DOS1 and 2 vs e.g. BG1 and 2 is they are much more complicated; The UI is so full of stuff and there is a lot more stuff to deal with in terms of game mechanics and it all just got too fiddly to the point I got annoyed with DOS1 and stopped playing. To this day I still have no idea what DOS1 is about or what you were supposed to be doing in it.

DOS2 has the same problem for me in terms of games mechanics being overly convoluted, but it has writing and the characters have personalities and it makes me want to find out what's happening and that kept me going a lot longer, even through irritating repeated crashes.


I'm willing to put up with a lot if the plot is intriguing - Planescape Torment is a good example; That had an incredible world and plot and I played it through to completion multiple times through multiple paths despite the janky UI and multitude of bugs!

Hi, thanks for your reply and it's encouraging to hear the writing has been improved in D:OS 2. As for D:OS 1, I have found some parts of it better than others. I thought the start of the game was really good and I liked the murder investigation in Cyseal (although it is clearly inspired by Ultima VII). There were lots of good roleplaying opportunities there. However, the area around Cyseal I didn't like much - it seemed to become quite a long combat-heavy slog, without much in the way of plot advancement. I am now at level 17 and I think getting fairly close to the end. I will finish it, but I feel the game is becoming a bit formulaic. You go into another Immaculate 'stronghold'; beat up the head honcho in there; take their star stone, rinse and repeat.

Are you finding the game world to be any more open in D:OS 2? The overworld in 1 doesn't seem very open. You generally can't progress to the next map until you clear most of the enemies from the current one, and the game seems to steer you quite heavily, through the placement and scaling of the enemies.

Does it have a similar level of silly humor, or did they scale that back at all?