Beyond Divinity
| Beyond Divinity | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Larian Studios |
| Publisher(s) |
|
| Director(s) | Swen Vincke |
| Programmer(s) | Swen Vincke |
| Composer(s) | Kirill Pokrovsky |
| Series | Divinity |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X |
| Release | Windows OS X
|
| Genre(s) | Action role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Beyond Divinity is an action role-playing game by Larian Studios released in 2004. It is a sequel to Divine Divinity.
A Deluxe Edition was also released that same year, containing copies of both Beyond Divinity and Divine Divinity. In 2009 a digital download version was released, equivalent to the updated disc version.[3] The game was released for Mac OS X on 15 November 2013.
Gameplay
The gameplay is heavily based on Divine Divinity, but adds the ability for the player to control two characters, each with their own stats and equipment.
Beyond Divinity is divided into four acts; the first was designed to be relatively linear, but it opens up towards the end, and later acts have much more freedom of movement. The player can acquire a new summoning doll in each act, allowing the player to summon a specific creature, including a skeleton doll in Act 1 capable of wielding a crossbow to provide ranged support.[4] The player can control these summons directly (and depending on the doll, even give them some of your spare equipment to use) to help in combat, or simply use to carry loot.
There is a Battlefield (an area that contains merchants and some optional, randomly generated dungeons) in each act, that, once unlocked, the player can teleport in and out of whenever they wish.[5]
Synopsis
The storyline of Beyond Divinity takes place 20 years after the original game. The player takes on the role of a servant of the divine one, a paladin who hates and hunts necromancers. During the battle with one particularly vile necromancer, the paladin is grabbed by a demon, Samuel, and dragged into another universe where he is soul-forged to a death-knight, a creature of evil. Together the paladin and death-knight must venture forth to find a way to break that forging. To succeed is to resume the path you have set for yourself. To fail is to spend eternity linked to that which you have despised.
Reception
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 73/100[6] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Computer Gaming World |   [7] |
| GamesMaster | 60%[8] |
| GameSpot | 7.9/10[9] |
| GameSpy |  [10] |
| GameZone | 8/10[11] |
| IGN | 8/10[12] |
| PC Format | 59%[13] |
| PC Gamer (UK) | 62%[14] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 78%[15] |
| PC Zone | 71%[16] |
| The Times | [17] |
The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[6]
References
- ^ I. G. N. Staff (21 April 2004). "Beyond Divinity Goes Gold". IGN. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ "Beyond Divinity". Ubisoft. Archived from the original on 11 April 2004. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ "Beyond Divinity available for download!". Larian Studios. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- ^ "Just started Beyond Divinity". Larian Studios. Archived from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
- ^ "Beyond Divinity". Larian Studios. Archived from the original on 5 May 2004. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
- ^ a b "Beyond Divinity for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ Ardai, Charles (August 2004). "Beyond Divinity" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 241. p. 78. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ "Beyond Divinity". GamesMaster. July 2004.
- ^ Kasavin, Greg (3 May 2004). "Beyond Divinity Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ Peckham, Matt (5 May 2004). "GameSpy: Beyond Divinity". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 27 December 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ Knutson, Michael (4 May 2004). "Beyond Divinity – PC – Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 2 October 2008. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ Brenesal, Barry (6 May 2004). "Beyond Divinity Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ Underwood, Dan (June 2004). "Beyond Divinity". PC Format. No. 162. Archived from the original on 14 August 2004. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ "Beyond Divinity". PC Gamer UK. June 2004.
- ^ "Beyond Divinity". PC Gamer. July 2004. p. 64.
- ^ PC Zone staff (May 2004). "PC Review: Beyond Divinity". PC Zone. Archived from the original on 30 April 2008. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ Blackmore, Keith (26 June 2004). "Beyond Divinity". The Times. Archived from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.(subscription required)