Is Divinity Original Sin 2 Good? — 2026 Verdict and Reviews

Yes — Divinity Original Sin 2 is one of the most critically acclaimed RPGs ever made, and eight years after release it is still very much worth buying. The evidence is unusually clean: a 93/100 Metacritic for the original PC release (95 for the Definitive Edition), a perfect 10/10 from GameSpot, 9.6 from IGN, "universal acclaim" per Metacritic's own classification, and a 95% Overwhelmingly Positive rating from more than 83,000 Steam reviews. It's not for everyone — it's long, dense, and demands tactical thinking — but for anyone who likes turn-based RPGs, it's a benchmark game that still has no serious rival in its niche. This guide breaks down exactly why it scores so well, what the critics and players complain about, and who should (and shouldn't) buy it in 2026.

Official resources: Steam store page · Metacritic — PC reviews (93) · GameSpot review (10/10) · IGN review (9.6) · Wikipedia — reception section

The Short Verdict

Buy it if you like turn-based RPGs, party-based co-op, or deep reactive storytelling. Skip it if you need action combat, can't handle inventory management, or don't have 60+ hours to commit. That's the whole decision in one sentence. DOS2 is not a "hidden gem" and not a "niche taste" — it's a game that won PC Gamer's Game of the Year 2017, sold over a million copies within two months of launch (Wikipedia documents 700,000 in the first month and 1M+ by November 2017), and kept a healthy player base for nearly a decade. Its audience is simply self-selecting: people who want a 100-hour tactical RPG and people who don't.

The 2025–2026 context makes the answer even easier: the surprise December 15, 2025 releases on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Switch 2 (free upgrades for previous-gen owners, 60 FPS, no repurchase needed) plus the announcement of the next Divinity game at The Game Awards 2025 have put DOS2 back in the spotlight — and Larian has been running deep discounts across every storefront since. You can currently pick it up for roughly $15–25 depending on platform during sales.

What the Critics Say

The Metacritic picture, from Wikipedia's reception section and the Metacritic pages (which aggregate to "universal acclaim"):

Individual scores that get quoted endlessly:

• GameSpot: 10/10 — one of only 14 perfect scores in the site's history at the time. Their review called it a game where "your choices shape fate itself" and praised the reactive world.
• IGN: 9.6 — "one of the all-time greats of the RPG genre," with special praise for the stories, quests, tactical combat and replayability.
• Game Informer: 9.75 — "one of the greatest PC RPGs of all time."
• PC Gamer: 92/100 — and their Game of the Year 2017.
• USgamer: 5/5 — called it the "pinnacle" of the CRPG genre.
• Eurogamer: called it a "masterpiece."
• Polygon: 7/10 — the famous dissenting review, praising the ambition but arguing the pieces don't all come together. It's worth reading precisely because it's the outlier.

GameSpot's perfect score is the one fact that frames the whole discussion — a 10/10 from a major outlet is rare enough that it acts as a quality signal on its own:

Official source: GameSpot — Divinity: Original Sin II Review (10/10) — one of only 14 perfect scores in GameSpot's history, with the staff later ranking the game fifth on their Best Games of 2017 list.

What Players Say

The Steam rating is the long-run community verdict: 95% of 83,000+ user reviews are positive — Overwhelmingly Positive, per the store page. The recurring themes in player reviews and the DOS2 subreddit:

What players love:

• Freedom and reactivity — "the game reacts to who you are" is the phrase players repeat: tags, race, and past choices change dialogue and quest outcomes constantly.
• The build freedom — no classes, every skill school open to everyone, and a free respec mirror means endless experimentation. The build guide collects the community's favourite archetypes.
• Co-op done right — the entire campaign plays co-op with up to four players, which produces the game's most legendary stories (and arguments). More in the multiplayer guide.
• The characters — Lohse's arc, Fane's lore, the Red Prince's ego; the characters guide covers all six.

What players complain about:

• Inventory and quest management — the journal is dense, the inventory is enormous, and hoarding is encouraged but taxing.
• Act 3 pacing (original release) — the Definitive Edition rewrote Act 3, but some pacing complaints persist in Arx.
• Difficulty spikes — the game is brutal at specific fights (the Fort Joy docks, Mordus, the Arx bridge) and the armour system punishes unfocused parties.
• No crossplay — if you want to play with friends on other platforms, you can't. The Switch guide covers the platform situation.

The honest aggregate: praise is overwhelming but not universal — this is a game that rewards investment and punishes impatience.

Who Should Buy It (and Who Shouldn't)

Buy it if:

• You loved Baldur's Gate 3 and want more of the same studio's reactivity (with a different combat system — see the RPG guide for the ruleset differences).
• You enjoy turn-based tactics — XCOM, Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics players will feel at home.
• You have a co-op partner; the full campaign is playable together and it's one of the best co-op RPGs ever made.
• You like building characters and experimenting with builds.
• You're okay with a 60–100 hour commitment (playtime guide has the numbers).

Don't buy it if:

• You need action/real-time combat — this is strictly turn-based.
• Inventory management and quest-journal sprawl make you bounce off games.
• You want a 20-hour experience — DOS2 is a marathon, not a sprint.
• You're buying it mainly for split-screen on Switch — that version has no couch co-op (see the Switch guide).

Is It Still Worth It in 2026?

Short answer: yes, and it's arguably the best moment to jump in since 2018. Four things changed recently:

1. The December 15, 2025 current-gen releases put a 60 FPS version on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Switch 2 — free for owners of the PS4, Xbox One and Switch versions (Larian's announcement). Platform coverage is in the PS5 guide and the Xbox guide.
2. The next Divinity was announced at The Game Awards 2025 — Larian has confirmed DOS2 is not required reading, but that playing it makes the sequel richer. There's no release window yet, so DOS2 is the only Divinity you can play right now.
3. The Definitive Edition is still the definitive way to play — it's a free upgrade that fixed Act 3, added Story Mode, Gift Bags and the respec mirror, and it's the only version sold on consoles.
4. The mod scene is mature — thousands of Steam Workshop mods, from quality-of-life fixes to total overhauls, keep the game fresh.

Eight years on, no other game does exactly what DOS2 does at this quality level. That's the whole argument.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Divinity Original Sin 2 worth it in 2026?

Yes. It holds a 93–95 Metacritic, a 10/10 GameSpot score, and 95% positive Steam reviews from 83,000+ players. The December 2025 current-gen releases (60 FPS free upgrades on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2) and deep sales make it an especially easy recommendation right now.

Is DOS2 as good as Baldur's Gate 3?

Both are top-tier Larian RPGs, but they're different games: DOS2 has a classless custom ruleset and armour-gate tactical combat; BG3 uses D&D 5e. If you liked BG3's reactivity, characters and writing, DOS2 is the closest thing to "more of that" — but expect different combat. The RPG guide compares them directly.

What is the Metacritic score for Divinity Original Sin 2?

PC original 93, PC Definitive Edition 95, PS4 92, Xbox One 92, Switch 93 — "universal acclaim" across all platforms. Notable individual scores: GameSpot 10/10, IGN 9.6, Game Informer 9.75.

Is Divinity Original Sin 2 good for solo players?

Yes — solo play is the default and arguably the best way to experience the story. You control all four party members yourself, with full build control over each. Co-op is a bonus, not a requirement.

Why do people love Divinity Original Sin 2?

The combination is unique: reactive storytelling (no protected NPCs, quests with multiple solutions), classless build freedom, a tactical combat system built around armour and elemental surfaces, excellent party characters, full co-op, and a genuinely replayable four-act campaign.

Related Guides

• Divinity Original Sin 2 Build Guide — Best Builds & Stats
• Divinity Original Sin 2 RPG Guide — Genre, Gameplay and Systems
• How Long to Beat Divinity Original Sin 2 — Playtime Guide
• Divinity Original Sin 2 Guide — Acts, Walkthrough and Progression
• RimWorld Review Guide — Is It Worth Playing in 2026?

Last updated: August 13, 2026.