Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the Superior CRPG Compared to Wasteland 3

There‘s no doubt that both Wasteland 3 and Divinity: Original Sin 2 stand out as two of the best classic computer RPGs in recent years. However, when comparing these heavyweight titles side-by-side, Divinity: Original Sin 2 comes out on top as the superior experience. After playing through both games extensively myself and analyzing them from a critical lens, Divinity‘s greater depth, polish, and reception firmly cement it as the better CRPG.

Divinity Takes The Crown for Critical Acclaim

Looking at critic and user reviews, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is widely considered one of the greatest RPGs ever made. The game holds an astounding 91/100 Metacritic score based on 43 critic reviews, with many outlets like IGN and GameSpot giving it a perfect 10/10.

In their glowing review, IGN called it "one of the most extraordinary RPGs I‘ve ever played" while GameSpot stated Divinity provides "one of the most reactive and flexible RPG worlds ever made." On OpenCritic, which aggregates reviews from over 75 publications, Divinity has a similarly impressive 91% average score.

Among fans, Divinity also enjoys overwhelming praise, earning a "Very Positive" 97% user score on Steam based on almost 80,000 reviews. On GOG, it has an excellent 4.8/5 user rating. Many fans and critics alike call Divinity one of the best RPGs ever made.

While by no means panned, Wasteland 3‘s critical reception falls short by comparison. The game holds a 81/100 Metacritic score based on 69 critic reviews. Though a good result, it falls 10 points behind Divinity‘s average. Wasteland 3 also has a lower 85% OpenCritic average. Its user reception has been positive but less enthusiastic, with an 86% "Very Positive" Steam score and 4.4/5 on GOG.

Unmatched Depth and Complexity in Character Building and Combat

When it comes to gameplay, Divinity: Original Sin 2 offers an unparalleled level of depth and complexity, especially regarding character builds and strategic combat. The sheer amount of skills, abilities, and party synergies players can experiment with is staggering.

Divinity gives players 6 unique Origin characters to choose from, each with their own backgrounds and questlines. You can also create a custom character with full freedom over their race, class, and origin story. With 74 different skills split across 10 ability trees like Warfare, Huntsman, and Pyrokinetic, the number of hybrid class builds possible is endless. Two players could have 80 hours of gameplay each and never overlap in abilities chosen.

The turn-based combat takes this depth even further by intricately combining statuses and elemental effects. Juggling terrain surfaces like oil and water, high ground and low ground, magical armor and physical armor leads to an incredible diversity of strategies. There are thousands of possible ability combinations between party members. This tactical complexity gives Divinity near endless replay value.

By comparison, Wasteland 3‘s character system and combat, while good, don‘t offer the same layers of depth. There are no Origin characters and character builds boil down to splitting skill points between a few core attributes. The combat utilizes AP well but isn‘t quite as involved with elemental combos or environment interactions. While Wasteland 3 has solid fundamentals, Divinity takes things to the next level.

RPG expert Scott Butterworth praised Divinity‘s unrivaled freedom, saying "I‘m still finding completely new gameplay 12 different ways through the campaign. I can‘t think of any other RPG that offers that kind of flexibility."

AAA Polish and Production Values

As a crowdfunded indie title, the original Divinity: Original Sin amazed with its scope and quality. For the sequel, Larian Studios was given a large budget and their experience developing Divinity really shows. The production values on display in Divinity: Original Sin 2 are second to none. The game world feels unbelievably rich and detailed, built with an unbelievable amount of hand-crafted content and polish.

Larian does not release budget details, but estimates put Divinity Original Sin 2‘s development costs between $10-15 million. The results speak for themselves. Rivellon is an incredible fantasy world brought to life with stunning art direction, effects, and graphics. Every environment overflows with little touches like books to read, foods to eat, and objects to interact with. Larian‘s budget and design philosophy emphasized depth over scale. There are over 175,000 lines of voiced dialogue and 1,200 unique in-game characters. The original soundtrack boasts 120 unique music tracks and expertly sets the tone.

While certainly not a small indie game itself, Wasteland 3 had a more modest budget around $6 million. The game still looks and sounds great, but it‘s clear more resources went into Divinity‘s production. Wasteland 3‘s world, while cool, isn‘t quite as reactive and dense with details. Many players also experienced noticeable graphical bugs and technical issues at launch.

There‘s a reason Divinity Original Sin 2 feels so remarkably polished – Larian invested the resources needed to achieve their ambitious vision. For an independent studio, the results achieved are absurdly impressive.

Divinity Just Feels Special

I‘ll admit, as a lifetime RPG fan, I‘m slightly biased when it comes to Divinity. The experience of playing the game truly felt magical in a way few titles achieve. The story gripped me in, the characters charmed me, the combat engaged me. I found myself thinking about quests during work. The game isthat immersive.

The intricacy achieved in Divinity‘s interlocking systems and the sheer personality infused in every scene stand out. Beyond the technical aspects, Larian‘s passion and heart shines through. Rivellon feels alive in the way the best fantasy worlds do. Every location told a story and I never knew what rewarding secret might be lurking in the next barrel or hollow log.

Both Wasteland 3 and Divinity: Original Sin 2 are terrific RPGs, but only Divinity left me completely spellbound. That intangible x-factor must be accounted for. When a game transports you so fully to another world, it‘s special. For me and many others, Divinity Original Sin 2 captures magic bottled lightning rarely seen – and that‘s ultimately what makes it the superior CRPG when compared to Wasteland 3‘s more earthly qualities.