Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Immersive"

Short review, without spoilers:

I loved playing this game. It was really beautiful to look at, even though the "Destiny" trailer I watched for it half a year before its relese had raised my expectations a little too high. Voice-over and music go without criticism, though I miss the option of allowing your character his/her own voice, which of course was necessary, now that he/she suddenly talks all dialogue options.

That's right, instead of just letting the npc's talk, the main character now expresses everything in his/her own words, only giving you a small hint of the tone and content of each dialogue option when you decide what to say. This sometimes leaves you frustrated as a role player, when your character suddenly says something a bit more jokingly or stern than how you heard it in your head when you read the dialogue option.

A funny thing here is how you are left with the feeling that you played the game exactly how it was meant to be played, at least the first time you play it. Since the character's speaking everything you choose him/her to say, it gives you the feeling of watching a movie, with all options and events clearly set. It's quite a fantastic thing, considering there are so many options in this game that end up in different storylines. To me, this somehow decreased replayability, since I was left with the feeling of having watched a complete movie after having completed the game the first time. Why would I want to see it again, when I know all of its turns? It's an impressive illusion, to say the least, but after a month it has still kept me from kicking up the game again. I don't want to see another character, with the exact same voice but different visage, do things differently than how I completed it the first time, because I don't want to ruin how good that playthrough was. It was how it was meant to be played! Gah!

Another thing that decreases replayability is the re-usage of scenery. Whenever you enter a cave, for example, you'll see the same cave. Maybe with some changes in how routes are blocked and of course with different content with regards to the storyline and meetings, but it still looks and feels exactly the same. This does give the game a cheap feel, at times, considering how its prequel continually gave you new places to see.

That said, the game gives you an incredibly combat experience. Fights are beautifully gory and really action packed (even though this might take some getting used to from the Origins more slow-paced and realistic fights). Tactical management of your characters is necessary (I played through the game on Hard difficulty, mind you, Normal is just ridiculously easy) in most fights and once you get the hang of the cross-class combo skills, you'll have an incredibly good time dishing out lots and lots of blood splattering carnage. The skill system gives you a lot of options, but since you reach such a high level at the end game, its hard not to feel you've tried it all out and have nothing new to see from playing the game again.

All in all: An amazing one time experience. I might give this game another round some time soon, but first I'll have to forget some of its bits and pieces, just like with a good movie that you don't want to over-watch. Definitely worth the money, though.