Divinity: Dragon Commander

The singleplayer campaign is fun and all, but it’s really meant as a sort of extended tutorial to ease you into the game before you jump into the real meat of the game which is the multiplayer. You can play with up to four other players in team battles or free for all matches and if you thought playing against the AI in the campaign was already hectic enough get ready for four players duking it out in a map. Multiplayer matches play pretty much exactly like the singleplayer with the only difference being the lack of the political choices and “hub” area; this help keeps thing at a much faster p...

As I floated high in the sky, surveying the land while my vast hordes of soldiers marched uncontested towards my foe's final citadel, the occasional control woes and frayed edges I encountered along the way didn't seem quite as glaring as they initially had. For whatever else Dragon Commander is, it's also a game that puts big issues on the main stage, then lets us reap the rewards and shoulder the consequences of their decisions without moral judgment. For that reason alone, it's worth a look.

Divinity: Dragon Commander is a prime example of a game being bigger than the sum of its parts. The RTS elements are a bit rough, but at least it’s possible to control a dragon with a freaking jetpack to blow stuff up, while the boardgame-esque territory map requires players to think of the big picture. Talking to the colorful cast of NPCs aboard the Raven in between turns in single-player was easily one of my favorite non-dragon parts of the game and really highlights the writing and wit that the Divinity series has come to be known for. The tutorial needs a lot of work and the game isn’t ver...

It pains me to speak critically about Divinity: Dragon Commander, because I so badly wanted to love it. The ideas behind it are superb, and for the most part they are executed well. It's a shame the outcome of battle feels determined before the fight has even begun, whilst the matches move so fast that directing units to exploit another unit's weakness is almost impossible. There's a lot to love here, but it's countered by a generous helping of frustration.

Divinity: Dragon Commander definitely shouldn't be missed for fans of real-time strategy, excelling at the art of tense and exciting battles where planning and in-depth knowledge of available resources is essential. If you were only really interested in the story and RPG elements then the game will most likely leave you feeling a little dissatisfied, but you can always blow up some zeppelins and then fly away into the sunset to cheer yourself up.