Most role-playing games let you customize some aspect of your character. Their hair, or outfit, or voice, that kind of thing. Divinity: Original Sin 2, which hits Steam early access today, lets you go one further and customize your hero’s theme music.
The developers at Larian Studios already talked about this concept in a dev diary back in August. I missed that one, however, so the concept was new to me. When I saw the “music instrument” option on the creation screen, I assumed it was an option for bards, or some other songsmith-type character class. Then I read the description for the first instrument, the bansuri:
“Add mystery and wonder as the enchanting phrases of this ancient flute take the lead in the soundtrack, during combat and important story moments.”
WHAT. THAT IS SO COOL.
In the video above, I flick through the four options (the other three are the tambura, the oud, and the boring old cello), listening to them each dynamically as they weave in and out of the background music.
I love this idea so, so much. I want every game to do it. I can’t yet speak to how it will play out in the game itself, but I hope it’s as good as I’m imagining it’ll be.
I’ll have more thoughts on Dinivity: Original Sin 2 in the near future. I loved the first game, and given that the early access version includes an entire act’s worth of stuff to do, I’m optimistic about the sequel.