In Divine: Original Sin, there are two player-customized protagonists. The protagonists can be male or female. As the game unfolds in flashbacks, the player discovers that their characters are the reincarnations of two guardians from the world’s creation mythology. The guardians—one male, one female—have an intentionally ambiguous relationship, although the box art depicts them holding hands.

They may be controlled by a single player, or divided between two players in cooperative mode. Regardless, they operate independently in conversations to develop individual personalities.  Disagreements about specific actions are resolved by a rock-paper-scissors mini-game. Each character accrues points in different personality traits and positions based on their dialogue and action choices.

Through these decisions, they also accrue compatibility markers. According to the creator Swen Vincke, their relationship is defined by two personality ‘axes’: affection and affinity. In an interview with Matt Barton, Vincke said the character’s relationship isn’t necessarily meant to be a romantic one, but later told Nathan Grayson that romance, and specifically same-sex romance, was a possible outcome. Many of the potential endings (generated based on the player’s affinity and affection scores) discuss the requited and/or unrequited affections between the two protagonists. Even if the two player characters end the game in a romance, however, their previous incarnations were/would be coded as heterosexual.

LGBTQ  references in this game series: 

Divine Divinity (2002): Sex Workers

Divinity: Dragon Commander (2013): Gay Marriage Policy Decision; Scarlett

Divinity: Original Sin (2014): Player Characters’ Affinity/Affection; The Star Crossed Lovers; Sex Workers (/“Sex” “Workers”)

Citations

1. Barton, Matt. (2013, April 7).  Matt Chat 189: Swen Vincke on Divinity: Original Sin. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIpfydUsaNw
2. Grayson, Nathan. (2014, March 5). Larian On Near Closure, Divinity’s Future, Gender Parity. Rock Paper Shotgun. http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/03/05/larian-on-near-closure-divinitys-future-gender-parity/
3. Howling Coffee, et al. (2014, August 22). Different Endings? (aftermath for our characters). Divinity Original Sin. Message Board: Steam. http://steamcommunity.com/app/230230/discussions/0/34095684546676748/
4. Kollar, Phillip. (2014, July 31). Divinity: Original Sin Review: Next to Godliness. Polygon. http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/31/5954541/divinity-original-sin-review-pc-mac
5. Thursten, Chris. (2014, July 10). Divinity: Original Sin Review. PC Gamer. http://www.pcgamer.com/divinity-original-sin-review/
6. VanOrd, Kevin. (2014, July 19). Suberbia, avaritia, luxuria, invidia, gula, ira, acedia. Game Spot. http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/divinity-original-sin-review/1900-6415819/