Not a frequent poster but I had to get my 2 cents out. We all know by now that act 3 is rather unfinished and the epilogue is lacking, but I feel act 3 in general has direction problems. It feels like it's completely disconnected from act 1 and 2, and part of the reason might be a hot take for fans of the genre.
Lets start off by saying that I never played Baldur's Gate 1 or 2, this is my first experience with the series. Therefore, I have no nostalgic feelings for any recurring characters that others might have. If you do, good for you, but this is unfortunately where my problem lies. Below is pretty spoiler heavy especially regarding act 3.
Act 1 and 2 tie together quite well. You get introduced to an incredible cast of characters that don't trust each other (or you) very well but over the course of the journey start liking each other more. Perhaps more interactions between them similar to the Shadowheart and Lae'zel cutscene would've been welcome, but it's good nonetheless. Once you get to act 3, however, you are introduced to two completely new opponents and regardless of how unfinished the act is, your companions have very little to say about anything, even stuff related to other companions.
Except two. Those being Jaheira and Minsc. They have opinions on everything and everyone, meet a plethora of (apparently) recurring cast like themselves and in general are just significantly more fleshed out (for the act). To me it feels like act 3 is made to be played through with Jaheira and Minsc in the party, and then bring whoever is relevant to the story of the location along as fourth. Heck, you can even miss out on Gale or Lae'zel (or Halsin but idc about him either) for a huge part of act 3 if you don't go deal with Orin. If you liked the old games, this is probably great, but I never played the old games. I liked the Baldur's Gate 3 cast of characters. I don't care in the slightest about Jaheira and Minsc because they aren't introduced until the point where I'm already attached to the rest of the cast.
When entering act 3 I was genuinely hoping that the origin companions had grown a bond and had way more to say together about each other's personal quests. Instead I got a Jaheira and Minsc nostalgia ride that I am not part of. It feels like act 3 is an expansion pack unrelated to the main cast. I swear Jaheira in act 3 has more content than Wyll has throughout the entire game. That's how it felt anyhow. I wouldn't have minded as much if the rest of the characters also have content, but I feel like Jaheira and Minsc were essentially just created to replace, not to add.
On a sidenote, it pissed me off proper to have Minsc be introduced as such a meme character after the emotional rollercoaster of completing Shadowheart's and Astarion's quests. The rest of the game is so much more serious that I don't find him fitting into the story whatsoever.
EDIT: Made the title more clear as to why I think it is.
