Regarding the "past tense/story telling" dialogue choices; RPS apparently asked Swen about it and this is the interviewers comment about it:
"Swen seemed to suggest it might have a mysterious relevance – he ducked the question and smiled enigmatically. I wondered if it might be the mind tadpole inside your head trying to ‘write your story’ or something." (source: comments
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2020/02/27/baldurs-gate-3-is-nearly-here/#comments)
So, it might be a narrative reason behind it.
