I understand some of the points of OP but disagree with him on lots of others

Agree:
-Enemy stats not matching 5e MM (as well as abilities)
-Loot does seem to be lackluster in this game, but that is also the case in 5e D&D-- most WoTC officially licensed campaigns only have a handful of magic items in them.

Disagree (and why):
-NPCs hating you - i haven't really run across this, I'm about 30 hours into the EA (2 characters with different choices) and it doesn't really seem like this to me.
-Surfaces - this is a big gripe a lot of people have, but you have to understand the foundation the game is coming from-- this not JUST a D&D game, but a hybrid of D&D and Larian Studio's RPG gaming style. I personally like it as it adds tactical elements to the fights instead of just back and forth wailing on one another. You have to be smart and position well, if you die you reload and change tactics.
-Set pieces-- not sure what you mean by this, I've gone into combats where there were cutscenes but still able to set my guys up as i needed them. Even the example you provided, Goblins at the Druid Grove Gate, if you approach from one side you can get the high ground and the battle flows very differently. The Cutscenes don't place you in a specific spot.
-Picking on backline/downed-- umm thats good AI-- maybe try an easier difficulty?

Originally Posted by Grimo
As a long time DM, this game makes me furious. Not because I don't like a good challenge, but because it feels like the game is actively being inconsistent with 5e rules, punishing players and all-in-all making an environment hostile to players, especially those who want to play a heroic character.

- every. damn. NPC. hates you. Why? Why does this have to be so damn oppressive? Where is the levity, the gratitude, the derring-do? Why is everyone such a dick? It doesn't make me want to solve quests because the people who give them to me are such c- well, you know.
- goblins have triple their MM health, loads of alchemists fire. It feels like the DM is cheating for no good reason.
- surfaces. surfaces everywhere. go away.
- the game wastes my time with big 'set piece' battles like the one at the gates of the druid grove. Lots of NPCs fighting lots of NPCs. I can't ambush or anything because a cutscene forces me into combat so far away from the action I spend most moves running. Just use a cutscene, please.
- most fights are so difficult that you need party optimisation, which means you'll need to be a cleric or have shadowheart and that's that.
- picking on low-armor backline targets or knocked out ones. Seriously, I get that in real life monsters will probably do this, but in gameplay the reality is people are going to just give up trying to have low armored casters in their party at all.
- and after all this, theres... nothing. no loot. no helpful items. everything seems empty.

This game has great potential but right now it feels like it is a great adventure in the hands of a shitty neckbeard DM who hates you.