So while I completely respect the opinion of the OP...I disagree with most of what is said here. I just want to let my opinion be known so it doesn't seem like every player feels the same way.

- 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.

I don't get this impression at all. I read something similar in a published review. Even among your companions, the only ones that seem like they hate you are Lae'zel and Shadowheart IMO. Gale is actually pretty open with you and Wyll is basically the embodiment of "derring-do." I mean he even shouts his moniker in battle like he's freaking Zorro lol.

As for non-companions, I've had plenty of NPCs seem grateful after I helped them. They even threw a huge party for me.

Maybe it's just your playthrough that is giving you this impression?

- goblins have triple their MM health, loads of alchemists fire. It feels like the DM is cheating for no good reason.
- 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.


All of these boil down to this being a computer game where you can save and reload, and not actual D&D where if you die, it's permanent (unless you get rezzed). Yes, the game is clearly tuned to be more difficult than actual D&D. But this is because it would be incredibly boring to play a game where you can just win every encounter without ever needing to save or reload.

Also, you really don't need a cleric. You can get downed people up with any party member, and it lets you eat food or drink potions as bonus actions.

- surfaces. surfaces everywhere. go away.

I don't get the hatred for surfaces. Yes, surfaces are like Divinity, yes, I get a lot of people don't like that for some reason. But surfaces actually make the game feel much closer to pen and paper D&D. In pen and paper D&D you can do creative things like cast an ice spell on a pool of water to try to freeze it, and if your DM allows, that can be a fun way to turn the tables. Surfaces let you actually pull off things like this in a game.

- 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.

I agree, don't have lengthy NPC vs NPC battles.

- and after all this, theres... nothing. no loot. no helpful items. everything seems empty.

There does need to be some more loot, I'm hoping they add some.