My impression honestly hasn't changed all that much since the first week of the EA. The stuff they've patched in so far just hasn't been noticeable enough for me to "see" the difference so its a bit of a retread right now. Maybe the next patch will be more substantial and I'll get excited again.
One thing that's very hard to miss, is just how similar the banner and promo art for BG3 looks to their DOS2 art. I'm tired of seeing these same 5 Origin faces over and over again in literally all the splash art. It makes this feel like a game that's supposed to be about those specific Origin characters, without much in the way of broadening our horizons or playing to the "Who are You?"/choose-your-own-adventure vibe I associate with baldur's gate.
They want a Drew Struzan poster they can show off, I get it. Because right now its like a blockbuster film staring those 5 Origin characters and my PC isn't really involved. The artwork itself is cool, but that approach feels out of place for a BG game. It makes it look like a Marvel crossover comic or something. It's like if BG1 just had Imoen, Misc, Jaheira, Viconia and Edwin plastered all over the place, montaged in front of a giant ominous Sarevok. On the box cover, in the load screens, everywhere. Inverted, then used again, with close up details, or grouped together, but still using the same art.
I also wish they would use the Forgotten Realms and Dungeons & Dragons logos more prominently (I could care less about WotC) but those two actually feel like a part of the game's dna, and something that should be rep'd a bit harder just for the feels. I don't know who's on the art direction, but I think it needs to distinguish itself from their other IP instead of looking so much like the next chapter in Divinity. Not exactly the question being posed, but I think it does play a part somehow in my impression so far.
How much would it cost Larian to get the rights to re-republish some of the classic D&D fantasy art from the backcatalouge in these load screens?
I mean how cool would it be to load the game and suddenly see Elmore, or Trampier, or Parkinson, or Easely, or Brom flash up for half a minute? That would have been so badass! Just cut a deal for all the back issues of Dragon Magazine or something killer that pays proper homage to the legacy. Maybe that's too much nostaliga. But still the idea of a broader showcase, that is less about the 5 stars and more about the universe itself. Or how about more monsters (other than the Imp ), or some heroes we might never meet but who still look like champs hehe. For the illustrators and concept artists still coming up in the D&D circuit, or the ones specifically on their team already, who have sketchbooks with random heroes and creatures and weapons... why not let the load screens be the spot to show some stuff off? I just think it would be way cooler than reusing the same stuff over and over.
