Since BG3 is not complete yet, I can't comment on whether or not the same mistakes are being made this time. However, the deliberate inclusion and advertising of "Speak With Dead" seems to indicate that it's now officially expected that you will always kill everyone you meet in the game to get the most XP out of it.
My party is halfway through the EA and already at the current level cap. If the devs stick with this pacing, not really.
