In particular I've found I have no real complaints with Solasta: Crown of the Magister. For a small indy studio, it's a solid game, running on a dated engine with modest graphics that gets DND "right". The story is solid, believable and the PC's behave in the cutscenes with a certain level of authenticity given the limits of the engine and the budget used.
Importance of Clairvoyance
This ties to the point above. In one encounter, the reasonable thing was to enter a town. As I did my party was ambushed and everyone killed within the first two combat rounds. The enemy had high ground and there was no cover to use to approach them. I did this a few times, had a few laughs and then gave up. Instead I went around the side, and told myself that SOMEHOW my party just KNEW there was an ambush there and ambushed the ambushers.
This. Was. Lame.
Just 2 things:
I really like Solasta, BUT: the Story is a wild mess. Its a great DnD combat simulator. The story / world / dialogues and all that are absolutely not excusable by "being a small studio". Good writing would have been possible even within the engine and technical limitations.
The town encounter seems to be a big gripe of yours and thats fine. But it is also not that though of an encounter. Its a handfull ob goblins, which you can reach easily. Also: there is a perception check right before the town, where you realize more often than not, that you are about to be ambushed. Even without that check the worldbuilding is telling you as much. A bridge with corpses and right in front of the town even more.
