Honestly I could care less what edition of D&D BG3 runs off of. It could be GURPS for all I care. But Larian chose to go with the name 'Baldur's Gate 3'-thy hung their hat on nostalgia for a game two decades old, from a series that was basically the bedrock of what could be called the 'golden era' of D&D video games that lasted until 4th edition hit. It has some big boots to fill, some expectations to hit. That much hardly has to be said. And while I think Larian has been doing an absolutely stellar job in so many departments, I don't think they have quite hit the mark in a couple areas. Not so much in the overall quality-which is mostly pretty good, I have to say-but in their endeavor to evoke the essence of that particular era I think they have slipped just a bit more than I'm comfortable with.
I understand that we can't rewind time and just place BG III in the 2nd or 3rd edition Forgotten Realms- 5th is might not be as alien as 4th, but it still feels 'off'. Too many shifts, retcons etc. As a game set in 5th edition that's a sequel to one set in 2nd, it invites comparisons between the two and I find myself wondering silly stuff like 'If we ran into Haer'dalis, would he look like one of the 5th edition Tieflings, or like his BGII self?' when I see the Tieflings. Or I'll read a book about the Red Wizards or the Spellplague etc and I remember how so many places I used to like got blown up or otherwise completely changed. Yeah, I know. Not Larian's fault since WoTC called the shots on that and it's nostalgia talking-'You can't go home again' indeed. But it's a game that's built and sold on nostalgia so I don't feel entirely unjustified in feeling disappointed.
Other stuff though? I think Larian could, should...and hopefully will consider changing or at least laying off a bit until later in the game. The whole 'Michael Bay' thing talked about earlier. Yeah, it's hyperbolic, but there's a truth behind it. BG III promises the most epic, earth-shattering adventure pretty much right off the bat. I'm honestly half-expecting wotc's next 'Spellplague'-level event to get launched with this game as a tie-in at this point. Too many gods, the Nine Hells, Githyanki...all deeply involved. Where can it lead, who knows? But it promises to be quite the event. And we the player are right there in the thick of it. It's true we start out fighting goblins, but already we are graduating to significantly harder enemies and threats we aren't even out of the first act yet. D&D computer games typically (near universally) start you out on the low-end of things, scrapping with goblins and kobolds, then orcs, etc. I think the idea is so you can see and appreciate your character grow over the course of the game and experience the 'arc' of growing into a battle-hardened hero. But we are already scrapping adamantine golems and giving drow and Githyanki dirtnaps. How do you escalate from what are traditionally some of the more infamously formidable opponents you'd face in Toril? Are we going to really be fighting back-alley thieves guild thugs in Baldur's Gate after killing mindflayers and cambions in the first act (potentially even in the prologue!). I hope they tone it down, but I don't know if they even can at this point.
The companions, yeah, that's another thing. They all feel strongly like the star of the show.....which they are actually, because of the origins system. But if this is going to be the story of the player character, wouldn't it be best to build the story around...the player character rather than a cast of 7-8 other characters they have to share the spotlight with? It's also very front loaded. 8 party members all right off the bat, but you gotta choose your 3 soon, cause the rest are gone in act II. It's limiting and overwhelming. I think this could be alleviated much by the inclusion of some additional non-origins party members down the line. I have the most hope for this to be addressed some time. Hopefully Larian will talk about it some in the future, since this seems to be a pretty common observation/complaint.
