You know what? I do. I am perfectly proving his point.
I know too much about how good the monsters COULD be if done well and right, and I know enough about D&D monsters to know that instead of providing us with the unique monsters they COULD be providing us with, based on what's already been designed and actually works well with D&D, they've been providing us with trash mobs that LOOK like unique monsters but have been completely stripped of all their unique abilities so that they can fit into the encounter molds Larian has created. Instead of lemures and dretches and other more appropriate devils at level 1, we get dumbed down, bland imps and intellect devourers with no uniqueness at all.
Yes. He is absolutely right. If I knew absolutely nothing about D&D - or if I just let go of all the previous lore and knowledge I have for Forgotten Realms - or if I squint hard enough, I would just be so happy with the game. Just play it and ignore all the things wrong with it. Sure. I could have lots of fun with it.
And, you know what? I have. That's why I'm out here. I've enjoyed the game. It's a blast. Like watching a movie and seeing a ton of plot holes. Ah. Just don't think too hard about all that stuff and have fun with it. Treat it like John Wick. You don't care about plot. You just want to see John Wick shoot people in the head or stab people with pencils.
So sure. Why not? If that's what Larian is going for, so be it. Create a Forgotten Realms fantasy game and call it the have-all-be-all of D&D 5e experience but then don't incorporate actual D&D 5e monsters and create a bunch of homebrew rules and such that make it actually not as much like D&D 5e as another game with a much smaller budget. Also, make it so that it is unimmersive and the gameplay is completely video-gamey and contrary to the story plot. Every time you start to really get immersed, something jumps out at you and makes it clear... Nope. This is just a video game.
Like the rest mechanics. Adventure 5 minutes. Camp for 23 hours and 55 minutes. Ah! Immersive gameplay at its finest. 2-3 fights and my party of 6 (2 remaining at camp doing nothing) are done for the day. Who cares we have tadpoles in our heads? Who cares that monsters are going to eat a bunch of tieflings and druids? 2-3 fights is plenty for me, thanks. I dont' have anything stressful or pressing to do anyway.
But I'll enjoy it, have fun with it, and view it for what it is if this is how they're going to continue to create the game...
NOT a serious D&D or Forgotten Realms or even fantasy game. Just another knock-off because that's what BG3 is right now. It's a KNOCK-OFF D&D game and NOT the gold standard it claims to be.
D&D monsters? Nope.
D&D rules? Nope.
D&D setting? Kinda.... sorta... but not exactly. I mean, some things are similar.
D&D lore? Kinda... sorta... but not exactly. I mean, some things are similar.
Immersive gameplay like day/night and weather? Not really.
Spells done right with spell focuses, wizards only being able to use wizard scrolls and clerics only able to use cleric scrolls, etc.? Nope.
Dude! Even ceremorphosis is not done right, and that's a major plot point. Gale, a supposed expert on the subject, doesn't tell you - "Um. Within literal hours of being infected, you cease to exist." Lae'zel is the same. Instead of saying, "It wouldn't matter after a few hours anyway," she and Gale both present it as, "It's a horrible experience that you'll be around to experience for an entire week."
