Most of the problems I have with the narrative, the characters, the plot....are with the larger scope things. And Larian is promising a lot of larger-scope things. Most of our companions have these big, narrative-warping individual storylines involving gods, chosen etc. Gale being an archmage, an ex-chosen of Mystra, and on first-name basis with Halastar, or Karlach being the personal champion of an archdevil, one who apparently went toe-to-toe with Demon Lords. These are setting-defining movers and shakers. Or how the plot involves not one, but all three of the Dead three, plus the Devils of Avernus, plus Shar, plus Vlaakith, the Netherese, Spelljamming Mindflayers, etc. It's all a bit much, and while the game clearly wants the player to move on to 'fate of the Realms' style upper-level heroics, it's still struggling to find a balance between that and the fact that we are still stomping around the wilderness in what feels like a see saw between low-level heroics saving locals from goblin raiders to fighting an adamantine golem in a lava-filled arena in the depths of the underdark. Meanwhile evil players have been complaining since the launch of EA about the disparity in the quality and quantity of effort put into that content compared to more noble alternatives with no solution in sight. It feels like it lacks cohesive direction with a plot too big for its britches already halfway into Act I and I worry that it will unravel further as the game progresses.
