On top of that, it adds to the frustration that in spite of a new setting and new ruleset BG3 shares a lot of design principles of D:OS2 - which is understandable as both were made by Larian, building on the same tech, but it is still unwelcome by me. Similar story beats only reinforce that earie similarity. I mean even Bethesda didn't start you in Fallout3 as a prisoner again.
Hm. Lets imagine (just for a second) there was no DOS and DOS2. Would BG3 being a standalone project alter your perception? Would you see its story (the bits we know about now) as mediocre? When I was first playing BG3 I did find the story very engaging, I can't name a major flaw in the storytelling without inventing it and purposefully squeezing it out of myself
I am gonna chime in and give my agreement to Wormerine for this question. I agree with most of what he said, but especially the worldbuilding. The whole area where we are doesn't actually feel like anyplace. I'm actually convinced that Larian is actively trying to keep us from caring about the place. Every plot point is being tied up in a way that either promises to be concluded somewhere else, or is concluded in a way where we're not supposed to want to come back and check in on anybody. I also have played through early access a couple times and don't feel like I know anything meaningful about the wider world and what anything is like. I'm not invested in the world at all, because the story feels alergic to telling me about the world.
And the tadpole is a definite narrative failing. It's like Larian couldn't pick a lane with it. It's presented as an urgent threat, but the game undermines that immediately, but without actually giving a proper conclusion to that initial, visceral promise of threat. Or if there is a conclusion coming, then it's coming long after any impact or satisfaction can be had. Also, if players take that initial threat seriously, then they lose out on a lot of character story. I'm no crpg expert, honestly I don't even think I have very high standards at all, but I think BG3 is the most disappointing crpg I've personally experienced as far as story is concerned.
