What soured, at least me, on the other companies you mentioned is their business practices. In that regard Larian is as good as it gets - single purchase, reasonably priced game, aimed to be fun, not to nickel and dime players.
I am not as enthusiastic about BG3 as some other individuals, but I am find no fault with the game as a product.
You are correwct, and people are overreacting a bit. BG3's ending is not nearly as bad as Mass Effect 3's ending wan, and it's built on an excellent and very long game.
My disappointment stems from the frustration that BG3 could have been more than game, but a work of art. Something like Breaking Bad. Instead, it's more like Game of Thrones: it has an absolutely stellar beginning, but Laian unfortunately didn't stick the landing:
- there are too many plot holes to ignore, which hurts the narrative coherence of the story.
- the two baddies in Act 3 are a bit of a letdown compared to the showdown at the end of act 2.
- Act 3 is just too messy overall.
- the major decisions in the game don't affect the outcome of the story enough.
- the ending is too abrupt and does not wrap up the experience very well.
It's so frustrating, because all the stars were alligned for BG3 to be a masterpiece of a game, a true work of art. Such an opportinity does not come very often, and for now, I feel like it's gone. BG3 is, as you say, a very good "product". As a customer, I got my money's worth and then seome. Compared to other AAA games, I'd even say it's a 10/10 "product". But sadly, it's not more than a product.
