Tactical Gameplay and Difficulty When it comes to tactical gameplay, even a slight grasp of strategy makes playing on Tactician mode feel like a stroll in the park. I haven't engaged in min-maxing or relied on save scumming during battles, yet the AI's lack of challenge is quite disappointing.
Abundance of Resources The game's abundance of food is not helping matters. After every battle, you could practically take a long rest if desired. Personally, I prefer a different approach. Here I am in ACT 1, sitting on nearly 1000 units of food, and I haven't even cleared out the Goblins yet. Discovering the omission of the exhaustion system is disheartening; its inclusion would have added an extra layer of struggle and immersion.
Health and Healing Health potions are overflowing in my inventory. I haven't even needed to use a spell slot for healing, and to be honest, potions are rarely my go-to solution. A short rest following a battle is often sufficient. Additionally, I can't help but wonder why enemies rarely utilize potions. Given the abundance of magical items and potions available, why don't they employ these resources too? The game inundates players with loot—weapons, scrolls, buffs—and exploiting the Sleight of Hand system for wealth and items is ludicrously simple. The question arises: Why do the average Goblins in the Goblin Camp wield subpar weapons when you can purchase or steal magical items from enemy traders there? Wouldn't the Goblins want better, shinier gear?
Game Difficulty and Appeal I understand the rationale behind the game's design catering to a wide audience, which often results in lowering the difficulty. Yet, X-Com 2's highest difficulty provided a true challenge, and while it's a different genre, those who enjoyed X-Com would likely find pleasure in BG3. Thus, a comparison isn't completely unfounded. Admittedly, I comprehend that the game aims for broader success, which unfortunately often translates to easier gameplay. Nevertheless, the success of games like Elden Ring, while not as tough as their predecessors, contradicts this trend. I respect BG3 for its goals, but I can't shake the desire for a greater challenge. Despite mods that can increase enemy health and stats, they disrupt D&D 5e's balance, and altering the challenge requires smarter AI and a greater number of foes. One can only hope that potential modding tools will allow us to address this issue if they are released at all.
Example of failed AI and Immersion For instance, consider the Goblin Camp. When you attack from above, the Goblins emerge from their tunnels with little resistance. Their AI is notably lacking. Furthermore, the supposedly fearsome Ogre poses no real threat; it simply stands against a wall. With a Strength of 22, it's reasonable to assume the Ogre could leap towards the upper area, adding complexity to the encounter. Regrettably, rationalizing the Ogre's behavior is required to maintain immersion; one could imagine it's too unintelligent to realize its jumping capability.
Future Prospects and Challenges Can we expect these issues to be addressed, possibly through modding tools? My hope is for a consistently challenging game, with Tactician mode falling short of the mark. An honor mode, consistent with the unpredictability of RNGames, is something I seek.
Collective Input for Improvement This discussion has generated numerous valuable suggestions to amplify the struggle, difficulty, and immersion of the game. Combining these suggestions with moves toward adhering more closely to 5e rules, introducing a fourth difficulty option, and incorporating an honor mode that prevents exploits would potentially create the perfect game.
