4. Examples from other games regarding party dynamic.
- Leliana's song by the fire in DA:O.
- Mass Effect party DLC.
- Garrus and Shepard, beers and shooting stuff from rooftops.
- Geralt/Ciri snowballfight
- Geralt and the Witchers on their drunk detective quest.
You mentioned DA:O as one of your examples but I would say that DA2 and DA:I were much better in this regard. DA:I was the best, they had the inner circle who would have discussions and comment on your decisions at the war table, multiple scenes at the tavern, playing chess, going to the ball, pulling pranks, etc. Companions would move around the area, be involved in each others quests at times, and even romance each other if you did not. (I think Dragon Age had like 4 cases of this) I would have done bullet point examples but that list would be pretty long. Cutscene videos online for DA:I showcase it better than my words probably ever could.
In BG3's defense Bioware is probably the best at this and it's what I would consider their specialty. It feels almost a little unfair comparing that aspect to other games because I have yet to find one that is truly comparable outside of maybe the FF and Witcher series.
I agree about the DAI. No matter how much this game is criticized, it has good solutions. Interaction is one of them.
There are actually a lot of opportunities for interaction in BG3. I still don't understand why it wasn't used. For example, the Cazador mansion, when I first heard that it would be necessary to penetrate there, I thought that it would be in the upper city and there would definitely be that same ballroom episode that is in many RPGs ( WOTR, Witcher3, DAI ) And yes, regarding Kazador, I like the ritual, but a conversation with Astarion in a couple of lines, as well as a too pathetic death, look strange.
There really aren’t many gatherings around the fire either, I’d just like to see everyone together. The scene with Leliana in DAO has already been mentioned. Also DAI after the attack by the Templars/magicians with Corypheus.
The fact that Larian canceled/cut out the romance between the companions is a very big omission. (Larian even accidentally wrote this in CU, but quickly corrected it)
And speaking of romance, even for the hero, it seems to me that there are few romantic scenes, and we really know little about the past of the companions.
For the same Astarion, we have 1 scene in act 2 and his Personal quest in act 3 (there is a scene for DU) - but remembering the promises about novels, this is no more than in any other game.
I also remember Will suggesting that we have a party and that he would cook instead of Gale. I think why not make at least a small cutscene with this.
I like the Elven Song tavern, but how soullessly they stand.....
Interaction in the camp before the last battle, when all the stones are collected. But by that time, the companions no longer even talk to Tav.
And of course, the most painful topic is endings. Jokes about the burning Astarion, a couple of dialogues and 2 minutes of romantic interest. It's too sad for a game like this.
In general, it seems strange to me that on the one hand Larian’s companions were written very well, but on the other hand, too much in the end seems artificial
