I agree with the sentiment, Act 3 while having some of my favorite scenes but something is missing.
In Act 2 the main story Arc took over, Ketheric felt like a final boss. It was amazing and yes everything was rail roaded towards Moonrise and Shar's Gauntlet and that confrontation it worked.
A lot of the companion quests kind of went on pause.
Shadowheart after kissing scene. Absolutely nothing until the shar's gauntlet and then she needed time until we defeated Ketheric and ask Nightsong what she meant.
So I managed to have a little romance scene with Shadowheart in the first 20 hours of the game and for the next 60 hours until I reach Act 3... barely anything besides the Night Orchid scene.
I would have really appreciated one or more two scenes before Act 3 finale, at the time I did notice how things after Act 1 seem to be reactive and less intrigue.
In Act 1 I would see constant reactivity, commentary, the mystery of the different characters. Sometimes I just keep replaying Act 1 because there is just so much life... in Act 2 that kind of dropped off but I was still riding high from Act 1 and the mystery of Moonrise towers captured most of my focus but my companions felt distant, especially with all their tents so far apart from each other...
I thought to myself, its ok! It would get better in Act 3!
In Act 3 there is sooooo much content but it all feels disconnected. Like someone had a list of things to make, they made it and shoved it in there. It feels disconnected... like it feels crazy that to enter a vampire's mansion I have to go up a wall, up a ladder, enter a little door and then suddenly I am greeted by a hallway that I can only describe as the MAIN hall... if this was just a kitchen/service entrance it would make thematic sense but come on...
I know Larian said they never planned for an upper city but come on, you could have made one upper city courtyard that would lead to the vampire's manor...
Now the upper city, look Larian you don't need to add a whole city, the lower city is enough but we need the upper city for two characters. Cazador and Grotash.
The Gortash fight was just so bad compared to Ketheric. He is in an office with traps that barely matter and then he dies like fodder... he should have been in a throne room with minions upon minions. going hall to hall... something thematic! something like a puzzle! what the heck was that?
Yes the Orin fight could be a little underwhelming, i think she should be buffed but at least it looks super cool. Gortash? Not even.
In Act 3 we need more romance and friendship scenes, I want to see our characters hanging out at the elf song tavern bar. I want to see these characters share a camp fire, share drinks, meals... just a few scenes Larian. We are in the third act and everyone is still standing by their bed side, not interacting, not moving, not doing anything... why isn't Astarion laying around on a couch while Gale is at a desk reading a book while Shadowheart is infront of a mirror fixing her hair... anything!
Karalach has one date with us and thats the end of that romance... we can't fix her, we can't help her.
We have Yenna who just makes soup... Can't even take her to the orphanage. I would love to drop her off there and then make a large donation to them.
Look I could go on an on but you get the picture. Act 1 we were just being introduced. Act 2 we were in a deathland and more important things to worry about. Fine! But act 3?? Come on, that should have had more character interaction and development than the other two acts combined. Yes.
Yes I know. There are some wonderful powerful scenes and they were done amazingly well but there should have been some lower stake scenes as well to make those scenes even more powerful.
Finally the ending.
It feels confusing, do the mindflayers have souls or not? Are they else where or am I still me? Why is killing Orphaeus or becoming Mindflayer the only options? What about Omeluum? What about other solutions? It feels so contrived and confusing.
Then during the final fight our companions left at camp dont show up until the very end and then its like a cut scene jumbled together haphazardly. Its disconnected, characters seem behave like strangers or without care of the sacrifices made, poor Astarion running for his life, Gale thinking about the crown, Karlach blowing up... all at the same time. it is just so rushed and incomplete.
Larian you know what you have to do. Some of these scenes should play... then the characters and players should go to a tavern where they can talk to the different characters. More cutscenes, more emotional music and scenes... then at the right time bring up the blowing up part, then bring up the part where we choose to die as our selves. You guys probably have way better ideas than mine but you understand the problem and understand the solution.
I really, really, really hope you read this and implement an update a year from now. Hells, take two if you need it. Make it a DLC. I don't care. Just make it.
You guys did a tremendous job we just need the final lap for that home run.
