I agree. Looking back at things now, I kind of wish we could have started somewhere in Baldur's Gate City like maybe running a couple errands and catching the rats down in the basement of the Elfsong, then get picked up by a nautiloid just like in the opening animation, and then resume down at the ravaged beach.
Catching the rats in Act III is a nice homage to the original BG, but it's kind of superfluous when you are level 9 or so. And where was the cat!?
