I don't like True Strike, but that doesn't mean I don't like DnD. There are numerous things I would change about DnD, but that doesn't mean that I don't like DnD.
Larian has also mentioned a passion for DnD several times.
Bottom line, at least for me, they did a great job with the game. And to reinforce my point: there's a lot about BG3 I don't like. But that doesn't mean I don't like the game.
@Blackheifer
D&D isn't just a set of rules - it's an entire IP that includes people, places, Realms, and existing stories with 50 million current players. They may not have loved aspects of the 5e ruleset, but the ruleset isn't the IP
But I think the expressions of passion for DnD were reactions to the backlash to the CEO's statement that Larian would help DnD out by creating a ruleset that was fun for video games. After that backlash Larian did do the right thing by hiring some real DnD fans and this shows up in chapter 2 and in many of the books BUT that falls apart in Chapter 3.
Sure, you can dislike true strike and still like DnD. I dislike Tasha's / OneDnD. And yet I still like DnD. But Larian's attitude from the start has been hostile towards the ruleset. Why don't archers get height advantage? Why don't poison attacks create a poison surface? Why doesn't ray of frost create a surface? If you are fire why doesn't that come with an advantage like heat convergence? Flaming sphere would be better if it make a surface. Who says explosives are rare?
Now Larian deserves praise for creating a lovely city. Running around Baldur's Gate gives the same feels as BG1 but once we get past the amazing visuals and look at the story the retreads from DoS2 become apparent.
Chapter 3 is pure Larian. And it's the worst chapter.
Gods:
In DoS2 the MC becomes one of the chosen of the gods only to discover that the gods are asshats who treat their followers like cattle; the adventurers eventually kill the gods.
In chapter 3 BG3 everyone seems to adopted Kethric's opinion on the gods. For no good reason other than this is just the template that Larian uses. Shadowheart is convinced that **all** the gods are petty. Gale believes that Mystra uses him as plaything. Lae'zel believes Vlaakith treats the Gith like cattle (and she is right even if the others are wrong). Wyll still believes in the Triad but he's happy to confirm the god hating attitudes of the other companions.
You can like that or not but it's not Faerun. This isn't the age of enlightenment, this isn't Rivellon, nor is it Eora. If Mystra asked one of her chosen to kill themselves she would return them to life immediately or give them a place of honor in Elysium. In the realms the good gods are good, evil gods evil and the heroes vanquish the villains. If you prefer grimdark or morally grey you use the Greyhawk setting, not the realms.
Technology:
Factories just don't exist, smokepowder is rare and grenades are rarer than legendary items (and are very likely to explode in your pack).
Golems do exist but the 1950s switchboard that controls them, the steel infrastructure of the factory (which needed another factory to make) felt like it was imported from Arcanum or some other game.
Quests
One of the first quests you encounter is the explosives made by a creepy toymaker who creates explosive toys - which was all but a cut and paste from chapter 3 of DoS2.
After that you can go to the circus, get your lols from redcaps, ghouls, mummies and dancing zombies. And get the assemble the clown quest so you can help make another zombie. Boy is that fun /s
Then you can return the amulet and, for whatever reason, see the undead represented in manner consistent with DnD lore. Off to the graveyard where you do indeed see a cleric of Kelemvor represented accurately but then, for whatever reason, you need to forget DnD lore so you can get your lols from the necromancer in the magic store.
Then, if you hate yourself, you complete the save the artist quest and put some intelligent zombies in charge of a house of horrors. Going in as cleric of Kelmevor / Lathander is clearly the evil way to complete this quest for some reason.
Then off Astarian's quest where the "good" choice is to flood Baldur's Gate with 7000 vampire spawn. While holding the blood of Lathander presumably.
TL;DR
Yes, there is something to Larian wanting to use the lore of realms but not the combat ruleset. But it's equally clear that they felt constrained by the lore of the realms. Chapter 3 just belongs in another setting. Perhaps Eora.
They may have felt constrained by WotC but I think they also felt constrained by fans like me. They don't want to be told that Faerun doesn't have factories or that explosives are rare. They want barrels and for fans to post videos of big explosions from backpack bombs.
Larian's communications to the modding community seemed to be tinged with sincere anger and frustration. I can detect a note of annoyance when Larian talks about mindflayers and souls. I think they also want to free themselves from DnD fans and their expectations.
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I think the Ultima series would be good fit for Larian - indeed parts of the BG3 plot are lifted from Ultima 6 and 7. (the devil horned people are either refugees or heroes / the new religion is just a front for an evil force that wants to take over the world)
But Larian couldn't help themselves from making fun of the Avatar so who knows if "Lord British" will let them make fun of a setting which includes the author's self insert . . .
