Posted on: September 4, 2023
IsandirBG
Verified ownerGames: 302 Reviews: 1
Brilliant Game with Glaring Flaws
As Baldur's Gate I and II rank among my favorite games, I had high hopes for this spiritual and, to a degree, narrative successor. After putting in 300 hours into the game, I can say that it met and sometimes even exceeded my expectations, but a few major issues ultimately hold it back. The gorgeous introduction and character creator set a strong tone that continues throughout Act 1, clearly showing the benefits of the time spent in early access. From the detailed graphics to the expansive choices in completing quests, the first half feels polished in almost every way. Combat initially seems overwhelming, but you can quickly overcome this by approaching it patiently and methodically. I can't help but wish for more in-game support to ease this curve, as the close-pitched battles have become my favorite aspect of the game despite my early frustrations. The story similarly starts strong with an air of mystery before tapering off in Acts 2 and 3. Simply put, both the narrative and gameplay in the second half feel unfinished and disjointed, exacerbated by numerous bugs. Even after the second large patch, I still experience issues ranging from minor annoyances such as wares not being flagged properly to a recurring crash at one particular point in my current playthrough. Graphical glitches, particularly in conversations, abound as well. While not as serious as the bugs, they definitely detract from the experience. Will it eventually be considered a classic? It's very likely. However, in its present state it feels like it could have been so much more. Hopefully Larian will learn from this and make an even better D&D title in the future. Pros • An incredibly adaptive gameplay experience • Rewarding combat that encourages experimentation • Gorgeous graphics for a game of its type • Strong characters Cons • A high learning curve with little in-game support • Frequent bugs and graphical glitches • Imbalances in the story and pacing • An underwhelming evil campaign
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