Played way more than several hours, past version 1. Seen the most recent Panel. Seen The Dark Urge. Go ahead--look up The Dark Urge, a 100% customizable by gender/race/class/etc. optional Origin character, whom you can play as gleefully evil or fighting their nature. Now look at that red circle with the teardrops around it underneath the example character's feet in the promo videos, and tell me this isn't a BG game. Look up the companions from the original games that are in. If you actually ARE an OG player, you will start to see that it IS a BG game. RTwP did not make BG. That was the least D&D-faithful part of OG BG. What makes BG is the theme of a dead god ruling your life, of some nasty legacy inside of you that you either embrace or fight, and discovering an imperiled vital city. What makes it is characters you care about teaming up with you; mysteries you want to solve; villains you want to defeat. All of that's here, better than ever. Over time, Larian--amazingly, and in contrast with the majority of developers--LISTENED to player feedback that this was too DOS2! They started with what they knew, then made it increasingly more right and awesome with every new incarnation. The CC--which devoured hours or even DAYS of some people's lives--release version blows the original version OUT OF THE WATER in terms of usability AND options!!! You can easily detail virtually EVERYTHING you want to, but in a game that actually has a meaty story, for the first time in gaming history. There are already unprecedented amounts of character specific dialogue. This will be GOTY if there's any justice in this world. It has come into its own precisely because Larian is infinitely committed to listening to its audience. I crave Celestial Warlock, but a multiclass will sate me for now. In expansion? Who knows. Now, let's get a review from someone who played more than a few hours to the top of the "overall most helpful" list. I don't care if it's mine, just let it be accurate.
