What a horrible cash-in from a company that seems to not know anything about this legendary series. Bug filled experience from start to finish. Multiplayer is almost completely broken and to top it off, horrendous fanfiction tier writing, which is shoehorning a "progressive ideology" that doesn't even fit the game's lore.
Another great franchise ruined by ignorant people pushing their lunacy in everything they can get their filthy paws on.
The developer made the terribly move of infusing politics into Baldur's Gate. Minsc makes jokes about real world politics, in a game set in the Forgotten Realms.
On top of that, the game is extremely linear and a complete buggy mess.
Avoid this one at all costs.
I'm not going to harp on some of the other issues that many people point out with this expansion in regards to the social commentary. Yes it felt out of place and forced, but ultimately it was forgettable and nothing to dwell on. What is more glaring is that this is like an old railroad module, and not in a memorable way. You only have so much free roaming that you can do and what is there is a bit boring honestly.
From a player perspective, the choice of companions is pretty sparse as well and doesn't make much sense. Having Viconia in your party if you're good aligned just seems like something that shouldn't be forced on you, but she's the only healer you have available to you for a long while. It didn't bother me much since I felt like being LE this time around, but even from my perspective getting all evil companions sprinkled with a couple neutrals was a bit difficult.
Here's the ultimate sin, however. You basically go to Hell to save the city of Baldur's Gate. Yes, you heard that right. Afterwards, an incredibly lame event happens and everybody hates you and you have to flee the city. I mean, seriously? I just went to freaking Hell for you morons! Next time, watch the stupid city burn. I would have rather gone back to play Tales of the Sword Coast after defeating Sarevok than play this DLC.
I do have a few of positives to point out. It's nice that you have your old companions for the first chapter of this DLC before they leave. They also increased the level cap, so after you get done playing, you should have a little bit of a leg up going into BG2. Every little bit helps. The music is actually pretty good too. Oh, one more thing. Some of the battles actually were kinda neat and had a mass combat feel to them. If you feel like playing this despite the negative reviews like I did, don't pay full price. Wait for a sale.
How can you make a game that old look worse than it was before? It should be an achievement somewhere. But not here. The writing is cringeworthy, there are memes abound, the game is a buggy mess and the writers have absolutely no respect for the source material or the predecessor and stated it bluntly. Then she said "deal with it".
I'm doing it right now.
Bought this game on steam, The whole time I couldn't bear the writing. It's horrible.
I was so excited when I watched the live stream count down, they said they were gonna make a serious story with some light hearted aspects to match the original tone of the game.
So what the hell did we get? Weed man in the sewer smoking joins and some trans paladin who shoves her story down your throat. I prefer Edwina thanks.. Way to ruin the Lore of a loved franchise to make your social political statements.
Was this babies first writing gig? Don't even get me started on the squeemish plot, this felt like a 12 year old wrote it.
Waited 15 years for this disappointment.