Baldur's Gate 3 - Early Access Review @ Collider
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I've played 3 of their other games. This for is the best one they have made even in EA.
For me, The Dragon Knight Saga is still the best game Larian has made.
It would be hilarious but I've seen this written on almost every main gaming website including reddit. Many new RPG players seem to have only played those two games.
Probably due to mass appeal and Co-op.
Me to but Swen goes out of the way to claim that game almost ruined his company. He's probably right but it's more to do with a failed publisher deal, and lack of funding.
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This is right. The Divinity: Original Sin games brought many new gamers to (turn-based!) RPGs. They are not the greatest RPGs ever made, but they are fun, have a great engine and are very popular. And voila many new (turn based) RPGs are made and sell well.
Not the best article I've read, even if some points are fine. This guy is just to biased towards his own preferences, and against D&D or any ruleset in general, to give any interesting insight on the subject.
"Divinity Original Sin II, Larian’s crowning achievement and arguably the best CRPG made to date".
It's one of the best, but saying the best is just silly, there is no such title because it would be too subjective. What is best, an apple or a pear?
Then he goes on, "You won’t find remarkable combat here. […] It’s tedious and takes a long time, a downgrade from the addictive terrain-based fights in DOSII", but the combat has been copied from D:OS2 he just praised, that's been a constant reproach by D&D fans. As for the rules, they've been bent to make it more like D:OS2 as well.
"It’s another example of D&D’s underpinning limiting Larian from truly stretching their creativity. It’s certainly not the worst I’ve played in a CRPG, but combat feels somewhat dated in a genre that has since evolved."
Not sure how you measure whether a system is dated or not, it certainly doesn't feel dated to me, it is mature and fine-tuned, which is not the case of D:OS2 which is still searching its equilibrium (noticeably in AoE vs armour/AC). Perhaps it does feel dated to some people? I think it's more a question of genre, it's sure that when Larian announced a D&D title, I was very sceptical because it's not their style at all, and I was a bit worried at how they'd tackle it. Also, there's a whole tactical potential to develop with D&D, so I doubt that would underpin their creativity. On the contrary, that would push them beyond their comfort zone.
What this article does reveal though, is the breadth of the different expectations people have on that sort of game. Not entirely surprising, if you try to merge the "old" Baldur's Gate/D&D's fan club with the "new" Larian's into one title.
"Divinity Original Sin II, Larian’s crowning achievement and arguably the best CRPG made to date".
It's one of the best, but saying the best is just silly, there is no such title because it would be too subjective. What is best, an apple or a pear?
Then he goes on, "You won’t find remarkable combat here. […] It’s tedious and takes a long time, a downgrade from the addictive terrain-based fights in DOSII", but the combat has been copied from D:OS2 he just praised, that's been a constant reproach by D&D fans. As for the rules, they've been bent to make it more like D:OS2 as well.
"It’s another example of D&D’s underpinning limiting Larian from truly stretching their creativity. It’s certainly not the worst I’ve played in a CRPG, but combat feels somewhat dated in a genre that has since evolved."
Not sure how you measure whether a system is dated or not, it certainly doesn't feel dated to me, it is mature and fine-tuned, which is not the case of D:OS2 which is still searching its equilibrium (noticeably in AoE vs armour/AC). Perhaps it does feel dated to some people? I think it's more a question of genre, it's sure that when Larian announced a D&D title, I was very sceptical because it's not their style at all, and I was a bit worried at how they'd tackle it. Also, there's a whole tactical potential to develop with D&D, so I doubt that would underpin their creativity. On the contrary, that would push them beyond their comfort zone.
What this article does reveal though, is the breadth of the different expectations people have on that sort of game. Not entirely surprising, if you try to merge the "old" Baldur's Gate/D&D's fan club with the "new" Larian's into one title.
I agree with you but I can do without more TB RPGs. As I grew up playing RT & RTwP RPGs. Though I've said it many times already that I love TB strategy games though.
That's been a problem since Larian announced they were developing BG III. Probably would have been better to call it Baldur's Gate: Something instead of using three.
At this point I don't think many old fan-club players can be appeased as it's a very different RPG. Personally as an old fan I'm torn a bit myself, but I like what I see.
Only thing I hate so far is the damn dice rolls.
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This game seems to provoke many BS reviews. These know-it-all types have to formulate strong opinions about things they clearly have very little clue of. I would not put much weight on the opinions in such articles.
I suppose that technically it shouldn't be that hard to propose both modes in D&D, without compromising the mechanics. And that would make its acceptance easier with new players too. I hadn't played table-top sessions when I first discovered NWN, I'm not sure I would have been hooked if Bioware had made a TB version instead of RTwP. Now I enjoy both, perhaps I'm getting slower (or nerder) and I enjoy the TB mode because I have more time to understand what is going on
But it's longer, and those big battles… I could use a switch sometimes.Ah but they'd need to implement a good companion AI, then.
Owlcat Games did both modes eventually with Pathfinder, which isn't that different from D&D, and I don't think the real-time mode ruins the rule mechanics. It's nice to have the choice, too.
Yeah, they really overdid it. I don't think a DM would care with dice for an obvious DC=1, or for checks of no significant importance. It's fun, but in the end, it's all about balance, I suppose?Only thing I hate so far is the damn dice rolls.
I'm trying to take it for what it is too, and if they depart from the style I was expecting in a sequel, well, it's still very fun to play.
I have a feeling Larian will probably add an easy/story mode in the definite edition. I only say this based on Original Sin 2. Pillar's of Eternity 1&2 did the same also.
I believe Owlcat did the same for Pathfinder; Kingmaker as well?
About TB vs RTwP, I just saw there was a 77-page thread debating the issue in their forums, insane. It beats the 4 vs 6 parties debate.
Yes, you're right, there is a story mode in Kingmaker, I hadn't noticed that before. It seems to be a super-easy mode, not sure there is more to it, Kingdom management is still present.
I have a feeling Larian will probably add an easy/story mode in the definite edition. I only say this based on Original Sin 2. Pillar's of Eternity 1&2 did the same also.
I believe Owlcat did the same for Pathfinder; Kingmaker as well?
Yes, you're right, there is a story mode in Kingmaker, I hadn't noticed that before. It seems to be a super-easy mode, not sure there is more to it, Kingdom management is still present.
I find I love the die rolls myself. I thought it would break me out of immersion but I suppose I treat it like I do seeing a mouse cursor on the screen or a UI or that I am sitting in a chair looking at a monitor. All noise my brain filters out while I get into the game.
The die rolls not only harken back to the days of being a DM and rolling but it helps show some of the randomness, which I like, behind things.
My hearbeat gets a little faster (how much depends on how important the roll is) and I eagerly await, sometimes dread, the result. It's one of my favorite features.
I expected to not like BG3 at all. I had removed it from my list after learning it was TB combat and wasn't sure about Larian's ability to pull it off.
Now I can easily say that even though is is just the EA version it looks to be my GOTY at this point as its better than any other game I have played this year.
It really fills my need for good old classic fantasy in the style of AD&D with comfortable well known races, magic, lore, creatures, gods, fantasy settings, and more. There is simply so much to this game.
I am on my 3rd full play through and like my 7th time through the first few areas. 6 times I have been through the Druid Grove and last night was my 7th and I found two new places I had missed before - the harpy's and the secret hideout. Before that I found the singing bard I had missed. Before that a secret passage into the grove.
I could easily go on about how fun the dialogue is, the quests, the size of the one map you have, the factions, the character building, the wonderful graphics, the engaging companions … all hit the right note for me.
The only negative is the TB combat. I enjoy it now and then but its still a slog and I often find what decides how long I play is when I go "Oh this place … well I will need at least an hour just to get through that single battle … and don't have the energy" so I stop my play session till I am refreshed.
I can only take so much slogging through TB combat before my brain can't handle it anymore.
But since I enjoy so much more about the game I am willing to put up with it.
The die rolls not only harken back to the days of being a DM and rolling but it helps show some of the randomness, which I like, behind things.
My hearbeat gets a little faster (how much depends on how important the roll is) and I eagerly await, sometimes dread, the result. It's one of my favorite features.
I expected to not like BG3 at all. I had removed it from my list after learning it was TB combat and wasn't sure about Larian's ability to pull it off.
Now I can easily say that even though is is just the EA version it looks to be my GOTY at this point as its better than any other game I have played this year.
It really fills my need for good old classic fantasy in the style of AD&D with comfortable well known races, magic, lore, creatures, gods, fantasy settings, and more. There is simply so much to this game.
I am on my 3rd full play through and like my 7th time through the first few areas. 6 times I have been through the Druid Grove and last night was my 7th and I found two new places I had missed before - the harpy's and the secret hideout. Before that I found the singing bard I had missed. Before that a secret passage into the grove.
I could easily go on about how fun the dialogue is, the quests, the size of the one map you have, the factions, the character building, the wonderful graphics, the engaging companions … all hit the right note for me.
The only negative is the TB combat. I enjoy it now and then but its still a slog and I often find what decides how long I play is when I go "Oh this place … well I will need at least an hour just to get through that single battle … and don't have the energy" so I stop my play session till I am refreshed.
I can only take so much slogging through TB combat before my brain can't handle it anymore.
But since I enjoy so much more about the game I am willing to put up with it.
They have many modes in Kingmaker - would have to start the game to check memory but like 6 basic modes from "story mode" to iron-man style. Then you have the ability to manually adjust individual settings to make the game harder or easier. I have never seen a game before that had so many customizable options on difficulty.
Likewise the Kingdom Management had many modes as well - from auto-pilot to super easy to easy up to the hard core mode.
BG3 only has normal difficulty in EA. I would be very surprised if they didn't add other ranges and I expect there is only this one because they want to tune and balance the combat and testing around the core setting before adding easy and hard.
I disagree with a lot of what they said and any "best game" declaration will inevitably come across as hyperbolic, but isn't everyone biased towards their own preferences?
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Larian used to be my favorite developer. Divine Divinity is still IMO the best action RPG ever warts and unfinished nothwistanding. Dragon Knight Sage was excellent and truly fun. D:OS 1 was a decent game but for me got tedious after a while. D: OS2 seemed to emphasize the tedious aspects even more. The other issue is that they release their games in decent but not great form and then they redo the game a year later and it is significantly better. Same will happen with BG3. So it is really 2 years away, BG games should be RTwP.
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Your observation isn't in the same league of hyperbole as this review, but c'mon. Divinity didn't singlehandedly revive turn-based games. I liked the original games too but you don't need to give Larian a diamond tiara for it.
It wasn't Divinity: Original Sin alone, but together with Wasteland 2, Shadowrun: Dragonfall and, Lords of Xulima it was on top of the crowdfunded turn-based RPG revival - RPGWatch-GotY 2014:
1 Divinity: Original Sin
2 Wasteland 2
3 Dragon Age: Inquisition
4 Shadowrun: Dragonfall
5 Might & Magic X: Legacy
6 Lords of Xulima
7 Risen 3: Titan Lords
8 Legend of Grimrock 2
9 Dark Souls II
10 South Park: The Stick of Truth
1 Divinity: Original Sin
2 Wasteland 2
3 Dragon Age: Inquisition
4 Shadowrun: Dragonfall
5 Might & Magic X: Legacy
6 Lords of Xulima
7 Risen 3: Titan Lords
8 Legend of Grimrock 2
9 Dark Souls II
10 South Park: The Stick of Truth