Two wonderful weeks
Dear Beamdog, game developers and fellow players,
It's been hardly half an hour since I finally completed SoD. Nevertheless, I felt the desire and the need to say a few things, so here they are.
I'll start with few minor things I didn't like.
For me, the worst 2.0 feature (not SoD specific - rather the 2.0 engine version related) was the new Journal's format. Uncomfortable, ugly, very simplistic and yet buggy. If you still can, please revert it back to 1.3 mode. It was much more pleasant back then.
SoD - specifically, I've got only one complaint: the lack of proper party assembling options and some forced party members.
Since my main and BG:EE imported character was a Paladin with an Undead Hunter kit (w/o Lay on Hands or any other healing whasoever), I needed the basic two healers in the party. But since Viconia is evil, etc. (-2 rep and all that thing)
Perhaps it was intended this way that people start BG:EE over or create a Shaman character, which is a healing class too, but for someone who doesn't play a healer / half-healer class, it wasn't a pleasant experience at start. I'm a BG series veteran, so I've managed; but some people might have a problem because of that.
Then again, the "package deals" from BG:EE and the fact I couldn't use Neera up to very late stage of the game, which didn't help either.
You would expect this to continue with more rant, however... that was it.
Now, to the things I did like:
*Surprisingly, it was long enough, even longer than ToB;
*Engine, gameplay and graphic improvements were very good (except the Journal I mentioned above);
*I enjoyed the great variety of monsters (this time you are going to fight ones from ALL four BG and IWD games altogether!!);
*The combat was well-balanced. The party is strong enough, but doesn't feel overpowered like in the end of ToB. It's not TOO easy on Normal difficulty and not TOO hard on Core one either;
*It was fun to meet some old foes; especially
*The areas were much larger than before, and were pleasing to the eye.
And, finally, either I've been that lucky or I just properly handle my PC and Steam account - I don't really know - but I haven't experienced a single major bug or crash during these two weeks it took me to complete the game (the only issue I had was with 2 or 3 non-updating Journal records, that's all).
SoD is very, very well done. And for this awesome job you have my sincere thanks. Thanks from a 36-year-old gamer, an old fan of BG and IWD series who played 'em all.
I bought all the EE edition games you released so far and I'm going to buy IWD2:EE if this comes out as well as BG3 if you decide you're going to try and make it real.
P.S. Finally, about Mizhena controversy, etc.
I won't lie to you guys saying that I totally support LGBT agenda or anything like this - I have rather conservative views on that matter and also think that such stuff doesn't really have a place in games. HOWEVER, we are talking about ONE line, one goddamn line of a character which is not a playable toon or else and is hardly important overall.
So MUCH noise over one line, coming from an NPC with a nearly zero importance level? Come on, you can just skip talking to her if you don't like that cleric. As I've done.
Regards,
Dmitry Logan aka Ermelloth
P.P.S. Excuse me if I've made some stylistic mistakes or missed a few articles - English is not my native language after all.
It's been hardly half an hour since I finally completed SoD. Nevertheless, I felt the desire and the need to say a few things, so here they are.
I'll start with few minor things I didn't like.
For me, the worst 2.0 feature (not SoD specific - rather the 2.0 engine version related) was the new Journal's format. Uncomfortable, ugly, very simplistic and yet buggy. If you still can, please revert it back to 1.3 mode. It was much more pleasant back then.
SoD - specifically, I've got only one complaint: the lack of proper party assembling options and some forced party members.
Since my main and BG:EE imported character was a Paladin with an Undead Hunter kit (w/o Lay on Hands or any other healing whasoever), I needed the basic two healers in the party. But since Viconia is evil, etc. (-2 rep and all that thing)
I just HAD to use Glint at start, and, well, what a horrible healer he is. And there was pretty much no other healer option for a good party to start with.
Perhaps it was intended this way that people start BG:EE over or create a Shaman character, which is a healing class too, but for someone who doesn't play a healer / half-healer class, it wasn't a pleasant experience at start. I'm a BG series veteran, so I've managed; but some people might have a problem because of that.
Then again, the "package deals" from BG:EE and the fact I couldn't use Neera up to very late stage of the game, which didn't help either.
You would expect this to continue with more rant, however... that was it.
Now, to the things I did like:
*Surprisingly, it was long enough, even longer than ToB;
*Engine, gameplay and graphic improvements were very good (except the Journal I mentioned above);
*I enjoyed the great variety of monsters (this time you are going to fight ones from ALL four BG and IWD games altogether!!);
*The combat was well-balanced. The party is strong enough, but doesn't feel overpowered like in the end of ToB. It's not TOO easy on Normal difficulty and not TOO hard on Core one either;
*It was fun to meet some old foes; especially
one former Elven mage we all like so much, despite he's an evil son of a ... in the game:)
*The areas were much larger than before, and were pleasing to the eye.
And, finally, either I've been that lucky or I just properly handle my PC and Steam account - I don't really know - but I haven't experienced a single major bug or crash during these two weeks it took me to complete the game (the only issue I had was with 2 or 3 non-updating Journal records, that's all).
SoD is very, very well done. And for this awesome job you have my sincere thanks. Thanks from a 36-year-old gamer, an old fan of BG and IWD series who played 'em all.
I bought all the EE edition games you released so far and I'm going to buy IWD2:EE if this comes out as well as BG3 if you decide you're going to try and make it real.
P.S. Finally, about Mizhena controversy, etc.
I won't lie to you guys saying that I totally support LGBT agenda or anything like this - I have rather conservative views on that matter and also think that such stuff doesn't really have a place in games. HOWEVER, we are talking about ONE line, one goddamn line of a character which is not a playable toon or else and is hardly important overall.
So MUCH noise over one line, coming from an NPC with a nearly zero importance level? Come on, you can just skip talking to her if you don't like that cleric. As I've done.
Regards,
Dmitry Logan aka Ermelloth
P.P.S. Excuse me if I've made some stylistic mistakes or missed a few articles - English is not my native language after all.
11
Comments
Paraphrasing @Ermelloth, thank you so much from from a 35-yo fan, it felt great to be 17 again for a short while.
Other then those little nitpicks... I loved the game. Thought the shaman class was a good alternative support character. They make excellent enablers. Give them a bow, and let them heal, cure status effects and basically keep you from pausing the action as much. Well done beamdog!
Ps on the controversy. Seriously dont give a shit. Would prefer that crap not to be in a game from my childhood, but not gonna freak over one line. Just keep your crazy feminist writer on topic and dont let her use games to spout her opinions and we'll get along fine. We seriously face this crap on social media, the news, evertime we turn around on the Internet, ect.. Lets just let games be games, and not just another medium to spout opinions i dont give two craps about. Deal? Thanks for everything guys. Loving the expansion so far. Look forward to you guys making a fully new game.