Baldur's Gate 3 Review in Progress: Update #1

ign.com:

I'm now about 55 hours into Baldur's Gate 3, with the first 50 of those having taken place almost entirely within the first act – which has been considerably expanded and cleaned up from what was available in Early Access. My party is now level 7, and much like in tabletop 5th Edition D&D, hitting level 5 was a huge moment at which the combat really started to feel satisfying. Getting extra attacks for my martial characters and big area-of-effect spells like Fireball for my casters has greatly expanded the destructive tactical combos I can string together, allowing me to best even some truly terrifying boss monsters with my wits and careful planning. The first few levels were a bit of a slog, but the payoff has been worth it.

I've gotten to know my companions better as well, and yet they remain full of surprises. I'm also dating most of them at this point, and I haven't been punished for my anime protagonist harem antics yet. Also full of surprises is Baldur's Gate 3's map of the Sword Coast, which is so packed with varied and memorable side quests that I've been searching every corner of every shack and meadow. Usually, I'm at least rewarded with some loot. In some cases, I'm treated to an entire storyline that I might have missed entirely otherwise.

Dealing with a mischievous hag or making a very unlikely ally out of the last creature you would expect to be sympathetic to my plight have been among the main highlights. But there hasn't been a single one that left me bored or underwhelmed, as though it was there simply to pad out the campaign. The creativity and care with which every little side adventure is constructed is delightful. And Larian has made excellent use of the vast D&D bestiary to ensure that no two combat