Recent reviews by KingOtis

I told myself that I would wait until I finished this game before I wrote a review, but I'm not sure there will ever be an end in sight for me in the world of Baldur's Gate. I have purchased this game so many times for so many friends so they could experience even a fraction of the joy I have. I have traversed it's content in so many ways imaginable and I haven't even completed it's third and final Act.

I have been a gamer all of my life, since the days of the NES and the Sega Master system. I have found solace in all types and genre of title. On top of that, I am a TTRPG fan. This game combines all of these elements into an amazingly told and acted-out story. It feels robust, complete, and it's interpretation of the D&D mechanics improves on many ways of a very complex system.

At first, the game has a learning curve when it comes to the combat, mechanics, and rules. It may not make sense at first why your character doesn't have the same movement or action economy you would expect. It takes someone with prior knowledge of the D&D system to begin to grasp why certain mechanics feel like they are beholden to the rule-set of the 5e system.

It's a weird marriage between RPG, Tactical, and TTRPG mechanics that manages to find a way to balance the three, but with some minor inconveniences in the learning curve along the way.

Expect to replay the starting Act many times as you remake new characters and understand the world and the weight of its choices as time goes on.

This game has so much replay-ability, so much love, so much detail, that the experience of playing it has become meditative for me. It is an experience of mindfulness to unpack every nook and cranny of the map, talk to every animal and glowing deceased body. To take in the amazing art of its vistas and to hear the raw emotion and talent of its voice actors.

Outside of the game, the Baldur's Gate community is loving, inclusive, and kind. The developers and voice actors evoke a sense of pride having been a part of it and it shows. They made something special.

As for Larian Studios, there is a reason they have won more awards for this game than any game in history before it's first year of being released. It's rare these days to see a game made with the integrity of a team that knows they made something special so finds no need to create a predatory live-services model. The studio stands to be an example to other AA studios looking to create a AAA experience where they have the freedom and time to make something truly amazing. The speed as to which they address the community feedback, even going as far as reanimating and creating new content as a mere patch update, just because they felt it was needed and the fans would enjoy it, is a crime of passion in a way. A crime that more studios aren't given the same autonomy to love and honor their fans the same way that Larian does. I think about this game all of the time and it has taken residence in the back of my mind, occupying portions of my thoughts daily.

While the multiplayer experience can be a bit clunky, it's not bad to try once you get a good pace going. I would recommend playing through on your own before trying with some friends. I tried it myself and with some of the choices and exploration shared, I felt like I was missing out on some of the details and control of the combat.

The mod community and capabilities for this game are very plentiful as well. If I had to be stuck with one game for the rest of my life, I think it would have to be this one. I don't know if I will ever truly know it completely, but I look forward to trying.

I found it hard to get into LoL and DoTa. The match times seemed too long which made the game unsatisfying when I would eventually lose and get griefed by better players. TOME is a game that works for someone trying to get started in the MOBA genre who wants something a little more fast-faced like an action game or shooter.

Not to mention this game is beautiful.