Retrospect: I hate the game I thought I loved playing

[Vince]

About a week ago I finished BG3 after 140 hours of gametime. I was happy it was finally finished, but I realized I wasn't happy for the right reasons.

I wasn't happy because an epic tale concluded. I was happy it ended because it finally ended. I'm a completionist, and as a completionist I forced myself to do everything. I even found Nibbles the Clown, and I don't even know what I got in return for that weight-management drag I got myself into.

Days later, after finishing the game, I realized how completely EMPTY I felt thinking back on my BG3 experience. I realized that all of it -- the difficult choices, the succesful or failed dice rolls -- was all just smoke & mirrors. I did my absolute best to help every possible NPC, and all I got in return is some COMBAT BENEFIT at the end-battle? Nothing about them in the epilogue? Wtf? Nothing about the gnomes I saved, spending hours and hours to do so? Nothing about Halsin and the druid enclave? Nothing about anything I did in Act 2? Indeed, it was all just smoke and mirrors.

I'm still not entirely sure why I feel the way I feel. I don't even know if I really enjoyed playing, or that I just had to continue because "now I'm invested". Even while writing this post I notice I'm more rambling than making sense. I guess I'm just reaching out to find out if other people experience a similar emptiness when thinking back on their BG3 experience now that they've finished the game?

[Jolly Devil]

I never thought someone would need to go to therapy for a video game, but this post makes me think otherwise. Dude it’s a game, if it doesn’t bring you joy then don’t play it

[Fluff]

^

Whatever honestly.

[Vince]

Originally posted by Jolly Devil:

I never thought someone would need to go to therapy for a video game, but this post makes me think otherwise. Dude it’s a game, if it doesn’t bring you joy then don’t play it

Hehe, I get your reaction. After all, there's kids starving in Africa and I'm making a big deal about a game, right!?

Anyway, this is a game forum, so while I feel for the kids in Africa, let's stay on topic. And what this topic is in a nutshell, I think: The ending is terribly abrupt for a game of this size :P

[s0t3lg]

and dont forget the plot holes, from chapter one the player is given an item that would break the game but isnt allowed to use it for its intended purpose.

[Banelord]

Originally posted by Vince:

About a week ago I finished BG3 after 140 hours of gametime. I was happy it was finally finished, but I realized I wasn't happy for the right reasons.

I wasn't happy because an epic tale concluded. I was happy it ended because it finally ended. I'm a completionist, and as a completionist I forced myself to do everything. I even found Nibbles the Clown, and I don't even know what I got in return for that weight-management drag I got myself into.

Days later, after finishing the game, I realized how completely EMPTY I felt thinking back on my BG3 experience. I realized that all of it -- the difficult choices, the succesful or failed dice rolls -- was all just smoke & mirrors. I did my absolute best to help every possible NPC, and all I got in return is some COMBAT BENEFIT at the end-battle? Nothing about them in the epilogue? Wtf? Nothing about the gnomes I saved, spending hours and hours to do so? Nothing about Halsin and the druid enclave? Nothing about anything I did in Act 2? Indeed, it was all just smoke and mirrors.

I'm still not entirely sure why I feel the way I feel. I don't even know if I really enjoyed playing, or that I just had to continue because "now I'm invested". Even while writing this post I notice I'm more rambling than making sense. I guess I'm just reaching out to find out if other people experience a similar emptiness when thinking back on their BG3 experience now that they've finished the game?

i think you are just unhappy becausae it ended. and that you are unhappy in general.

[Straybow]

I'm almost always of the camp of ending slides/epilogues. I cant help it.

Though I agree with the idea of forcing yourself to play is unhealthy. It's a sunken cost thing really., putting "more" in isn't going to make it better.

[mirta000]

So how were you feeling while playing it? Was it like "ooh, aaah, this is a magical experience, I can't wait to come back to it tomorrow!" or was it like "I must do this checklist of things".

I have a feeling that it is the latter and furthermore you may want to examine your relationship with video games and perhaps putting them down for a bit to see if you can find something in life that sparks joy again.

Personally, if something is "meh" to me, I leave it half-way through.

[Action Man]

I felt very let down by the ending/epilogue. So far, anytime I think about doing another run, I just think about how it's going to end up, and it kills any desire to replay. The part I really dislike is when you have to decide who becomes a mind flayer. That is such a stupid forced choice where all your options are taken away. Really badly done in my view.

[Vince]

Originally posted by mirta000:

So how were you feeling while playing it? Was it like "ooh, aaah, this is a magical experience, I can't wait to come back to it tomorrow!" or was it like "I must do this checklist of things".

I have a feeling that it is the latter and furthermore you may want to examine your relationship with video games and perhaps putting them down for a bit to see if you can find something in life that sparks joy again.

Personally, if something is "meh" to me, I leave it half-way through.

It was indeed the latter. And funny you say this, because I've decided a while ago that I'll quit gaming for a while starting the new year. BG3 was just one of those last games I just needed to play, including Starfield, Alan Wake 2 and Space Marine 2. Thanks for your insight :)

[mirta000]

Originally posted by Vince:

Originally posted by mirta000:

So how were you feeling while playing it? Was it like "ooh, aaah, this is a magical experience, I can't wait to come back to it tomorrow!" or was it like "I must do this checklist of things".

I have a feeling that it is the latter and furthermore you may want to examine your relationship with video games and perhaps putting them down for a bit to see if you can find something in life that sparks joy again.

Personally, if something is "meh" to me, I leave it half-way through.

It was indeed the latter. And funny you say this, because I've decided a while ago that I'll quit gaming for a while starting the new year. BG3 was just one of those last games I just needed to play, including Starfield, Alan Wake 2 and Space Marine 2. Thanks for your insight :)

First, that is a long list of games!

And secondly, I feel you. I quit for like 2 years, now some of my months are bit of a binge months, especially if I'm not feeling well and there's little else to do and some of my months are highly restricted months where I'll let myself have maybe a couple of hours a week and that's all.

Rule of thumb is that if it is not an "ooh aaaah", but a chore, put it down, you're doing it for your own enjoyment, so not enjoying it defeats the purpose :)

[Vince]

Originally posted by Action Man:

I felt very let down by the ending/epilogue. So far, anytime I think about doing another run, I just think about how it's going to end up, and it kills any desire to replay. The part I really dislike is when you have to decide who becomes a mind flayer. That is such a stupid forced choice where all your options are taken away. Really badly done in my view.

You're so right. I think it was from that moment on that the entire game took a turn for the worst, which was the entire endgame.

The second part I really disliked was realizing that all those NPCs you saved simply translated into combat abilities at the final fight instead of actual cutscenes turning bad scenarios into hopeful ones.

[Vince]

Originally posted by mirta000:

Originally posted by Vince:

It was indeed the latter. And funny you say this, because I've decided a while ago that I'll quit gaming for a while starting the new year. BG3 was just one of those last games I just needed to play, including Starfield, Alan Wake 2 and Space Marine 2. Thanks for your insight :)

First, that is a long list of games!

And secondly, I feel you. I quit for like 2 years, now some of my months are bit of a binge months, especially if I'm not feeling well and there's little else to do and some of my months are highly restricted months where I'll let myself have maybe a couple of hours a week and that's all.

Rule of thumb is that if it is not an "ooh aaaah", but a chore, put it down, you're doing it for your own enjoyment, so not enjoying it defeats the purpose :)

I completely agree with you. And while you're completely on the mark, I gotta say I have much more "ooh aaaah" moments in Starfield than in BG3 I hate to admit. On paper, however, BG3 is much more my type of game, which leads me to conclude that there are some inherent major flaws in BG3 at least for me.

[Rachel Dawn Amber]

yes compare to dos2, the ending narrate less. dos2 feels better in terms of the info after finale hits. I do wish they add more narrative dialogue for the ending later.

[AsianGirlLover]

All Larian needs to do is bring back the epilogue. Even something as simple as a slideshow would be greatly appreciated.

[Gilmund]

You need to see a shrink i guess