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Image credit: Larian Studios
I've recently finished Act 2 in my second playthrough of Baldur's Gate 3, and I have to admit: I dislike dark places. In this case, visual darkness was also emphasized by the grim story that went in a different direction after the bright Act 1. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy it, especially for that second reason, but I'm not the only one who noticed the change.
Well, apparently, this jump from a huge, vibrant map to a much smaller and darker one was deliberate (it shouldn't surprise anyone though) as Larian Studios wanted to change the game's pacing.
According to lead writer Adam Smith, Act 1 allows you to experiment, and Act 2 tests if you've learned how this world (and your build) works and whether you've found "a better sense of your identity in the game". It shifts your focus to the main quest and practical exploration.
"It's adventure, right? The beginning of an adventure is much more free – you're discovering what your role is, you're discovering what you can do. And then, in Act Two, the intensity of the drama heightens. The interesting thing about Act One is that the villains are in your head or nebulously chasing you. But the central antagonist: Is it the parasite? What is it? And you're looking for that - 'what is the biggest threat to me here?'"
Image credit: Larian Studios
Had the developers done it differently and made Act 2 similar to 1 and 3, Smith believes "it would get exhausting."
"There's a storytelling incentive there; there are gameplay differences, but we didn't want people to think 'ok, I think I've done every piece of content in this map', and then you move on, and you're like 'and now there's another one'. ... So Act Two has a lot of exploration, a lot of discovery, but pretty much everything you're discovering in Act Two is pointing towards a strong direction, which is Baldur's Gate."
Image credit: Larian Studios
I haven't thought about it this way, but it does make sense. Act 2 is much shorter than the other two, especially if you do the bare minimum, and this makes you feel a bit more rested (and motivated to learn more about the story) when it's time for Baldur's Gate, in a way.
And there is more to come with the next big patch, which will fix a "very, very stupid bug" that blocked 1,500 lines of Minthara content and improve Baldur's Gate 3 performance.
Read Smith's interview on GamesRadar+ and join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us on Threads, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.
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