Just got to Neketaka, and it looks fantastic. Finally, a new isometric environment that looks every bit as nice as IE games, while adding its own particular style. The various inspirations from tropical, Pacific Islander, colonial, etc. regions are telling. I also find the Vailian expeditions vs. Aumaua natives stuff much more compelling, and a lot of the stuff reminds me of things like the Maori interactions with early white settlers - the historical stuff, like a native signing a contract about local resources not really understanding how those contracts work, not the race debates that we have today.
Couple hours in, the actual dialogue seems OK, the narration stuff, still think most of it should be cut. The funny thing is, BG had plenty of narration too - e.g. the really really long descriptions (voiced too) about your dreams of Gorion. I never felt they were particularly compelling.
What was compelling was to have Irenicus talk to you in your dreams while blowing up Balors - and then, the screen fading out with his words ringing in your ears. It was snappy. Life is strength. This seems logical enough; you live, you affect your world.
In POE2, it would be 'Your vision is hazy, but it slowly clears. As the haze clears, you see the figure of Irenicus, his cold eyes glistening. An eternity seems to stretch out before his tall figure, flickering with shadows.
'Life is strength.' His words echo in your head, as if he was speaking from somewhere inside...
To be fair, they seem to get more stupid and wordy whenever it's a Dramatic Moment like the dreams - another reason I wish all RPGs would dispense with dreams and flashbacks and all that shit - and it's usually easy to skim/skip when adventuring.
