Game Impressions (Solasta: Crown of the Magister)

I propose in this thread to share my impressions of the game Solasta: Crown of the Magister.
Personally, throughout the entire passage, I forced myself not to compare this game with the beta of Baldurs Gate 3 (the "weight" categories in the games are completely different). Unfortunately Solasta was released not in 2016, but now. And I played it after Baldurs Gate 3. In short, playing against the background of "Baldurs" is like comparing the speed of a sports car and a family sedan. But if we abstract, then Solasta offers itself quite a great gaming experience (which will pass the time until the release of the Gate).
Let's start with the three main problems of the game.
1) Lack of money for developers for a full license under DND 5e.
The game uses the free edition SRD DnD 5..e. It is stripped down both in terms of classes / subclasses and races / feats. The developers decided to add their own subclasses and invent new feats, which did not benefit the game. Now you can't tell the developers, they say, "Your fit does not work correctly, it should be different .."
Real-life examples: Pathfinder subclass: hunter. Fit-crusher of the hordes. In the original, the fit is tied to the distance and every move should work, but in fact we have that it works only when the enemy is killed and has no distance (but they don't write about this anywhere in the game). The second example is the "Master of two-handed weapon" fit: in the original there should be an additional attack only if we kill the enemy. In Solasta, they decided to always give an additional attack (which incredibly buffed the warriors). Suddenly, the Greatsword Paladin was the best DD in the game. Significantly superior to the wizard in average damage (not to mention the overall combat effectiveness: auras, resistances, saving throws, hit points and defense)
2) Graphics
You can't look without tears. In the cutscenes, the "bulging" eyes and facial expressions of the characters are more abrupt than in Andromeda. The graphics are really weak. It only saves 90% of the time the isometric view is used. The same problem can be attributed to the monotonous design of locations. Attack cards during a halt, use 2 or 3 ready-made blanks, which are repeated (in the end, I just turned off random meetings in the settings).
3) The
plot The plot is simple, they did not bother with it. Side quests are very weak, for show. They need to be passed only in order to get the material for crafting. Variability is absent, which completely kills the desire to go through again.
I will not point out bugs, because they are and they are ruled. The game is played (played on version 1.018), threw out often but did not meet anything critical.
Now the positive points:
1. Gameplay
It is very noticeable that the developers spent a lot of effort on the implementation of the combat system DND 5e. The combat system is fully functional and playable. I really liked the implementation of actions that depend on the character's reaction (block, counter spell, "shield" spell). The cover and height system is working. Separately, I enjoyed using the "Flight" spell on my DDs. Such supermen are flying all over the map. The game has a minimum of simplifications (each action must be confirmed), which on the one hand overloads the gameplay, but on the other creates a sense of micro-control of your character. The game in a new way made me look at such a class as "Paladin". Now I'm waiting for its implementation in "Gate ... 3".
The only thing I fundamentally disagree with is the mechanics of the start of the battle. Why is everyone being drawn into battle? Suppose I, flying my Rager on the "monastery" map, wanted to clear the map from enemies without additional mouse clicks, and so I have to skip moves. In Baldurs, this system is perfectly implemented.
2. Characters The
ability to create all your characters is truly great! As well as stat rolls. Although the characters are simple dummies, they behave very "lively" in the meager game cutscenes. And for some reason you become more attached to them than to the characters of Baldurs Gate 3.
3. Craft
I am glad just the possibility of this. It was implemented foolishly true. Best Crafter = Wizard. Most of the ingredients are singular. Some ingredients can be found in locations in which there was only 1 time in the story (if you missed everything)

Conclusions: The name of the developer studio Tactical Adventures reflects the essence of the game. The game is totally worth the money. I recommend to go for informational purposes to everyone who is waiting for Baldurs Gate 3. Unfortunately, due to the specifics of the edition of the rules, you will not be able to indulge in building specifically for the Gate. The maximum character level of -10, in principle, already makes death machines with characters. Do not be afraid that this is too little for a good DND game. But having good tactical mechanics is not enough for a good DND game. The plot and variability are very important. It's a shame that Solasta: Crown of the Magister doesn't do it well.

PS The game has no development potential. It needs to be accepted or not accepted as it is. The game does not need additional classes at all, because most likely, you will not have a desire to re-pass it. Developers need to fix minor bugs and throw all their strength into part 2. I associate this game for myself with the Witcher 1 part. A strong claim for a powerful continuation.