Carrying over a few story titbits makes it a sequel in every sense? Don’t you expect a game’s sequel to share gameplay characteristics? Baldur’s Gate 3 has a completely different story along with completely different gameplay - in what sense is it a sequel.
If Larian are now incapable of making a game that isn’t original sin they should’ve refused to partner with wizards of the coats and put a “3” în the title, but neither of them seem to have any integrity.