Baldur’s Gate 3, the long-awaited sequel to the classic role-playing game series, has finally launched after three years of early access. The game, developed by Larian Studios, is a faithful adaptation of the fifth edition Dungeons and Dragons ruleset, with a rich and immersive story, a vast and varied world, and a deep and dynamic combat system. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game that will satisfy both fans of the original games and newcomers to the genre, as it offers a level of creativity and reactivity that is rarely seen in computer RPGs.
Awe-Inspiring D&D Rendition
Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place in the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons and Dragons, a fantasy world filled with magic, monsters, and adventure. The game follows the story of a group of characters who have been infected by a mind flayer tadpole, a parasitic creature that can turn them into one of the squid-faced horrors. The characters must find a way to cure themselves before they succumb to the transformation, while also dealing with the consequences of their infection, such as the ability to read the thoughts of others and influence their actions.
The game allows players to create their own custom character from a huge pool of classes, races, traits, and backgrounds, or to choose one of the five origin characters, each with their own voice, personality, and backstory. The origin characters are also potential companions that can join the player’s party, along with other characters that can be encountered throughout the game. The companions have their own opinions, goals, and motivations, and will react to the player’s choices and actions accordingly. They can also be romanced by the player, regardless of their gender or race.
The game is based on the fifth edition Dungeons and Dragons ruleset, which is a solid and varied system that allows for a lot of creativity and flexibility. The game handles all the dice rolls and calculations behind the scenes, but also gives players the option to see them and influence them with modifiers or inspiration points. The game also features some homebrew tweaks and additions to the ruleset, such as environmental interactions, stealth mechanics, jump and shove actions, and more.
The game is divided into three acts, each with its own main questline and numerous side quests. The game world is huge and detailed, with multiple locations to explore, such as cities, forests, swamps, caves, temples, and more. The game also features a day and night cycle, weather effects, dynamic lighting and shadows, and realistic physics. The game world is full of secrets, surprises, and hidden paths that can lead to different outcomes or rewards.
The game also features a high level of reactivity and branching paths, depending on the player’s choices and actions. The game has over 174 hours of cutscenes, which are not pre-rendered but rendered in real-time using the game engine. The cutscenes are full of dialogue options that can affect the story or the relationships with the companions. The dialogue options are also influenced by the player’s character traits, skills, abilities, alignment, reputation, or even appearance. The game also features multiple endings that depend on the player’s decisions throughout the game.
Dynamic and Satisfying Combat
Baldur’s Gate 3 features a turn-based combat system that is faithful to the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset. The combat system is deep and strategic, requiring players to use their skills, abilities, items, spells, and environmental factors to gain an advantage over their enemies. The combat system also allows for a lot of creativity and experimentation, as players can combine different effects or elements to create powerful combos or unexpected results.
The combat system is also challenging and rewarding, as players will face a variety of enemies with different abilities and tactics. Some enemies are more vulnerable or resistant to certain types of damage or effects. Some enemies can also summon reinforcements or use special attacks that can change the course of the battle. Some enemies are also part of larger factions or groups that can affect their behavior or attitude towards the player.
The combat system also features a level progression system that allows players to customize their characters’ skills, abilities, spells, feats, equipment, and more. The level progression system is based on the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset but also features some unique options that are exclusive to Baldur’s Gate 3. For example,
- Players can choose from 16 classes, each with its own subclasses, specializations, features, spells, proficiencies, etc.
- Players can also choose from 12 races, each with its own subraces, traits, abilities, etc.
- Players can also multiclass, which allows them to combine two or more classes into one character.
- Players can also use origin characters, which are pre-made characters with their own unique backgrounds, personalities, and abilities.
The combat system also features a multiplayer mode that allows up to four players to play together cooperatively or competitively. The multiplayer mode allows players to share the same party or to split into different parties. The multiplayer mode also allows players to interact with each other, such as chatting, trading, helping, or hindering. The multiplayer mode also features a Dungeon Master mode, which allows one player to create and control their own custom scenarios and campaigns for the other players.
A Towering Landmark of Role-Playing Games
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game that has been in development for over seven years, and it shows. The game is a masterpiece of role-playing games, with a rich and immersive story, a vast and varied world, and a deep and dynamic combat system. The game is also a faithful adaptation of the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset, with a high level of creativity and reactivity. The game is also a worthy successor to the classic Baldur’s Gate series, with a lot of references and nods to the previous games. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game that will appeal to both fans of the original games and newcomers to the genre, as it offers a level of quality and content that is rarely seen in computer RPGs.
