Baldur’s Gate III: An Epic Saga Awaits

Release Year: 2023
Developer: Larian Studios
Genre: Role-Playing Game (RPG)
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

Synopsis: Embark on a monumental journey in “Baldur’s Gate III,” the highly anticipated third installment in the acclaimed Baldur’s Gate series, brought to life by the renowned Larian Studios. Released in 2023, this groundbreaking role-playing game offers players an unparalleled narrative experience set in the rich and diverse universe of the Forgotten Realms. Available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, “Baldur’s Gate III” invites players to explore a world filled with intricate detail, deep character customization, and dynamic, tactical combat. Engage in a complex story of intrigue, magic, and betrayal as you navigate the treacherous political landscape of the iconic city of Baldur’s Gate and beyond. With its sophisticated mechanics, choice-driven storytelling, and stunning visuals, “Baldur’s Gate III” sets a new standard for the RPG genre. Prepare to forge your path and shape your destiny in this epic tale of power, sacrifice, and survival.

For many, Baldur’s Gate III was one of the most anticipated games of 2023. Although Larian’s novelty has attracted attention relatively recently, fans of RPGs and the studio’s work have been following it closely since its announcement and early access. And finally, the long-awaited release is here!

General Overview of the Gameplay

Just as the developers said, a careful playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3 can take over a hundred hours. Hours of rich and vivid impressions. Joyful and exciting. Sometimes making you sad. Sometimes – to think. But never boring.

It took me a little over two weeks to complete the role-playing game as a new character. Or about 140 hours, taking into account periodic downloads to check “what if…”. And now, having finally restored our sleep mode, we are ready to share our impressions!

Baldur’s Gate 3 and board games

Baldur’s Gate 3 and board games First, a small but necessary introduction, as some may be new to role-playing and board games. As you know, Baldur’s Gate 3 is based on Dungeons & Dragons. But you don’t need to know about the local universe or play board games to enjoy the novelty.

Imagine a fantasy world inhabited by orcs, elves, dwarves… and all kinds of creatures. This is the world of Baldur’s Gate 3. With a lot of its own nuances. You will learn about them by reading notes and books, talking to characters, or just looking around. The game won’t pressure you with a bunch of incomprehensible terms and unnecessary information. You will get to know its lore better and better by answering yourself questions: “Do I want to learn something new?”

Adventurers will face many dangers and interesting encounters. There are many dangers and interesting encounters awaiting adventurers.

When it comes to board games, we’re talking about freedom first and foremost. Players (in this case) of Dungeons & Dragons are limited only by their own imagination and a number of predefined conditions. The creators of Baldur’s Gate 3, trying to bring RPGs closer to board games, sought, among other things, the player’s freedom. The freedom to be evil or good. Agile or strong. Sociable or withdrawn. Bloodthirsty, very bloodthirsty or a mass murderer…

Baldur’s Gate 3 also received extremely important attributes from the board game – multifaceted dice. There can be up to 20 of these faces. Dice rolls are required for the vast majority of actions. They affect attack success, additional damage, communication, characteristic checks, and so on. If you remove the facade, it is only a chance of success. And it is possible even in the most seemingly hopeless situation.

So if you haven’t experienced role-playing board games and haven’t enjoyed Divinity: Original Sin, Pillars of Eternity, Neverwinter Nights, or the classic Baldur’s Gate, it doesn’t matter. Just know that an ocean of adventure awaits you. And the wind that will make your ship sail through the waves with all sails is the much-desired wind of freedom.

Start of the Game and Character Creation

Epic. This is how the game begins. A huge airplane appears in the sky above the city. And it grabs the unfortunate people who are unlucky enough to be on the street with its tentacles. This ship has also captured you, the main character. As well as several very different characters, including a mysterious half-elf, a warrior Githyanka, a wizard in love with a goddess, a vampire, a folk hero, and a fugitive from hell. And they are accompanied by a Dark Tempter with a bloody past.

Players are free to start the journey as one of the ready-made characters with their own story or create someone of their own. And from the outside, they can watch what happens to their potential companions. Helping them in word and deed, learning about their desires, using them for your own purposes, and, if you want, sacrificing them. By accident or on purpose.

A variety of storylines

Even after more than a hundred hours of playthroughs, a player may still want to play Baldur’s Gate 3 as someone else. Even attentive players, having learned the plots of all their companions, will be left with a mystery in the person of the Dark Temptation. It is for him that you will have to play one way or another. Keeping in mind how dark his thoughts are and what his road of adventure can lead to. This means that the game will offer you many more hours of unique content.

After completing Baldur’s Gate 3, the author decided to try playing as the finished characters. Most of the characters have almost the same start. But the Dark Temptation gives something unique and nightmarish. And the scenes he saw were simply impossible for everyone else.
So if you want to kill all the key characters, you need to do it for him. It’s been tested: it will take less than half an hour to kill them right away.

Thus, in the first weeks of Baldur’s Gate 3, you can spend not just 100-150, but all 200 hours. Because you want to find out what happens if you do things completely differently… Not betray, but support. Not to persuade, but to kill. To love, not hate. To gain power. To lose everything. In general, to take a different path.

Character Editor

But at the very beginning of the game, after choosing the difficulty, we find ourselves in the character customization menu. And if we refuse to choose the proposed biography, we create a character in a large-scale editor. Yes, get ready to spend at least an hour here if you want to get both useful functionality and the desired appearance. There are so many different settings here!

Treat the character editor with due attention. You shouldn’t click through the different options and quickly move on to the gameplay. You will have to look at your character very, very often. And it will be simply unpleasant to see an ugly face every time, whether it is a dialog, a dynamic scene, or something romantic.

But the key thing in the editor is, of course, the choice of race and subrace, class, and origin. Players have 11 options for races, plus some of them have sub-races with additional features. Some, for example, have night vision, others have increased resistance to magic or a bonus to trials, and still others are protected from critical failure – the chance that everything will go wrong.

Choose a class and subclass in the same way. Who would you like to be in Baldur’s Gate 3? A halfling barbarian? A tiefling bard? A half-orc ranger? Or a dragonborn monk? Classes give you access to character skills, actions, or magic. And further choosing a background gives you bonuses to skill checks: someone knows history and convinces everyone of their rightness, another is a great athlete, another has honed the skill of deception, and so on.

All this will come in handy in the future, when you need, for example, to persuade someone to do what you need. Anyone can succeed in this, but with the right skills it will be much easier.

But even if you create a barbarian, no one will forbid you to make him a great thinker. A monk can be a strongman, and a paladin can be a charismatic. In the end, we determine the hero’s abilities, which will also affect the checks during the game.

Detailed World and Its Conflicts

The game has begun! And it immediately sets us a goal that directly affects the lives of the characters. On the nautiloid ship, a vile larva was placed in the characters’ heads that can turn you into an illithid. A powerful monster that feeds on brains.

And someone will immediately ask: what’s wrong with that? To gain unprecedented powers and, by losing your humanity, make your life much easier? There is a certain logic in this, and the game will repeatedly put us in front of a choice: to save ourselves or to cross the line. But those who have become Illithids no longer belong to themselves. At best, they will become bloody murderers, and at worst, slaves to someone else’s will. The executors of a plan that will lead to consequences much more severe than meat grinding and brain eating.

So we have to get rid of the parasite in our heads. But how? Fortunately, some of the characters we meet have an answer to this question. Some are ready to offer surgical expertise, others rely on faith, and still others will use the most powerful magic if you want them to. But as it usually happens, it’s not that simple. And one of them is definitely wrong. So to get to the truth, you’ll have to think, run around, and explore all the options.

Who knows, maybe the larva is not really that scary? And even vice versa: it can help? Some of our new friends may not agree with this, but the voice in the night sometimes whispers so sweetly in our ears, urging us to just try to use its power…

Just as in our world all roads lead to Rome, in Baldur’s Gate 3 all roads lead to Baldur’s Gate. To the legendary city founded long ago by the equally legendary adventurer Baldur.

To get here, we will have to travel for several days in a row. We will travel along trodden paths, through shadowy battlefields, and underground… We will visit everywhere! I want to tell you how many unusual places we will visit! And that’s before we even arrive in the city, where the density of activities and secrets increases many times over.

And how many charismatic characters with unique looks, motives and a certain charm are in the novelty! When you watch videos or scenes with dialog, it’s as if you’re watching a new episode of your favorite TV series about at least one of the most colorful characters. What a great job they did with animation and voice acting! The actors did their best, and listening to their voices is a pure pleasure.

To be fair, you can find fault with everything. We can point out sometimes strange camera angles, differences in voices, and sometimes strangely funny facial expressions… But to discuss this seriously is like talking about spitting into a crystal clear mountain river.

The story in Baldur’s Gate 3 is built around constant conflicts. Wherever you go, there are at least two obvious enemies. Or maybe not so obvious, but if you look a little deeper, heads will roll.

The confrontation of great forces is accompanied by smaller conflicts, both interpersonal and internal. And we, the players, decide for ourselves what to do in a given situation, whom to support… Or give advice that may be useful closer to the final. In 60 or 70 hours. Or they may not, depending on the decisions we make.

Will you save a person or let them die? And if you save him, where will you send him? Or let him deal with everything himself! Instead, we’d rather try to come at it from a completely different angle… Or you can play through the game without meeting this NPC and learning his story. Get distracted by something, turn around and see only a lifeless body. Because time is passing, you are sleeping peacefully, and somewhere in the cruel world, very strange things are happening.

Baldur’s Gate 3 knows how to keep you in suspense. Sometimes it seems that you need to urgently go somewhere and solve the problem as soon as possible. Practice has shown that at least sometimes this is not the case. And there is time. So don’t forget to give your heroes a break.
A long night’s rest is extremely important for the plot, so don’t neglect it! The most unexpected things can happen to you every night. It’s a shame to miss something interesting just because you don’t like to sleep!

Romance and Choice in Baldur’s Gate 3

After the release of Baldur’s Gate 3, there was some debate online about relationships with companions. While some talked about the ease of winning hearts, others complained about the inaccessibility of carnal pleasures. Well, formally, in some situations, both sides can be right. And yet, achieving intimacy in Baldur’s Gate 3 is really quite easy.

Already in the first act, you will have a number of opportunities to prove yourself and win the sympathy of all the companions you meet. So at some point, it won’t be difficult to just choose with whom you would like to spend time alone.

And no one will force you to listen to or look at anything against your will! If you feel that developing a relationship with a particular character is inappropriate, you always have the choice to end it immediately. Still, freedom lies in the ability not only to do something, but also to say no.

Relationships in Baldur’s Gate 3 can be both long and extremely short – lasting no longer than one night. But in any case, be prepared for the consequences. For example, if you finally (as far as possible) choose one partner, don’t expect others to continue to show interest in you. One-off meetings can have their own unexpected outcomes. So act wisely.

And speaking of choice. While you’re playing, the feeling of maximum freedom does not disappear. And when the seemingly unimaginable happens through our words or actions, you realize how well the creators of Baldur’s Gate 3 have worked out all the possibilities. Yes, there are limits to any freedom laid down by the developers… But you hardly think about them during the first playthrough.

Do you remember the schemes with different options for ending levels in Detroit: Become Human? Similar feelings of branching in Baldur’s Gate 3 can arise from a single encounter with a dangerous enemy and a conversation with him. For example, it can end in a bloody bath, a warm relationship, or something completely different. And the ending of such a single scene, stemming from a single dialog, will affect what happens at the very end of the game. Even if it is small, but noticeable!

But in some key places, the choice is just an illusion. One example. You are offered to take the side of one of the characters. If you support the first one, you can move forward in the story and live on, feeling that your decision has determined the future plot. But if you try to support the second character for the sake of interest, you will simply lose. So in the end, everyone will still have to go the same way.

During the first playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3, you don’t have to think about where there is a choice and where there is an illusion. Moreover, in the vast majority of cases, our decisions really matter. But even once you see that there really is no choice, you want to know: in how many places have the developers created this illusion?

Gameplay Features and Combat System

Speaking of gameplay features, Baldur’s Gate 3 offers us two traditional game modes. It is real-time movement and interaction with the world (jumping and searching for secrets, solving puzzles, magic, stealing, stealth, etc.) or all the same plus battles, but on the go.

The second case is when each character has a limited number of actions and little freedom of movement. And the sequence of moves of the characters depends on the initiative: the higher it is, the faster the character will start the move. If your fighters are next to each other on the initiative scale, they can act in any order – as you wish.

Battles, despite the simplicity of their internal structure, are incredibly variable. In addition to the order of moves, they are based on movement, actions, and bonus actions. The main actions include various types of attacks (in melee or ranged combat, with additional variations depending on the weapon and your skills), as well as magic or special actions. For example, you may need to lift an ally to his feet, accelerate, or throw an object at the enemy.

And bonus actions can allow you to deal additional damage, drink a healing potion, or push an enemy away. If you’re lucky, then into the abyss! It is easier to get rid of someone in a couple of seconds instead of several long moves….

Now imagine how many spells, potions, scrolls and tricks are in the game! And someone else can turn into animals and use their powers! As we upgrade our character, we get more and more opportunities for action. Sometimes you can trap your enemies, sometimes you can take the high ground, deal in stealth or avoid the battle altogether.

But if you fight, it is important to assess the risks. There’s always the possibility of a critical mistake. And you almost always need to think about what to do with your characters (which can be up to four in one group).

Should you launch a weak attack from a distance with a 60% chance of hitting? Come closer and strike with your sword, but immediately be surrounded? Use a slowing spell on enemies who can’t fight? Or try to scare them? But your ally is lying nearby, and he may die… He definitely needs help!

Even fairly simple battles can lead to disastrous results. The enemy may be stronger, smarter, and happier than you thought. In some cases, we are additionally pressured by a timer. Sometimes we need nothing but one thing – to survive! And sometimes battles become a real work of art. After a spectacular scene, the music turns on, the song begins, and with it, the dance of death.

Problems and Disadvantages of the Game

Like many big games, Baldur’s Gate 3 is full of problems. Mostly minor, but still unpleasant.

The first problem with Baldur’s Gate 3 is a performance issue. Hotfixes and hardware driver updates improved the situation, but there were places in the first and second acts where there were noticeable FPS drops. In the case of the author of this article, it was the fire and (for some reason) the base of the gitanka. This was not the case in the Grove or in the third act, which was directly in the city.

Of course, in-game settings also affect performance. Therefore, if you have all the updates and the latest drivers installed, you need to tinker with changing the graphics.

Many people complained about all sorts of bugs online. Surprisingly, after 140+ hours, the author of this article has encountered only two very unpleasant bugs. The first one is that the character gets stuck in the air while jumping if there is an object in his way. And after a second of hovering, the hero falls down. And if there is an abyss below, it means death. At first, when you plan to jump, the game shows that everything is fine.

The second bug is related to one of the quests. It became impassable due to the inability to do what the game asks. Apparently, the error occurred due to excessive zeal to get to the bottom of the truth and punish the villain. So, if you suddenly realize what’s going on, don’t rush to run to the goal and put your cards on the table. Keep your cool, just in case. And only then continue on your way. A reboot should help in case of any problems.

It’s also worth reminding you about the hotfix that spoiled the impression of Baldur’s Gate 3 for many people. The developers wanted the best, but they got crashes and problems with player saves. So some had to replay the already completed part of the game. However, Larian’s intention to test future patches more thoroughly is encouraging.

Also, even though it’s not a problem, I’d like to know: how many times does the game offer an illusion of a choice instead of a choice? Surely this number is extremely small compared to really significant decisions. In any case, if you have a desire to enjoy the game, it’s better not to try to reveal it on the first playthrough.

Epilogue: Overall Impression

Yes, Baldur’s Gate 3 is not perfect. Yes, it has a lot of small problems, and the developers are trying their best to fix them. But it was also good in the early access. And now, at release, it’s even better!

Fans of role-playing games should definitely pay attention to Baldur’s Gate 3. And then put it on a par with their favorite games. Or even to the first place in your personal list of masterpieces.

But even if you are not particularly good with RPGs, the new product can be a great guide to the amazing world of mortals and gods, terrifying monsters and fantastic creatures, great heroes and insidious villains. In this world, you can decide the fate of many of its inhabitants. And the fate of the world itself.

Verdict.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is beautiful from the very first minutes to the final credits. Once you start the game, you will plunge into it. And you will think about it day and night. Wanting to return to the place where your favorite characters and new adventures are waiting for you!

Advantages

• A fascinating story
• Choices and consequences
• The gameplay gives a lot of opportunities
• Replayability
• Vivid characters
• Music and staged scenes.

Disadvantages

• A number of minor bugs
• Performance issues
• Illusion of choice in some places.

How we played

Over 140 hours on PC. At the same time, one playthrough with most side quests took 130 hours.