Baldur's Gate 3

Developer: Larian Studios
Release: Aug 3rd 2023
Platforms:
Single-player Multi-player Adventure RPG Strategy
Immersive
Strategic
Replayable
Clunky U I
Autosave Issues

" Immersive adventure RPG with deep turn-based combat and impactful choices but clunky UI "

Baldur's Gate 3 Review

Baldur's Gate 3 is widely acclaimed as a groundbreaking RPG that revitalizes the classic Dungeons & Dragons experience with modern, cinematic storytelling and deep player agency. Set in the Forgotten Realms, it offers a sprawling narrative driven by player choices, with every character and decision impacting the world. The turn-based combat system faithfully adapts D&D 5e rules, providing strategic depth and freedom, allowing players to creatively manipulate environments and tactics. Companions are richly developed, with strong voice acting and emotional arcs enhancing immersion. The game rewards exploration and unconventional problem-solving, making each playthrough unique and engaging. While the inventory system and some UI elements can be clunky, and occasional bugs or quest clarity issues arise, these are minor compared to the overall polish. BG3 is praised for its replayability, rich content, and the way it balances classic RPG roots with bold innovation. It is considered essential for RPG fans and newcomers alike, delivering an unforgettable, living world experience.

Highlights

Players praise Baldur's Gate 3 for its deep, branching storyline and meaningful player choices that shape the narrative. The turn-based combat is lauded for strategic complexity and faithful adaptation of D&D mechanics, offering creative freedom in battles. Rich character development and top-tier voice acting bring companions and NPCs to life, making interactions emotionally impactful. The game's graphics and world design are stunning, enhancing immersion. Replayability is exceptional, with countless paths, builds, and endings encouraging multiple playthroughs. The game successfully blends classic RPG elements with modern innovations, setting a new standard in the genre.

Criticisms

Common criticisms include a somewhat clunky inventory and UI system that can hinder smooth gameplay. Some players find the camera controls and keyboard/mouse movement awkward, especially compared to controller input. The autosave system is limited, leading to frustration during difficult encounters without frequent checkpoints. Difficulty balance is occasionally uneven, with some boss fights feeling too easy and random encounters unexpectedly challenging. The main story can feel less engaging or cramped in later acts, with a smaller game world compared to earlier series entries. Minor bugs, quest clarity issues, and limited companion variety also detract slightly from the experience. Some players desire more polished endings and expanded content for companions.

Pros

  • The turn-based combat system offers unmatched strategic depth and creative freedom.
  • Player choices significantly impact the story and world, enhancing immersion.
  • Richly developed companions with emotional arcs and strong voice acting.
  • Stunning graphics and detailed world design create a captivating atmosphere.
  • Exceptional replayability with numerous paths, classes, and endings.
  • Faithful adaptation of D&D 5e mechanics with engaging gameplay tweaks.
  • Exploration and problem-solving are rewarded throughout the game.

Cons

  • Inventory management and UI can feel over-engineered and clunky.
  • Camera controls and keyboard/mouse movement are awkward and limited.
  • Autosave points are sparse, causing frustration during difficult fights.
  • Difficulty balancing issues with some bosses too easy and random fights hard.
  • Later acts feel cramped with a smaller world and less engaging story.
  • Occasional bugs and quest clarity problems interrupt gameplay flow.
  • Limited companion variety; some feel unfinished or underdeveloped.

Rating Criteria

Story
Difficulty
Graphics
Duration
Stability
Worth the Price

About This Game



Gather your party and return to the Forgotten Realms in a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power.

Mysterious abilities are awakening inside you, drawn from a mind flayer parasite planted in your brain. Resist, and turn darkness against itself. Or embrace corruption, and become ultimate evil.

From the creators of Divinity: Original Sin 2 comes a next-generation RPG, set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons.





Choose from 12 classes and 11 races from the D&D Player's Handbook and create your own identity, or play as an Origin hero with a hand-crafted background. Or tangle with your inner corruption as the Dark Urge, a fully customisable Origin hero with its own unique mechanics and story. Whoever you choose to be, adventure, loot, battle and romance your way across the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Gather your party. Take the adventure online as a party of up to four.



Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. That power may help you to survive, but there will be a price to pay, and more than any ability, the bonds of trust that you build within your party could be your greatest strength. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms together.




Forged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a thriving world filled with characters, dangers, and deceit. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before. From shadow-cursed forests, to the magical caverns of the Underdark, to the sprawling city of Baldur’s Gate itself, your actions define the adventure, but your choices define your legacy. You will be remembered.



The Forgotten Realms are a vast, detailed, and diverse world, and there are secrets to be discovered all around you – verticality is a vital part of exploration. Sneak, dip, shove, climb, and jump as you journey from the depths of the Underdark to the glittering rooftops of Baldur’s Gate. Every choice you make drives your story forward, each decision leaving your mark on the world. Define your legacy, nurture relationships and create enemies, and solve problems your way. No two playthroughs will ever be the same.


    allows you to combine your forces in combat and simultaneously attack enemies, or split your party to each follow your own quests and agendas. Concoct the perfect plan together… or introduce an element of chaos when your friends least expect it. Relationships are complicated. Especially when you’ve got a parasite in your brain.


    7 unique Origin heroes offer a hand-crafted experience, each with their own unique traits, agenda, and outlook on the world. Their stories intersect with the overarching narrative, and your choices will determine whether those stories end in redemption, salvation, domination, or one of many other outcomes. Play as an Origin and enjoy their stories, or recruit them to fight alongside you.


    based on the D&D 5e ruleset. Team-based initiative, advantage and disadvantage, and roll modifiers join an advanced AI, expanded environmental interactions, and a new fluidity in combat that rewards strategy and foresight. Three difficulty settings allow you to customise the challenge of combat. Enable weighted dice to help sway the battle, or play on Tactician mode for a hardcore experience.


    featuring 31 subraces on top of the 11 races (Human, Githyanki, Half-Orc, Dwarf, Elf, Drow, Tiefling, Halfling, Half Elf, Gnome, Dragonborn), with 46 subclasses branching out of the 12 classes. Over 600 spells and actions offer near-limitless freedom of interactivity in a hand-crafted world where exploration is rewarded, and player agency defines the journey. Our unique Character Creator features unprecedented depth of character, with reactivity that ensures whomever you are, you will leave a unique legacy behind you, all the way up to Level 12. Over 174 hours of cinematics ensure that no matter the choices you make, the cinematic experience follows your journey – every playthrough, a new cinematic journey.


    With the looming threat of war heading to Baldur’s Gate, and a mind flayer invasion on the horizon, friendships – though not necessary – are bound to be forged on your journey. What becomes of them is up to you, as you enter real, vibrant relationships with those you meet along the way. Each companion has their own moral compass and will react to the choices you make throughout your journey. At what cost will you stick to your ideals? Will you allow love to shape your actions? The relationships made on the road to Baldur’s Gate act as moments of respite at camp as much as they add weight to the many decisions you make on your adventure.


    so that when you hit ‘go live’, your stream isn’t interrupted by a bear, swear, or lack of underwear. Baldur’s Gate 3 has 3 different levels of streamer-friendly customisation. You can disable nudity and explicit content separately (or together), and you can enable Twitch integration to interact directly with your audience, just as we do at our Panel From Hell showcases! You’ll be able to stream Baldur’s Gate 3 without any problems, regardless of how you play, thanks to these options.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a story-rich, party-based RPG set in the universe of Dungeons & Dragons, where your choices shape a tale of fellowship and betrayal, survival and sacrifice, and the lure of absolute power.

Release Date Aug 3rd 2023
Publisher Larian Studios
Developer Larian Studios
Required Age 17+
Platforms

User Reviews

Overwhelmingly Positive (405,888)
97% Positive 3% Negative

Online Reviews

Metacritic
96