Baldur’s Gate III Review: Classic D&D cRPG Brought to Life
Game Overview
Title: Baldur’s Gate 3
Genre: CRPG
Developer / Publisher: Larian Studios
Platforms: Win, macOS, PSt 5, Xbox
Release Date: 3 August 2023 Windows
Completion Time: Approximately 63 hours main story
Story & Atmosphere
Baldur’s Gate 3 immerses players in a rich narrative set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. The story begins with the protagonist infected by a parasitic tadpole, leading to a series of events that intertwine with the fate of the Forgotten Realms. The game offers a deep, branching storyline where choices have significant consequences, affecting both the narrative and the world around you.The atmosphere is meticulously crafted, with detailed environments, dynamic weather systems, and a day-night cycle that influences gameplay. The bustling city of Baldur’s Gate and its surrounding areas are brought to life with vibrant NPCs, each with their own stories and quests. The voice acting is top-notch, with characters delivering lines that resonate emotionally, enhancing the immersive experience.
Gameplay & Mechanics
The combat system in Baldur’s Gate 3 is turn-based, adhering closely to D&D 5e rules. Each character has a set of actions per turn, including movement, attacks, and spellcasting. The environment plays a crucial role; for instance, casting spells like Fireball can ignite surfaces, creating hazards or advantages depending on the situation. Character creation is robust, offering a variety of races, classes, and subclasses. Players can customize their characters’ abilities, appearance, and backstory, allowing for diverse playthroughs. Companions, such as Astarion, Lae’zel, and Shadowheart, have unique personalities and quests, adding depth to the narrative. One aspect that stands out is the game’s emphasis on choice and consequence. Decisions made during dialogues or quests can lead to different outcomes, encouraging multiple playthroughs to explore all possibilities. The absence of a toggle walk/run option is a minor inconvenience. Constantly running can be jarring, especially when exploring intricate environments. Having the ability to toggle walking would enhance the pacing and immersion, a feature I miss from CRPGs like Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous.
Audio & Visual Presentation
Visually, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a stunning achievement. The environments are richly detailed, from the dark alleys of Baldur’s Gate to the mystical forests and dungeons. Lighting effects, such as the glow of magical spells or the flicker of torchlight, add to the ambiance. However, on a personal note, I find the game’s visual style to be more vibrant and cinematic compared to the more grounded and realistic aesthetic of the Infinity Engine games. The latter’s art direction, with its more subdued color palette and isometric perspective, offers a sense of realism that I appreciate. The stylized visuals of Baldur’s Gate 3 are undoubtedly impressive but feel less immersive to me.
Technical Stability & Updates
Since its release, Larian Studios has been proactive in addressing technical issues and enhancing the game. The introduction of official mod support in Patch 7 has been a significant addition, allowing players to customize their experience further. This feature has led to a flourishing modding community, with over 265 million downloads recorded via Larian Studios’ mod.io page. The platform now hosts more than 8,500 mods, showcasing the game’s longevity and the community’s engagement. However, some platform-specific issues persist. Xbox players have reported glitches, including crashes and radial wheel malfunctions, which continue to impact gameplay. These issues are being addressed, but they highlight the challenges of cross-platform development.
Verdict
Baldur’s Gate 3 is nothing short of a monumental achievement in the CRPG genre. Beyond its deep narrative, intricate character development, and highly strategic turn-based combat, the game represents a watershed moment for role-playing games in general. Larian Studios has not only honored the legacy of classic CRPGs but has also successfully brought this genre into the mainstream consciousness, proving that story-driven, choice-heavy RPGs can captivate a broad audience in the modern gaming era, The game sets a new benchmark for immersion and player agency, demonstrating how decisions, dialogue, and relationships can meaningfully impact the world and narrative outcomes. It encourages multiple playthroughs, rewarding players who experiment with different strategies, moral choices, and party compositions. From a personal perspective, minor elements like the visual style which leans toward cinematic vibrancy rather than the grounded realism of Infinity Engine games and the absence of a toggle walk/run option do not significantly detract from the overall experience. These small preferences are outweighed by the scale, ambition, and execution of the game’s core mechanics and storytelling. Perhaps most importantly, Baldur’s Gate 3 has opened the door for CRPGs and story-driven RPGs to gain renewed attention in the mainstream market. Its success demonstrates that there is a substantial audience for complex, narrative-rich RPGs, potentially shaping the development of future games in the genre for years to come. For anyone who values immersive storytelling, meaningful choices, tactical combat, and a living, reactive world, Baldur’s Gate 3 is not just a game it is an essential experience, a modern benchmark, and a revitalization of the CRPG genre for a new generation of gamers.
Advantages
Deep, branching storylines with real consequences
Immersive, well-written dialogue and choices
Complex, evolving companion relationships
Creative, tactical turn-based combat system
Dozens of viable playstyles, builds, and solutions
High freedom in exploration, stealth, and dialogue encounters
Dice-based mechanics feel impactful and dramatic
Gorgeous, hand-crafted environments with rich detail
Dynamic, emotionally resonant orchestral soundtrack
Disadvantages
Personal preference for Infinity Engine-style graphics
Lack of toggle walk/run option
Occasional platform-specific technical issues
