Baldur's Gate 3 — A New Standard for RPGs
Larian Studios had a monumental task: follow up the beloved Divinity: Original Sin 2 and resurrect one of PC gaming's most iconic RPG franchises. The result, Baldur's Gate 3, doesn't just meet the challenge — it redefines what we should expect from role-playing games entirely.
What Is Baldur's Gate 3?
BG3 is a turn-based RPG based on the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition ruleset. You create a character (or choose a "Dark Urge" origin character), gather a party of companions, and navigate a world reacting to a mind flayer parasite lodged in your skull. The stakes escalate from personal survival to preventing the destruction of an entire city.
What Makes It Exceptional
Reactive Storytelling
BG3 is the most reactive RPG ever made. Your race, class, background, and the choices you make in conversations fundamentally change how the world responds to you. There are unique dialogue options for nearly every origin and class. Quests resolve in wildly different ways depending on when you reach them, who is in your party, and what you've done before.
Companion Depth
The eight origin companions are among the best-written characters in gaming. Each has a fully voiced personal questline, their own opinions on your decisions, and authentic emotional arcs. Shadowheart, Astarion, Gale, Wyll, Karlach, Lae'zel, Halsin, and Minthara all feel like real people, not quest dispensers.
Combat System
The D&D 5e turn-based combat is surprisingly deep. Environmental interactions — shoving enemies off ledges, using surfaces with fire and ice, combining spells — create tactical possibilities that are genuinely exciting to discover.
Where It Falls Short
- Act 3 pacing: The final act in Baldur's Gate city feels slightly rushed compared to the leisurely Act 1 and Act 2.
- Performance: Even on high-end hardware, Act 3 can see frame rate drops due to the city's density.
- Overwhelming scope: New players can feel paralysed by the sheer number of options, systems, and choices.
At a Glance
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story & Writing | ★★★★★ |
| Combat | ★★★★☆ |
| World Design | ★★★★★ |
| Performance | ★★★☆☆ |
| Replayability | ★★★★★ |
Who Should Play It?
Anyone who loves deep storytelling, character-driven RPGs, or classic D&D will find BG3 an unmissable experience. If you're new to turn-based RPGs, the learning curve is real but absolutely worth climbing. Baldur's Gate 3 is one of the defining games of its generation.