Baldur’s Gate 3 Review
Available PC, PS5 and Series S/X
Version tested: Xbox Series X
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game that would normally not interest me one bit but the sheer hype and praise revolving around the title made me want to try it at least. Not being a fan of turn-based combat, I was a little worried that I wouldn’t even be able to force myself to like it, but I’ll tell you that even not being a fan of the combat system isn’t enough to make most players avoid this game! The storytelling and options the game gives you to playthrough are amazing and it’s easy to see how many players have been sucked into it and even played through its story more than one time!
Writing this review has been difficult when it comes to spoilers but I have done my best to avoid any as I on a few occasions wasn’t happy with the fact a few reviews and previews had unearthed some of the game’s secrets and ways to attack certain situations.
So as soon as the game starts you are greeted with a massive selection of custom character options, choosing your character species, classes, traits and backgrounds will define your character. Your character is then awakened and trapped away in a tube on a Nautiloid which is an airship where your character is finally infected with an Illithid also more commonly known as a Mind Flayer.
The Mind Flayer is a type of creature that reproduces by living in its victim’s brain and eventually turning its victim into a mind Flayer luckily for your character you are remaining normal and not turning, how long is another question though and this is where the story starts to build.
I won’t go into any further detail with the story to avoid spoilers but all I’m going to say is it’s well-written, interesting and addictive to keep going!
I have never played D&D so some of the game’s systems and mechanics are new to me. The dice mechanic in which you have to achieve a certain number on the dice to achieve a certain outcome can be pretty frustrating when things are going against you but in turn, it does mix things up a bit and stops your character from having it all their own way.
Some of the dice rolls will involve dialogue and needing a certain number to pull off different things like persuasion or threatening someone into agreeing with you. The dialogue within BG3 is one of its main strengths, the voice acting is amazing and the choices are endless as is combat!
Using the whole battlefield is essential in BG3 as some battles can be near impossible with a little help from your surroundings, looking for loopholes and ways to get the upper hand in battle makes the player think and keeps the turn-based combat interesting.
The options in the game just feel endless, spells allowing your character to communicate with the dead or even animals open up a whole new load of dialogue and storytelling and it just feels like Larian Studios has somehow covered every single thing you can think of trying within the walls of the game!
When playing BG3 for the first time I did feel very overwhelmed and to be honest with the sheer level of different systems and options it is easy to see why! My only advice would be to stick with it because once you get your head around the way things work you are in for one hell of a storytelling ride!
Graphically the game is shown from above and everything looks fantastic with plenty of detail. The Series X performed great with no lag or performance issues throughout. The sound throughout was also perfect with some of the best voice acting I’ve ever heard and some of the best background music we all could hope for.
Verdict:
BG3 is a masterpiece from Larian Studios! Amazing story with endless options in dialogue and combat that make the game feel like there isn’t anything you can’t do within the confines of the game itself. Turn-based combat is fun and this is coming from someone who has never had any interest in it. Graphically, the performance and sound of the game are great with no issues and some of the best voice acting I’ve ever experienced in a game. If you are going to just play one game this year BG3 is worth spending the time to understand how everything works and getting to play through possibly the best RPG of this year and maybe of all time!
Score:
9 / 10
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The review code was provided by the publisher free of charge for my honest unbiased review.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Pros
- Incredible amount of options
- Great sound, voice acting and background music
- Solid performance and nice visuals
- Great story
Cons
- Turn based combat won't be for everyone
- Some may find the incredible amount of systems and options just too overwhelming