Baldur’s Gate 3 | Review

Initial Release Date: August 3, 2023

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Mac Operating Systems, Microsoft Windows

Developer: Larian Studios

Mode: Multiplayer and Single Player

Composer: Borislav Slavov

Genres: Role-playing, Adventure, Strategy

Publisher: Larian Studios

SPOILERS THROUGHOUT!

Introduction Written by ChatGPT and Jason

“Player agency” in the context of video games refers to the level of control and influence a player has over the narrative, choices, and outcomes within the game world. It reflects the player’s ability to make meaningful decisions and shape the direction of the gameplay experience. Player agency is often associated with games that offer a high degree of interactivity and choice, allowing players to feel a sense of ownership over their in-game actions and the consequences that follow. Baldur’s Gate 3 Gameplay Video Playlist

Key aspects of player agency include:

1. Decision-Making:
   • Games with a strong emphasis on player agency present players with decisions that impact the story, character relationships, and sometimes the game world itself. These decisions can range from moral choices to strategic decisions affecting gameplay.
2. Branching Narratives:
   • In games with a branching narrative structure, player agency becomes evident through the multiple paths and storylines that can unfold based on the player’s choices. Each decision may lead to different outcomes, creating a personalized experience.
3. Open-World Exploration:
   • Open-world games often provide a high degree of player agency by allowing exploration and interaction with the game environment. Players can choose when and how to tackle quests or missions, influencing the overall progression.
4. Character Customization:
   • Games that allow players to customize their characters, both visually and in terms of abilities or skills, contribute to a sense of agency. Players feel a greater connection to their in-game avatars and their unique playstyles.
5. Emergent Gameplay:
   • Emergent gameplay occurs when unexpected or unplanned events result from the player’s actions within the game. This contributes to a feeling of agency as players see the direct impact of their choices on the game world.
6. Consequence System:
   • Games that implement consequences for player actions enhance agency. Whether through in-game characters reacting to decisions or the unfolding of the narrative, players feel a sense of responsibility for the outcomes.
7. Role-Playing Elements:
   • Role-playing games (RPGs) often emphasize player agency by providing a variety of character roles, classes, and dialogue choices. This allows players to shape their characters and the overall story.

The latter was written via ChatGPT. The rest will be written by me, Jason. Now that you understand what player agency is, It’s time for me to write about my time with Baldur’s Gate 3 and how it’s player agency shaped my Oathbreaker Paladin’s playthrough. This is my first Baldur’s Gate video game I played and beaten.

I’ll be clear, after decades and decades in the hobby I never played a video game with this much player agency. Everything I did from dialogue choices (for my Paladin or team), to combat choices I made mid-battle. All of it made a difference and reshaped the game’s world in real-time for me whether good or bad or neither.

After beating Baldur’s Gate 3 I can see why some developers started making excuses as to why their video games most likely can never do what Baldur’s Gate 3 accomplished in regards to player agency. For reference going forward, I played up to Act 3 on my gaming PC and finished Act 3 on my Playstation 5.

This maybe my first Larian Studios video game but it surely won’t be my last. I have been playing video games for a long ass time and was left in awe at what Baldur’s Gate 3 pulled off in terms of player agency and world interaction and recreation.

I have to point out although I believe Baldur’s Gate 3 is perfect for my standards it’s technically not. I experienced an half invisible Paladin in Act 3. The bugs and glitches were not game breaking. They were more of the funny haha NPC-type bugs and glitches like random floating and standing on one’s head etc.

I can’t remember any issues technically while playing up to Act 3 on my gaming PC. Most of the minor issues were during Act 3 on my Playstation 5 which I’ll get into later.

The most recent isometric RPGs I played are Disco Elysium and Wasteland 3. I do love these type of video games as they are naturally immersive in one way or another i.e gameplay or from a story aspect. So without further adieu, let’s get to the review!

Presentation

Baldur’s Gate 3’s presentation is high-end quality through and through from it’s insane amount of player agency to the striking cinematic visual presentation. To the insane amount of high quality voice acted delivered lines. The orchestral score is stuff I would hear in the old Lord of The Rings movies.

Originally I bought the Baldur’s Gate 3 beta and played it quit a bit. Even then, I expected so many bugs due to it’s high player agency. Truth be told the final version of Baldur’s Gate 3’s Act 3 on the Playstation 5 did have some glitches of the “aha funny” variety.

Playing with mouse and keyboard through the first two Acts was smooth sailing but really surprised me was how functional and accurate the DualSense/gamepad design was in regards to picking up specific loot etc.

Basically, I went from playing the PC version which felt like a true PC version to the Playstation 5 which turned Baldur’s Gate 3 into a full fledged console game. Really impressed with both versions honestly.

Larian Studios flat out managed to craft Baldur’s Gate 3 on PC and on the Playstation 5 equally in presentation (PC with more settings). From my experience, the Playstation 5 was the more smoother experience (my gaming PC is a years old) but did seem to have more bugs and glitches compared to it’s PC counterpart. I didn’t play online or coop. Sorry.

Story

In many ways, you can create your own story In Baldur’s Gate 3 due to the game’s vast amount of choice. The jist of the main plot is that you were captured by Mindflayers and put on their Nautiloid Ship (squid-like high-level beings) who infected you with a parasitic tadpole that’s stuck in your brain.

Along the way you meet fellow warriors with the same tadpole dilemma as yourself in Astarion, Gale, Karlach, Wyll, Lae’Zel and Shadowheart. You do meet many other NPCs along the way that play a bigger role in the overall arching story such as “The Emperor” a Mindflayer king with vast power.

Over the course of three main Acts I collected three powerful Netherstones after killing Ketheric Thorm, Orin The Red and and Lord Enver Gortash servants of the Three Gods. The story ended with me sending Gale to the Netherbrain where he ascends destroying the giant brain before it could destroy Baldur’s Gate.

Killing the Netherbrain destroys the parasitic tadpoles stuck in my hero’s brain along with all party members. For my playthrough the story was all over the place but not in a bad way. The latter was all due in part of my in-game choices.

I ended up killing Shadowheart and rescuing Dame Aylin. I took a deal with the devil himself Raphael for a Orphic Hammer. I tried to complete as many of my companion’s side missions for Karlach, Gale, Wyll, Shadowheart and Lae’Zel which all had great stories in their own right.

Story is a major strength in Baldur Gate 3. More so then any video game I played in 2023. It’s vast, filled with intrigue, fun, entertaining, interesting and with so many important choices that have real stakes that shape future outcomes. I’ve never played a RPG with a story this complete with so much player agency with such a grand presentation.

Gameplay

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a isometric cinematic role playing tactical video game infused with a universe sized amount of player agency. My playthrough consisted of the Oathbreaker Paladin. It didn’t take long before the Oathbreaker Knight showed up at my camp with dialogue trees.

As I stated above I played through Baldur’s Gate 3 on my PC and Playstation 5. Combat was fun with thoughtful turn-based strategy gameplay and RPG character building.

You have three overall Acts with a plethora of side content centered around your comrades, yourself and NPCs you randomly meet on your journey. This is my first Baldur’s Gate game so I played on the easiest difficulty yet still ended up having to reload save files to learn how to win certain battles.

Boss fights were really good except for the final Netherbrain fight. I ended up giving up and letting Gale ascend for that last one. I loved exploration in this game. I love the dialogue sequences and high stakes choices.

It seemed like there were a million dialogue choices yet they never felt forced. The camp site system is one of my favorite aspects gameplay-wise in Baldur’s Gate 3. I enjoyed my romances with Karlach, Lae-Zel and The Emperor. Still missed out of Shadowheart, oh well.

Managing your comrades in arms didn’t feel as pedantic as I thought it be. You have to know all the mechanics. Like for instance make sure each person in your current team have their own health potions. Go in menus and split them up and hand out the potions.

You have all of the classic RPG mechanics like specific abilities for each character-type that you can level up. You can choose when leveling up at the camp site. Everything in Baldur’s Gate 3 has choice tied to it which was a lot to take in for me at first. But once “it” hit me I was enthralled fully on my quest to save myself and Baldur’s Gate.

Weapon and armor variety was off the charts. As a Paladin Knight I had plenty of legendary Holy weapons by the end of the campaign. Armor sets which I used either came from Kethroic Thorm or a random dead soldier. I loved how loot overall is distributed. You can find something worth keeping anywhere.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s gameplay was up there with the best I played in 2023 and I’m not even that big on Isometric RPGs as I only played a few. Combat and exploration were invigorating, challenging, fun and visceral.

Visuals/Graphics

The visual fidelity in Baldur’s Gate 3 was really impressive for both playing on my Playstation 5 and PC. Every cinematic dialogue sequence popped with textures and lighting. My one complaint are the janky animations which were present all over Baldur’s Gate 3.

Artwork, the world, creatures, weapons and armors were top notch visually. Every new area I stepped into really speaks volumes to how great Larian’s art department was in Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s hard for me to name a better looking high fantasy inspired video game from a art standpoint.

Sound/Music

Music and voice acting really stood out. No hyperbole but almost every voice actor, actress were amazing to listen to. The voiced dialogue had emotion in so many scenes. Like seriously, everyone was great in this game. Music was enjoyable and added to it’s atmospheric giving off that grand adventure with hardship vibes.

Final Thoughts/Score

Baldur’s Gate 3 may not be the most popular video game this year. I mean it’s a Isometric CRPG afterall. I mean who would make this game GOTY for 2023? Let me tell you who would. I would!

Yes these games are niche compared to so many heavy hitters that released this year. So many bangers been released throughout 2023 games like Alan Wake 2, Spider-Man 2, Super Mario Wonder, Final Fantasy 16, Street Fighter 6, Diablo 4 just to name a few.

Yet, Baldur’s Gate 3 in my opinion triumphs over them all due to it’s player agency. This is why gaming is the greatest hobby on earth. After forty years of playing video games I am still amazed. Baldur’s Gate 3 is my GOTY for 2023. What an insane year this been. Thanks for reading. Later – Jason