Baldur's Gate 3: Crafting Your Own Fantasy in the Forgotten Realms

Baldur’s Gate 3 is structured into three acts, which is a perfect fit for the fantastical fantasy world of the Forgotten Realms. Despite its dark and sometimes even brutal atmosphere, the game always remains a fairy tale. The story keeps you engaged, especially throughout the first two acts. The third act, however, might tarnish the experience, as I’ll explain later in the review. Let’s start with the positives.

The freedom in the game is astounding: you can be a hero-altruist or a villain. Choices have consequences that will make you carefully weigh each decision. The game offers an incredible variety of story options. You’ll have to make tough decisions, and it will impact the situation and the ending.

Characters are unique individuals with their own preferences, motives, and secrets. Your relationships with them evolve during long and engaging dialogues, and they can become your best allies or dangerous enemies.

Side quests are so well-crafted that skipping even one seems impossible. Each quest is a new adventure, and you never know what awaits around the next turn.

Larian gathered talented actors, artists, and composers. Following the phenomenal soundtracks of the first two Baldur’s Gate games, creating something comparable was a challenging task, but the developers succeeded. The sound in the game is top-notch. There are no complaints about the graphics and visual style. They are as they should be.

For those, like me, who are not fans of turn-based games or JRPGs, the game might seem challenging due to controlling multiple characters and a large number of possible actions. But after a couple of hours of gameplay, you’ll get used to it.

The third act somewhat spoiled the impression of the game. The game’s duration became absurdly long, the inventory turned into a real mess, and bugs became a constant occurrence. The locations of the third act and the characters began to lose their attractiveness. I assume that the developers exhausted all their efforts on the first two acts, and they could have wrapped up the story, leaving room for expansions.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has become not just a beloved game, but a true masterpiece that leaves an unforgettable experience. The desire to replay it with different classes, especially for the first two acts. If you haven’t played it yet, correct this mistake immediately, and you won’t regret it!

FAQ

Can I play Baldur’s Gate 3 without playing the previous parts? Yes, you can. A lot of time has passed between the releases of the series, and the first two parts may not be interesting anymore. But if you dare, their Enhanced Edition versions are available on Steam.

What is the world of Baldur’s Gate 3 called? The events of Baldur’s Gate 3 take place on the continent of Faerûn, in the world of the “Forgotten Realms,” in the vicinity of the city of Baldur’s Gate, located on the Sword Coast.

What should I do if a character dies? In the camp, talk to the undead on the beach. The NPC will ask for 200 gold to revive the character.