Remember that they asked for the BG license just after they finished D:OS1. The game was what they used to prove themselves. The game mechanics is probably what they always had planned for if they was ever allowed to create BG3.
I’m glad for it. The game mechanics of surface elements and mixing to create new effects was fun but way overused in D:OS series. After 2 games, their third got the right balance between fun and annoying, I think.
I agree, all of that would have been fine if they called it as it is: original sin DnD edition. Instead the title is Baldur’s Gate “3” and I invite anyone to tell me what connects this game to the originals. Nothing I’ve seen so far is even remotely reminiscent of the original games and that’s why I find it laughable that Larian “hopes they did bioware proud”. What a joke.
Same IP; returning characters from the original series; revisiting important locations from the original series; uses a D&D ruleset for resolution; expands upon the story of the Bhaalspawn crisis over a century after the incident, especially via the
Yes because mechanical fidelity is the lowest priority in continuing the series. Continuation of the story and tonal fidelity matter a lot more. The Fallout series went from a turn based 2.5D isometric RPG to a real time action RPG, and one of the best instalments in the series follows the latter formula.
To be fair, that one Fallout in the latter installments that best fits the original tone of the 2D games had many of the same people that made the original games, including the original designer and writer. If Obsidian was given another shot, now that those people no longer are at Obsidian, I question how good it would be compared to New Vegas.
Since when has gameplay been relegated to lowest priority when making a sequel to a GAME. I understand now what the original fallout fans must have felt when they were graced by fallout 3 and the masses praised it.
Tone and story are Larian tier, i.e. mediocre, and far removed from the original games. There is no fidelity to what bioware built, just pretence.
Baldur’s Gate is part of a setting several decades older than the game franchise of the same name. It was an official setting of D&D a decade before the first game. In the sense of a ROLEPLAYING game, fidelity to the source material is paramount.
The original games were developed at the end of the life cycle of the edition they used for the mechanics. The ruleset got a major revision the same year BG2 was released. There have been several major editions since. Edition warring aside, no one can argue that the Forgotten Realms played in 5th edition isn’t the same Forgotten Realms played in AD&D 2E. The tone and continued narrative of the setting is the key feature in maintaining the soul of a property, not mechanical fidelity.
The game respects the official canon of the Forgotten Realms, including the canonical ending to BG2 where Gorion’s Ward rejected divinity and eventually led to Bhaal’s revival. Characters from the original series return as companions for BG3, with stories acknowledging the Bhaalspawn crisis. One of the origin playthroughs is the exact same story as the first Baldur’s Gate.
If your only complaint is lack of real time with pause then I reckon it’s you who isn’t the real Baldur’s Gate fan.
Bioware themselves took many liberties with the source material to create their games, not sure wtf you’re on about. Larian made a direct sequel to Bioware’s Baldurs Gate, the tone was set by Bioware not the source material.
Baldur’s Gate is narrative heavy and Larian’s writers fell flat on their faces trying to replicate it.
Real time combat was a defining feature of the original games. I was prepared to accept turnbased combat but the game fails in too many other aspects to overlook.
I invite anyone to tell me what connects this game to the originals
the plot is basically the same as the first game and the second game combined and mixed with some new elements to make it unique and is set 100 years or so after the events of the second game.
The city itself
all the recurring characters, including the villains
The play style
the setting
The only thing that doesn’t connect them is the rule edition, and you’re not the same protagonist. BG1 and 2 used AD&D2e. BG3 uses 5e.
I’m not sure why everyone exalts larian as some master story writer now when everything they’ve done has merely been passable. It doesn’t matter how similar the story is if it’s told like shit.
Yes, they did manage to include the city of Baldur’s Gate, I’m impressed.
Recurring characters would be a treat if the game didn’t suck in all other respects.
The play style? Wtf? Where’s the real time combat, 6 party system, single open map, etc. Play style couldn’t be anymore different.
I’m not sure how much the setting has changed since 2E but Larian’s Faerun feels nothing like the original games.
If you think the story is told like shit, I gotta know what stories and games you actually like. Because it ain’t BG1 and 2.
The forgotten realms lore has changed tremendously, dude. WOTC is going absolutely crazy with retcons and changes lately. Where have you been? Like the entire pantheon of Gods from even 3.5e is totally different. There has been a huge cataclysmic event that almost destroyed magic for a second time (the first being the Netherese empire’s destruction; Karsus’ Folly) and much of the landscape too. It’s practically a different world. This stuff isn’t Larian’s fault. It’s literally Wizard’s fault.
Also: BG1 and 2 didn’t have a single map. They did have a world map screen that connected all the actual maps, but it didn’t really mean anything. It was basically what the fast travel screen is now. 🙄
I hated the divinity original sin games with a fucking Passion. Stupid fucking jsnky garbage combat mechanics go stick sn exploding barrel up your fucking collective asses, Larian.
I tried the baldurs gate 3 bets once with some friends. A couple hours was all I can take. It’s as much like d and d as removing your eyeball and fucking yourself in the ass is.
Game mechanic wise, their original titles aren’t even much different in how they are setup from old Bioware titles. Specifically a combination of Neverwinter Nights, KOTOR and Jade Empire. The story is almost exactly the same as the first one, with a blend of elements from the second one, remixed into an entirely new tale.
I’m pretty sure they made them proud. They copied what was good, and improved upon what wasn’t.
My only complaint is how horny everyone is. I act nice to people and they wanna jump on my dick. Literally had a mind flayer try to smash my pelvis and I’m like DUDE MELLOW OUT
Absolutely agreed. I asked one person if they wanted to share a drink at a celebration (that’s just social decorum, right?) and have done no flirting before or after that and now that person talks to me like they’ve been in love with me their whole life.
And I get the idea that you want to let everyone sleep with their favorite NPC regardless of who they’re playing as but it just feels weird to me that everyone is so both pansexual and horny. It makes me feel like nobody has any preferences and just falls in love with you because you’re the main character.
And in general it also lessens the sense of camaraderie a bit for me when it comes down to sex so much. I wish some companions had other interests and had no desire to get in your pants.
I think it’s great for people to have representation but I’m hoping that someone makes a mod to turn it all off. I also really just want an adventure without having to deal with horny party members.
I think there is already a mod that turns off all approval gains, but beware that I think this also blocks off several companions’ personal quests, since they’re related to the relationship. At least that’s what I heard.
The mod I’m using tweaks approval so the gains are smaller for little stuff, losses are bigger and important story decisions etc become more significant (in both directions). I unfortunately didn’t find it until I was already near-max with several companions but it should in theory make it more difficult to end up with everyone being in love with you before the third long rest.
To be fair it almost feels like a homage to early bioware. I remember a few bioware games that had this issue. I remember the forums being full of complaints about surprise romances in mass effect or dragon age.
I do think the issue is more prevalent I’m BG3 though.
It’s made worse by Larians decision to absolutely juice the approval gains when going from Early Access to Full Release, apparently. Makes everything move way too fast and really exacerbates the issue.
So as someone who is an avid fan of Bg1 and bg2, but having never played divinity games because of kinda lack of interest, is bg3 worthy or not? I don’t want to get disappointed.
I had played some post-bg rpgs like dragon age: origins, but it felt like meh and I did not complete it.
I can’t do much to answer your original question but you could always try it and refund it within the 2 hour period steam allows.
Sure, you won’t be able to get the full experience but in that time you should be able to get a basic feel for the game and some characters which could let you form your own opinion.
Steam can be pretty loose with the period too within reason. I only returned a game once, it was the Outer Worlds and I put like 4 hours into it. I explained to them that at that point it was clear that choices didn't have the big impact I thought they would and I felt deceived.
It’s a great game by all measures, but it really feels more like a sequel to the last two Divinity games rather than the Baldur’s Gate series. The only thing it really has in common with the old games is the setting, a few recurring characters, and the fact that it’s based on D&D. Otherwise, they are about as different as CRPGs can get.
If you want a spiritual successor to the old infinity engine games, look at the two Pillars of Eternity games and the two Pathfinder games.
I have had one of the pathfinders games gifted to me, but not tried yet. I guess I should give it a go after I finish up with (totally unrelated) Monster Train.
Pillars of eternity was fucking incredible. They absolutely nailed that old bioware vibe, something I’m certain the cranial leakage Larian employs is incapable of.
I never played BG1 or BG2 or any of the Divinity games. I have played DND a lot. This feels like medieval fantasy Fallout 1 & 2 with AAA flourishes. I really like it. It’s very unforgiving. There are a lot of creative ways to finish quests. You can miss entire bits of the game based on choices. There’s a character you literally cannot recruit based on your morality choices, and with them entire subplots. The game is DEEP
Baldur’s Gate 2 is one of my favourite games of all time, and I was extremely worried and sceptical that BG3 could live up to the hype and the name of the franchise.
To the first point, it definitely has. The game is fantastic, deep, fun and absorbing, with gorgeous environments, interesting nooks, crannies and dungeons to explore and lots of fun making custom multiclass combos for your character.
It does a good job of creating a facsimile of playing Pen-and-Paper D&D with an abundance of skill checks and visible Dice Rolls, and if you decide to roll with your failures instead of save-scumming it has lots of different permutations for events and decisions can have serious consequences.
When it comes to how it relates to the previous games, I’m at the end of Act 2 and have yet to discover a real reason for this game to be called “Baldur’s Gate 3”. So far it has been entirely standalone, narratively. There might still be connections further down the road, however.
The real difference is in the writing. If what you love about the old Baldur’s Gates were the characters and the writing and you want and expect more of that then you will be disappointed. First of all, this game takes place 100 years after BG2 so expect very few familiar faces. The one returning character I’ve encountered so far has not felt particularly recognisable, either. It’s a damn good game, but it definitely feels like an unmistakably Larian game, and not a Baldur’s Gate game, writing wise. It particularly comes through in the companions.
As someone who adores the old games, I still recommend trying it as I’m having a lot of fun with it, but you might want to pretend it’s called “Divinity: Faerun” and not Baldur’s Gate 3 to enjoy it fully.
I love BG series since I’m young (started playing bg1 when I was 14, and I was still playing this year). While BG3 is different in many respect, it is honourable to the franchise IMO.
The game is different obviously, because 20 years have passed. Beamdog made a remaster is what you want is the original game. And BG3 shares a lot with divinity original sin, mostly because it’s the same engine running it. It’s not real time with pause, you have far more interactions with the environment, far more possibilities while exploring the world, and the world is far more reactive to what you’re doing.
IMO BG3 is better than bg2 in almost every respect.
The companions relationships are deeper, and they still have their own personalities, they’re not just following you like in almost all bioware games post BG. There can be very dramatic moment with them.
The rest of the game has a lot to do with what made BG good games. And there was a lot to it.
An important part was the dnd fantasy world and rules. They are updated to 5e, and it’s still dnd, no other game than a dnd franchise would have that.
Most other aspect were already there in Dos2 though: exploration, character and group building, itemization, open world and big side adventures. All that is there and it is the quality of BG. The freedom to do anything the way you like is also there and better than with BG, because the engine allows so much more.
The tactical aspect is also there. The only difference, as I said, is turn based instead of real time with pause. If you’re OK with that, I cannot see how you wouldn’t be happy with BG3, except for some nostalgia that would prevent you from liking anything new. IMO BG3 is factually a better bg2.
Lastly, the story. I’m not that far, and I haven’t seen many connections with bg1 and 2 stories yet. There are references. And the story happens around and in Baldur’s gate (unlike Baldur’s gate 2 btw).
I loved BG2 and it was one of my favourite games ever for a very long time. Though when I read the old BG sub on Reddit it seems people there disliked everything I loved and hyperfocused on things I just considered part of the vehicle to deliver an amazing story that allowed so much freedom and depth that made you feel emotional and connected. I had tried to replay BG2 but the mechanics are so, so outdated now and distracting.
BG3 over delivers on the choice depth, story and connection but does so with an updated, fun and much better engine with much more mechanics.
For some reason, something as simple as using the F5/F8 as quicksave/quickload keys felt like a blast from the past. Maybe it’s been around the whole time and I stopped noticing, but it reminded me of playing old RPGs.
F9 was used in most Bethesda games for quickload. Not sure if this was a typo but AFAIK I only used quicksave before but it still counts as a hard save in BG3 which I appreciate.
Not only does it count as a hard save but there is 25 fucking slots for quick saves by default. And you can increase it. And you can quick save and quick load in the middle of a conversation, save scumming whatever skill checks you want if you’re a loser like me
For me the games I have enjoyed the most are Ratchet and Clank games. I’m so lucky there has been many releases with most of them being good. Longer development cycles and the mindset of releasing when ready would be better for these games too.
I haven’t played the last 3 games but I know that one very appealing idea for them that keeps players around is the newer fluid mechanics and lack of bugs on launch. This series is like the bread and butter of Sony games, you’re never feeling like it’s just a reskin of the previous game.
For me it wasn't the fire that kept drawing comparisons to Divinity. It was the writing. The opening is beat for beat Divinity tropes and it was off-putting. It took hours more gameplay and character development for that edge to wear down, though it has probably permanently shaded my first playthrough. Perhaps that opening was one of the first things written, and thus the most akin to its predecessor.
Once the game settles in, things feel less Divinity and more Faerun. The fire metaphor is apt though. Things do creep in from time to time to remind you who built this adventure. It's like a signature. I don't always like it, seeing the hand in this case is more jarring because of how sensitive I am towards the setting and gameplay. But the craft is so thoughtful otherwise, it's broken through those barriers for me.
I agree, and it comes through in the companions, too. And despite them singling out Jaheira in the article I have a hard time recognising much of her, except for the appearance. Maybe the hundred years passing is the excuse but I wish her bossy, sarcastic, witty personality was more present and recognisable.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the game and it has been monopolizing my attention but it’s still not beating the Divinity 3 allegations (though I’m only at the end of Act 2, still).
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