Baldur’s Gate 3 is a 2023 role-playing video game developed and published by Belgian game developer Larian Studios. The game is the third main installment in the Baldur’s Gate series, based on the tabletop fantasy role-playing system of Dungeons & Dragons
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a role-playing video game with single-player and cooperative multiplayer elements. Players can create one or more characters and form a party along with a number of pre-generated characters to explore the game’s story. Optionally, players are able to take one of their characters and team up online with other players to form a party.[5][6]
The game implements a flexible quest system with various approaches to resolving most quests. Players can eliminate almost any non-player character, regardless of their importance to the storyline, yet still continue to advance through the game.[7] The game is divided into three acts, each taking place in a distinct region of the world. Within these acts, the game adopts a non-linear format, permitting players to tackle quests in virtually any sequence.[7]
Screenshot of Baldur’s Gate 3’s first combat encounter.
Baldur’s Gate 3 features turn-based combat implementing the combat model from 5th edition of the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing game.
Unlike previous games in the Baldur’s Gate series, Baldur’s Gate 3 has turn-based combat, similar to Larian’s earlier games Divinity: Original Sin and Divinity: Original Sin II; all combat is based on the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition rules.[8] Most mechanics and spells are taken from the tabletop role-playing game version of Dungeons & Dragons, although some are modified or omitted due to the adaptation of the game into a role-playing video game format.[9] There are 12 character classes, which are further subdivided into 46 subclasses. Each class focuses on a different aspect of the combat system, such as the wizard, who focuses on casting a large variety of spells or the barbarian, who focuses on unarmoured melee combat.[10] The player can also select more than one class per character, which is referred to as multiclassing, allowing the player to build their character in many different and unique ways.[11]
The game incorporates a roster of ten companion characters who are available for players to enlist into their party. Each of these characters has a personal story and a narrative that the player can explore further. The player can develop relationships with companion characters based on plot and dialogue choices made. Some of the companion characters are only accessible provided that the player makes specific plot or dialogue choices.[12]
All characters, both major and minor, are fully voice acted and motion captured, amounting to approximately 1.5 million words of performance capture.[13][14]
The game features a limited free floating camera, allowing the player to play the game in any camera ranging from fully third-person camera to an isometric top-down view.[15] The game’s user interface has both a mouse and keyboard and a controller mode. In both modes, the player can use spells and combat actions, manage inventory, see the map, display player and companion character’s statistics and select various gameplay elements such as allied and enemy characters.[16]
The game has modding support, although not all features and tools are available at launch, and modding options are expected to expand with subsequent updates.[17] Many mods are available from the community, allowing the player to change various aspects of the game.[18
Setting
Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place in the fictional world of the Forgotten Realms during the year of 1492 DR, over 120 years after the events of the previous game, Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn, and months after the events of the playable Dungeons & Dragons 5e module, Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus. The story is set primarily in the Sword Coast in western Faerûn, encompassing a forested area that includes the Emerald Grove, a druid grove dedicated to the deity Silvanus; Moonrise Towers and the Shadow-Cursed Lands, which are covered by an unnatural and sentient darkness that can only be penetrated through magical means; and Baldur’s Gate, the largest and most affluent city in the region, as well as its outlying suburb of Rivington. Other places the player visits include the Underdark, the Astral Plane and Avernus.
Characters
The game is fully narrated by voice actress Amelia Tyler, who acts as the Dungeon Master, describing the world and the player’s actions throughout the story.[20] The player character can either be created from scratch by the player, chosen from six pre-made “origin characters”, or a customisable seventh origin character known as The Dark Urge.[21] All six pre-made origin characters can be recruited as part of the player character’s party. They include Lae’zel (Devora Wilde), a githyanki fighter; Shadowheart (Jennifer English), a half-elf cleric; Astarion (Neil Newbon), a high elf vampire rogue; Gale (Tim Downie), a human wizard; Wyll (Theo Solomon), a human warlock; and Karlach (Samantha Béart), a tiefling barbarian.[22][23] Four other characters may join the player’s party: Halsin (Dave Jones), a wood elf druid; Jaheira (Tracy Wiles), a half-elf druid; Minsc (Matthew Mercer), a human ranger who carries a hamster named Boo with him; and Minthara (Emma Gregory), a drow paladin. Jaheira and Minsc previously appeared in both Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn.[24]
The primary antagonists of the game are the Absolute (Cissy Jones), and her three chosen followers General Ketheric Thorm (J. K. Simmons), Lord Enver Gortash (Jason Isaacs), and Orin the Red (Maggie Robertson). Additional major characters include: Withers (Stephen Boxer), a mysterious undead entity who supports the player in camp, Raphael (Andrew Wincott), a devil with a penchant for making deals; Elminster (Crispin Redman), a renowned wizard and mentor to Gale; Auntie Ethel (Rena Valeh), a fussy trader of potions and sundries; Bhaal (Doug Cockle), the God of Murder; Mystra (Jane Perry), Goddess of Magic; Volo (Stephen Hogan), an unlucky writer; Mizora (Tamaryn Payne), a manipulative devil with a connection to Wyll; Isobel (Mia Foo), a half elf cleric working with Jaheria; Dame Aylin (Helen Keeley), Isobel’s partner and an aasimar paladin; Ulder Ravengard (Chris Jarman), Wyll’s father and Duke of Baldur’s Gate; Kith’rak Voss (Richard Cotton), a githyanki knight; Dammon (Frazer Blaxland), a tiefling blacksmith, and The Emperor (Scott Joseph), a mind flayer with a key role in the main story. Sceleritas Fel (Brian Bowles), a fiend and manservant to the Dark Urge, only appears if the player has chosen to create a Dark Urge character. Viconia DeVir (Jess Nesling), a drow cleric and Mother Superior serving Shar who is integral to Shadowheart’s storyline, previously appeared in Baldur’s Gate and appeared as a companion in Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn where she was voiced by Grey DeLisle.