Baldur's Gate 3

So unlike most reviews here I’ve purchased the game and I have played it. If anyone tells you it’s not rough around the edges they’re just outright lying to you. Online play is currently borked and there are all kinds of animation issues. I have not crashed yet, character customization is nice, story is interesting enough from what I’ve seen. I’ve enjoyed the characters I’ve run into. Is it Baldur’s Gate? Yeah, I mean, it’s in the Forgotten Realms setting. I think a lot of folks have some rose tinted glasses when looking back at the original games. They were great for their time but it’s time to move on. Is this DOS3? Absolutely not. DOS2’s combat has been more interesting and the game itself doesn’t take itself nearly as seriously as BG3 seems to. Am I glad I paid full price for an Early Access game? Absolutely. The game has a lot of potential and extra revenue for the developer is just going to make it that much better. Think of it like backing a kickstarter, the more money it gets the more stretch goals we unlock. It’s going to be a great game from what I’ve seen.

Disappointing there is no demo, instead you're asked to pay $60+ for a game you haven't seen and won't really for a long time before the full product is released. There are dozens of Forgotten Realms games if the setting is what you want, this is supposed to be Baldur's Gate, which to me is a game involving preparing and arrranging your party for real time combat where you pause the action and reorient your party to the changing landscape of the battle. Turn based Divinity Original Sin gameplay is another animal entirely. Disappointing that real time with pausing gameplay is almost entirely missing from modern gaming.

Have played a lot and tried almost all of the different classes for a few levels each. The game shows a lot of promise and there's quite a bit of gameplay meat to chew on. I feel engaged with the story and appreciate the tactical options in combat. Some changes have been made from tabletop and I'm happy with them for the most part although I believe disengaging has become too easy. I have experienced some bugs here and there but for the most part the game has functioned as expected the majority of the time.

I had my reservations when Larian made it known that there would be fully animated dialogue, because it has been tackled by many other titles without success. But, they have delivered beyond my expectations on that front for Early Access, and met their other goals for BG3. Anyone who says this iteration is untrue to the spirit of Baldur's Gate is stuck in past. The game is not yet done. We don't know how this story is going to unfold. And, truth be told, even if it isn't a continuation of the Bhaalspawn saga, I won't be fussed. It's "Baldur's Gate", not "Bhaal's Brood". There is good writing here, and the presentation of its format, music and voice acting are a delight. In terms of gameplay, it strikes a good balance between DOS2 and D&D, though it can still be improved. Even so, it's a good representation of my own experiences with pen and paper adventures and, more importantly, it's fun. Buy it if you like the idea of contributing to the development of this game - I can't imagine the $60 price tag is for anyone else. There's a lot here already that is highly playable - it is an exellent prototype - but don't expect a full and finished product.

First off, I know that $60 for an EA game is a lot to buy in to, but you are buying into a GREAT developer in Larian. If you enjoyed DOS or DOS2, you will like this game. The dice rolls in game are a different experience and I like how Larian incorporated some classic D&D experiences into this game. The story does not feel like a typical BG experience, however, but feels more like a Divinity: Mind Flayers game instead. Pros: The graphics are amazing, some of the NPCs have great backstories, engaging turn-based combat, similar gamplay to DOS, immersive role playing experience Cons: needs more detailed character creation (more classes), bugs bugs bugs (to be expected), needs gamepad support, does not correlate with previous BG games or Forgotten Realms lore In conclusion, like many other reviews say, if you like supporting EA games, like DOS games, you will most likely enjoy this game. If you feel like you cannot handle bugs, or feel even a bit apprehensive about starting this iteration, just wait until full release. I'm glad I invested in this EA, especially during a pandemic that has really cut short the time I have to get together with friends and do our own D&D runs. In it's current state 8/10