Baldur's Gate 3

Its early access, but they've ironed out many of the bugs, it runs very smoothly and its fun as hell... Yes its not real time with pause like the OG BG1 & 2... But this system works very well too and IMO is a buff to casters compared to real time with pause. I am waiting for the full release in a week. I think my first playthrough of Early access was easily 40 hours which is longer than most games and this was just act 1.

I'm 40-something and I have been a DnD geek for a long, long time, since the 2nd edition. I'm also a videogame player since the first PCs appeared, and I played BG, BG2, IWD, and more, when they came out in the late 90s and early 2000. I also played many CRPGS like Pillars of Eternity and Divinity Orginal Sin 1 and 2. When I experienced those last 2 Larian games, I thought to myself that many of those games' mechanics would be great for a DnD game, and I felt a nostalgia for the BG and BG2 games that were so influential for our generation of early gamers. I wished that Larian made a DnD game. So I was very hyped when I knew that they were granted the DnD license and they would make the BG3 game. I thought that the license of that particular game was in the best hands. Now I have played BG3 for about 10 hours. I bought it in early access, a few days before launch. And let me tell you, it's a gorgeous game. I still have lots and lots to see and experience, but from the point I'm in now in the game, I'm confident to say that Larian nailed it. They made the best game they could, respecting the license and the fans. They balanced pretty amazingly the cravings of the old players with the needs of modern ones, I think. Great characters, a great story, great mechanics, and great value. I'm thankful and happy for Larian and their player base. We need more studios like this in an industry that has been falling down into terrible practices. I don't understand, really, the people that complain about BG3 not being a BG game, but a Divinity Original Sin one. I mean, it's Larian, they have a well-thought way of making things, and that way is perfect, in my opinion, for a game like BG3. So yes, the mechanics are awesome for a 5e DnD game. It feels as if you were playing a DnD session with a great master, incredible fellow players, and awesome strategy TTP turn mechanics. So, if you like RPGs, DnD and videogames, this game is a must. It won't disappoint you.

If you like DnD, RPGs, CRPGs you can say goodbye to the outside world/girlfriend/wife. Larian studios showing other studios that they need to git gud. No always online nonsense, no microtransaction/paywall, no chopped up missing game elements later to be released as dlc, just an amazing epic complete game bar a few bugs here and there which will probably be ironed out eventually. CRPG/RPG doesnt come any better than this, its like im back in the early 2000's when games were grand and interesting, deus ex, baldurs gate 2, fallout 2, icewind dale, neverwinter nights and dragon age origins, all these games which i repeatedly come back to play regularly to this day.

The game is quite impressive but once you look closely enough not as good as everybody is saying. My main gripe is it really does not lend itself well to true experimentation and exploration. I feel myself constantly reading guides or walk throughs so I do not make the wrong action with seemingly innocent play or miss something valuable (like a chest blows up destroying a ladder that prevents me getting to another chest). I am not talking about core story changees but stupid events that seem to have massive negative impacts for no reason. One example: one of the first areas you encounter the druid grove I am approached by somebody who says some kid accused me of bullying them (the kid is a pickpocket and I did no such thing unless catching them in the act and calling them out is bullying) - your choices are go to prison or kill the entire village. seriously! This is not fun - it's a game of save and load to avoid these massive holes / continuity of the story. That is NOT fun. I would love to see statistics of how often people load saved games within small time frames All the 5 stars out there - take a breath and take a deeper look and see the flaws like this that truly ruin the game play.

As Baldur's Gate I and II rank among my favorite games, I had high hopes for this spiritual and, to a degree, narrative successor. After putting in 300 hours into the game, I can say that it met and sometimes even exceeded my expectations, but a few major issues ultimately hold it back. The gorgeous introduction and character creator set a strong tone that continues throughout Act 1, clearly showing the benefits of the time spent in early access. From the detailed graphics to the expansive choices in completing quests, the first half feels polished in almost every way. Combat initially seems overwhelming, but you can quickly overcome this by approaching it patiently and methodically. I can't help but wish for more in-game support to ease this curve, as the close-pitched battles have become my favorite aspect of the game despite my early frustrations. The story similarly starts strong with an air of mystery before tapering off in Acts 2 and 3. Simply put, both the narrative and gameplay in the second half feel unfinished and disjointed, exacerbated by numerous bugs. Even after the second large patch, I still experience issues ranging from minor annoyances such as wares not being flagged properly to a recurring crash at one particular point in my current playthrough. Graphical glitches, particularly in conversations, abound as well. While not as serious as the bugs, they definitely detract from the experience. Will it eventually be considered a classic? It's very likely. However, in its present state it feels like it could have been so much more. Hopefully Larian will learn from this and make an even better D&D title in the future. Pros • An incredibly adaptive gameplay experience • Rewarding combat that encourages experimentation • Gorgeous graphics for a game of its type • Strong characters Cons • A high learning curve with little in-game support • Frequent bugs and graphical glitches • Imbalances in the story and pacing • An underwhelming evil campaign