Baldur’s Gate 3: The RPG That Redefined Storytelling

Okay, I need to talk about Baldur’s Gate 3. Like, really talk about it. Because this game is something else.

When it dropped in August 2023, I thought “okay, another D&D game, probably solid but whatever.” Man, was I wrong. Larian Studios—who even remembers Divinity Original Sin 1?—somehow made what might be the best RPG of the decade. Over 15 million copies sold, Game of the Year awards left and right, and honestly? Deserved every bit of it.

Here’s the thing though: this isn’t a quick weekend game. Expect to sink 150+ hours if you want to see everything. And honestly? Every single hour is worth it.

That Opening Still Freaks Me Out

You wake up on a Mind Flayer ship. If you don’t know what a Mind Flayer is, picture an octopus alien that eats brains. You’re one of them now—or will be, anyway. There’s a literal tadpole in your head that’s slowly turning you into one of those things.

The ship crashes, you wash up on the Sword Coast, and suddenly you’ve got six months before you stop being you. That’s the setup. Sounds simple, right?

It absolutely is not simple. Within an hour you’re dealing with a zombie apocalypse, goblins attacking refugees, a druid grove under siege, and somehow also trying to figure out who the hell the “Absolute” actually is. The game just throws you into chaos and says “figure it out.” I love it.

Oh, and here’s the kicker: you’ve got 12 classes and 11 races to choose from, and each one has unique dialogue options. Playing as a Drow is completely different from playing as a Halfling. That level of variety is genuinely impressive.

The Combat Made Me Feel Like a Tactical Genius

Baldur’s Gate 3 uses D&D 5th Edition rules, and if you’ve ever played tabletop D&D, you’ll feel right at home. If you haven’t? Don’t worry, the game teaches you as you go.

It’s all turn-based. Every turn, you get one action, one bonus action, and movement. Sounds limiting, but that’s what makes it brilliant—you actually have to think about what you’re doing.

Positioning matters so much. If you’re on high ground, your arrows have advantage. If you’re behind a wall, enemies have cover and are harder to hit. Throw oil on the ground, light it on fire, watch enemies panic. Push people off cliffs. Use Turn Undead on enemy clerics and suddenly their summons turn on them. The environment is your best friend.

And the classes! Twelve of them, each with multiple subclasses. I’ve played through three times and I still haven’t tried everything. Paladins with their smite damage feel amazing. Rogues critting for insane Sneak Attack damage. Wizards with their massive spell list. Druids turning into animals. Warlocks with their Eldritch Blast that you upgrade with cool invocations. Every build feels viable, every choice matters.

The reaction system trips some people up. You can cast Shield to block an incoming attack, use Counterspell to stop enemy magic, or take Opportunity Attacks when enemies try to run. Do you burn your Shield spell now or save it for the boss? That tension is where the strategy lives.

These Companions Stay With You

Honestly? The companions are the real reason I’m on my fourth playthrough.

You’ve got eight fully voice-acted companions, each with their own storyline, personality, and arc. They don’t just follow you around—they judge you, disagree with you, and will absolutely abandon you if you’re a terrible person. No, really. Be evil enough and your companions leave or even attack you.

Astarion is a vampire spawn who went through absolute hell. His questline about freedom and what you’ll do with power hit different. Shadowheart has this whole thing going on with her goddess Shar that gets really intense. Gale’s just a guy with a magical bomb in his chest—no big deal. Karlach’s engine heart is literally burning out and she needs help. Wyll made a devil deal and has to live with it.

The approval system is straightforward but meaningful. Do things they like, they like you more. Do things they hate, they hate you more. Simple. Except when you’re in a party with conflicting personalities and you have to balance everyone’s feelings while also not letting the world burn. That’s where the fun starts.

Nine romance options, by the way. And they’re not just “click this option three times and you win.” These are actual relationships with consequences, emotional beats, and scenes that stick with you.

The Choices Hit Different

Baldur’s Gate 3 has something like 17,000 different endings. No, that’s not a typo. Seventeen thousand.

Here’s what I love: choices you make in Act 1 come back in Act 3. That guy you spared? He shows up later. That decision you made about the druids? It changes everything downstream. There’s a goblin leader named Ragzlin who I killed in Act 1 because he was threatening the grove. Later, I found out killing him early actually locks me out of a whole questline. I didn’t even know that existed.

Act 1 alone has enough branching that my first playthrough and my friend’s first playthrough were completely different. We made different choices, saw different things, and had completely different experiences. That’s the magic of this game—it respects your choices.

Some choices are genuinely hard. There’s this moment in Act 2 where you have to pick between two outcomes, and I sat there for ten minutes trying to decide. Both options have consequences. Both have people depending on you. That’s when you know the writing is doing something right.

Yeah, Act 3 Has Issues

Look, I have to be honest: Act 3 isn’t perfect. Performance can tank on some systems, and there’s definitely still bugs floating around despite patches. The city of Baldur’s Gate is ambitious as hell, but the game sometimes struggles to keep up.

Some of the companion quests in Act 3 feel rushed compared to earlier acts. Without spoiling anything, certain storylines wrap up in ways that feel a little abrupt.

But here’s the thing—Larian kept patching. Patch 7 added full epilogue sequences where you actually get to see your companions after the credits roll. That was fan demand, and they delivered. That’s the kind of developer respect that makes me want to support them.

Multiplayer Is Absolute Chaos

Grab three friends and play co-op. I’m serious.

We spent a Saturday doing nothing but playing BG3 together, and it was one of the best gaming experiences I’ve had in years. Four players, each controlling one character. Watching my friend try to seduce an enemy while I’m trying to pick the lock. Another friend accidentally triggering a trap because they clicked the wrong thing. The pure chaos of a party vote when someone wants to kill an NPC and someone else wants to recruit them.

The shared tadpole mechanic means you can distribute Illithid powers between party members. Do you give one person all the power and risk them? Spread it around? These are conversations that happen at the table, and they’re hilarious.

Mod support is also solid. Console players got official mod support, and PC has had a thriving modding scene since day one. New classes, hair options, UI improvements—the community has been cooking.

So, Is It Worth It?

Ten out of ten. And I don’t give that score lightly.

What makes BG3 special: the writing is phenomenal. The companions feel real. Your choices actually matter. The combat rewards thoughtful play. The world is dense with secrets. The voice acting alone—24,000 lines per companion—is absurdly good.

It’s a game that respects your intelligence. It doesn’t hold your hand. It trusts you to figure things out, make mistakes, and learn. And when you do? The payoff is incredible.

Whether you’re a D&D veteran who’s been waiting for a digital adaptation worthy of the name, or someone who’s never rolled a d20 in their life—this game is for you. The Sword Coast is massive, the Forgotten Realms are deep, and your story is waiting.

Roll for initiative. Your story begins now.

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