It’s kind of hard to believe that Baldur’s Gate 3 is going to be three years old in August. Larian Studios’ groundbreaking fantasy RPG was one of the biggest hits of 2023, and it was one of the first games that really got me into party-based RPGs. I didn’t know what to think of Baldur’s Gate 3 going into it, but like many other gamers, I quickly got hooked and spent hours upon hours diving deeper into the game.
As someone who is inclined to gravitate toward more linear, narrative-driven games, Baldur’s Gate 3‘s cinematic qualities were what initially drew me in. Baldur’s Gate 3‘s story and characters make it a game with some of the best RPG writing in the industry. The way choices actually matter and play into the story is still wildly impressive, and many have been on the lookout for games that could be the next Baldur’s Gate 3. Unfortunately, this probably isn’t going to happen any time soon. More importantly, it shouldn’t.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Companions Ranked by How Chaotic They Are
Each companion in Baldur’s Gate 3 has their strengths and weaknesses, which include how much fun and chaos they can bring to the party.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is Singular, and It Should Stay That Way
Yes, it would be pretty exciting to get another fantasy RPG that is on par with Baldur’s Gate 3. There’s no doubt about that. However, Baldur’s Gate 3‘s charm is, in part, because there truly is no other game like it. There are a few games similar to Baldur’s Gate 3 out there, sure, but nothing has been able to fully capture what makes Larian Studios’ D&D game so special.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Easy (120s)Medium (90s)Hard (60s)
It’s not impossible to recreate that specific Baldur’s Gate 3 magic, but that would be putting the focus in the wrong place. If there really was a game that proved to be the second coming of Baldur’s Gate 3, it would simply feel like a copy. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be incredibly fun. The biggest issue, though, is that it would have been more interesting to see what this hypothetical game’s developer could have done with its own original vision instead of focusing on capturing the attention of the Baldur’s Gate 3 crowd.
A Look at Some RPGS That Have Baldur’s Gate 3’s Similar Spark
- Divinity: Original Sin 2 (also by Larian Studios)
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- The Witcher 3
- Dragon Age: Origins
- Disco Elysium
- Mass Effect trilogy
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Instead of Inspiring Copycat Games, Baldur’s Gate 3 Hopefully Inspires Developers to Focus on Bold Originality
Baldur’s Gate 3 works so well because it stands on its own. Yes, it’s one of many fantasy RPGs out there, but it doesn’t take much time with the game to realize that there isn’t another title that plays like it. The amount of character and story depth that Baldur’s Gate 3 has is wild. I’m not saying that no other RPG can have that, but developers should be doing so in their own unique ways instead of studying the formula of Larian Studios games too closely.
A lot of the best games that have come out since Baldur’s Gate 3 have been taking fresh approaches to their gameplay and storytelling. Clair Obscur: Expedtion 33 is one of the best examples of this. Like Baldur’s Gate 3, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a party-based RPG with turn-based gameplay, but the latter’s storytelling and world-building make it an experience that feels one-of-a-kind.
This also applies to games outside the RPG umbrella. Pragmata‘s combat system is centered around hacking through shields before being able to actually attack enemies. Even Resident Evil Requiem subverted expectations with how its gameplay works. The game teams up an experienced character like Leon Kennedy with an everyday FBI analyst desk worker, Grace Ashcroft, in order to lean into both the franchise’s action and survival elements in more intense ways. It’s a Resident Evil game down to its core, but the bold risks it takes make it way more memorable than it would have been if it just copied and pasted previous entries.
Balance the critic averages
Balance the critic averages
Easy (6)Medium (8)Hard (10)
There Will Probably Never Be a Game Like Baldur’s Gate 3 Ever Again, And That’s Okay
It’s far more likely that Baldur’s Gate 3 will continue to be a fantasy RPG juggernaut that is really hard to emulate, and that’s really for the best. This leaves the door open for new games and features to enter the competition that have the potential to be just as good in different ways. There is also the very real possibility that a game eventually comes along that actually ends up dethroning Baldur’s Gate 3 as one of the best fantasy RPGs. That probably won’t be for a while, but it’s not impossible.
Larian Studios’ Next Project Shouldn’t Be Looked at as Another Baldur’s Gate 3
At last year’s Game Awards, one of the biggest announcements of the night was the gnarly, gore-filled trailer for a new Divinity game. This will be the seventh game in the Divinity series, and director Swen Vincke has already confirmed that it’s going to be another turn-based RPG. These facts might entice a few eager Baldur’s Gate 3 fans to immediately assume that it’s going to be similar, but that’s probably not the case.
The in-development project may be a turn-based fantasy game, but even Larian Studios has said that Divinity is different than Baldur’s Gate 3. Vincke has already made it clear that Larian Studios wants to keep doing something new with each project, and that’s the right move. Keeping the basic gameplay features as a cohesive element allows for familiarity, but expanding beyond that with fresh concepts and new stories is what helps a studio continue to grow into a stronger developer.
Being Open to New Gaming Experiences is the Key
The slow death of live service games is a great example that recreating the same kind of game over and over eventually gets old. Striving for bold and innovative ideas is what keeps gaming exciting. Baldur’s Gate 3 should be allowed to cement itself as a game that feels like no other. There have already been several games that are just as compelling, despite being different. Audiences just have to be open to new experiences.
- Released
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August 3, 2023
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
