Baldur's Gate 3

Classic role-playing game (CRPG) with an isometric camera, featuring interactive, immersive locations and variable gameplay. Go wherever you want, do whatever you want, and complete quests however you want. The combat system is strictly turn-based, but time moves in real-time when you are not in combat. Actions are determined by rolling a twenty-sided die according to the rules of Dungeons & Dragons 5, but the game design simplifies everything for newcomers, rather than catering to the hardcore D&D audience. The story presentation is modernized with plenty of cutscenes on the engine and CGI clips.

The Forgotten Realms universe includes virtually all elements of classic fantasy and is rich in detail. Magic of different types and elements. Variable combat with one- and two-handed melee weapons, bows and crossbows, hidden blades. A variety of races (elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins, and so on) and fantasy creatures (dragons, demons, vampires, elementals). A pantheon of local gods influencing the fates and motives of residents.

Adventures unfold on the continent of Faerûn, in its warm part with picturesque meadows and dense forests, densely populated villages, and large cities. The action of Baldur's Gate 3 covers significant territories, the player will visit various places in Faerûn, descend into the Underdark, and touch other dimensions. For each location, the designers have chosen the right ambiance — whether it's a seaport, a dwarf foundry, a demon dimension, or rotten swamps — everything looks authentic. Some things are also refined by mods.

The open world is divided into large zones matching the current act of the main story. All levels are handcrafted, meticulously decorated, and filled with life. Baldur's Gate itself — the city of opportunities and failures, saints and sinners — appears only in the final act. This part of the world is grand, and every corner has its own set of stories and activities, NPCs roam everywhere, and you can talk to any of them.

The events of Baldur's Gate 3 unfold 120 years after the finale of Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition. Those times and the confrontation with the god Bhaal have become legends, Faerûn lives with other problems, but ancient evil rises from the shadows once again, quietly breaking what seemed to be an established cycle of things. Faerûn is once again threatened with falling into darkness, heralded by the destructive invasion of the squid-like Illithids, a high-tech race of brain-eaters from another dimension.

The beginning is far from large-scale events. By a twist of fate, the protagonist is captured by an Illithid ship and has a larva implanted in their brain. It is about to transform the hero into a mollusk with terrifying tentacles — and only by chance do they manage to leave the ship early. From the simple motivation of "getting rid of the parasite," the story gradually evolves into an epic adventure, and the significance of the decisions made will grow to encompass the whole of Faerûn.

The plot of Baldur's Gate 3 cannot be unequivocally called dark or positive, tense or devoid of emotions. Everything depends on the decisions and acceptance (or not) of the consequences. By making one choice or another, of which there are more than 17,000, the player forms a trajectory of the plot, and each playthrough will be unique: with different friends and enemies, relationships between characters, dialogues, quests, and endings. Unpredictable twists, which the plot is full of, yield diametrically different results.

The story is so complex that even the deliberate killing of companions or important NPCs won't break the playthrough. Main, side, and other quests are seamlessly intertwined: progressing through the story unlocks secondary quests, and by completing an optional task or discovering an item, you can stumble upon an entire story arc. The latter, however, is easy to miss. And all this is in addition to unique events and quests that the game provides based on the confluence of circumstances.

The narrative of Baldur's Gate 3 spans three acts and delights with its direction. Important plot points and interactions between characters are presented as high-quality animated scenes, allowing for deeper immersion in the events. As soon as one intrigue closes, another often takes its place, keeping attention. And to see the whole picture, it's not enough to just watch — you'll have to read all the sources. The direction of scenes and the staging of dialogues, along with voice acting and facial capture of actors, present a lot of text (narrative) in a more convenient form for the player compared to other games in the genre.

Baldur's Gate 3 offers both pre-made heroes and the option to create your own. The character editor is huge. You can choose: appearance, physical characteristics, facial and body features, personality, and background.

The chosen race and subrace of the hero grant unique traits and characteristics. Some see better in the dark, others heal wounds faster, and still others are simply physically strong, and so on. Moreover, they directly affect role-playing due to differences in perception by other characters in Faerûn. A half-demon tiefling might be challenged to a duel where an elf would be welcomed with open arms. Thus, the choice of race opens up unique plot options and dialogues, making the gaming experience even more diverse.

A dozen main classes determine the hero's skills and combat abilities, directly influencing the style of play: a Tank absorbs damage, a Paladin charges into crowds, a Bard provokes enemies, a Druid transforms into a bear, and a Wizard casts spells. There are also subclasses: they provide additional specializations and unique abilities. The character has six main attributes (strength, dexterity, endurance, intelligence, wisdom, and charisma), one of which is primary and another secondary.

As you progress through Baldur's Gate 3, you will encounter various companions who, by genre standards, can be included in the party. Each is a unique individual with a written backstory, motivation, moral compass, skills, and abilities. This makes them an important asset during checks in decision-making (you can switch to a companion in dialogue), interacting with the environment, or in combat (the check is given to the most skilled party member in that case).

You can't gather all the companions at once; some even directly exclude others or do not accept certain choices by the protagonist and will leave the party. Relationships can be influenced through the completion of often challenging personal quests of companions. The more cohesive the party, the better, as the choice of companions will have a significant impact on the course of the story.

The passage of Baldur's Gate 3 follows genre canons. We move through the level with the whole crowd, immediately engaging in combat with obvious enemies, and trying to negotiate with the rest through influence, intimidation, or money. Along the way, we explore the level and "vacuum" the location, stacking everything into our inventory and that of our companions. Items are categorized by rarity and their characteristics affect one of the hero's six basic parameters, significantly influencing the build by adding abilities and effects to attacks or spells.

How to deal with a specific group of enemies depends on the player's imagination; there are always several options. In combat, friends and foes perform a certain number of actions per turn, which include movement, primary attacks, special actions, and the use of abilities. The latter can only be used a couple of times per fight, as the combat system lacks a conventional "mana bar." The engine takes "height position" into account, allowing you to kick or push enemies off a ledge.

Interactive items on the level can turn the tide of battle. You can grab a barrel of oil and throw it at enemies or smear and ignite your sword, adding fire damage. This encourages using the environment and physics in combat, rather than just focusing on tactics. Melee classes are made according to modified rules, making them no less powerful than wizards. The element of chance, inherent in the D&D system, also prevails over Baldur's Gate: any action can have a successful outcome or a critical failure.

Recovery of strength and abilities occurs in the camp, whose design mirrors the surrounding location. If you stop in the forest, the camp embodies a forest atmosphere; if you enter a city, the camp instantly "dresses" in urban decor. There are no other activities in the camp besides communication, inventory management, and party management.

Baldur's Gate 3 offers a range of exciting activities. Solving puzzles and other logical tasks. Collecting resources and recipes to create potions, elixirs, weapon buffs, and other consumables. Stealth mode, which is always available and allows you to complete tasks more efficiently. Completing a quest through combat, stealth, or diplomacy often yields different results, which can have long-term consequences.

Progression is also standard: defeat enemies, complete quests, explore Faerûn, pass difficult checks — for this and much more, the entire group gains experience. The hero and companions receive the same amount of experience from all sources. Once enough experience is gained, characters level up, thereby unlocking skill points that can be invested in attributes, as well as new abilities. Development of a second class (multiclassing) is allowed. Replayability is extremely high.

The game remains an RPG but is not overloaded with unnecessary rules for balance complexity; however, a couple of hours may not be enough to get the hang of it. The best builds for characters and individual mechanics of the game are in our guides section.

Baldur's Gate 3 can be played in co-op with a squad of 2 to 4 people, creating new unique heroes or taking them from another party. Notably, the gameplay does not require players to always be together; each player here is the main character, free to do whatever they want within the game world. Один может проходить подземелье, второй — исследовать мир, третий — создавать хаос в общении с персонажами.

Тем не менее, кооператив рассчитан создать опыт, эквивалентный игре в D&D при наличии Владыки Подземелья (Dungeon Master). Все ходы согласовываются, поступающая информация (записи в журнале, мини-карта, открытия и рецепты) — общая для всех играющих вместе. Каждый игрок награждается «очками вдохновения» за действия, сообразные его роли, что позволяет перебросить кубик в случае неудачи в диалоговой опции.

Друзья могут видеть, что происходит в игре и какой выбор сделан другими игроками в диалоговых опциях. Либо они могут голосовать за то или иное решение. Хост также может оставить контроль над диалоговыми опциями себе. Некоторые сцены, например романтические, будут автоматически приватными, хотя ими можно поделиться с членами группы.

Есть альтернативный режим игры «на двоих», когда оба игрока находятся в одном помещении. Картинка на мониторе разделится пополам, и каждый будет проходить игру на своей половине. Правила при этом те же, что и в обычном кооперативе.