The much-anticipated Baldur’s Gate 3 is available right now in Early Access and fans both new and old can experience for themselves developer Larian Studio’s interpretation of the latest entry in the venerable CRPG series.
While only the first third or so of Baldur’s Gate 3 is currently playable, its more than enough to know that, for roleplaying enthusiasts especially, that this is a game you should definitely keep an eye on. Here are just a few reasons as to why:
It’s The First Mainline Baldur’s Gate Game in 20 Years
The first entry in the Baldur’s Gate franchise released all the way back in 1998, and it was kind of a big deal. It was a critical and commercial hit, selling out everywhere and receiving rave reviews from both critics and players alike.
Developed in tandem by Black Isle Studios and BioWare (of Mass Effect fame), this deep computer roleplaying game was based on 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons, and its complex combat system and superbly-written storyline made it an instant classic.
Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn was its direct sequel, and released in 2000. Players were able to import their save data from the original (then a fairly novel concept) and continue the adventure with their choices and experience carrying over.
Shadows of Amn is considered by many, myself among them, to be one of the finest RPG’s ever made. It told a dark, mature tale, and improved upon the first in almost every conceivable manner while structuring its content in a revolutionarily open way (again, something that was fairly novel for the time).
More recently, these two defining games were remastered by developer Beamdog in 2012 and 2013 respectively on both PC and consoles, allowing a brand new generation to experience these influential classics for themselves. You can imagine, then, the anticipation that preceded the release of Baldur’s Gate 3, especially when you consider its lineage with the fact that:
