Baldur's Gate 3 has enjoyed a highly successful launch weekend, not only on PC but also on the PS5 platform. On PC, the game's popularity has soared..
Baldur's Gate 3: Overview | Updates | Gameplay
Step into the captivating world of Baldur's Gate 3, where the Forgotten
Realms beckon with tales of camaraderie and deception, sacrifice and
resilience, and the irresistible temptation of absolute power. Unleash your
hidden potential as enigmatic abilities awaken within you, courtesy of a
Mind Flayer parasite nestled in your mind.
The choice is yours - resist the darkness and turn it against itself, or
embrace the allure of corruption and embrace the path of ultimate evil.
Brought to you by the masterminds behind Divinity: Original Sin 2, this
next-generation RPG transports you into the enchanting realm of Dungeons and
Dragons, promising a gaming experience like no other.
Game Overview
Release date: August 3, 2023
Developer: Larian Studios
Publisher: Larian Studios
Baldur's Gate 3 has achieved best-selling pre-order status on PS5.
Probably should stay away from the IT team for a while - told them they should expect like 100k or so at max https://t.co/TY0aSrmWEx
— Swen Vincke @where? (@LarAtLarian) August 4, 2023
Baldur's Gate 3 has enjoyed a highly successful launch weekend, not only
on PC but also on the PS5 platform. On PC, the game's popularity has
soared, surpassing its previous record of 532,876 concurrent players on
launch day. Now, according to SteamDB, the concurrent player count has
reached an impressive 712,28.
Larian Studios' CEO, Swen Vincke, had initially anticipated a maximum
concurrent player count of around 100k, but the game has far exceeded
those expectations. The success of Baldur's Gate 3 on PS5 can be
attributed to several factors. The excitement generated by PC players
about the game's expansive writing, intriguing D&D-style
problem-solving, and Larian's unique approach likely influenced PS5
users' interest.
Furthermore, the game's exceptional RPG experience has likely filled a
void for many players, especially considering the absence of anticipated
titles like Mass Effect 5 and Dragon Age 4 from BioWare. Overall,
Baldur's Gate 3 has captivated players on both PC and PS5, solidifying
its position as a top-notch RPG in the gaming community.
Baldur's Gate 3 Story
Baldur's Gate 3 unfolds a new tale set in the current era of the Forgotten
Realms. The story revolves around mind flayers, enigmatic alien creatures
with psychic powers, who have discovered a way to travel between worlds and
are planning an invasion.
The player-character and their main companions face a unique challenge as
they are infected with parasitic tadpoles that would typically transform
them into mind flayers. However, for some unknown reason, the transformation
process isn't working as expected. The main quest revolves around uncovering
more about these tadpoles and finding a way to remove them safely.
Although the party doesn't immediately transform into mind flayers, the
tadpoles do have an impact. They allow the player to link minds with others
who also have tadpoles, providing some benefits. However, using this power
excessively makes them more susceptible to control when encountered by
actual mind flayers.
Mind flayers have a notorious reputation in the Dungeons & Dragons
universe as malevolent beings with powerful psionic abilities. They can
manipulate the minds of other sentient creatures and have a disturbing habit
of consuming brains.
Over time, they have amassed enemies, including demons and githyanki, who
engage in battles against them. The game features a githyanki fighter as one
of the initial companions, having been captured by mind flayers. Baldur's
Gate, a sprawling open city, also plays a significant role in the adventure.
Baldur's Gate 3 Gameplay
Video Credit:
The gameplay video featured in this content is from the official IGN YouTube channel. All credit for the video goes to IGN for providing the captivating gameplay footage. For more exciting gaming content, be sure to visit and subscribe to IGN's YouTube channel.
In Baldur's Gate 3, the classic party-based RPG experience is preserved,
where players gather and lead a group of fantasy heroes on an adventure.
They can choose to play as a predefined "origin character" with a unique
background and story, or create a fully custom character from scratch. The
game's focus is on intricate systems, including a combat system based on the
D&D 5e ruleset, giving players plenty of agency to tackle challenges in
their personal and party quests.
The gameplay offers a plethora of options, such as using spells, skills, and
environmental manipulation to overcome obstacles creatively. For example,
players can strategically collapse buildings, transform into gas to sneak
through tight spaces, or convince animals to assist them. Even seemingly
insignificant objects like an empty box can become crucial tools to solve
puzzles or defeat enemies.
Out-of-combat gameplay is in real-time, but players can switch to turn-based
mode when they want to plan detailed strategies, especially for sneaking and
stealing. In multiplayer, each player can switch between real-time and
turn-based modes independently, allowing for a mix of activities among party
members.
To address extreme luck or unluckiness with dice rolls, players can enable
Karmic Dice, a feature that balances the randomness while maintaining the
essence of RNG (random number generation). This ensures that players won't
suffer from consecutive bouts of bad or exceptionally good luck during
gameplay.
Connection Between Baldur's Gate 3 and Baldur's Gate 2
Baldur's Gate 3 introduces a fresh set of characters and takes place years
after the events of Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal. Despite the new
storyline, there are intriguing connections to the previous games. Sven
Vincke, the founder of Larian Studios, emphasized in a Reddit Ask Me
Anything (AMA) that they wanted to maintain a link to the earlier games.
While avoiding spoilers, Vincke revealed that Baldur's Gate 3 explores the
story of Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 in significant ways, and there are
returning characters that tie the events of the past games to the current
narrative.
During The Game Awards, a trailer for Baldur's Gate 3 showcased the return
of two beloved characters from the series: Jaheira and Minsc. Tracy Wiles,
a seasoned voice actor, reprised her role as Jaheira, while the well-known
Matt Mercer lent his voice to Minsc. This inclusion of familiar characters
added a nostalgic touch and further connected the latest installment with
the rich history of the Baldur's Gate series.
System Requirements
Baldur's Gate 3 has fairly reasonable system requirements, considering how
beautiful the game looks. However, it's worth noting that Larian has made
some changes to the storage requirements since the early access phase. The
game originally needed only 70GB of storage space, but now it has more
than doubled to 150GB.
Also, the updated recommendations now suggest using slightly newer GPUs,
and having an SSD is now a requirement for smoother gameplay. So, if you
plan on playing Baldur's Gate 3, make sure your PC can handle these
updated specs for the best experience!
Recommended
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: Intel i7 8700K / AMD r5 3600
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia 2060 Super / RX 5700 XT (8GB+ of VRAM)
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 150 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD required
Minimum
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: Intel I5 4690 / AMD FX 8350
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GTX 970 / RX 480 (4GB+ of VRAM)
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 150 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD required
Conclusion
After a wait of nearly two decades, players are finally immersing
themselves in the world of Baldur's Gate 3, thanks to the efforts of
the talented developers at Larian Studios, known for their work on the
Divinity series. The game's extensive content, boasting nearly 200
total hours of in-game cinematics, indicates the studio's commitment
to delivering a rich and immersive experience.
The decision to move the launch date forward to avoid overshadowing by
Starfield has given players more time to indulge in the wonders of the
Forgotten Realms. The successful three-year early access period has
garnered Baldur's Gate 3 well-deserved accolades, setting the stage
for its highly anticipated 1.0 release.
Drawing inspiration from D&D 5E, Larian has seamlessly integrated
their signature tactical interactions and roleplaying opportunities
into the Forgotten Realms setting. This blend of gameplay mechanics
with the beloved universe of D&D promises to be a captivating
experience for players.
As players venture into the world of Baldur's Gate 3, the vastness of
possibilities and replay value is evident. With the potential to offer
countless hours of enjoyment, the game holds the promise of becoming a
timeless classic for fans of RPGs and the Forgotten Realms alike.
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