Baldur's Gate 3 Review: The Gold Standard of Modern RPGs
Baldur's Gate 3 by Larian Studios has been called one of the best RPGs ever made — and after spending significant time with it, that reputation holds up. But it's also a dense, demanding game that isn't for everyone. Here's an honest breakdown.
What Is Baldur's Gate 3?
BG3 is a turn-based RPG based on the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition ruleset. You create a character, assemble a party of companions, and navigate a sprawling story involving mind flayer parasites, political intrigue, ancient gods, and countless player-driven decisions. The game spans three acts across dozens of hours of content.
Gameplay: Depth That Rewards Curiosity
The combat system is where BG3 truly shines. Every encounter is a tactical puzzle with multiple solutions:
- Push enemies off ledges to deal fall damage
- Create surfaces (fire, water, ice) that interact with each other and with abilities
- Use the environment — barrels, chandeliers, explosive containers — as weapons
- Sneak past encounters entirely, or talk your way out of fights using skill checks
No two playthroughs feel identical because of how many systems interact. A Druid who shape-shifts into a bear plays fundamentally differently from a Sorcerer raining down fireballs. This replay value is exceptional for an RPG of this scope.
Story and Writing: Genuinely Impressive
BG3's writing quality is a cut above most RPGs. Companion characters — including Shadowheart, Astarion, Gale, Lae'zel, Karlach, and Wyll — each have deeply developed backstories, personal quest arcs, and strong voice acting. The dialogue system frequently presents morally ambiguous choices where there's no clear "right" answer.
The story respects player agency in meaningful ways. You can side with villains, betray companions, or pursue an evil playthrough that fundamentally changes the narrative. These aren't surface-level choices — they reshape entire sections of the game.
Performance and Polish
BG3 launched with some technical rough edges that have been substantially ironed out through post-launch patches. The current state of the game is significantly more stable than at launch, though some edge-case bugs in complex scenarios still appear occasionally. Larian has maintained an active patching schedule.
On a mid-to-high-end PC (or PS5), the game looks gorgeous — especially the lighting in indoor environments and the character models during dialogue. Performance on base PS4/older hardware is notably weaker.
What Could Be Better
No game is without flaws:
- Act 3 pacing: The final act feels slightly rushed compared to the expansive exploration of Acts 1 and 2, with some storylines wrapping up abruptly.
- Inventory management: Managing items, spells, and equipment across a four-character party gets cumbersome. Sorting and storing items lacks quality-of-life features that similar games have.
- Learning curve: Players unfamiliar with D&D 5e rules will spend significant time understanding spell slots, action economy, and class abilities. The in-game tooltips help, but it's still a lot to absorb.
- Co-op can be unstable: Multiplayer co-op sessions occasionally desync or cause quest state issues, especially in larger groups.
Verdict: Who Should Play BG3?
| You'll Love It If... | You Might Struggle If... |
|---|---|
| You enjoy deep, tactical RPG combat | You prefer real-time action over turn-based |
| You want a rich story with real consequences | You dislike long, dense games (100+ hours) |
| You like experimenting with character builds | You're put off by complex rule systems |
| You want to play with friends co-op | You need a smooth, bug-free experience |
Final Score Breakdown
- Combat & Systems: Excellent — deep, creative, endlessly replayable
- Story & Writing: Excellent — among the best in the genre
- Visuals & Audio: Very Good — stunning in most areas
- Technical State: Good — vastly improved since launch, minor issues remain
- Value for Money: Excellent — 100+ hours of quality content
Baldur's Gate 3 is a landmark achievement in RPG design. If the genre interests you at all, it's one of the most worthwhile gaming investments you can make in 2025.