Summary
- Isometric graphics stay true to the series' roots, offering a familiar view in Baldur's Gate 3.
- Adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons rules remains a key tradition in every Baldur's Gate release.
- Players can expect non-linear exploration, rich character customization, and impactful decisions in every entry.
Baldur’s Gate stands among the most influential franchises in the RPG genre, and since the first game it has attracted players thanks to the great freedom it offered, a trait further enhanced by Baldur’s Gate 3, one of the industry’s biggest hits. However, even though each game changes some mechanics and even the artistic direction, several series traditions remain in every new release.
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Thus, even with the differences each game has, players can start a new Baldur’s Gate game and expect certain standard elements of the series, such as specific characters and some mechanics. Veteran players can always feel in familiar territory, while newcomers will also grasp the essence and legacy carried by this isometric RPG.
10 Isometric Graphics
Always A Major CRPG Tradition
Although this is not an exclusive tradition of Baldur’s Gate, the CRPG genre has long been associated with isometric artstyle, with many popular titles adopting this style. However, while some games eventually moved to other graphic approaches, such as Fallout, this series has consistently remained loyal to its roots.
Even Baldur’s Gate 3, which features modern visuals and lets players control the camera more freely while exploring or fighting, has not fully embraced an over-the-shoulder perspective, keeping the isometric view for most of the experience. By doing so, Larian Studios demonstrates that the franchise’s roots can stay alive while being modernized without losing their identity.
9 Inspiration From Dungeons & Dragons
D&D Rules Are The Backbone Of Baldur’s Gate
One standout achievement the Baldur’s Gate series handles especially well is adapting the rules of Dungeons & Dragons from the tabletop to a digital format. Instead of simply using the setting to frame a story, the developers ensured that each entry’s mechanics make players feel as if they are part of a vibrant tabletop campaign.
Even Baldur’s Gate 3, which broke the real‑time‑with‑pause tradition in favor of more tactical battles, still preserves many elements of Dungeons & Dragons 5e in its mechanics. Compared with the first two entries, however, it is the RPG that underwent the most rule adaptation, blending them with portions of Larian Studios’ own system philosophy from Divinity: Original Sin 2.
8 Room For Ambiguous Characters
It’s Not Always About Saving The World
Although tabletop versions of Dungeons & Dragons usually tell stories about heroes and their epic deeds, Baldur’s Gate has always encouraged players to explore morally gray characters. While it may not allow someone to become a full villain in every narrative the franchise offers, there has always been room for questionable actions along the way.
This approach is mirrored by the supporting cast that travels with the protagonist, whose morals are far from spotless, since many back unique choices and decisions throughout the journey’s key moments. That freedom lets players shape their own narrative and, when necessary, confront the lasting consequences of the path they choose and story arcs alike.
7 Rich, Non‑linear Exploration
Players Can Always Expect Freedom In Baldur’s Gate
Even though the world is not entirely open, with the map usually split into several regions, exploration in every main Baldur’s Gate game has never been linear. Over the years, each installment’s developers have provided vast landscapes packed with secrets for players to uncover, a trait that has become one of the franchise’s most recognizable hallmarks.
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This approach aligns perfectly with the tabletop spirit of Dungeons & Dragons, where most adventures thrive on wide ranging exploration and discovery. The ability to go anywhere and tackle the same challenge in multiple ways was further enhanced in Baldur’s Gate 3, which uses its three dimensional environments to push map freedom even further for creative parties.
6 Strong Focus On Character Customization
Players Have Always Had The Freedom To Create Unique Protagonists
Although the approach to multiclass or dual-class has changed with each Baldur’s Gate release, the franchise has always been known for offering broad freedom in character customization. Players can create unique protagonists by blending traits from multiple classes available in each title, whether to craft an overpowered build or simply to experiment for fun.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, customization goes even further, because beyond adjusting every character’s class, players enjoy a vast array of options for tweaking the protagonist’s appearance. Staying true to the series’ other traditions, the RPG makes each run a unique story waiting to be told as players move through the full narrative from start to finish.
5 Compelling Companions
They Make This RPG So Engaging
One of the major highlights of any Baldur’s Gate entry lies in the companions who can join the player during the story. From characters like Minsc and Jaheira in the first game to Astarion and Lae’Zel in the third, these allies, recruited as the plot unfolds, make every journey unique because their personal tales intertwine with the main narrative.
It is also fascinating to see how each companion’s personality influences player choices and many dialogues encountered along the way. In Baldur’s Gate 3, for instance, a party featuring Karlach, Astarion, and Shadowheart can lead to very different interactions with certain NPCs than one built around Wyll, Gale, and Lae’Zel, making it worthwhile to experiment with multiple combinations.
4 Recurring Characters In The Franchise
Some Faces Appear In More Than One Baldur’s Gate
Another longstanding tradition in every Baldur’s Gate game is how each story intertwines with previous entries. The first two titles, for example, form a direct continuation of the Bhaalspawn saga, so many characters introduced in the original, such as Jaheira and Minsc, eventually return in the second, becoming some of the franchise’s most recognizable faces.
Although Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place more than a century after the events of the original two titles, players can still meet familiar faces while traveling across the Forgotten Realms. Besides Minsc and Jaheira, Viconia and Sarevok also appear, giving longtime fans recognizable figures and brief nods to earlier events that shaped the franchise’s lore.
3 Complex Mechanics
Players Interact With Diverse Systems Along The Journey
One prominent example of the complex mechanics in Baldur’s Gate involves spellcasting, because, just like in the tabletop game, casters do not use mana. Instead, they are limited to a set number of spells per day and must manage that resource carefully, a familiar challenge to veterans of Dungeons & Dragons yet potentially daunting for newcomers.
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However, spell slots are far from the only intricate feature players must master, as the franchise offers other equally complicated systems within its sprawling adventures, especially for beginners. Inventory management, skill checks, hidden traps that punish carelessness, and even a morality framework tied to choices all shape the overall gameplay in deeply significant ways.
2 Humor In Dialogues
The World May Be Serious, But The Dialogues Not So Much
Despite the epic and serious tone that Baldur’s Gate games present, that seriousness does not dominate the. The developers have always embraced the playful banter so common at Dungeons & Dragons tables and folded it into their narratives, especially through character dialogue, resulting in plenty of memorable, humorous scenes for players to enjoy.
For example, Minsc and Boo form a duo consisting of an impulsive ranger and his inseparable miniature giant space hamster, together becoming the franchise’s emblem of humor. This wit is not exclusive to them, though, because nearly every companion gets amusing lines of dialogue; even Lae’Zel and Minthara indulge in such banter from time to time.
1 Impact Of Player Decisions
Player Decisions Shape The Forgotten Realms
One of the major traditions in the Baldur’s Gate franchise is how the world reacts dynamically to player actions. Whether through elaborate reputation systems, dialogues that reference earlier choices, or environments that change as key events are triggered, the series consistently rewards thoughtful decisions. This design makes every journey unique and further emphasizes the titles’ signature freedom.
Furthermore, the Forgotten Realms setting, especially the famed Sword Coast, heightens immersion by employing iconic locations and classic factions from the official Dungeons & Dragons universe. Every choice can directly influence how groups such as the Harpers or even the Flaming Fists interact with the player throughout the story, especially at critical moments, shaping alliances and conflicts.
Baldur's Gate 3
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Engine
- Divinity 4.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Full cross-platform play.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
