Baldur's Gate 3

[Iceman]

Larian and well, Beamdog. Beamdog is made up of BioWare expatriates and has been working on remastered classic BioWare games like Baldur's Gate I/II and Neverwinter Nights. They are like how the remnants of the old braintrust at Westwood Studios regrouped as Petroglyph Studios after EA drove the studio into the ground.

Thanks for that, good to know on both Beamdog and Petroglyph. Westwood closing are another reason for me bearing a huge grudge against EA for years.

 

[DeadlyWest]

So I'm in act 3 now and just fought

Spoiler

Serekov or whatever his name is

To not get into anything too detailed, the fact that playing as Dark Urge by all accounts makes this your theme is metal as ****

 

[DKDetective]

So I'm in act 3 now and just fought

Spoiler

Serekov or whatever his name is

To not get into anything too detailed, the fact that playing as Dark Urge by all accounts makes this your theme is metal as ****

I just started Act 3 myself and just got the Dark Urge background reveal...

Spoiler

nice bit of a Revan style twist.

Seriously this is just giving all of the peak BioWare vibes.

 

[DeadlyWest]

I just started Act 3 myself and just got the Dark Urge background reveal...

Spoiler

nice bit of a Revan style twist.

Seriously this is just giving all of the peak BioWare vibes.

LEGIT

IT'S SO GODDAMN GOOD

And ngl

Spoiler

my DUrge character's redemption arc almost getting a bow tied in it through his defiance against Serekov, to defend the life of an innocent despite all his instincts telling him to slaughter said innocent

with his own theme playing but as a reclamation almost?

*chef's kiss*

Ik Act 3 gets a bad wrap in comparison to the first two but Act 3's handling of Dark Urge is incredible and makes me prefer it most

 

[DKDetective]

LEGIT

IT'S SO GODDAMN GOOD

And ngl

Spoiler

my DUrge character's redemption arc almost getting a bow tied in it through his defiance against Serekov, to defend the life of an innocent despite all his instincts telling him to slaughter said innocent

with his own theme playing but as a reclamation almost?

*chef's kiss*

Ik Act 3 gets a bad wrap in comparison to the first two but Act 3's handling of Dark Urge is incredible and makes me prefer it most

Act 3 has some rough edges performance-wise and is not as polished as Act 1 and 2, but so far for my money, it is better than most other AAA RPGs, it just falls short of the standard set by the rest of the game.

At the pace Larian is rolling out patches and tweaks in response to player feedback, I expect we will have a polished Definite Edition on PC before the game even comes out on Xbox.

...which reminds me that it is officially time for me to move this thread to the multiplatform section.

 

[Iceman]

Were the previous Baldur's Gate games pc only or multiplat?

 

[Gee]

So I'm in act 3 now and just fought

Spoiler

Serekov or whatever his name is

To not get into anything too detailed, the fact that playing as Dark Urge by all accounts makes this your theme is metal as ****

The game has a great OST and I love how they implemented the music during/after battles for an emotional punch.

My barbarian stands alone, my companions are all down
Facing off against one last tough enemy, two levels above me
It's my turn
I roll a Nat20 and chop down the ugly mofo
The fight ends, the following plays

Act 3 has some rough edges performance-wise and is not as polished as Act 1 and 2, but so far for my money, it is better than most other AAA RPGs, it just falls short of the standard set by the rest of the game.

At the pace Larian is rolling out patches and tweaks in response to player feedback, I expect we will have a polished Definite Edition on PC before the game even comes out on Xbox.

...which reminds me that it is officially time for me to move this thread to the multiplatform section.

Divinity Original Sin 2 also had a rough final act. Larian later redid it completely for the Definitive Edition and it's much better.

I'm still in Act 1 so by the time I reach Act 3 the big performance issues are hopefully fixed. I already fear for my old GPU once I reach Baldur's Gate in Act 2...

Were the previous Baldur's Gate games pc only or multiplat?

Like many WRPGs back then, they were originally released on Windows/Mac only hence the term C(omputer)RPG. However, the remastered versions, aka the Enhanced Editions, are on consoles too for those curious to play peak BioWare.

 

[Iceman]

Like many WRPGs back then, they were originally released on Windows/Mac only hence the term C(omputer)RPG. However, the remastered versions, aka the Enhanced Editions, are on consoles too for those curious to play peak BioWare.

Oh nice, will probably get them for pc anyway as a I’ve never played them.

 

[DKDetective]

The game has a great OST and I love how they implemented the music during/after battles for an emotional punch.

My barbarian stands alone, my companions are all down
Facing off against one last tough enemy, two levels above me
It's my turn
I roll a Nat20 and chop down the ugly mofo
The fight ends, the following plays





Divinity Original Sin 2 also had a rough final act. Larian later redid it completely for the Definitive Edition and it's much better.

I'm still in Act 1 so by the time I reach Act 3 the big performance issues are hopefully fixed. I already fear for my old GPU once I reach Baldur's Gate in Act 2...

Yeah, the score is truly awesome. I love how the main themes are evocative of the original BG ones with the chanting, drums, and rhythms.

I've only just started the third act, but I don't think it's rough enough to need to be redone completely. Just some performance issues and some tweaking. The quests I have done have the same wit and originality as the rest of the game. Lots of nice twists and turns. Mainly it just needs more polish. Which is surprising given how well polished acts 1 and 2 are. Not sure why they didn't just postpone the release to finish polishing act 3. If it was for financial reasons, I get that. They are an independent developer and probably needed to get the game out for cash flow reasons.

Oh, you won't see Baldur's Gate in Act 2. You will have to wait for Act 3 and, yeah, your GPU is going to have a very rough time. If you are still in Act 1, you are going slowly enough that you will probably be able to build a new PC before you get to Act 3.

 

[DKDetective]

@DarthSkywalker @Snow Queen @flickchick85 it's time to join the party:
Baldur's Gate 3 Is Now PS5's Highest Rated Game Ever

 

[Gee]

Oh, you won't see Baldur's Gate in Act 2. You will have to wait for Act 3 and, yeah, your GPU is going to have a very rough time. If you are still in Act 1, you are going slowly enough that you will probably be able to build a new PC before you get to Act 3.

Oh, that would make sense then since it's such a huge area that I can see it make framerates drop. It seems they've been doing a lot of performance enhancements so hopefully next hotfix or patch we'll see them.



And yes, I'm taking my sweet ass time. Finished the goblin camp and about to go back to mine for the celebration. Now I just have to decide whether to bunk with Laezel or Shadowheart...

 

[DKDetective]

Oh, that would make sense then since it's such a huge area that I can see it make framerates drop. It seems they've been doing a lot of performance enhancements so hopefully next hotfix or patch we'll see them.



And yes, I'm taking my sweet ass time. Finished the goblin camp and about to go back to mine for the celebration. Now I just have to decide whether to bunk with Laezel or Shadowheart...

If you are going to do another playthrough as a Dark Urge character, I highly, highly recommend saving a Shadowheart romance for that. There is a lot of thematic and character similarities to those arcs, whether you go good or evil, that they are a perfect match for each other.

My heroic Dark Urge and good Shadowheart are so perfect for each other. It is extremely satisfying from both story and character perspectives.

 

[DeadlyWest]

If you are going to do another playthrough as a Dark Urge character, I highly, highly recommend saving a Shadowheart romance for that. There is a lot of thematic and character similarities to those arcs, whether you go good or evil, that they are a perfect match for each other.

My heroic Dark Urge and good Shadowheart are so perfect for each other. It is extremely satisfying from both story and character perspectives.

I'd also like to say Karlach is another one that's really solid for a Good Dark Urge run, but it depends on how you characterize them.

I'm running a Shadow Monk who stays in the shadows and basically avoids interacting with people out of fear that he'll hurt them. So him in this random group of circumstance +

Spoiler

what happens with Alfira

almost compels him to keep everyone at arm's length.

But then in comes this golden retriever of a tall and muscular tiefling who so happens to be on fire, who is just so filled with emotion and passion and love for this world and other people.

And she cannot touch another living being.

As you help her to break down that quite literal physical wall between her and other people, she breaks down your emotional wall through her just being her. And there's plenty of obvious moments you can imagine, especially post (act 2)

Spoiler

not killing Isobel

where that comes to a head and just works so goddamn well.

Shadowheart makes more sense with the more holistic story, absolutely, but I think the emotional resonance of Karlach's romance does wonders for Dark Urge too on a more personal level. Of these two people who break down each other's walls, one emotional and the other physical, because of the love they have for one another. It's damn good stuff.

 

[Gee]

Pure ****ing art.

 

[DKDetective]

Pure ****ing art.

Now this is what I call a Launch trailer:

@DeadlyWest Durge made it in.

 

[DeadlyWest]

Now this is what I call a Launch trailer:

@DeadlyWest Durge made it in.

Us DUrges are just better

Also holy hell I'd be down for more animated shorts of the BG3 crew

 

[DeadlyWest]

Ending Spoilers

Spoiler

Somewhere in Avernus, Zariel just felt her very, very angry former enforcer
The Blade of Avernus
and scarily of all...

The one who overcame the urge of a God of Murder in his heart
suddenly materialize in her realm.
The Archduchess of Avernus just flinched.

10/10, game of the year.

 

[DeadlyWest]

I will say though

That final battle fell really flat for me. And I'mma be completely honest.

Spoiler

The Emperor should've been the final battle, not the Netherbrain.

The actual final fight is the following:
You in a completely well lit environment against a dragon and the Emperor paired with "guardians" who can silence/make you drop your weapons, four Mind Flayers who magic missile firing squad you every turn and tentacles that can grab you. Rather than letting you have your badass battle royale, you have to bum rush the Crown within 3 turns unless you want a Nauteloid to drop on you (I'm assuming with reinforcements). If you successfully do so and get all your crew into the portal, you then proceed to just bonk the hell out of the Netherbrain and murk it in two turns with next to no real effort cuz every member of your crew can basically do a quarter of its healthbar every turn by that point.

Like am I the only one who feels like, as a payoff, that's just really goddamn flaccid?

You're literally fighting the dude who's been your manipulative protector for the past 90 hours. He is THE Fallen Hero of Baldur's Gate. And you're meant to just run straight past him to have Orpheus just open a portal, tell the Emperor to smell you later and go beat up a literal big brain. At which point, the Emperor is literally never even mentioned again, regardless of if you actually beat him then and there or not.

Like gimme some Spider-Man vs Doc Ock type **** .
Let me fight the dude who I thought was protecting me from the start, only for them to reveal their true colours in the Eleventh Hour. Let THAT be the final boss with Orpheus subduing the Netherbrain taking place in a cutscene or something. The emotional weight behind that being the final fight of the game would've been ****ing incredible.

Now I know, obviously people are gonna play the game differently, side with the Emperor instead of Orpheus, etc. Best bet imo is have the Emperor betray you in every path you take. Either siding with the Netherbrain when you rescue Orpheus or essentially discarding you once they feel you have outlived your usefulness. From there, you have to force them to take up Orpheus' role after you beat them, have them pass some type of persuasion check to convince them, whatever. Either way, imo, would've been so much better.

 

[Gee]

Also, the VAs will do a D&D one-shot on Friday. Should be very fun!

 

[DKDetective]

Also, the VAs will do a D&D one-shot on Friday. Should be very fun!

I saw the Highrollers announcement right before the site went down for the upgrade and I forgot to post when we got back up and running. Glad you caught this.

I just finished my first playthrough and I agree with @DeadlyWest's sentiments. Although I found most of Act 3 to be great and of the same standard as the rest of the game, performance issues aside, the very ending is a bit rushed and a letdown. The final quest segment leading up to the big bad was a slog and not particularly fun. I had more fun with the final boss battle than @DeadlyWest, but I stayed and fought. The ending cinematics are really rough and choppy. Also, while I understand why a lot of fans thought the new ending for Karlach was needed, and it makes better sense, I don't like how it is the final scene before the credits. It felt like it took away from my character's ending.

Still one of the greatest RPGs of all time but the ending feels like Early Access at this point. I trust Larian will make it right in due course.

 

[DeadlyWest]

I saw the Highrollers announcement right before the site went down for the upgrade and I forgot to post when we got back up and running. Glad you caught this.

I just finished my first playthrough and I agree with @DeadlyWest's sentiments. Although I found most of Act 3 to be great and of the same standard as the rest of the game, performance issues aside, the very ending is a bit rushed and a letdown. The final quest segment leading up to the big bad was a slog and not particularly fun. I had more fun with the final boss battle than @DeadlyWest, but I stayed and fought. The ending cinematics are really rough and choppy. Also, while I understand why a lot of fans thought the new ending for Karlach was needed, and it makes better sense, I don't like how it is the final scene before the credits. It felt like it took away from my character's ending.

Still one of the greatest RPGs of all time but the ending feels like Early Access at this point. I trust Larian will make it right in due course.

As someone who got Karlach's ending, yeah, I do feel that as much as I love that ending. It feels right for my character, but I do wish there was a moment of reprieve or celebration at the local tavern before your ending played out. Just so you can get some extra character fluff. Like that last scene with

Spoiler

Astarion is uh....pretty bad lmao (as a last scene of him, anyway)

it just would've been nice to have a section where the characters get a nice send off or something. And THEN you go in with whatever ending you got

 

[DKDetective]

As someone who got Karlach's ending, yeah, I do feel that as much as I love that ending. It feels right for my character, but I do wish there was a moment of reprieve or celebration at the local tavern before your ending played out. Just so you can get some extra character fluff. Like that last scene with

Spoiler

Astarion is uh....pretty bad lmao (as a last scene of him, anyway)

it just would've been nice to have a section where the characters get a nice send off or something. And THEN you go in with whatever ending you got

Agreed.

Spoiler

After the characters actually talked about doing that, it was super disappointing that it did not come to pass. Like give us that Avengers Swarma moment before Karlach's heart decides it is melting down and Astarion loses his protection from the Sun.

I also feel like the game needs a final ride off in the sunset moment for the player character regardless of their choices. For me, I got my Durge and Shadowheart waking up after sexy times talking about her parents, finding a place together, etc., which was nice, but I really wanted to see that. I feel like just how your Karlach-loving Durge was seen running off into the sunset of Avernus with her, mine should have been seen walking down a country road with Shadowheart and her parents on their way to their quiet new home. It would make the song "I Want to Live" over the credits much more fitting.

 

[Elayis]

For those of you that don’t like turn-based combat, what got you over the hump with this game?

As someone who doesn’t care for it, it’s the only thing keeping me from picking this up. The only other turn-based series I’ve played (Dragon Age doesn’t count) is Banner Saga, and I got tired of it partway into the 3rd game and never finished it. With this game potentially taking hundreds of hours, what keeps the gameplay engaging? It’s too bad there’s no story mode.

 

[DKDetective]

For those of you that don’t like turn-based combat, what got you over the hump with this game?

As someone who doesn’t care for it, it’s the only thing keeping me from picking this up. The only other turn-based series I’ve played (Dragon Age doesn’t count) is Banner Saga, and I got tired of it partway into the 3rd game and never finished it. With this game potentially taking hundreds of hours, what keeps the gameplay engaging? It’s too bad there’s no story mode.

I hate turn-based combat normally and I enjoyed it here. The rest of the game is just pure awesomeness and it doesn't feel like turn-based combat in the JRPG style. It feels like the original Baldur's Gate games or Dragon Age Origins with a mandatory pause between moves. It goes so well with the whole bringing of pen and paper DND to life sort of feel that you don't care? Combining DnD spell and attack effects is super fun and creative as well.

 

[DeadlyWest]

For those of you that don’t like turn-based combat, what got you over the hump with this game?

As someone who doesn’t care for it, it’s the only thing keeping me from picking this up. The only other turn-based series I’ve played (Dragon Age doesn’t count) is Banner Saga, and I got tired of it partway into the 3rd game and never finished it. With this game potentially taking hundreds of hours, what keeps the gameplay engaging? It’s too bad there’s no story mode.

Honestly the sheer creativity behind what exactly you can actually do kinda makes it very easy to justify, imo. It's one of the few games where I think turn-based combat is actually warranted. You can literally do so much stuff in every battle that you need that time to think about your actions. That's what keeps it engaging. As DK said, it's not like a JRPG where you're limited to X amount of direct actions to hit something. It's the pen and paper vibe of D&D (where you're telling someone else what you would like to do with all the creativity that comes with) brought to a digital medium. And it's done really well.

To give one out of context example, one of the most damaging moves in the entire game is to literally shapeshift into an owlbear (yeah that's a thing) from a very high ledge, cast a spell to get larger and then literally jump on somebody like you're a WWE wrestler hurtling yourself onto somebody from the top rope. It's easily the most damaging move in the entire game, being worth thousands of HP in a game where the most HP I think I've ever seen for an actual enemy was in the 600s. However, it can't really be abused because how it's calculated is based on distance fallen. So the uses for this method are slightly more niche and dependent on environment. It's only really usable in situations where you enter the arena from above. Every encounter has the potential for you to take advantage of the environment and just use the most stupid, bull**** way to win the battle or resolve a particular situation.

The game just rewards creativity like no other before it and it absolutely warrants turn-based combat. One of the very few that does. Trust me, it's worth picking up despite any aversion to turn based combat.