10. Well thought-out and tactical turn-based combat

A turn-based combat game never looked so good or engaged so fully!

Baldur’s Gate 3 has revamped turn-based combat in a more free-style way. You have free reign of the map to do what you please to take down goblins, knolls and bandits- oh my! The amount of diversity in the type of combat you can find yourself in and how you can handle them is different every time. Doing so with a strong team, powerful spells and sometimes even some summoned backup, makes the game that much better. 

9. Support of mods

We love a good customization outside of the norm!

While the base-game gives us thousands of original settings, there is even more to be had with the help of mods. You can find hundreds of added physical customizations (like above), added classes, spells, races and so much more. You can even add WASD movement to your character to give it an even more RPG feel! All the possibilities to be had to make every Baldur’s Gate 3 experience you do your very own every time. 

8. Interesting characters and companions

From the original 6 companions you can find to the multitude more you can find along the way- you can create the greatest traveling team in all of the Sword Coast.

The original 6 companions that you can recruit are Astarion, Karlach, Shadowheart, Wyll, Gale and Lae’Zel. From there, you can bring on Halsen, Jaheira, Minsc and even Minthara. You can also bring on Hirelings from Withers as well if you want to have an entirely different character set. With all the options of companions to flesh out your team of four, you’ll have the Sword Coast saved (or under your control) in no time!

7. Meaningful choices and consequences

It seems that every choice your character can make, even from the very beginning, can affect your ending.

From the moment you crash land back into the Sword Coast, you are the holder of your own destiny. What you decide to do, or not do, decides your fate from that moment on. Some choices have higher consequences than others but they all can change the next step that you make on your adventure. Are you going to be the hero of Faerun? Or it’s ending. Only you can decide. 

6. Beautiful Graphics

Bringing in graphics with Divinity 4.0 engine- this is a game that looks stunning from every angle.

This is one of the most beautiful RPGs of 2023. Every area is incredibly diverse. No single dungeon, home, hovel, town or encounter is like another. Every aspect of this game’s locations were thought through meticulously and wonderfully executed. It’s nice to see such diversity in such a huge open world game.  

5. Wonderful Online Co-op

Bring in your friends in real life to be your friends in game too!

One of the more interesting things that this game offers is the ability for whoever you want to bring into the game to make an entirely custom character of their very own. You can each then go about your own story side-by-side and form different bonds with different companions. In the event that your friend isn’t able to come on your journey when you are ready, you can either leave them at camp or continue to take them along and control them as well.

4. Engaging Storyline 

The Sword Coast is full of immersive stories and quests just waiting for the taking. 

From your own characters goals to your companions and there on- the amount of things to do in this game to learn everything there is to know is endless. Every story can be learned about in a different way as well. Going back into the massive amount of choices that you can make, those choices that you make can even make drastic changes to the storyline as well. 

3. Endless Base-Game Customization

All of the representation this game offers for base-game customization is to be applauded!

Gender neutrality, skin pigmentation variations and facial hair for all- the visual possibilities are never-ending. You can make whatever type of person or creature that your imagination could possibly think up. It’s wonderful to see a modern game leaning into modern times with inclusivity for just about everyone that plays.   

2. An RPG based on a TTRPG done right

Being able to play a TTRPG from the comfort of your couch, bed or computer chair with your friends across the globe is just the thing modern gaming needed. 

As a huge Dungeons and Dragons fan, having this game is such a boon. My first character that I made was based off my own D&D character that I play in my own home game. Bringing them into this game was so much fun too (Highly recommend doing that if you’re able to!) It plays well, it’s storyline keeps you engaged and never seems to be redundant and you can always change your outcome even mid game. Just like your character on the table top grid paper going into combat but, with much better graphics.  

1. The seemingly unlimited amount of endings- both good or evil ones

With 17,000 possible endings, both good ones and bad ones, this game is replayable for a huge chunk of our gaming lives. 

I’ve played what’s considered a good ending, a bad ending and working towards an interesting ending. That leaves about 16,997 other endings that are possible. It makes the playability of this game even better. It makes you want to watch the ending you chose, go “okay, that happened but what can I do to make it an even more interesting ending next time?” and make a whole new character to do a whole new story.