Summary
Larian Studios was able to craft a fantastic RPG withBaldur’s Gate 3and has set a high bar for future fantasy adventures in the process. The game gives players virtually limitless control over their adventure and immerses them in a beautifully realized world filled with stories around every corner. It not only features a thrilling fantasy adventure, but Larian also created a wide variety of charismatic characters and a top-notch combat system for players to enjoy. It is very impressive whatBaldur’s Gate 3was able to pull off, but that does not mean there is no room for improvement.
Baldur’s Gate 3may be one of the greatest RPGs ever made, but it falls short when it comes to its simulator mechanics. Larian gave players the ability to grow closer toand even romance their companions, yet players cannot take those relationships any further. There is also a lack of significant features like property buying, and that can feel strange after RPG kingpins likeThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. While the omission does not detract from the quality of the game, future entries in the franchise may want to adopt some of the best features from life sim franchises likeThe Sims.
RELATED:Baldur’s Gate 3 Continues One Annoying PC Gaming Trend
Life Sim Mechanics Could Take Baldur’s Gate to New Heights
Baldur’s Gate 3has all the hallmarks of the RPG genre, but it falls short when it comes to its simulator mechanics. Larian Studios wanted to craft a game that felt real with relationships that felt possible, but it only went so far. While the relationship building and romance features giveBaldur’s Gate 3’s companionsa bit more life, the game could have done so much more with the concept. Some players may just ignore the feature altogether once they successfully romance their desired companion, but adding more mechanics could have made it a vital part of the immersion.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimlet players get married to other NPCs and let them actually adopt children that they could raise. While the features were pretty barebones, it helped make the world feel more alive. The concept of marriage and running a family is one of the main reasons thatfranchises likeThe Simsare so popular, andBaldur’s Gatecould run wild with the concept. Players should have been able to build up their relationship, propose to their companions, have a massive wedding, and then settle down to raise a kid. It should not be the primary focus of the gameplay loop, but it could be a great piece of side content for players to mess around with.
Adding marriage toBaldur’s Gatecould be a great idea, and so would the addition of purchasable property. Right now,Baldur’s Gate 3does not include the ability to actually own a piece of property. Players can peruse their camp and use it as a base of operations, but they can only do so much there.FutureBaldur’s Gategamesshould give players the option to actually raise money for a base, customize it to their liking, and spread their influence into the world by buying even more property. Other RPGs and MMOs have let players do that for a while, and it is about time that a modernDungeons and Dragonsgame did too.
Baldur’s Gate 3is all about immersing playersin a fantastical world and giving them the tools to run wild within it. While it succeeds at that, adding features like marriage and property ownership would make it even more immersive. There is a chance that future patches and DLC add some of these mechanics toBaldur’s Gate 3, but if they do not, then the nextchapter definitely should. Their addition could make the excellent RPG series even stronger and may be exactly what some fans have been yearning for.
Baldur’s Gate 3is available now on PC, with a PS5 release on September 6 and an Xbox launch to follow.
MORE:Baldur’s Gate 3’s Character Customization Needs One Last Ting to Be The Full Package
