The long-awaited entry to the Baldur’s Gate franchise has finally been unleashed after 17 years. Since its reveal in PAX East 2020, Dungeons and Dragons fans have been itching to get their hands on the rebirth of game series. This re-emergence however, does not follow the basic principles seen in the first two Baldur’s Gate titles. It’s all because the game comes from Larian Studios developer of the Divinity series.
The Coming of Baldur’s Gate III
To some gamers, Baldur’s Gate III is more relevant to the Divinity series, the flagship title of Larian Studios. With that said, let’s take a quick overview of some of the similarities and the difference between BG III and Larian Studios’ latest instalment to the Divinity series, the Divinity: Original Sin II. Before anything else, both the Divinity and Baldur’s Gate series are two of the industry’s best RPG franchises.
Baldur’s Gate III vs Divinity: Original Sin II
Both have garnered acclaim from both gamers and critics due to their original elements and gameplay mechanics. Thus, the similarities between Baldur’s Gate III and Divinity: Original Sin II (if there’s any) is due to the style of video game development the team from Larian Studios is used to. With that out of the way, check out some of the similarities and the difference between the two titles.
As explained before, BG III does not follow the basic principles of its predecessor. The Wizards of the Coast who own the IP of BG III entrusted Larian Studios the series’s highly sought-out rights. Larian Studios, on the other hand, had their ideas on what the next the game is going to be.
For the most part, permanently discarded the concept of the cancelled 2003 game Baldur’s Gate III: The Black Hound. The first thing you may notice the combat in the game shies away from its predecessors’. And, it pretty resembles that of Divinity: Original Sin II’s turn-based system.
This transition of the combat system benefits BG III as it enhances each encounter. It also provides players with the freedom to execute their plan of attack in real-time. Furthermore, the turn-based combat system conveniently allows players to sneak up or ambush their enemies.
Besides, BG III reduces its party to four from its predecessors’ six-party system. Other similarities between Baldur’s Gate III and Larian Studios’ flagship title are aesthetics and environmental elements like the day and night cycle.
Aside from the combat system, it is fair to say that Larian Studios did an excellent job in sticking to the game series core mechanics. Baldur’s Gate III still offers the same exciting adventure and narrative seen from its predecessors. Fans of the previous instalments will notice that the new instalment even comes with the traditional character designs, Forgotten Realms cameos, etc.
Takeaway
Overall, Wizards of the Coast made the right decision in entrusting Baldur’s Gate III to Larian Studios. The game brings a fresh new take into the iconic series. Although like most recent games, the game still lacks and comes with its flaws. Nevertheless, future patches and updates can quickly fix those issues. So, if you’re looking for role-playing game with a different kind of tactics, then, trying this match now is a great deal. Besides, what’s even greater than trying it with your friends?
