As a reviewer for PC Gamer, I’ve given out my fair share of high scores, but the 160 hours I spent reviewing Baldur’s Gate 3 felt different. It was a landmark game, one that consumed my every waking moment for weeks. I ended up giving it the highest score we’ve ever given a game in the history of PC Gamer UK. Almost a year later, after it has swept every Game of the Year award, it’s clear this wasn’t just another great game. It was a masterpiece.
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Larian Studios achieved something legendary. They created a game of such staggering complexity, flexibility, and beauty that it has left a permanent mark on the RPG genre. It’s a game that will influence countless others for years to come, its impact as keenly felt as when the original Baldur’s Gate II or Doom were released. My Steam playtime has since ballooned to over 400 hours, and I’m still discovering new things.
But what exactly makes it so special? It’s not just one thing, but a perfect storm of masterful writing, unparalleled player agency, and incredible post-launch support. Let’s deconstruct what makes Baldur’s Gate 3 the best fantasy RPG of all time.
👥 A Cast of All-Time Greats
I believe the heart of Baldur’s Gate 3 lies in its characters. Not since Dragon Age: Origins have I encountered a cast of companions so well-fleshed out, distinct, and beautifully realized. From the delightfully cynical Astarion to the noble but conflicted Wyll, each party member has a rich backstory and a compelling personal quest that unfolds over the game’s massive runtime.
The writing is simply superb. The game allows you to build deep, meaningful relationships with these characters, which can evolve into friendships, romances, or bitter rivalries based on your choices. That the game has the confidence to let you miss, kill, or betray any of them is a testament to its commitment to a true immersive simulation vision.
Even the villains are memorable. Characters like Raphael are brought to life with such charisma and menace that your encounters with them are unforgettable highlights. This focus on character is something Larian has honed over years, a journey I explored in my interview with Larian’s CEO, Swen Vincke.
🎲 Unprecedented Player Freedom
Baldur’s Gate 3 is the culmination of Larian’s ‘player-first’ design philosophy. The game is a massive sandbox of systems that interact in wonderfully chaotic and emergent ways. It faithfully recreates the freedom of a tabletop D&D session, constantly rewarding player creativity. If you can think of a clever, outlandish solution to a problem, the game will almost certainly let you try it.
Want to stack a bunch of crates to climb over a castle wall instead of finding the key? Go for it. Want to turn an enemy into a sheep and then throw them off a cliff? You can do that. This level of freedom is possible because Larian isn’t afraid to give players powerful tools and trust them to have fun. It’s a design ethos that feels increasingly rare in the world of AAA games, a topic I touched on in my analysis of player agency in Cyberpunk 2077.
This commitment to freedom is backed by an incredible amount of content. The game is packed with so many secrets, branching paths, and reactive consequences that two playthroughs can feel completely different. It’s a game that respects your choices in a way few others do.
🛠️ A New Standard for Post-Launch Support
What truly elevated Baldur’s Gate 3 from ‘just excellent’ to an ‘all-timer’ for me has been Larian’s incredible post-launch support. In an industry often plagued by buggy releases and broken promises, Larian has set a new gold standard. They have released numerous large patches that have not only fixed bugs but have also added significant new content based on player feedback.
They added new difficulty modes for those seeking a greater challenge. They added new subclasses, giving players even more options for their character builds. Most importantly, they added an entirely new epilogue to the game, which transformed a slightly rushed-feeling ending into a perfect, poignant series of capstones for each character’s journey.
This level of dedication is what turns a great game into a beloved one. It shows a developer that truly cares about its community and its creation. It’s a model that I hope the rest of the industry takes note of. Baldur’s Gate 3 is not just the game of the year; it’s a game of the decade, a true landmark achievement that has raised the bar for RPGs forever. Its quality is a reminder of other classics that have stood the test of time, like The Witcher 3.
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