Falling in Love with Gaming: How Baldur’s Gate 3 Recaptured the Magic
Review | Baldur's Gate 3 Devoured Me This Year Unlike Any Other Game Since Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age 2
Baldur’s Gate 3 has won my heart, and it’s been a while since a game did that.
When a game truly resonates with you, it’s like magic. The world around suddenly falls away, and everything clicks into place to keep you transfixed. You lose yourself to it, and find yourself at the same time. Maybe it makes you feel seen because of its exploration of a particular topic or theme, or perhaps it does something that grips you in an unexpected way, but for one reason or another, it begins to claim a corner of your heart. And for a while, it consumes you: you can’t stop thinking about it, even when you’re not playing it. When you reach the end, you’re left with that singular bittersweet sting of knowing you can never experience it again for the first time, and if you’re anything like me, you wonder if you’ll ever feel this strongly about a game again. But what you are absolutely certain of is that you’ll never forget it.
The First Taste of Magic
I can still remember the first time I properly fell in love with a game. It was in 2010, the year before I went off to university, and after spending the better part of my summer with Ezio in Assassin’s Creed 2, I was looking for something else to play. After digging through my family’s collection of games, I spied a copy of Dragon Age: Origins on Xbox 360.
Once the disc was in the console, that was it. I wasn’t in Colchester anymore, sitting on the edge of my bed in the room I grew up in, I was in Thedas, fighting against the Darkspawn as a newly recruited Greywarden. From that moment on, I lived and breathed Dragon Age: Origins, consuming every piece of lore in the world, playing through it multiple times, and falling hard for the characters. The worldbuilding and storytelling completely drew me in unlike any game ever had before, and it opened me up to becoming the diehard RPG fan I am today.
Following Origins, I fell head over heels with the games that followed with Dragon Age 2, and Dragon Age: Inquisition, and I became just as obsessed with the Mass Effect series along the way. It had been a long time since a game had cast the same kind of spell on me, but I once again found myself rediscovering the same kind of fervor for a game that first took hold of me in 2010 this year, and it’s all thanks to Baldur’s Gate 3.
Falling for Faerûn
(Image credit: Larian Studios)
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In the years that followed Dragon Age: Inquisition, I think I’ve always been searching for a similar kind of experience. I’ve been hungry for a new fantasy RPG that puts a focus on storytelling, choice and consequence, and includes romance options. It’s a particular mixture of ingredients that speaks to me, but nothing has really filled the hole that Dragon Age left behind it in 2014. While I turned to Bethesda’s RPGs in between, and have played many memorable games over the past decade, it wasn’t until I first stepped into the Sword Coast that I began to feel myself get utterly swept away just as I had in Thedas all those years ago.
Baldur’s Gate 3 didn’t just meet my expectations, it surpassed them. Initially apprehensive about how I would gel with the combat and mechanics, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself completely absorbed in the magic of the game within a couple of hours. The myriad of choices immediately presented to me had me plotting future playthroughs in the early hours, a feeling I had never experienced before.
The Beating Hearts of Adventure
What truly sets Baldur’s Gate 3 apart are its characters. Just like in Dragon Age and Mass Effect, the companions you meet along the way become the beating hearts of the adventure. Each character is distinct, with their own motivations and personalities, and the opportunity to develop romantic relationships with them adds depth and heart to the experience. Additionally, Larian Studios allows you to actually play as the companions you journey alongside, further expanding the possibilities and providing new perspectives on the densely packed world of Faerûn.
Lost in the World of Faerûn
As I embarked on my first playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3, I experienced a real learning curve, making plenty of blunders along the way. But every encounter, scenario, and battle absorbed me completely. I was transported away from reality, just as I had been with Dragon Age. I wanted to unravel every secret, peel back all the layers of the world, and dive into the rich lore of Faerûn.
Last year, I wrote about how “you never really move on from the games you love,” and Baldur’s Gate 3 has only reinforced that belief. The game has become an integral part of my gaming experience, constantly occupying my thoughts even when I’m not playing. The magic it brings has reminded me of why I fell in love with games in the first place.
Elevating the Game: Adding Value and Information
Q&A Section:
Q: Is Baldur’s Gate 3 suitable for players new to Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)?
A: Absolutely! Even if you’re unfamiliar with D&D, Baldur’s Gate 3 is accessible and enjoyable. The mechanics and combat might feel daunting at first, but the game does a great job of easing new players into the experience.
Q: How does Baldur’s Gate 3 compare to other fantasy RPGs?
A: Baldur’s Gate 3 stands out with its focus on storytelling, choice and consequence, and rich character development. The game offers a depth and immersion that will captivate fans of the genre.
Q: Can I play as different characters in Baldur’s Gate 3?
A: Yes! One of the unique features of Baldur’s Gate 3 is the ability to choose and play as various companions, providing multiple perspectives and adding replay value to the game.
Reference list:
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- “Baldur’s Gate 3 is our Game of the Year, and that wouldn’t be possible without the developer’s expert worldbuilding: ‘The biggest challenge is to keep the player interested’” – thegames.cn
- “Former Mass Effect dev says Legendary Edition formed studio” – qurz.com
- “8 Journey-Centric Games” – thegames.cn
- “Best 2023: Forspoken’s Open-World Parkour Needs to Return for a Better Game” – qurz.com
Share your love for gaming!
Baldur’s Gate 3 has recaptured the magic of gaming for me, and I’m sure many of you have similar experiences with your favorite games. Share your stories and let us know which game holds a special place in your heart!
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Cover Image Credit: Larian Studios
