Baldur's Gate 3 is a work of art. A fantasy epic that stays true to the core ideal of Dungeons and Dragons, whilst breathing a fresh new life into the franchise. A testament to Larian's ability and care as a studio. This is a must play for not only D&D players but anyone that wants to dip their toe into the pool of Dungeons and Dragons, or even just fantasy RPGs!

It is a fantastic 1 to 1 recreation of 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, whilst adding enough "video game" spin to make it playable and run smoothly. It is a turn-based tactical game at its core, so if that isn't your cup of tea then you may find combat to be a chore, but if you can overlook the "intended" method of engaging with combat, you can find a surprising depth of player freedom in combat which allows you to experiment and really feel like you are playing the tabletop.

I can imagine my DM's face, as I tell him all about my plan to hurl an owlbear from 100ft up in the air to land square on the face of the big bad that has been carefully crafted to obstruct my path. Except I am not watching my DM glare at me for the audacity of such an idea, I am instead allowed to watch as the video game lets my wildshaped druid, hurl himself at mach 6 towards a giant monstrosity, crushing it below his mighty feathers.

Also, barrel-mancy, you will understand in time, sweet explosive child.

I adore the cast of characters that Larian has crafted for your companions, not only are they incredibly written and engaging, but they are voiced and acted to perfection, bringing an interest in a cast that I have only experienced before with Dragon Age: Origins.

The VAs/Actors that play the companions are a gold-standard, not only giving their all in their performance but also in the promotion of the game, their engagement with the community, and their ongoing involvement with all things Dungeons and Dragons thereafter. Top talent, 10/10 performance, please hire these people for everything.

The overall story is very "generic high fantasy" but does a good job of keeping you following the thread whilst not feeling like you are railroaded to a particular path to get there. The beginning acts of the game are by far the standouts for story and NPC interactions (Act 2 having the best villain introduction of all time), and the final act does a great job of rounding out the companion stories and bringing everything to a satisfying end. Overall a well-written and engaging story, that gets you to care about the world and those around you.

Adding this to just give a hats-off to Larian, despite Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro being a bit... notorious at the moment, and despite the influence of such major investors, Larian have proven that they are a commendable studio with an excellent moral compass, a fantastic work ethic and respect for their community. Their other projects have been fantastic, this was fantastic, and I 100% believe they are a studio worth supporting.