'Baldur's Gate 3' Is Utterly Tremendous [Work in Progress REVIEW]

Click here to check out the Astro A30 Wireless headset: bit.ly/3CS4IZx
🔴 Live Channel: / @lukestephenslive
🎁 Merch: lukestephenstv.com/
💻 All my links: linktr.ee/lukestephens
👾 My Discord Server: / discord
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I've had Baldur's Gate 3 for the better part of a week and I'm probably only 1/3 of the way through the game. It's massive, interesting, captivating, and endlessly entertaining. While this is a "Work in Progress" review, I can already say that this is one of the best cRPG's ever made and I can't recommend it enough.
Baldur's Gate III is a role-playing video game developed and published by Larian Studios. It is the third main game in the Baldur's Gate series, which is based on the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing system. A partial version of the game was released in early access format for macOS, Windows, and the Stadia streaming service, on 6 October 2020. The game remained in early access until its full release on PC on 3 August 2023, which will be followed by a release on the PlayStation 5, currently planned for 6 September 2023. The Xbox Series X/S port is also in development, while the Stadia version was cancelled following Stadia's closure.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
╔═╦╗╔╦╗╔═╦═╦╦╦╦╗╔═╗
║╚╣║║║╚╣╚╣╔╣╔╣║╚╣═╣
╠╗║╚╝║║╠╗║╚╣║║║║║═╣
╚═╩══╩═╩═╩═╩╝╚╩═╩═╝
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe and I'll be your bestest friend!

[@LukeStephensTV]

Check out the Astro A30 headset here: bit.ly/3CS4IZx

[@jakeparkinson8929]

bro turned off his boo womp inhibitors.

[@fernandozavaletabustos205]

Larian Studios are really good in developing CRPG and I they deserve all the success of the world.

[@user-tp5yb4hr4w]

i'm confused, is this a stupid 2D 2nd person side scroller or is this a real 3D game? i see cut scenes that are looking really fucking good which makes me think it's a damn good game done in the witcher 3 style, but then you show side scroller gameplay and i think it's crap. so is it a side scroller with cutscenes or is it a real game with 3D gameplay? it looks like it can be 3D, but it's second person, which is super lame, why not put it in 1st or 3rd person?

[@fernandozavaletabustos205]

It is a 3D RPG. What do you mean by second person?@@user-tp5yb4hr4w

[@BraveInstance]

The A30 is a decent midrange headset. Avoid the A50 though, if you're spending that much get the Audeze Maxwell.

[@jaydeeao]

I hope a game like this starts the trend of a games being complete, with no store, no battlepass, no loot boxes, not paid cosmetics, no time savers/boosts, and no microtransactions.

[@joser1853]

Sorry, that's not going to happen. A lot of games with micro-transactions still make billions of dollars. This game is geared toward an audience that might not like those things. It's one of the few exceptions, not the standard.

[@bonedrone9869]

One can hope. But some devs have already made statements that Larian is setting an unfair standard that will be hard to match.

[@xzxxx-km4vy]

This is not a multiplayer game...That only applies to online games and that trend will never ever disappear. Games like Diablo 4, Path of Exile etc etc those are the type of games that will always have microtransactions and battlepasses and all that cash grab

[@KevinDixon]

Sorry to break your bubble. This is a 1 off.

[@glassworktrophic8465]

You mean "restart" the trend, as it used to he the norm. But that's never going to happen. There's one reason and one reason only this game doesn't have those things out of the gate: it's privately owned. That's it. Any publicly traded studio or subsidiary is going to keep chasing monetization strategies. It's part of their mandate.

[@alexbarn3841]

What’s crazy to me is that EVERY SINGLE NPC in this game feels like you’re talking to an actual real person that’s had experiences that shaped their personalities, talking to your lover feels like talking to someone who actually cares about you and not a “click the flirt option to start romantic dialogue” NPC. It’s an incredibly strange yet awesome experience, I find myself actually caring what the people around my character think of my character, knowing that they won’t just go along with whatever just because I’m the “main character.” These writers are absolutely at the top of their craft, it’s incredible to experience.

[@felathar1985]

OMG yes! That's what I felt too.

[@WolfHreda]

A perfect example of how real the characters feel is how differently romance is approached by Lae'zel, Astarion, and Karlach. Lae'zel is essentially alien, driven by her Githyanki upbringing that ingrained within her that the most important part of life is hunting down and killing Illithids, with physical intimacy primarily being an outlet for that aggression. Astarion is a vampire who is much more flirty and easy about romance, because his life revolves around blood and his past. And then there's Karlach, who has been service bound in the Hells for the past ten years, and who is physically incapable of touching someone romantically for fear of literally burning them. But when given the possibility of fixing that problem, she's almost giddy at the prospect of getting to enjoy life again.

[@hobosapiensSinceShadowMoses]

I mean shadowheart is the perfect girl but damn Laezel despite her grinch look, she's so captivating.

[@inthefade]

As I hear about all of the dialog and multiple ways to play the game my mind is blown with how much planning it must have taken. Witcher 3 is the only game that has impressed me with this, and everyone seems to be giving me the impression that it is even more complex with more branching options than that.

[@nightfears3005]

Why is that profound? It's no different than any other rpg. The writing also does not go above what is found in the young adult section of your local bookstore.

[@KarlRock]

I wasn’t sure about this game… because of the tabletop aspect. But after this video, I’ll give it a go! It does look fantastic.

[@Playatoma]

I'm in the exact same boat but I'm for sure leaning towards getting it.

[@I3urton]

I too was on the fence. Tried tabletop games before and got lost in the plethora of mechanics and skill checks and builds and all that jazz. It was simply too much to keep track of and as someone who has barely any visuals in his head, it also wasn't really immersive or captivating. BG fills in for all that. Creating a character - albeit with a little help - was easy, the most difficult aspect was literally overcoming decision paralysis, and after a clunky start (I'm not used to moving my character around with the cursor, nor am I used to turn based engagements), I felt right at home. Haven't played too much, so I've yet to see the consequences to most of my actions, but I can already tell it's something truly special that I'll sink unspeakable amounts of hours into. It's so well realised and it's GORGEOUS to look at and frighteningly easy to lose yourself in.

[@Ripcurler97]

me too, ive never been into games like this, diablo 4 etc, because of the table top but i might try this .

[@TheJbro765]

Im nota fan of most tabletop games but this is one exception

[@Demosthenes84]

It's not like a tabletop game. It uses dnd mechanics for a lot of stuff but it's more in line with a beefed up dragon age origins with way more possibilities

[@BoundMusic]

I have finished this game after about 140 hours into it. I have ignored life in those 140 hours. My job, my gym sessions, my training...I like RPG games and I'm picky about a good story, nice graphics and how FUN a game actually is. BG3 manages to over-deliver in all those aspects. It's mind blowing. If you haven't played it yet, I envy you. You are about to go on an incredible journey. If you're starting the game for the first time do yourself a favor: give importance to character creation, to dialogs and most importantly: HAVE FUN.

[@Dubble77D]

This fuckin guy gets it. Respect.

[@gownerjones]

140h? You must have rushed through it! I spent 150h in Act 1 alone hahahah

[@TapTwoCounterspell]

I envy your free time. You must not be married and have children..at least I hope I'm right. Jesus.

[@SuperGorak]

it's so effing impressing that not only did they manage to release a complete game, they also used the early access responsibly. That in combination is extremely impressive

[@ploed]

That is what EA was intended for: 1. Get Player opinions and Ideas 2. Improve the game with given Feedback 3. Fix reported Bugs 4. Profit

[@ethancampbell2422]

I have to say, from Divine Divinity to Baldur's Gate III, what a ride Larian took us on.

[@tacticalgengar420]

THIS

[@deadlyydude5522]

It reminds me of CDPR at their peak. They care about their community and actually creating a great game, as opposed to just making money

[@jonasking9587]

Divine Divinity and DKS are extremely underrated.

[@tree4318]

Divine Divinity is also awesome

[@dante22723]

Started with masterpiece and still making more masterpieces

[@bjrnjensen9487]

I played for ten hours straight without breaking my focus. I was so blown away by the character, environment and what do choose in dialogue that I i did not realise my girlfriend had come into the room and stared at me and until she said "Don't you think its about time to go to bed." It has been years since i have felt this immersed in a game, let alone a genre i don't really play that much.

[@h.d.harris_irl]

*your eyes creak from not blinking as you look over in surprise* "I...I live here now."

[@bjrnjensen9487]

@@h.d.harris_irl haha 😂😂

[@scarletsletter4466]

Lol I love this anecdote. But tbf none of us play this genre very often, because… there just aren’t many games made like this any more.

[@bjrnjensen9487]

@@scarletsletter4466 there are certainly far between a great game these days.

[@UchayKaykay]

This sounds like me when TotK came out. Now I really can't wait to play this

[@AfflictionPrime]

I've never played a turn based game. I've never heard of baldurs gate. Never messed with D&D. I tried this on a whim just because of all of the buzz. I cannot put it down. It's such an achievement of modern gaming

[@candleewax]

i absolutely loved the backstory behind grabbing the ip for baulders gate because you can tell they put an astronomical amount of care and love into creating this game because they’re so passionate about making a DnD game. god that’s beautiful

[@murray821]

If they first asked for permission to make an official licensed D&D game but were denied, and after the success of DOS2 wizards actually asked them if they wanted to make BG3 would have definitely been a tremendous honor. I wonder if they now continue to be a real D&D partner and continue to make many more games like this.

[@Icefear1986]

​@@murray821 I don't think there's a universe in which Larian doesn't make Baldur's Gate IV. They have even planted the seeds with so many rin-game references to other places in the Forgotten Realms.

[@Ashbrash1998]

​@Icefear1986 O just want to add that an interview came out where they mention not wanting to be done with the world of dnd just yet. Granted they are taking a break from any game making for a second and working on bg 3 patches and bugs, but they have talked about a dlc.

[@murray821]

@@Ashbrash1998 I’ve heard that a dlc would be difficult to balance because at the end the players are about lvl 25 and after that would become too powerful. Perhaps they can cap the level

[@Coucouoeuf]

Played BG2 and Throne of Bhaal for countless hours 20 years ago when I was a student to test my learning capacities. Definitely going to do the same thing again with BG3 now to test my marriage.

[@stvn1405]

Lel

[@Booneface]

How about co op!? I know..... my wife won't play with me either

[@drakkenmensch]

The pathfinding scripting in this game is top notch, compared to BG, BG2 and Icewind Dale. I *do not miss* being told "you must gather your party before venturing forth."

[@arcjr9936]

All I’m gonna say is, if you are the kind of person who was into mass effect 1 and dragon age origins because of how well the companions were written, get this game. It feels so much like old BioWare writing sometimes, the companions are all very fleshed out and intriguing. Head and shoulders above their previous work in Divinity Original Sin 2, where I was pretty lukewarm on many of the members of your party.

[@nickhv7765]

I started a new dragon age origins save like 1 week ago. I’m gonna build a new pc just for this game😂

[@arcjr9936]

⁠@@nezahuatezwhile I do like the idea of a more humorous, whimsical oriented fantasy, I just didn’t like the execution of it in that game. The humor did not hit with me, and I just found the actual writing itself (meaning, the prose) to not be of a very high quality. It’s a bit stiff. But to each their own. I find that for rpgs, Dragon Quest does light hearted whimsy better than anyone, although it becomes more difficult to critique writing in games that are translations

[@ZyklonBeast12]

Is it similar in gameplay mechanics to KOTOR?

[@courier772]

@@ZyklonBeast12No. The combat is not similar to KOTOR and DAO. It has a turn based combat system. Kind of like a more complex version of DOS2 combat system. The game is pretty forgiving, everytime you level up you can choose to change out your spells. You can change your build for a rather cheap price at your camp anytime. So, you don’t have to be afraid of making mistakes with your build. (Yay no need for save game editor to respecc skills :D)

[@arcjr9936]

@@nezahuatez It’s funny you mention Lewis Carroll, I’m also not a massive fan of the way he writes, perhaps it’s a stylistic preference more than anything. Although I can appreciate the quality there nonetheless. It’s good they drew influence from a talented writer but that doesn’t make them the same. I’ve not read Gormenghast but I’ve heard good things. I think the general change in tone for BG3 maybe led to some different stylistic choices in the writing that fits better in my opinion. The bit about good writing coming out of nowhere, it’s kind of difficult to tell sometimes with video games, the way these massive scripts are written is not very straightforward, so sometimes it feels like the good writing does come out of “nowhere” haha. We can agree to disagree for DOS2, but I do appreciate Larian’s hard work and dedication anyways

[@FourDozenEggs]

I'm someone who was never interested in RPGs. I stuck to FPS games and things of that nature. But I saw all the praise BG3 got and how it made some companies start coping, so I bought it. I am not exaggerating when I say it's the best game I've ever played. The immersion, the freedom, the complexity, it all just punched me in the face with joy and fun. Larian deserves all the success they got.

[@kirkginoabolafia3650]

This game has generated so much hype that I, completely outside of the sphere of influence of this game and not even remotely near its target audience, have been hearing about it for ages. I think that is a sign I should get it.

[@gannielukks1811]

I was a hater of turn-based RPGs beforw Divinity: Original Sin 2, their previous game. Now it's one of best games I've ever played and I loved the turn-based combat

[@I3urton]

As we painfully learned, pre-relase hype isn't the best way to gauge a game's quality. But this amazingly keeps up with it post release, too. A truly remarkable feat.

[@Arcessitor]

More importantly, it seems to keep up with the hype.

[@bean2122]

It lives up to its hype . You won’t regret . Take your time. Definitely if this is your first turn base type of game. It can be a lot to take in and learn … but so worth it and so satisfying. This is a rpg nerd dream game imo.

[@jaredbangerter8156]

Do it

[@lucasklingberg9551]

this is the most positive review ive ever seen Luke give

[@soul-candy-music]

I bought DOS2 many years back, tried it, and bounced off of it pretty hard due to the difficulty of simply leaving the "tutorial area" (Fort Joy). Eventually revisited it, sucked it up, and read a guide to help me understand "how" to approach these types of games. 300 hours and 5 completions later, DOS2 eventually became my favorite game of all time, so to see Larian Studios swinging for the fence on a similar genre makes me beyond excited.

[@estacoda545]

Still need to get off Fort Joy. I know I will enjoy it once I leave. Any recommendation on these tutorials you mention?

[@klinton202]

I was the same. It was difficult on even normal (classic). I had to basically play on story mode, familiarize myself with the combat style, then gradually stepped up the difficulty as I understood the flow of combat more. I went from story mode to explorer mode to classic. And it wasn't as difficult anymore. I even did tactician difficulty and i could handle it. But if i never went down to story mode difficulty initially, i would have dropped the game as a first timer to this style of games.

[@JoshDragRace0688]

luckily i would say Baldur's gate 3 combat system is easier to get the hang of then divinity, though they are still similar.

[@MasDouc]

I'm in the same boat, how did you approach it? Cause I just can't get into it at all?

[@scarletsletter4466]

Y’all search KZbin for Fort Joy Walkthrough & there are vids that’ll help u get out of that first area. Honestly, I had similar issues & spent like half the time I spent on the whole game in Fort Joy. Once u leave there & get the hang of it the game flows better (& tbh other areas just have less dense content)

[@Chapterhouse86]

It's THAT good, and it has NO microtransactions or predatory BS tactics to squeeze more money out of their playerbase. Just a masterpiece of a game for $60. I bought the game day 1 of Early Access 3 years ago, and it's been SO worth the wait. Other studios would have rushed this out years ago and it would have been crap. Thank you Larian.

[@GetAwesomeGaming]

a friend of mine bought 2 copies of the game and gave me one so i am about to experience this amazing game because of the generosity of another creator

[@damndatscrazyyy940]

U got a real friend don’t lose him/her

[@GetAwesomeGaming]

@@damndatscrazyyy940 he is a solid dude and I appreciate him. I’m thinking about how I can return the favor

[@OnigoroshiZero]

That's a friend you keep for life. I hope you play at least one playthrough together, be well.

[@GetAwesomeGaming]

@@OnigoroshiZero tbh we weren’t even super close when he offered me the copy. I was super appreciative though. He has since become someone I consider a close friend but it just kinda came out of nowhere

[@ThwipThwipBoom]

Bros before hoes

[@evunialalavellan9180]

I love seeing you so enthusiastic/excited about a game. It truly is a great game, something special, and something 'once in a lifetime'

[@deckard3755]

It's nice to see such a valued and storied series getting the attention it deserves.

[@blizziboitv]

Imagine if a Pokémon game put this much effort in .

[@elitely6748]

This is looking like a great yer so far for games lots of cool and creative stuff coming out!

[@vloqy]

Gollum really was game of the century, although redfall was really amazing too

[@felipecorpuz2476]

@@vloqy GOLLUM FOR GAME OF THE CENTURY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Peter86820]

Don't forget the greatest rpg of all, Forspoken!

[@neoshenlong]

Honestly, yes. And there's still a bunch of huge things coming.

[@ThwipThwipBoom]

Everyone already forgot about Hogwarts Legacy

[@TheRealSonicBeats]

Man, I can't wait to finally play DnD after years of trying to convince friends to play it with me

[@autex2609]

ha same here. Video games to the rescue.

[@fedi1920]

Where is the final review mr Luke ?

[@speider]

Small, but important correction: After Wizards of The Coast contacted Larian to see if they were still interested in making DnD/Baldur's Gate, they spent A FULL YEAR in negotiations before agreeing on a deal. I have no idea what those things were that took time, but I wouldn't be surprised that things like romances with nudity, as well as Larian setting their own timetable and not committing to a launch date before they knew when the game would be ready, were among the things that were negotiated.

[@mrfaern]

Rather deal with a one of infernal princes then wizard of the coast. God job for going at it. I can only imagine.

[@Zamibia]

I'm just glad they actually were able to strike a deal. WoTC is basically your usual anticonsumer, greedy would-sell-their-mom-for-a-quick-buck kind of multi-billiondollar evil company, while larian is seemingly, as far as one can tell at least (and as far as game companies go), a somewhat nice company.

[@Ennello]

It's probably also feedback on certain story elements. Wotc needs to greenlight what's gonna be canon after all.

[@alexwtf80]

no harm in that. WoTC owns one of the biggest IP ever. It's fine that they are careful about the content released in their IP and negotiate about that.

[@mrfaern]

Wotc dont give a crap about anything futher then making a buck. They going to run forgotten realm to the ground. @@alexwtf80

[@TheWrldIsSquare]

Luke's character is making me understand why scalies exist... What the hell man. I've seen Dragonborn before, but that lighting is putting in work

[@smoothbrainemperor2757]

I'm a straight guy with no particular interest for furry stuff. But male scalies turn me one like crazy for some reason. 🙎

[@kidnamedfinger2840]

tf is scalies? actually nvm i dont wanna know

[@nightfears3005]

uhh lol?

[@beansfebreeze]

The EA was a fantastic experience and I fully believe this will be both my goty and favorite rpg of all time

[@mattyy101]

Remember when the d&d dweebs were saying this wasnt gonna be good?

[@ElFenixNocturno]

U mean today?

[@beansfebreeze]

@@ElFenixNocturno wdym

[@ElFenixNocturno]

@@beansfebreeze i wasn't talking to u

[@chillhour6155]

It looked like a Divinity game with the Baldur's gate branding to me

[@inthefade]

Regarding the ladder bug, they should just have a 10 or 15-second or whatever timer that counts down and skips the turn in progress, or concludes it, even if it transports the character/monster to where they were going. That would at least avoid soft locks.

[@gownerjones]

This game brought back my love for video games. It's the first game since I was 16 that has ensnared me so tightly that I spend every free minute with it. It's good to have that feeling again. For the longest time, I thought I was just jaded and I'll never find games fun again. Turns out, video games still have potential to be the most important art form in my life. This game is my favorite game of all time.

[@xer0c]

I played early access and I got lost in it like you said. I felt drawn into the game like no other game before. It’s really amazing how this game can be this good. Reminds me of the good old days where games were released complete, without micro transactions, battle passes, etc.

[@sew_gal7340]

IS it as good as skyrim was?

[@th0rne_999]

@@sew_gal7340 I was really young when I played Skyrim and I haven't played a lot since, but I'd say yes, hands down. They are very different games and therefore not directly comparable, but the immersion is there and both the writing / characters and combat are superior to Skyrim in every way. Saying that as someone who does not usually enjoy turn-based combat, but they nailed it. It helps if you know at least a little about DnD, but it's not necessary.

[@alecbetz1611]

Very surprised to see this review. Doesn't seem like a game you would play or like (from the reviews and other content you've done ) glad you're showing this game some love

[@ingwerschwensen8115]

Already looking forward to the thorough review. Have come to like this two-step approach of yours. And I guess, a lot of other viewers do too.

[@JasonDaraz]

First time I’ve seen one of your videos. Love your talking head shots. Nice setup.

[@Wolfstrider27]

Great video. Keep up the good work!

[@lanagievski1540]

The new gold standard in gaming. I know I won’t be accepting less anymore when it comes to launches What a year for D&D too. BG3 and the Honor among thieves film.

[@kessukane]

I absolutely love anything Larian does and Luke all you say is said so beautifully and that couldn't be better explained. Thanks for giving words to my feelings

[@gangleri1358]

I have 15 hours on the clock so far and it's one of the best games I have ever played. I can't believe there's a game in 2023 that is actually finished on release date, runs well on PC, has an insane amount of content and no microtransactions, ingame shops, battle pass or other bs. It's fantastic and Larian deserve the current praise for BG3, I'm so glad for them.

[@53knights]

It does have preorder bonuses and the deluxe upgrade DLC.

[@gangleri1358]

@@53knights Yes, with the soundtrack, artbook, character sheets for DnD and only a few cosmetic items from Original Sin 2 that are basically useless because they have no stats. I bought it to have the soundtrack, it has 43 songs and is fantastic.

[@53knights]

@@gangleri1358 the mask that allows you to change race in the fly is cosmetic only? It doesn’t affect the gameplay? (Hint: it does.)

[@gangleri1358]

@@53knights It doesn't. It's just a spell and not exclusive to the mask. A few classes have it from the beginning or learn it a bit later. Other items like scrolls, armors, helmets and rings can have this spell too, so every character can have it. My cleric has it since level 1 and now even a spell to change appearance of the entire party. And you can't costumize the appearance, it's a set of options of all races. Like you click on the male dwarf and it looks always the same. And yes, it's just cosmetic since the spell doesn't give the character the specific race bonuses like darkvision when you change race, characters talk to you like nothing happened. The mask takes the helmet slot and has nothing else, no stats or bonuses. Same with Sebille's Needle from OS2, it looks nice but has the same stats as the starter weapons, so it's useless after a couple hours.

[@chillhour6155]

I though you needed a 3080 at the very least run it in ea, did that change ?

[@fredrikwitteveen5706]

I remember playing the first baldurs gate and icewind dale on pc and loving it so many years ago. Realy looking forward to playing the ps5 version. It so great to play new parts of games from your childhood. Best things in life evolve with you😀

[@BSparksGaming]

This game has peaked my interest… Luke’s review is making me feel I now have no choice!

[@smhht]

Piqued*

[@BSparksGaming]

@@smhht peekt

[@dauntedcacti3713]

It’s good just you have to get through the slog of a intro

[@BSparksGaming]

@@dauntedcacti3713 I only play PS5 so I’ll have to wait

[@CyberSpaceFilms]

@@dauntedcacti3713 Luckily, the intro is shorter now then it was in EA.

[@workingpixels]

i have never player tabletop rpg or any of kind of paper d&d, but in terms of immersiveness i think larian does something special. divinity made me rethink their approach. grand in scale but pedantic in details. EA of BD3 reassured me - this has to be something very special

[@Geckoo-eh7wq]

A game with no microtransactions and complete without a battle pass or store.. I'm a father gamer i don't have much free time probably won't play this game but I voted with my wallet and bought it to support the team behind this game.

[@AcelawyerSubah]

Gigachad

[@hanovar9233]

new genre for me, I have a lot to learn.

[@LukeStephensTV]

Honestly, it's pretty easy to fall into. The combat plays much more like a tabletop RPG than your standard video game, but in a good way. They really encourage you to consider the combat style of each of your companions, placement, and more complicated tactics. I definitely encourage you to also look up people playing on the hardest difficulty to see how they go about combining different status effects, AOEs, and how they go about stacking abilities. If you play on the story difficulty you can get through most encounters on your first attempt, so long as your level is appropriate, but if you're really looking for a challenge you can crank the difficulty and you could have battles with bosses that last all evening. It really makes it rewarding when you get past them!

[@h.d.harris_irl]

This is also one of the few games that even making mistakes or failing rolls can be just as interesting and fun as succeeding

[@fairlyBread]

BG3 wasnt even on my radar this entire time. Up until a couple weeks ago. Played about 8-10 hrs in EA and I was sold. Larian deserves to reap the rewards for this masterpiece. I'm 50 hrs in now and just finished act 1. cant wait top keep going, this is amazing! I'm glad to see you're enjoying yourself as much as I am!

[@devonmarr9872]

Finally someone who gets there gamma settings to where the game isn't washed out

[@smoothbrainemperor2757]

I've been gaming for over 20 years and this game is one of the best I've played in my life. It's fucking insane

[@maubraymzoma6616]

Glad to see you are having a great time, will be joining you soon enough.

[@MehmetSurmeli]

I have already bought many "famous" games waiting for me to play, but honestly after watching your review and since you have used the words of awe and admiration just bought it on Steam app while listening to your comments and let's see& experience it with this super nice community.

[@Stelic248]

First full price game ive bought in years. Has been worth every penny

[@AM-uo2kf]

Something I am truly in awe of is how good the facial animations are. They aren’t hyper realistic like something like the last of us part two, but the nuances in facial movements as well as the cinematic camera allows for a view of a characters face where you can see the littlest of facial muscle movement. This game in many ways will be a modern masterpiece.

[@Magabes_]

What impresses me most about the animation in dialogue is that it always fit whatever they're saying in a very nuanced way in terms of micro-expressions and body language. I haven't seen any big studios pull this kind of thing off without 100% of every single conversation being motion captured.

[@AM-uo2kf]

@@Magabes_ ironically the weakest and only by virtue of facial shape is my Dragon born with his elongated face. Another thing that I also i am really happy with is that practically every NPC can we talk to with their own dialogue

[@nightfears3005]

Nothing compared to the likes of RDR2 or TLOU2.

[@Belialspawn]

It has a real Neverwinter Nights undertone. I'm playing it as the same character i did then and its almost the return of an old friend.👌

[@personperson1179]

yeah definitely gonna pick up this game this weekend thanks Luke

[@romeoespiritu4591]

You just convinced me to buy Baldur's Gate 3 and now I'm installing it. You pique my interest, good sir.

[@jordy703]

I’m speechless too. This games is so unbelievably good and beautiful I’m just so impressed. Larian was already great but after this gem.. I hope they will stay themselves and never change there love they put in games. This game gave me my love for gaming and fantasy back. Thx Larian Studios

[@Seanhaggs]

That bug you described was fixed on day one patch. Every NPC turn has a maximum time limit before it force ends their turn even with no action.

[@Alex-se3uy]

Really enjoyed this review. Thanks Luke.

[@mikedelgrande5296]

I’ve been on the fence going back and forth for months now. I’ve never played D&D but I do love RPGs and Fantasy. I’ve been gaming for almost 40 years and I’m always looking for new experiences. Your review convinced me that I do want to experience this game. I’m really interested in the dialogue system and it’s complexity.

[@barcster2003]

It's an incredible rendition of D and D 5th edition.

[@HolyBlowhole]

If you have trouble with the combat put the difficulty on Explorer.

[@mikedelgrande5296]

@@HolyBlowhole thanks for the tip! I’ve played a lot of turn based games but never any with positional strategy. I’m excited to to dive in a learn new game mechanics. I actually really enjoy challenging games and combat but if I’m having trouble I’ll take your advice. This will be a brand new experience for me.

[@mikedelgrande5296]

@@barcster2003 can’t wait! I’ve always been interested in D&D but no one in my friend group likes stuff like that so I’ve never had anyone to play with. It will be awesome to have a proper D&D experience through this game.

[@blackshard641]

@@HolyBlowhole yeah, definitely. Even balanced difficulty assumes a pretty high level of familiarity with tactical combat and is pretty unforgiving at times.

[@rickc-arelsii6276]

I'm still waiting for my copy to finish downloading, but in early access, I had over 1400 hours clocked into this. I'm happy to hear yourself and others saying that the full launch version is everything we'd been hoping it'd be.

[@Sleepless4Life]

Jesus... that's more than my Witcher 3 replays.

​@@Sleepless4Lifea friend of mine has 1000 hours in Early access and still sees a lot of choices and paths he hasn't seen before on a new playthrough

[@DrewSwenson]

Okay, you've convinced me. The potential to relive my college D&D experience is too tantalizing to pass up. I cannot wait to recreate my characters!

[@dumbfailurekms]

I subscribed because of how you set up the backstory of the game's development. Good job; the information was not the easiest to find.

[@Skits_King]

The main question is, how horny would you rate the game on a scale of 1-10

[@BVargas78]

I would rate a Rule 34/10 😅 Seriously though it looks a fine game!

[@LukeStephensTV]

Bear/10 ;)

[@Skits_King]

@@LukeStephensTV 😂

[@RobTheDoodler]

@@LukeStephensTVExactly what I wanted to read!

[@davidfl4]

So far my charectar went from siding with the goblins to commuting goblin genocide right from within the throne room of the goblin king and working my way out. They offended me and so I decided to destroy them. It was hours of nonstop strategic combat, I had to learn the environmental stuff on my own. I literally assasinated the goblin king😂 it was one of the most epic things I’ve done in a video game . This game is one for the ages, if you can get over some of its kinks. My advice is to have patience with the turn system. If your clever with your moves you usually will win, but battles always feel costly and some boss battles are ridiculous. So it defitnley has quirks but it’s so worth it

[@CyKosmy]

Great video and looking forward for the full review! As for the game i will see if my budget allows me to buy it but if it does i will!

[@endit8880]

Thanks for explaing "Baldur's Gate 3" I have been lost for hours, tyring to understand what this is about !

[@josephsawa9023]

I agree that we should put triple A under the fire. The bar has been raised

[@deva_69]

the fact that Game Devs are saying this game is so good it can be considered industry standard and we can't expect big studios to release such games in the future baffles me.

[@benito1620]

Just to let you know that was just a marketing thing to promote the game, nobody actually said that.

[@haldir7062]

Loved your passion. I'm a 53 year old D&D tragic who plays in a group with my daughter at every opportunity. I have just pre-ordered the game for my PS5. I know I'm going to be in trouble with the trouble & strife....but don’t care, lol. I'll just roll a natural 20 and keep playing

[@ruperterskin2117]

Right on. Thanks for sharing.

[@MadGamer_666]

So far the game is amazing. They improved a lot of stuff.

[@MrBeefTot187]

Besides combat hey point click attack wait …. Ok you hit…. Now wait for them to attack…. Ok point click defend…. Shits lame

[@IAmDaDumb1]

@@MrBeefTot187go to bed kid. It’s almost your bedtime so no Fortnite tonight

[@Tazza19931]

​@@MrBeefTot187You could've just said "I'm personally not a fan of the turn-based combat" instead of writing whatever that was, making yourself look like a little brainlet.

[@MrBeefTot187]

I didn’t know it was called turn base lol

[@Tazza19931]

@@MrBeefTot187 I think you missed the point.

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

As someone who played BG 1&2 and the complete Witcher series from its inception, and considers these the best CRPG's ever made, I'm more than happy to hear that this one lives up to them and maybe even surpasses them.

[@BenjaminCharlesJudeGrace]

You have an old school reporter vibe I love!

[@singlesightart]

22:58 I’m a legally blind gamer and while there have been a few accessibility issues with both EA and FR, mainly most interactive items not being labeled in the world so I miss a LOT of loot in the game. I asked around both at Larian and on Nexus, and Nexus moddera came to my rescue with Highlight Everything. It’s a game changer for me. My husband is playing BG3too and we don’t want to spoil anything for each other so we just tell each other the general area a cool thing is in. It’s so fun.

[@onedog9652]

This and remnant 2 are putting a fire under big developers like Bungie and Blizzard

[@ComputerRAT04]

i was hoping you would make a video of baldurs gate 3, since im a huge fan of not only dnd, but the intire idea of dnd and RPG games and this blew muy mind when it was in early acces and im a now a huge fan of this game and "new" genre. thank you for this

[@BaritoneUkeBeast4Life]

Hi Luke, I am a first timer to your channel here, and I have to say I really like you as a KZbin content creator. I am so impressed with this video, that I just became a subscriber right now. You speak clearly and not too fast, and I also really like your personality and easy going demeanor. I also have ADHD or more closer to just ADD along with Bipolar for a double whammy, thanks mom and dad. My ADD gets so bad that I miss a lot of the dialogue and DM descriptions during our weekly D&D tabletop games with my group, unless we are in combat. My mind wanders constantly. Anyway, this was a great video, thanks for the excellent early review. I just bought BG3 last night and have yet to create my first character. I am currently torn between playing a Druid or Monk for my first playthrough and also really want to play a Ranger and Barbarian. I have played D&D since 1981 and have played every class dozens of times by now.

[@nerdyviking1670]

Definitely gonna have to grab this when I can

[@OnigoroshiZero]

Game of the decade. edit: I had a huge smile on my face listening to your take of the game. I am really glad this is the masterpiece I was expecting to get from Larian (and probably even more), and I can't wait for the game to finish downloading (it will probably finish around 4am, and I will just start playing at that moment with no hesitation because fck sleep, BD3 is more important).

[@jaredbangerter8156]

BD3? Baldur's Date 3?

[@Libertas_P77]

As an RPG fan generally, I had heard of Baldur’s Gate but had no idea what it was. I’m impressed by the look of this: were I not maxed out on finishing Mass Effect before Starfield’s release next month, I’d pick this up now. I will, however, add it to my wish list and get it later in the year for sure.

[@soup8786]

Play this over starfield. They are worlds apart in terms of quality

[@Libertas_P77]

@@soup8786 I expect you’re right, my access code hasn’t arrived in time so I’m yet to play but Starfield looks underwhelming to me personally. I’m sure it will be fun, but actually I don’t think it will top Fallout 4 and Skyrim for me as my personal favourite Bethesda games to date.

[@onlytwogenders420]

Been waiting for full release for a while, have had it for over a year in early access, so super excited!

[@kellscrawford9076]

Dude! So stoked to learn I’m not the only weirdo out here listening to podcasts and KZbin videos while gaming 😂 it’s totally my secret shame! I’ll check out your podcast, thanks for the content bro.

[@denism.2590]

even though this game seems to be incredible, it is too complicated and not dynamic at all - so it just make me want to sleep, I feel there are a lot of players who feel the same

[@ChrisHMusic95]

I hope crpgs get more recognition now. Games like Pathfinder are so slept on and they are incredible in their way of making you feel like you're actually roleplaying

[@nightfears3005]

Pathfinder games were below average., BG3 is also just another runoff-the-mill dnd adventure.

[@ChrisHMusic95]

@nightfears3005 would be curious to know what cRPGs you think are good (no hate, just always looks for good games to play)

[@fricki1997]

One of the first games in a LONG time where I'll gladly pay the full price at launch to experience it.

[@goodguyJedi]

Haven't played D&D in probably 15 years. Used to play baulders gate on pc and then dark legacy 1 and 2. LOVED them all. I didn't even hear about this until a few weeks ago. Mind blown rn. Excited a f to get the squad in there

[@goodguyJedi]

Dark alliance 1 and 2 not legacy lol. That was Gauntlet

[@Kubwaw]

My second pre-order, but the first that I don't regret 😁 This game is a shining beacon in the dark void that is game development today and is already a strong contender for GOTY.

[@roundy72]

The intro is insane. The facial expressions / body language is scary good. Got to the Druid grove where the teifling sings her song - jaw dropped. GOTY for these three points alone.

[@goolgepl2112]

It seems they found a lot more than 3 points

[@TheMarcHicks]

Funny thing is that, with over 200 hours invested in the Early Access, I'd already have felt I'd gotten my money's worth, even if Act 2 & 3 somehow managed to turn out to be garbage. Knowing I might get another 300+ hours out of this game is just too amazing for words.

[@blackshard641]

Haven't seen Act 3 yet but I can vouch for Act 2 being awesome. I'm beginning to see the trajectory being laid out for Act 3 and it's so good.

[@skullreda2762]

im in act 2 and it's more interesting than act 1 i like it way more

[@radoni0]

I've finnished early access earlier this year and they way they imrpoved optimalization for this game is amazing. Content, story, characters are top too.

[@brandonwhite4496]

Wow been a fan for a while, but the King Cobra reference just made me a huge fan!

[@Bunchc2]

Have never played a Baldur’s Gate game but this one looks very interesting. Don’t have a pc but I’ll keep an eye on how the PS5 port is because I’m intrigued

[@deadlyydude5522]

Divinity original sin 2 had solid console ports, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from BG3. Larian is at the top of their game right now

[@Suikojunkies]

@@deadlyydude5522I second this. Been playing Divinity Original Sin 2 on Tactician for months It’s really cool on consoles as well.

[@MalikATL]

Playing this game on a controller seem uncomfortable

[@WillGodar]

@@MalikATL I played Divinity Original Sin 2 on console and it was surprising how well considered the controls were. Definitely not what I expected.

[@grandrtiv26]

@@MalikATLController was fine in OS2, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

[@tallytrev1496]

I’m about 80 hours in. This is, hands down, my favorite game I’ve ever played. Ever.

[@StonedPeter]

You explaining what a podcast gamer is while I’m “watching” this and playing games is fking crazy

[@j0nnyism]

When a bespectacled man pushes back his glasses when he warns you you know he’s being serious

[@fubar395]

Great review. Did you see Asmon said he's going to buy the game even though he probably won't play it? Just to support Larian and what they've accomplished here. It's great to see.

[@positronikiss]

Y wont play???

[@LukeStephensTV]

I didn't see that, but that's great! This is definitely one of those games to financially support and vote for with your wallet. If this ends up being a massive financial success we will, no doubt, start to see these more serious RPGs seep into the mainstream. I briefly mentioned it in the video, but I really think Larian is creating their own subgenre with this game. In a few years I think a lot of people will be comparing other RPGs to "Larian RPGs" in the same way that every third person adventure ARPG is compared to the soulsborne franchises.

[@menuki6996]

@@positronikiss the last RPG he played was a 25 year old Mario rpg game, but he said he might just give it a try eventually as it seems enticing

[@thehibernatortv1136]

@@positronikiss turn based isn’t his thing, but as said, he owns it now, so he’ll inevitably try it at some point.

[@DemonicBandaidz]

Just purchased the game this morning and I'm so excited to experience the game that the developers have so loving crafted. I'm in my early 30s and although I've never had the opportunity to play Dungeons and Dragons personally I've always found it's systems and lore fascinating. And my Dad played the hell out of the original Baldur's Gate back in the day so I'm happy to finally give the series a go.

[@ChaosTherum]

You should really try to find a group, even if it's an online one. Online is definitely not nearly as good as in person but it's still worth the experience. Try to find a group that does 3.5e or pathfinder.

[@illogik]

I’m just glad you took time away from writing your big reports email to give us this great review. Ty.

[@singlesightart]

13:33 what? I watch both you guys and didn’t know about the podcast. *Follows

[@MukiMuki688]

Final Fantasy, Elder Scrolls, Elden Ring, no matter what RPG you've played, Dungeons and Dragons IS the grandfather of them all.

[@robz4940]

CRPGs have been popping off recently,and I’m glad to see one getting the spotlight. If the full release is half as good as the EA, this game will be tied with RE4 as my goty

[@brookeparker953]

I cant wait to continue playing. Unfortunatly my laptop doesnt run it very well so i bought a new one lol. Gotta wait a few weeks for it to get here. Counting down the days!