Baldur’s Gate III

[MikeT14]

53 minutes ago, Geek said:

I haven't seen anyone mention this yet but if you're going back into BG3 a second time pick the Dark Urges background from the character creator instead of custom character (you can still customize everything else). I don't want to spoil anything but it's the reason I think BG3 is the game of the year now. It's worth your while.

I read up on this a little bit, and I am scared to do it lol

[MikeT14]

Just beat it. Incredible game. 

I'd like to do another playthrough, but I feel like I should wait a while so that it's more fresh and I forgot more and maybe there is DLC. 

[Xmad]

1 hour ago, MikeT14 said:

Just beat it. Incredible game. 

I'd like to do another playthrough, but I feel like I should wait a while so that it's more fresh and I forgot more and maybe there is DLC. 

Never too early to play more Baldurs gate tres.

 

[showtime]

I have no clue what Dungeons and Dragons even is, and I'm fairly sure I've never played a game like it before.

I watched some videos and the combat seems turned based... now on that front, I've played turn based games Marvel Midnight Suns, X Com 2, Mario and Rabbids... and I enjoyed those type of games.

Idk if this is a game for me. Seems hella complex, BUT the fact that this won game of the year tells me that it must not be that complex because a lot of people bought it and love it.

[Shockwave]

10 hours ago, showtime said:

I have no clue what Dungeons and Dragons even is, and I'm fairly sure I've never played a game like it before.

I watched some videos and the combat seems turned based... now on that front, I've played turn based games Marvel Midnight Suns, X Com 2, Mario and Rabbids... and I enjoyed those type of games.

Idk if this is a game for me. Seems hella complex, BUT the fact that this won game of the year tells me that it must not be that complex because a lot of people bought it and love it.

It is alot like Midnight Suns but way more complex. The learning curve is steep but well worth it once you start understanding how use synergy in your character builds and  the make up of your team. Getting stuck in a big fight without your healer because you decided to leave her at camp and took your Wizard and Sorcerer instead... yea big mistake. The risk/reward aspect of your decisions make each play through totally unique (assuming you aren't save scumming). I'm still on my first playthrough nearing the end of act2 and I'm just relishing every second of the game. The game does not hold your hand. You have to read the books, figure out the puzzles and waypoints all on your own. I've had to rely on the google more then once because I rushed an area and missed a book with a huge clue and now I'm completely clueless. You have to scout ahead and see if you are coming up on a big group, examine them and determine if they are friend or foe. What are their resistances... how does your party match up and is it worth a confrontation. And sometimes you just walk into an ambush because you were being callous and now you are caught by surprise even though your rogue with darkvision just made a comment to be careful...and are at a huge disadvantage in the fight. It's an amazing game and the graphics are gorgeous on the PS5. Worth every penny of the $85 I paid for it. 

[showtime]

1 hour ago, Shockwave said:

It is alot like Midnight Suns but way more complex. The learning curve is steep but well worth it once you start understanding how use synergy in your character builds and  the make up of your team. Getting stuck in a big fight without your healer because you decided to leave her at camp and took your Wizard and Sorcerer instead... yea big mistake. The risk/reward aspect of your decisions make each play through totally unique (assuming you aren't save scumming). I'm still on my first playthrough nearing the end of act2 and I'm just relishing every second of the game. The game does not hold your hand. You have to read the books, figure out the puzzles and waypoints all on your own. I've had to rely on the google more then once because I rushed an area and missed a book with a huge clue and now I'm completely clueless. You have to scout ahead and see if you are coming up on a big group, examine them and determine if they are friend or foe. What are their resistances... how does your party match up and is it worth a confrontation. And sometimes you just walk into an ambush because you were being callous and now you are caught by surprise even though your rogue with darkvision just made a comment to be careful...and are at a huge disadvantage in the fight. It's an amazing game and the graphics are gorgeous on the PS5. Worth every penny of the $85 I paid for it. 

Do you spend more time in combat or more time with the story and other stuff? The story elements seem cool because it seems like this is truly a game where decisions matter. A lot of games claim decisions matter, but most of them actually don't. I've seen someone play the very beginning of the game and it doesn't seem like this game explains like almost anything. I could be wrong about that, though.

[Spartacus]

30 minutes ago, showtime said:

Do you spend more time in combat or more time with the story and other stuff? The story elements seem cool because it seems like this is truly a game where decisions matter. A lot of games claim decisions matter, but most of them actually don't. I've seen someone play the very beginning of the game and it doesn't seem like this game explains like almost anything. I could be wrong about that, though.

I would say more time outside of combat but it really depends on what sort of character you want to play. For example a bard can generally talk themselves out of a ton of combat meanwhile a barbarian can talk themselves right into combat where a different character wouldn't. Its a textbook definition of RPG. Play the way you want to play although I would say an average "Standard" playthrough is probably 60% story 40% combat but it can vary wildly based on playthrough. 

This game is based largely on the rules around Dungeons and Dragons tabletop but there are plenty of  guides to help beginners out. Personally I've never played D&D but I was able to wrap my head around the basic mechanics without much issue.

The biggest thing regarding this game that other games just simply aren't able to accomplish is rewarding creativity. In combat or out of combat there are baked in solutions to problems that you wouldn't really think of even trying in other games. For example there is a ledge with loot on it but you can't jump high enough to reach it a regular game may hide a box somewhere in the room for you to push to get up higher. That's the only solution. Baldurs Gate doesn't do this instead you can either 1. Use a character with athletic traits that allow higher jumps, 2. You may have an item in your inventory you can place down to jump higher, 3. a sorcerer or wizard with telekinesis to bring the item down from the ledge to you, 4. Freezing or petrifying an enemy to jump on, 5. Using an animal companion to grab the item. That is just scratching the surface. There are youtube videos of all sorts of creative ways of dealing with situations. The amount of different ways to attack situations is really stunning. 

Edited January 10 by Spartacus

[Shockwave]

21 minutes ago, Spartacus said:

The biggest thing regarding this game that other games just simply aren't able to accomplish is rewarding creativity. In combat or out of combat there are baked in solutions to problems that you wouldn't really think of even trying in other games. For example there is a ledge with loot on it but you can't jump high enough to reach it a regular game may hide a box somewhere in the room for you to push to get up higher. That's the only solution. Baldurs Gate doesn't do this instead you can either 1. Use a character with athletic traits that allow higher jumps, 2. You may have an item in your inventory you can place down to jump higher, 3. a sorcerer or wizard with telekinesis to bring the item down from the ledge to you, 4. Freezing or petrifying an enemy to jump on, 5. Using an animal companion to grab the item. That is just scratching the surface. There are youtube videos of all sorts of creative ways of dealing with situations. The amount of different ways to attack situations is really stunning. 

Aw you forgot the most fun option... using the oversize spell on my Paladin with 20 Strength then chucking my Dwarf up to the ledge or across the chasm 😎

[Shockwave]

53 minutes ago, showtime said:

Do you spend more time in combat or more time with the story and other stuff? The story elements seem cool because it seems like this is truly a game where decisions matter. A lot of games claim decisions matter, but most of them actually don't. I've seen someone play the very beginning of the game and it doesn't seem like this game explains like almost anything. I could be wrong about that, though.

They matter...unforgivingly... if you are playing the game without save scumming. I'm so looking forward to doing on honor mode run because being able to reload a quicksave if something goes wrong just takes me out of the immersion and it's just so tempting. The true beauty of this game is the risk/reward aspects between the dice rolls, conversation choices, who in your party is leading the conversation, who is actually in your party, so many things factor in. The game is best when you just let it playout and not try to be perfect. 

[Geek]

BG3 is kinda interesting because it rarely throws you into combat for the sake of combat. You might get ambushed here or there but for the most part, combat is usually the end result of your choices or serves as part of the narrative of a quest. You'll have a fight you might think is unavoidable but on a subsequent playthrough, you'll realize it was influenced by a choice you made in the previous act or even during character creation.

[Heimdallr]

I bought this on release and just finally cleared Act 1. 

If you don't understand D&D, or aren't into super complex turn-based RPG combat, it is a struggle. 

The story, world, writing, voice acting, graphics, etc. are all awesome, but oof is the combat and inventory management really a tedious struggle for me. 

[Kiltman]

7 hours ago, Heimdallr said:

I bought this on release and just finally cleared Act 1. 

If you don't understand D&D, or aren't into super complex turn-based RPG combat, it is a struggle. 

The story, world, writing, voice acting, graphics, etc. are all awesome, but oof is the combat and inventory management really a tedious struggle for me. 

Totally can see that, my dad bought it after hearing me rave about it and could see the learning curve hit him hard. He mostly plays shooters or action games, playing it on console doesn’t help either.

[Shockwave]

Yea the radials on console make things so overtly chaotic. I've watched tons of combat and build strategy videos and the quick bar on the PC is so much better. I've even gone through the effort of organizing my radials only to have them shuffled up again once I swapped out an item on my guy. So now I just slog through looking for that one damn scroll I know I have here somewhere. I did read about a trick last night though. Apparently there is a box in the blighted village that you can put all your scrolls into and then sort by type and alphabetic order. Going to make an effort tonight to find that box. 90 something hours in and I've just started act 3. But I am really taking my time. I'm actually considering purchasing it a second time on PC if it ever goes on sale. Can't believe they didn't build in mouse and KB support on the PS5 for this. 

Edited January 16 by Shockwave

[Heimdallr]

14 minutes ago, Shockwave said:

Yea the radials on console make things so overtly chaotic. I've watched tons of combat and build strategy videos and the quick bar on the PC is so much better. I've even gone through the effort of organizing my radials only to have them shuffled up again once I swapped out an item on my guy. 

Yeah that is the worst part. There is no point organizing your wheels when it randomizes any time you change a spell or piece of gear. I gave up and just scroll through my ~9 wheels randomly until I see something that looks good. I play on easy and dislike combat so really I don't do much other than attack and fireball though.

[Kiltman]

2 hours ago, Shockwave said:

Yea the radials on console make things so overtly chaotic. I've watched tons of combat and build strategy videos and the quick bar on the PC is so much better. I've even gone through the effort of organizing my radials only to have them shuffled up again once I swapped out an item on my guy. So now I just slog through looking for that one damn scroll I know I have here somewhere. I did read about a trick last night though. Apparently there is a box in the blighted village that you can put all your scrolls into and then sort by type and alphabetic order. Going to make an effort tonight to find that box. 90 something hours in and I've just started act 3. But I am really taking my time. I'm actually considering purchasing it a second time on PC if it ever goes on sale. Can't believe they didn't build in mouse and KB support on the PS5 for this. 

Was gonna ask if there was mouse and keyboard support, odd that wasn’t included