Baldur’s Gate 3’s Uneven Pacing Has Me Struggling To Get Invested

I’ve waited a long time to finally dive into Baldur’s Gate 3, currently ranked fourth among the most-awarded games ever. I wasn’t patient enough to wait for the Definitive Edition or the upcoming Patch 7, but the wait was probably worth it. Eight months later, and I’ve got an almost perfect version of this almost perfect CRPG, or so they say. However, after about 15 hours, I’m still struggling to fully get into this epic adventure.

I admit, I was a bit worried after my experience with Divinity: Original Sin 2 back in 2023. It didn’t quite click with me either, and immersing myself was challenging. The first 15 hours felt demanding and overwhelming, with characters and quests somewhat lacking. Now, I’m experiencing a similar feeling with BG3, which feels like DOS2 with a few extra bells and whistles.

Arresting First Impression Isn’t Enough

At first glance, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an impressive and thrilling package. Even for someone experienced with top-tier party RPGs like myself (favorites being Dragon Age: Origins and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic), BG3’s achievements in voice acting, character modeling, animation quality, and overall production values have left me speechless.

The main draw here is undoubtedly the characters — companions, key NPCs, or even custom protagonists. Just look at user screenshots on Steam: nearly 90% of them are close-ups of various in-game characters displaying convincing emotions. It seems Larian deliberately focused on this aspect, and it was a wise decision that greatly contributed to its success.

Larian’s Pivot Away From Baldur’s Gate 3 Is The Right Move

Larian has too much talent to be making someone else’s game.

While I’m not a huge fan of Larian’s writing choices, they are definitely made more memorable by captivating performances and the visual fidelity of character design. Never before has an RPG looked, sounded, and felt this good. Yet, at its core, I can’t say that BG3 fundamentally improves upon what came before.

The Potential That’s Hard To Fully Grasp

Despite a strong opening, Baldur’s Gate 3 quickly becomes confusing. My overall experience was hindered by the UI’s lack of clarity, insufficient explanation of mechanics, and a slight to gradually introduce its numerous options and interaction points. It feels like there are too many choices at every turn, leaving no option but to blindly use all the new abilities, items, and spells you come across, often resulting in reloads.

Furthermore, regardless of your solutions, each scenario’s possibilities are limited by what Larian has put into them. The game demands meticulous bookkeeping, patience, and a willingness to fail repeatedly. While handholding may not be the best solution, Larian could do more to ensure a smoother entry for players unfamiliar with D&D rules.

Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t just confusing; it’s also very demanding of time and attention, with somewhat uneven pacing. Even though I’m still in the first act, I feel like I’ve already figured out the pattern. To me, the gameplay loop revolves around three main aspects: fighting, exploring/looting/inventory sorting, and, of course, talking to people.

Not much else happens aside from dialogue with NPCs, trading, and careful looting when in hubs. Take The Druid’s Grove, for example, which doubles as a refugee camp. You have to talk to every refugee to gather quests, and then repeat the process with the druid part of the settlement. Later on, you might want to revisit every corner after drinking a special potion that lets you talk to animals or the undead.

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I Can’t Stop Thinking About The Underwear In Baldur’s Gate 3 | Gaming Lit 101

I can’t be the only one who’s obsessed…right?

When you’re exploring the wilds, it usually boils down to “highlight as much of the surroundings as possible to avoid missing anything” interaction, as I personally dislike the idea of overlooking anything along the way. Look, I get that you’re not necessarily required to do all the intricate stuff and are just meant to enjoy the adventure as it unfolds. Perhaps, BG3 simply isn’t tailored for gamers like myself, who tend to explore every nook and cranny. I’m happy for those who can just relax and immerse themselves in the world and characters at their own pace, but that’s simply not my style.

All these issues aren’t exclusive to Baldur’s Gate 3; they’re common in many RPG designs. Sometimes, you can clearly see where one part of the experience ends and another kicks in. Today, I spent hours talking, so tomorrow there’s likely some fighting on the menu. But what if I’m not in the mood for combat tomorrow? Can I do something else? Sorry, pal, you’ve exhausted all current interactions; now go spend hours in rather dragging and tough combat encounters. This pattern is common in RPGs, but BG3 shouldn’t have adopted it without attempting to change this familiar blueprint.

Not Quite Suited For Small Doses

Baldur's Gate 3 Early Access Official Capture

Baldur’s Gate 3 likely offers a fantastic experience for those who can afford to fully immerse themselves in this adventure, spending weeks living and breathing the game. However, I find it challenging to maintain excitement during my brief sessions. Playing it in short bursts, the magic evaporates faster than it builds up, leaving me with the annoying feeling of having to force myself to launch it when I only have a couple of free hours. It also doesn’t help when I feel like I know what to expect from each new round.

Dragon Age Origins’ Expansion Is A Great Blueprint For Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC

An expansion should feel substantial.

To draw some parallels, when I played Dragon Age: Inquisition, a game I also struggled to get invested in at first, despite its predictable nature of clearing regions of Thedas from points of interest and doing fetch quests, I never got this feeling of knowing exactly how the next hour would unfold. After just a few hours with BG3, I felt like I knew precisely what would happen during the next two-hour session, depending on where I stopped: in a camp, in a settlement, or in the wilds. Sure, it’s not without occasional minor surprises, but nothing that would make my heart flutter.

In the end, I’ve decided to pause my adventures for now, until I have the time to invest properly. Perhaps I jumped to conclusions too soon, without allowing this colossal game to truly flourish for me. So far, it hasn’t been the kind of experience that grabs me and throws discoveries my way, allowing for effortless enjoyment in spontaneous bursts. I’m ready to give it a second chance someday; I just hope I won’t have to adapt my life around it to truly like it. Maybe I’m just not the right kind of player, as all the fun you can find in Baldur’s Gate 3 seems to be entirely up to you.