Fantasy games and RPGs are a weakness of mine, but my knowledge of Baldur’s Gate hit an embarrassingly low point when I purchased Baldur’s Gate 3. Before this, my only prior knowledge was the multiplayer hack-and-slash entries, Dark Alliance. I gave the CRPG a proper try, and it never sunk its hooks in. That is until I started up a campaign with my friends.
‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ Is a Blast With a Few Pals
Don’t get me wrong; Baldur’s Gate 3 is a lot of things. Featuring a rich and deep combat system, some of the best companions in recent memory, and a unique world to explore, it was a beautiful thing to see happen to the world of RPGs. It also just didn’t appeal to me after a while, so I put it off to the side. Maybe it was RPG fatigue, maybe it was something else. I put Baldur’s Gate 3 back on the digital shelf, where it sat for quite some time.
Then, a fateful event happened. A critical roll for the CRPG, if you will. A few of my friends asked if I wanted to join their Baldur’s Gate 3 run, and I accepted. At first, I was unsure of how long this campaign would run; would I actually stick it out longer than a few sessions? That’s when the beauty of Baldur’s Gate 3 finally hit me. I wasn’t bored of the game; it’s just that much better with a group of friends.
To be fair, upfront, and honest; we still haven’t completed our run. Life happens, and we’re all busy adults who plan on resuming our sessions again very shortly. But the moments we’ve spent spelunking in caves, fighting off creatures, and plowing through the story are moments I’ll never forget.
It’s a world that benefits from multiple folks going off in branching paths. A voice call over Discord and a BG3 session turned a game that I wasn’t vibing with into something that I adored wasn’t on my 2024 Bingo card.
Playing Multiplayer Is a Whole New World of Fun
As I mentioned above, the ability to branch out in the world with a whole new squad was rather entrancing. Sticking together as a party is a must, especially in a game like this, but searching different corridors while exploring the innards of an old cave is rather rewarding. Relaying information back and forth between different players, and mapping out a dungeon is exciting in a way that I never realized before.
Baldur’s Gate 3 may have been the first CRPG that I’ve ever played, but if I can keep the same group together through others, it won’t be my last. While I can appreciate the time and effort that went into creating some of the most intelligent and excellent companions, there is nothing quite like exploring with a few friends.
The post ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ Didn’t Click for Me Until I Played It With Friends appeared first on VICE.
The post ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ Didn’t Click for Me Until I Played It With Friends appeared first on VICE.
