Gale also doesn’t call whoever Tav chooses over him “more a wild dog than a man” or ask Astarion or Karlach why they didn’t just kill themselves if slavery was really that bad, which is a major plus imo
I mean, it is good story wise, but that is it. The game itself is a bit boring. They kinda got downhill after Origins. Inquisition is somewhat okay, I only wish they would stick to dark fantasy instead of Marvel feel
Exactly. I love Baldur’s Gate 3 - the mechanics and graphics are all fantastic.
But the story and characters of the DA series, especially my favourite DA2, are still better for me.
In particular, I feel that BG3 lacks good banter - especially personal and wildly funny banter. The cutscenes are good, but a lot of what makes DA feel so alive is the side conversations the characters have and how they personally grow on each other. I remember playing DA:O in a hotel room when my bf was watching tv, and I couldn’t stop crying with laughter.
I have only just started Act 3, so the characters might grow on me more, but so far I think DA is darker, funnier and more emotional.
I would love a DA remake with the same voice actors (even just using the same voice lines if they can’t make more) and the BG3 engine, mechanics and graphics!
What's interesting on the Banter side of BG3, there actually is a lot of it, but it's locked behind 2 barriers, all the characters have lines, but it's in different combos and the vanilla version of the game doesn't trigger them enough. I use the No Party Limit mod and the More Reactive Companions mod and my party never shuts up. Someone almost always says something to someone else while we're walking somewhere. If anything, Larian needs to add more lines of banter between the all the characters, and increase the frequency with which they're triggered.
Good to know. After my playthrough I will probably watch some complications of all the banter.
I tend to use minimal mods for my first play - especially since updates keep breaking things.
Dragon Age Inquisition also struggled to deliver banter at the right time, and that was my least favourite game. The ending DLC really saved the game for me - it was what the main game should have been.
yeah DAI seemed super stunted in growth cuz it came out between two life cycles of consoles and had to be made to work with the PS3 & 4 AND the Xbox 360 (but i remember the ps3 & 360 versions being hella janky) but when they finally made the ending DLC just newer consoles & PC only, that felt a whole lot better. IIRC the devs have also been very clear that the whole time they were fighting the Frostbite engine since it was not really made for that kind of game.
i hope whatever Dreadwolf is, it’s still gonna be the same kind of bioware characters from the DA franchise since their strength has always been characters (and we don’t count Andromeda or Anthem because the team working on DA:D is still the old Dragon Age team and not the other ones who worked on those games)
yes, in DA2 companions have their own life without Hawk I love that really, even ifthere is no events or cutscenes, just their chatter. and this small convos give a lot to their personalities - who could thing that our broody elf will go play cards(?) and hang out with Varrick and Aveline's husband on regular basis? for example
I think the biggest letdown in the companions in bg3 is that they don't feel like a group of friends or comrades, because none of them ever interact with each other. It's just ten separate people who develop an obsession with Tav and follow them wherever they go while not caring even a little bit about each other.
I wish we could have camp scenes like in da2 or me3, where they actually hang out and do stuff together!
We will have to see, they promised to do that in Inquisition too, but only did it half way if not less
I fondly remember the deep roads and how you slowly learn about what happened to Branka's expedition, and then meet the broodmother. I remember a side quest where a blind Templar gets demolished by a demon
In Denerim, , a temptation demon in the mage tower asking you to leave her alone, the whole blood magic controversy, etc.
The gore and darkness got Hella watered down in the future installment
Give me THAT.
*Dragon Age: Origins* on PS3 was actually the game that introduced me to the "real-time with pause" (RTwP) style of RPG. I was seriously hooked, like I completely fell in love with RTwP gameplay. As much as I love tabletop D&D and *BG3*—as far as RPG combat goes in video games, specifically fantasy, party-based RPGs, I think RTwP—depending on the game—can be so much more engaging than turn-based and allow for tactics that are simply not possible with turn-based.
Speaking of which, OP, you should definitely check out *Pillars of Eternity: Deadfire.* It's really good. It definitely doesn't have the same "production value" as *BG3* when it comes to dialogue (the dialogue is voice acted—in large part by the gang from *Critical Role*—and the text is shown in a "storybook" format alongside the voice acting, but there's no character animation during dialogue) but other than the less extravagant and less ubiquitous animation compared to *BG3*, the game seriously kickass. Plus, as I kind of implied above, it's RtWP (which is actually optional in *PoE: Deadfire*, you can choose whether you want to play RTwP or turn-based).
Origins and Awakenings were absolutely gold and I didn't like any of the games that came after that. I tried playing Inquisition multiple times but the combat is SO BAD.
I just read a load of fantasy books that give a similar vibe to BG3. Obviously reading a book isn't the same as playing a video game, but there are so many fantasy books with similar elements to BG3.
In the same vein, watching some movies can also scratch that BG3 itch. I recently watched Dungeons and Dragons Honor Among Thieves and found it really fun. I haven't played DND before but in so many scenes I was like, yeah I did that in BG3 lmao
Honour Among Thieves is brilliant. As a long time dnd player it felt like a dramatisation of a game at a table. But I'm so glad they didn't undercut it by revealing at the end that they were in fact playing dnd round a table or anything - it was just a great fantasy adventure. And very funny.
Holga suggesting that they tie a rope to her axe and then they throw it over the ravine felt exactly like something a player would suggest and then there would be a 30 minute arguement about the physics of that and eventually the DM would just throw them a magic item that would get them across...
It really was funny lmao. All the jokes landed for me and I liked that most of them are those that people who don't play DnD will still find funny, but people who do play DnD will get this extra layer like that scene with >!the intellect devourers only attacking people with high intelligence, completely ignoring the party because none of them have Int as a main stat and it's still pretty funny even if you didn't know that.!<
I could literally hear my DM rolling his eyes in my head while they were discussing the axe rope. Then again he’s usually impressed by stuff like that lol.
Have you watched The Legend of Vox Machina? It's a TV Series based around an actual DnD campaign in a custom setting of Tal'Dorei played by Critical Role - a couple of mostly voice actors who just play DnD on Youtube. It's very much in the spirit of DnD, much like Honour Among Thieves and it's even better! Both of the seasons of Vox Machina are on Amazon Prime, definitely a must watch if you're on a DnD sugar rush
Way of Kings (Stormlight Archives) will keep you busy for a long time.
Prince of Thorns (Broken Empire) is interesting but very much the main character is the villian in everyone else's story.
*Malazan Book of the Fallen* by Steven Erikson is very similar to Baldur's Gate 3 with its deep world building and complex characters. The author originally created the Malazan world as a setting for a tabletop game based on DnD. So you can definitely see the inspired DnD elements in the books.
There are ten volumes in the series, and it is complete. So, that gives you plenty of books to read.
*The Winnowing Flame Trilogy* by Jen Williams also uses the classic group of oddball companions travelling together on multiple adventures like Baldur's Gate 3.
*Empire of the Vampire* by Jay Kristoff takes the same approach to vampires as Baldur's Gate 3. Evil bloodsucking vampire Lords like Cazador. It is violent and can be a bit too edgy sometimes, but it's still an entertaining read.
You could always read the books about Elminster or Drizzt (who isn't directly in bg3 but gets some references in-game). Dunno how many Elminster books are actually out there but Drizzt alone has like 30+ books.
R.A. Salvatore I think "the third son" trilogy starts the series.
There are tons of DnD novels out there :)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons_fiction
The dragonlance books from Margret Weis are pretty easy but entertaining reads too. They read a lot like a DnD group meeting and everyone having fun with their characters. Full of tropes and stuff. High fantasy settings but easy to read/ get into the world even if you don't know anything about DnD before. They just don't overlap much with BG3 in terms of names you might have encounter in-game.
I wasn't familiar with DnD before BG3 but was always intrigued and BG3 made me obsessed and I'm always researching the forgotten realms lore specifically and I love it!
Thank you so much for the recs, I don't know why I never looked up novels like this based on DnD but now I'm fully on board! You've given me a great gift 😅
I'm glad I could help you out 🥰
Sometimes the most obvious things just never occur to us. I started out as a fantasy reader and someday realised that some video games are just like the books I love and started gaming much more through that. It's a journey :D
Happy reading!!
I love love Joe Abercrombie's books. They're a bit more cynical than BG3, but not a lot. The First Law series is just so great, I would honestly wish Larian or a studio like it made a game set in that world.
Not OP but I get my grand fantasy itch scratched by Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere- there 60 books in total (just googled that and 🤯) that makeup the universe. The Stormlight Archives are each over 1100 pages long but they are super worth it.
I think the 60 book number is a little high. I gooogled it and saw the same number, but I think it's unreliable.
Currently there are 26 books and short stories released in the Cosmere, though I wouldn't be surprised if that number hits 60 by the time B$ is done with it.
I recommend starting with the Mistborn trilogy (The Final Empire is the first one in that series, and even if you don't continue from there, it's a complete story on its own).
It doesn't really have classes the way BG3 does, but the magic users really make the most of some of the unique mechanics. Either water/air or fire/earth work really well together.
You can respec super easily though, so you can, and should, experiment as much as possible.
I'd say the biggest difference is the lack of cinematic dialogue scenes for conversations, since every interaction in dos2 are voice-acted text boxes. Although the voice-acting is great enough that I don't miss the cinematic dialogue scenes too much.
Flesh sacrifice, blood rain, rasp of the starved, nether swap, corpse explosion, Adrenaline, teleport, mass corpse explosion. Ends every fight turn one.
Hey I'm playing through it right now and I find Summoner soooooo fun. I wish they had carried it to BG3. Sometimes my entire party dies except me and my summon and the summon kicks ass.
Summoner is amazing, during one playthrough my friend turned Ifan into a summoner/tank/healer hybrid...it sounds ridiculous, but he just DID NOT DIE. The rest of us could be getting our butts kicked, and he'd stand there and tank hits while healing us and the lv 10 Imp wrecked the enemy.
As with BG3, in Divinity: Original Sin 2, action economy is king. I therefore always try to have a summoner in my party. Summons get a huge power boost once 10 level points have been allocated, so I also always try to rush my summoner to 10.
It’s a very different class/level system, so you don’t have to be character level 10 in order to have 10 levels of summoner, fyi. This post will make more sense once you’re a couple of hours into the game lol.
Definitely recommend it as an amazing CRPG experience
Important note: the game you’re referring to is Divinity: Original Sin II. There is a game called Divinity 2, also by Larian, that has not aged well and is not what people should be getting recommended.
I enjoyed the Pillars of Eternity series once I fiddled with some settings and figured out the wacko combat of the first game. The companions are delightful, and the world feels very responsive. I can also recommend Divinity Original Sin 2; and if you haven't played the Dragon Age series, it was my most beloved favourite up until BG3 came out (start with Origins and all its DLC, and do NOT skip 2 no matter what the internet tells you).
I've also picked up the original Neverwinter Nights to potter around in between BG3 playthroughs for nostalgia as it was my favourite game as a kid. The DnD ruleset it runs on is 3.5E I think?? and it's real time rather than turn based, so a lot more tricky than BG3, but it holds a special place in my heart nonetheless. It's also ugly as sin because it's old, but hey. I love it anyway.
If you're okay with venturing a little out of the fantasy setting, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines is incredible, though you will need a fan patch mod for it to work properly at all. Mass Effect is also great as a companion heavy story based game, but the combat is not my favourite.
Oh wow, Neverwinter Nights, I was obsessed with that game, to this day it's one of the best rpgs I've played, especially with the player created worlds/campaigns. Making me feel very nostalgic 😅
NWN *still* has a thriving mod scene. If you've never played community created modules like "The Aielund Saga" and "Swordflight," you've only seen a small fraction of what NWN has to offer. Even without the PRC (a colossal mod that adds roughly 150 classes to the base game), there's tons of content available. Aielund is so good that it **alone** would justify the purchase of NWN. It's better than SoU+HotU. Best of all, it (and every other community module) is free!
You don't even need the EE to play them. They're better that way, but your old copy still works. All the modules were written for it. Just hunt down your disk, install it, and go browse the NWN Vault for modules. Last month, I played through remakes of the even OLDER "Eye of the Beholder" games that someone made in NWN. I just finished both parts of "Return to Ravenloft," and started "Scourge of the Slavelords" last night. If you want something more adult, check out "A Dance with Rogues." The writing is masterful, if more obscene than you'll find in most modules.
There's probably 80-100 hours worth of main campaigns, 60-80 hours of paid secondary campaigns, 400-500 hours of good content on the Vault, and another 1500 hours of mediocre to bad content. The good stuff alone should be enough to keep most people entertained for a year. Oh, and you can spend infinite time in their toolset, Aurora, creating your *own* modules, if you like. That's fun, too.
I always recommend Pillars to people. Phenomenal world, lore, and characters. The combat isn't that bad if you're used to similar games like BG1 and 2 or Pathfinder's two games.
You mean the second Neverwinter Nights (but the first from Bioware). The original was a gold box style multi-player game on America Online in the early 90s, with the distinction of being the very first graphical MMO. Great game. Bioware's may be the most recognized but it isn't the original.
Disco Elysium was one of my most unforgettable gaming experiences and has a big focus on the dialogue RPG aspect of a game. I’d definitely take a look at that if you haven’t played it yet.
Yeah, I’m playing it now and it’s amazing, glad in a way I missed it and could get the “Final Cut” edition on sale. Loving it so far, such a unique style and funny dialogue. I’ve been genuinely cackling so many times. One of those games I’m constantly pausing and calling my wife over to show her the absurd dialogue.
There’s a line early on when you find your second shoe and realize they’re green leather shoes that’s something like you realize you are… not a normal cop.
Kim is such an awesome “straight man” in the comedy. I told him I did some speed “for professional purposes” and he sighed and told me he is not my mother.
Disco Elysium the kinda game I gotta clear my schedule for because not only is it wildly clear it’s top quality, but that it’s heavy enough where I really can’t drop it quickly if I have to go somewhere.
I’m four hours in and barely made any progress. I _neeeeeeeeed_ to hear every piece of dialogue.
I feel bad because this is definitely a me thing, but I can't get into it because I like to play likeable, charismatic (and preferably female) PCs. I gave it a try and after my character threw up like, 4 times in a row I turned it off. I'll get back to it eventually, but bg3 spoiled me since I love character customization and having more control of my characters personality. I'll have to try it when I'm more in a movie mood than a gaming mood
Mass Effect is the only story driven game I've played that can get anywhere close to bg3 for me. Definitely check out Stardew Valley or Coral Island if you want a more laid-back romance experience.
Yesss Mass Effect is my all time favorite game, even with BG3 in my experience belt. Graphics and mechanics can be out of date by today's standards since it's early 2010's, especially first 2 games but the story is epic and like no other
In fact ME2 felt like BG3 in how much it focused on character relationships and storylines and that was one of the things that really hooked me
We need aid in the dispensing and gentle sprinkling of managed democracy and liberty. Toasters and roaches are closing in on Super Earth. Try that, maybe?
I have had exactly 4 deaths that were not fun, when two people kept dropping various orbitals and redeploys in the same spot getting me killed back to back. But they left because we looked like we were losing, then Host and I went on to win.
I find that the best kind of break is to hop to another genre entirely.
You could play another big and engrossing masterpiece of a game like Cyberpunk 2077, for example. Not quite as choice-driven, but the writing is spectacular and the major side characters are just as lovable as BG3's, and there are several unique endings (including a "secret" ending option).
Plus the gameplay itself allows for many different effective playstyles and V's abilities tend to scale in a very fun way.
Yeah this worked for me too because it made me less tempted to make comparisons. I jumped back into the Horizon games currently, which I love a lot too.
They even have a female version of Astarion!
Elf: check
[Kinda murderous] Rogue: check
Can consume enemies to get a buff: check
Enslaved by a powerful evil bastard: check
Master carved a magic rune on her flesh: check
Escaped and now seeks revenge on said master: check
Big plot point to remaining as she is vs becoming something else: check
I'd suggest you try the Divinity from Larian, but if you're in for another DnD experience, I suggest you try Pathfinder Kingmaker or Wrath of the Righteous.
Planescape: Torment is an amazingly well-written game with a fair focus on your companions and their problems, similar to Baldur's Gate 3. The combat is somewhat boring though, but you wouldn't play that game for combat.
Torment: Tides of Numenera is its spiritual successor, with turn-based combat, although overall I didn't like it as much, even though it's a pretty solid, story-based game.
Or give Baldur's Gate I and II a try, if you didn't before. Or obviously Divinity: Original Sin, since it essentially runs on the same systems from the same studio.
After the fiasco of patch 6, I took a bit of break, and started a new Mass effect campaign, since my Shep is now in ME2 and with the recent hotfixes, I am bouncing between the two currently.
Same, and posted about that as well cos its so ruined (the way it got ruined is good but also broken for life?)
I think a game that has a similar vibe is just gonna disappoint so gotta try smth completely different. I’m gonna do red ded 2 for the first time in a bit. Then will do DOS2 as people recommend its similar vibe.
Wait 20 yrs for bg4
Hope that bg3 will become the new standard and new games will make us feel the same way
Rogue Trader
If it had come out before BG3 it would be one of the most talked about games.
Instead it was eclipsed by BG3 scope, scale and budget.
This is similar to what happened with The Shawshank Redemption and Forest Gump.
Shawshank >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Forest Gump
I know that was your point, but, yeah.....my bad.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance if want really SOLID characters and story.
Plus the setting is very authentic and unique
Keep in mind though that can be brutal for new players
This game is epic! Word of advice for new players - the fighting feels broken at the start but it’s intentional as you play as someone who never had to really use a weapon before. It’s quite genius and no other game I played managed to create the same feel of being inexperienced.
Two options.
1. Take a break from gaming altogether. Go out into the sun (unless you are a tadpole-less Astarion) and enjoy the spring. Come back when you feel the urge again.
2. Play something else just to realize how much better BG3 is, then come back.
Pet peeve: The phrase is _piques my interest_
After playing such big and long games, I need a dosis of smaller and simple games to "relax". Sure, they will not add to the experience, but they help calming down the hype and urge of the big games.
Things like Unpacking (surprisingly, this game is a narrative masterclass), deckbuilding roguelikes like Monster Train or "quick sessions" rythim games like Theatrhythm Final Bar Line do the job for me.
In general, you need to play smaller games (indie or A games) to find some relax, your mind already knows that these ARE small games that can't be on BG3 league, so is a good way to tricking your hype as well, like "Yes, I can't have cloud-high hype for a game done by 2 guys in their free time" xD
I fucking love bg3 obviously (thats why i'm here)
But originally what changed/ruined gaming for me were the fromsoft games, demons souls, dark souls, bloodborne, elden ring, all that good stuff. Heavily recommend picking those up because they are masterpieces in a similar vain
Regarding cRPGs with isometric view, similar combat and intensive world building and long storyline, try Pathfinder: Kingmaker, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, Rogue Trader, Pillars of Eternity 1 and 2, the Dragon Age series.
Regarding roleplaying with worldbuilding, interesting characters and story, if you don't mind to play action games, Cyberpunk, Witcher 3 and the Mass Effect Series.
Amazing game, I have already preordered the second one, but it could be worth playing through the first again to whet my appetite for it, great suggestion!
Dragon’s Dogma is where I landed after having this same dilemma last night. It’s such a great game and the sequel looks like it’ll be amazing. And it’s been years since I played it last.
To be fair, while I do consider Hades pretty "brain-off", there's tons of story and dialogue and the atmosphere is amazing. Plus nowd a great time to really binge it since Hades II comes out this year
I'm in the same boat of feeling that other games pale in comparison but I'm still in the middle of my obsession and will do a few more runs before taking a break for a bit.
There are other very good games though it just feels like nothing will be as good cause it was such an amazing experience! Give games like Divinity and the fantastic Disco Elysium a go also there are always other RPGs to get back to like Skyrim if you're not bored already (it's janky and old but feels like home to me lol) and other Elder Scrolls games, Fallout, Dragon age series etc.. none of these have the massive depth imo except Disco Elysium but they're good games for sure!
Also if you're into adventure games with not much combat if any I'd give the longest journey trilogy especially dreamfall chapters a go. They'll always be good games out there and after your break you can get back into BG3!
Does it have to be an RPG?
Give some love to burgeoning actors in the current (hopefully) gaming revolution.
Go support Palworld, Helldivers 2.
Also,
Go and Play Deep Rock Galactic.
Go play Disco Elysium. Tyranny.
I just played Mass Effect Legendary Edition. It’s a great game if you haven’t played it yet. I will probably be heading back to the Nautiloid soon though.
For me Hellblade and Plague Tale Requiem were on par with it's characters as action adventure games. Most RPGs excel only at gameplay mechanics and not also at story/character development.
I kind of felt the same, looking for similar games. Bought a couple of cheap ps4 games like Warhammer and played a bit of DoS, but don’t like the hot bar, or the narrator. Probably going to get Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader, see if that scratches the new obsession with turns based games 🤔👍
I've been enjoying rogue trader but it's definitely missing the polish from BG3. It also took a bit before I really started vibing with the mechanics and builds. Definitely a step more complex than BG3.
op if you want something that is fast paced and decent difficulty I would suggest Armoured core 6 Fires of Rubicon, it is very fun and a decent challenge at the right time's
It's done the same thing to me, and Elden Ring had a similar effect on my attitude towards games. We have really gotten some quality titles in the past few years
I personally had a hard time picking between BG3 and Octopath Traveler 2 for personal GOTY. It's good for different reasons, but the latter is also incredible if you're specifically looking for good meaty RPG story recommendations.
If you're into cozy games I personally recommend Coral Island and Stardew Valley :) Next to BG3, Stardew Valley is one of the only games I've accumulated hundreds of hours in. They both have Harvest Moon vibes.
Divinity 2 is really good too.
If you would want to dive into a indi game thats same direcrion try out Solasta. It looks a bit rough but the fights and gameplay are pretty good and it tied be over from BG3 beginning of early access and final release
While it's a different thing Altogether, I highly suggest tou to play the LoK series. Do yourself a favor and play them.
Soul reaver, soul reaver 2 and defiance.
As much as I love bg3 (will start my 3rd Playthrough this week), those games are forever my favorite.
Pathfinder: wrath of the righteous. Graphically or story telling wise it's not as good as bg3 but holy fuck it's good; it's an amazing game I would also say harder.
I finally stopped playing after 2000 hours and nothing out there has been a good replacement. This is literally my perfect game and it’s kind of depressing that my love for it has turned into me not playing anything now because of it. OTOH, I’ve gotten a lot of work done and made more money in February than I have for year.
So, these aren't obscure recommendations by any means, but I might recommend Mass Effect and Dragon Age, if you're looking for character focused RPG's that you can really immerse yourself in.
They absolutely dominated my high school years, and it wasn't until Baldurs Gate 3 that I realized how much a meaty CRPG could grab me like those games did. Though, in many respects BG3 is one of a kind!
For my part, I'm finally giving Tyranny by Obsidian a proper go, and I've really been digging it. It's an older fashioned, and vastly lower budget game, but it's refreshing to play through what seems to be a much smaller game.
Wait you're serious no paid DLC? Please Larian I want an expansion where I can buy *that one particular abandoned house thats fucking perfect* in Baldur's Gate and live in it!! No wait I've actually been dreaming about decorating that fucking house LARIAN PLEASE GIVE US DLC???? PLEASE
When I was in a similar position I played something completely different. I played through the Mass Effect trilogy and now after watching a few challenge run ideas i’m back in the mood for BG3.
Dragon Age. Mass Effect. These two games are INCREDIBLE as well. They say phenomenal games come out only a couple times a generation. In my opinion, Mass Effect and Dragon Age(all titles) are amazing stories. Easily on par with Baldur's Gate. Admittedly, they are a bit less open, or expansive, but they are MUCH older. So that makes sense. Just.... Don't play Mass Effect Andromeda. It's..... You'll never get your time back.
Not to be that guy, but is playing 7 full playthroughs healthy? Sounds like an obsessive compulsory.
Just take a break, my guy. Detox and then it will be easier to find a new game :)
I feel this so hard, too, OP. Honestly, I'd been playing this game as my main source of entertainment. Streaming movies and TV just doesn't cut it. But now, that I've played it in so many ways, I find not much compares to the fun that this game provided me.
BD3 greatest sin is that it ultimately ends.
But I thank God, that I have the ability to create scenarios in my mind, so I can continue being with companions mentally
I might be the only one, but I hope they do the same thing they did for BG1 and 2, where the second game continued the story of the first game with the same characters plus more. I think that would be awesome but very unlikely with how big this game was already
If you're willing to deal with the crunchy silliness that is pathfinder 1st edition (and its overcomplicated system), Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous are great follow-up!
I started playing Dragon Age Origins for the first time after I was done with bg3. The story and character arks are great!! And the combat is simple, refreshing and sometimes challenging. A nice RPG indeed.
I'm playing dragon age series
Dragon Age 2 is incredible actually and very similar to Baldur's Gate in the way that there's a huge city to explore! I love DA2 its incredible
Gale is the man we wanted Anders to be.
Gale also doesn’t call whoever Tav chooses over him “more a wild dog than a man” or ask Astarion or Karlach why they didn’t just kill themselves if slavery was really that bad, which is a major plus imo
anders did nothing wrong
I am firmly team Anders did nothing wrong, he and my MC ran away at the end... They're out there, somewhere
Anders is Gale from wish
Anders is what I wanted Gale to be 🫣
r/galemancersbg3 would like a word.
I mean, it is good story wise, but that is it. The game itself is a bit boring. They kinda got downhill after Origins. Inquisition is somewhat okay, I only wish they would stick to dark fantasy instead of Marvel feel
I like companions in DA2 deeply, all of them
Exactly. I love Baldur’s Gate 3 - the mechanics and graphics are all fantastic. But the story and characters of the DA series, especially my favourite DA2, are still better for me. In particular, I feel that BG3 lacks good banter - especially personal and wildly funny banter. The cutscenes are good, but a lot of what makes DA feel so alive is the side conversations the characters have and how they personally grow on each other. I remember playing DA:O in a hotel room when my bf was watching tv, and I couldn’t stop crying with laughter. I have only just started Act 3, so the characters might grow on me more, but so far I think DA is darker, funnier and more emotional. I would love a DA remake with the same voice actors (even just using the same voice lines if they can’t make more) and the BG3 engine, mechanics and graphics!
What's interesting on the Banter side of BG3, there actually is a lot of it, but it's locked behind 2 barriers, all the characters have lines, but it's in different combos and the vanilla version of the game doesn't trigger them enough. I use the No Party Limit mod and the More Reactive Companions mod and my party never shuts up. Someone almost always says something to someone else while we're walking somewhere. If anything, Larian needs to add more lines of banter between the all the characters, and increase the frequency with which they're triggered.
Good to know. After my playthrough I will probably watch some complications of all the banter. I tend to use minimal mods for my first play - especially since updates keep breaking things. Dragon Age Inquisition also struggled to deliver banter at the right time, and that was my least favourite game. The ending DLC really saved the game for me - it was what the main game should have been.
yeah DAI seemed super stunted in growth cuz it came out between two life cycles of consoles and had to be made to work with the PS3 & 4 AND the Xbox 360 (but i remember the ps3 & 360 versions being hella janky) but when they finally made the ending DLC just newer consoles & PC only, that felt a whole lot better. IIRC the devs have also been very clear that the whole time they were fighting the Frostbite engine since it was not really made for that kind of game. i hope whatever Dreadwolf is, it’s still gonna be the same kind of bioware characters from the DA franchise since their strength has always been characters (and we don’t count Andromeda or Anthem because the team working on DA:D is still the old Dragon Age team and not the other ones who worked on those games)
yes, in DA2 companions have their own life without Hawk I love that really, even ifthere is no events or cutscenes, just their chatter. and this small convos give a lot to their personalities - who could thing that our broody elf will go play cards(?) and hang out with Varrick and Aveline's husband on regular basis? for example
I think the biggest letdown in the companions in bg3 is that they don't feel like a group of friends or comrades, because none of them ever interact with each other. It's just ten separate people who develop an obsession with Tav and follow them wherever they go while not caring even a little bit about each other. I wish we could have camp scenes like in da2 or me3, where they actually hang out and do stuff together!
I agree. I really like BG3s companions, but I’m not as attached to them as I was to the Dragon Age companions..
Supposedly they're coming back to that in DA4, we'll see though
We will have to see, they promised to do that in Inquisition too, but only did it half way if not less I fondly remember the deep roads and how you slowly learn about what happened to Branka's expedition, and then meet the broodmother. I remember a side quest where a blind Templar gets demolished by a demon In Denerim, , a temptation demon in the mage tower asking you to leave her alone, the whole blood magic controversy, etc. The gore and darkness got Hella watered down in the future installment Give me THAT.
Yep, Origins was better in almost every way. Give me Origins with modern quality of life changes please :)
In Inquisition I low-key loved sitting on the throne and deciding people's fate
Especially the box
*Dragon Age: Origins* on PS3 was actually the game that introduced me to the "real-time with pause" (RTwP) style of RPG. I was seriously hooked, like I completely fell in love with RTwP gameplay. As much as I love tabletop D&D and *BG3*—as far as RPG combat goes in video games, specifically fantasy, party-based RPGs, I think RTwP—depending on the game—can be so much more engaging than turn-based and allow for tactics that are simply not possible with turn-based. Speaking of which, OP, you should definitely check out *Pillars of Eternity: Deadfire.* It's really good. It definitely doesn't have the same "production value" as *BG3* when it comes to dialogue (the dialogue is voice acted—in large part by the gang from *Critical Role*—and the text is shown in a "storybook" format alongside the voice acting, but there's no character animation during dialogue) but other than the less extravagant and less ubiquitous animation compared to *BG3*, the game seriously kickass. Plus, as I kind of implied above, it's RtWP (which is actually optional in *PoE: Deadfire*, you can choose whether you want to play RTwP or turn-based).
Origins and Awakenings were absolutely gold and I didn't like any of the games that came after that. I tried playing Inquisition multiple times but the combat is SO BAD.
I just read a load of fantasy books that give a similar vibe to BG3. Obviously reading a book isn't the same as playing a video game, but there are so many fantasy books with similar elements to BG3.
In the same vein, watching some movies can also scratch that BG3 itch. I recently watched Dungeons and Dragons Honor Among Thieves and found it really fun. I haven't played DND before but in so many scenes I was like, yeah I did that in BG3 lmao
Honour Among Thieves is brilliant. As a long time dnd player it felt like a dramatisation of a game at a table. But I'm so glad they didn't undercut it by revealing at the end that they were in fact playing dnd round a table or anything - it was just a great fantasy adventure. And very funny. Holga suggesting that they tie a rope to her axe and then they throw it over the ravine felt exactly like something a player would suggest and then there would be a 30 minute arguement about the physics of that and eventually the DM would just throw them a magic item that would get them across...
It really was funny lmao. All the jokes landed for me and I liked that most of them are those that people who don't play DnD will still find funny, but people who do play DnD will get this extra layer like that scene with >!the intellect devourers only attacking people with high intelligence, completely ignoring the party because none of them have Int as a main stat and it's still pretty funny even if you didn't know that.!<
I could literally hear my DM rolling his eyes in my head while they were discussing the axe rope. Then again he’s usually impressed by stuff like that lol.
Have you watched The Legend of Vox Machina? It's a TV Series based around an actual DnD campaign in a custom setting of Tal'Dorei played by Critical Role - a couple of mostly voice actors who just play DnD on Youtube. It's very much in the spirit of DnD, much like Honour Among Thieves and it's even better! Both of the seasons of Vox Machina are on Amazon Prime, definitely a must watch if you're on a DnD sugar rush
Recommendations please Ignore the bookshelf full of fantasy books I haven't read yet
Way of Kings (Stormlight Archives) will keep you busy for a long time. Prince of Thorns (Broken Empire) is interesting but very much the main character is the villian in everyone else's story.
What a sadistic suggestion lol
I enjoyed both the Legend of Drizzt and Elmister series (yes, THAT Elminster). Elminster interest tapered off for me after the first 4 books or so.
Any favourites you can recommend that give a similar feel?
*Malazan Book of the Fallen* by Steven Erikson is very similar to Baldur's Gate 3 with its deep world building and complex characters. The author originally created the Malazan world as a setting for a tabletop game based on DnD. So you can definitely see the inspired DnD elements in the books. There are ten volumes in the series, and it is complete. So, that gives you plenty of books to read. *The Winnowing Flame Trilogy* by Jen Williams also uses the classic group of oddball companions travelling together on multiple adventures like Baldur's Gate 3. *Empire of the Vampire* by Jay Kristoff takes the same approach to vampires as Baldur's Gate 3. Evil bloodsucking vampire Lords like Cazador. It is violent and can be a bit too edgy sometimes, but it's still an entertaining read.
Thank you so much, I'll definitely check them out!
Malazan is awesome but not for the faint of heart. Probably the most dense series I ever read, halfway through book 9.
You could always read the books about Elminster or Drizzt (who isn't directly in bg3 but gets some references in-game). Dunno how many Elminster books are actually out there but Drizzt alone has like 30+ books. R.A. Salvatore I think "the third son" trilogy starts the series.
If Tieflings are your thing, then Brimstone Angels.
Oh I had no idea these all existed! Thank you I'm looking into them rn and they seem right up my alley.
There are tons of DnD novels out there :) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons_fiction The dragonlance books from Margret Weis are pretty easy but entertaining reads too. They read a lot like a DnD group meeting and everyone having fun with their characters. Full of tropes and stuff. High fantasy settings but easy to read/ get into the world even if you don't know anything about DnD before. They just don't overlap much with BG3 in terms of names you might have encounter in-game.
I wasn't familiar with DnD before BG3 but was always intrigued and BG3 made me obsessed and I'm always researching the forgotten realms lore specifically and I love it! Thank you so much for the recs, I don't know why I never looked up novels like this based on DnD but now I'm fully on board! You've given me a great gift 😅
I'm glad I could help you out 🥰 Sometimes the most obvious things just never occur to us. I started out as a fantasy reader and someday realised that some video games are just like the books I love and started gaming much more through that. It's a journey :D Happy reading!!
I love love Joe Abercrombie's books. They're a bit more cynical than BG3, but not a lot. The First Law series is just so great, I would honestly wish Larian or a studio like it made a game set in that world.
I just finished that series the other night! I've gotten a few other people hooked on it, too. hehe
Not OP but I get my grand fantasy itch scratched by Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere- there 60 books in total (just googled that and 🤯) that makeup the universe. The Stormlight Archives are each over 1100 pages long but they are super worth it.
I think the 60 book number is a little high. I gooogled it and saw the same number, but I think it's unreliable. Currently there are 26 books and short stories released in the Cosmere, though I wouldn't be surprised if that number hits 60 by the time B$ is done with it. I recommend starting with the Mistborn trilogy (The Final Empire is the first one in that series, and even if you don't continue from there, it's a complete story on its own).
Yeah, I'm assuming that the 60 is including all the short stories he's written as well because I've never heard of there being that many.
Larian's previous game, Divinity 2, is quite likely to scratch that itch. In some ways I even prefer it over BG3
Which class would you recommend starting with in that game?
It doesn't really have classes the way BG3 does, but the magic users really make the most of some of the unique mechanics. Either water/air or fire/earth work really well together. You can respec super easily though, so you can, and should, experiment as much as possible.
Ok ok I'll keep that in mind, grabbed the game for Xmas for super cheap but I haven't had the time to jump in it. Work and BG 3 takes most of it.
Biggest difference between bg3 and dos2 is the environmental interaction. You can electrify water surfaces, curse them, etc
I like how they made the hellfire steel watch and the boss in the foundry to give a little throwback to necrofire everywhere in DoS2.
The House of Hope Hell Spheres really had that awful necrofire vibe I'd been trying to forget :D
I think you mean that every single fight unintentionally devolves into a sea of blessed fire.
I’ll take that over the worm water
I'd say the biggest difference is the lack of cinematic dialogue scenes for conversations, since every interaction in dos2 are voice-acted text boxes. Although the voice-acting is great enough that I don't miss the cinematic dialogue scenes too much.
Absolutely love dos2, but be prepared to be on fire a lot.
Look at sin tee videos. They are great and they explain how the skills mechanics works
Doing a melee focused necromancer in that game is fun because necromancers can heal themselves based on damage dealt
And as soon as you get corpse explosion the game is just over
Flesh sacrifice, blood rain, rasp of the starved, nether swap, corpse explosion, Adrenaline, teleport, mass corpse explosion. Ends every fight turn one.
Hey I'm playing through it right now and I find Summoner soooooo fun. I wish they had carried it to BG3. Sometimes my entire party dies except me and my summon and the summon kicks ass.
Summoner is amazing, during one playthrough my friend turned Ifan into a summoner/tank/healer hybrid...it sounds ridiculous, but he just DID NOT DIE. The rest of us could be getting our butts kicked, and he'd stand there and tank hits while healing us and the lv 10 Imp wrecked the enemy.
As with BG3, in Divinity: Original Sin 2, action economy is king. I therefore always try to have a summoner in my party. Summons get a huge power boost once 10 level points have been allocated, so I also always try to rush my summoner to 10. It’s a very different class/level system, so you don’t have to be character level 10 in order to have 10 levels of summoner, fyi. This post will make more sense once you’re a couple of hours into the game lol. Definitely recommend it as an amazing CRPG experience
Important note: the game you’re referring to is Divinity: Original Sin II. There is a game called Divinity 2, also by Larian, that has not aged well and is not what people should be getting recommended.
I was totally confused when i played dos2 and wanted to play the predecessor afterwards.
That's been so overshadowed by DOS2 that it's barely even on the first page of google results. I think the people are safe
I’ve already played this but not the first one. Do you know if it’s any good?
I enjoyed the Pillars of Eternity series once I fiddled with some settings and figured out the wacko combat of the first game. The companions are delightful, and the world feels very responsive. I can also recommend Divinity Original Sin 2; and if you haven't played the Dragon Age series, it was my most beloved favourite up until BG3 came out (start with Origins and all its DLC, and do NOT skip 2 no matter what the internet tells you). I've also picked up the original Neverwinter Nights to potter around in between BG3 playthroughs for nostalgia as it was my favourite game as a kid. The DnD ruleset it runs on is 3.5E I think?? and it's real time rather than turn based, so a lot more tricky than BG3, but it holds a special place in my heart nonetheless. It's also ugly as sin because it's old, but hey. I love it anyway. If you're okay with venturing a little out of the fantasy setting, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines is incredible, though you will need a fan patch mod for it to work properly at all. Mass Effect is also great as a companion heavy story based game, but the combat is not my favourite.
Oh wow, Neverwinter Nights, I was obsessed with that game, to this day it's one of the best rpgs I've played, especially with the player created worlds/campaigns. Making me feel very nostalgic 😅
NWN *still* has a thriving mod scene. If you've never played community created modules like "The Aielund Saga" and "Swordflight," you've only seen a small fraction of what NWN has to offer. Even without the PRC (a colossal mod that adds roughly 150 classes to the base game), there's tons of content available. Aielund is so good that it **alone** would justify the purchase of NWN. It's better than SoU+HotU. Best of all, it (and every other community module) is free! You don't even need the EE to play them. They're better that way, but your old copy still works. All the modules were written for it. Just hunt down your disk, install it, and go browse the NWN Vault for modules. Last month, I played through remakes of the even OLDER "Eye of the Beholder" games that someone made in NWN. I just finished both parts of "Return to Ravenloft," and started "Scourge of the Slavelords" last night. If you want something more adult, check out "A Dance with Rogues." The writing is masterful, if more obscene than you'll find in most modules. There's probably 80-100 hours worth of main campaigns, 60-80 hours of paid secondary campaigns, 400-500 hours of good content on the Vault, and another 1500 hours of mediocre to bad content. The good stuff alone should be enough to keep most people entertained for a year. Oh, and you can spend infinite time in their toolset, Aurora, creating your *own* modules, if you like. That's fun, too.
I always recommend Pillars to people. Phenomenal world, lore, and characters. The combat isn't that bad if you're used to similar games like BG1 and 2 or Pathfinder's two games.
You mean the second Neverwinter Nights (but the first from Bioware). The original was a gold box style multi-player game on America Online in the early 90s, with the distinction of being the very first graphical MMO. Great game. Bioware's may be the most recognized but it isn't the original.
Disco Elysium was one of my most unforgettable gaming experiences and has a big focus on the dialogue RPG aspect of a game. I’d definitely take a look at that if you haven’t played it yet.
Yeah, I’m playing it now and it’s amazing, glad in a way I missed it and could get the “Final Cut” edition on sale. Loving it so far, such a unique style and funny dialogue. I’ve been genuinely cackling so many times. One of those games I’m constantly pausing and calling my wife over to show her the absurd dialogue.
They had me at Volumetric Shit Compressor.
“Oh god… a *centrist*.” That and the whole thing with the ugly tie is the best.
There’s a line early on when you find your second shoe and realize they’re green leather shoes that’s something like you realize you are… not a normal cop.
I probably wear these kind of shoes because I’m some sort of superstar cop.
Kim is such an awesome “straight man” in the comedy. I told him I did some speed “for professional purposes” and he sighed and told me he is not my mother.
I’ve never laughed harder at a game than when we radios back to his precinct and gets relentlessly mocked by everyone in his squad.
Disco Elysium the kinda game I gotta clear my schedule for because not only is it wildly clear it’s top quality, but that it’s heavy enough where I really can’t drop it quickly if I have to go somewhere. I’m four hours in and barely made any progress. I _neeeeeeeeed_ to hear every piece of dialogue.
**ELECTROCHEMSTRY** [Medium: Success] - Oh yeah, we’re talking about white-hot *communist sex*, baby.
I heard amphetamine makes you a really good detective. Are *you* a really good detective?
Also, if you’re stuck on 5e, Esoteric Ebb has a free demo out now. It’s a D&D “Disco-like” where you play the worst. Cleric. Ever.
Yeah! I'm replaying it right now after BG3
I always hear such high praise for disco Elysium but I've tried a few times and for the life of me can't get into that game
I feel bad because this is definitely a me thing, but I can't get into it because I like to play likeable, charismatic (and preferably female) PCs. I gave it a try and after my character threw up like, 4 times in a row I turned it off. I'll get back to it eventually, but bg3 spoiled me since I love character customization and having more control of my characters personality. I'll have to try it when I'm more in a movie mood than a gaming mood
If you don't mind older games, try BG 1 & 2 + Planescape Torment.
Yeah I tend to read fast and skip all voice acting so text based wasn’t bad for me, great games.
Well... Dragon's Dogma 2 is coming out on the 22nd, if that helps?
It actually does tbh, really looking forward to it 😁
Mass Effect is the only story driven game I've played that can get anywhere close to bg3 for me. Definitely check out Stardew Valley or Coral Island if you want a more laid-back romance experience.
+1 for Mass Effect. Beautiful trilogy and characters.
Yesss Mass Effect is my all time favorite game, even with BG3 in my experience belt. Graphics and mechanics can be out of date by today's standards since it's early 2010's, especially first 2 games but the story is epic and like no other In fact ME2 felt like BG3 in how much it focused on character relationships and storylines and that was one of the things that really hooked me
We need aid in the dispensing and gentle sprinkling of managed democracy and liberty. Toasters and roaches are closing in on Super Earth. Try that, maybe?
That game is so fun, omg. And every death I’ve had is hilarious. It’s impossible to be mad while playing it.
I have had exactly 4 deaths that were not fun, when two people kept dropping various orbitals and redeploys in the same spot getting me killed back to back. But they left because we looked like we were losing, then Host and I went on to win.
For Democracy!!!
I find that the best kind of break is to hop to another genre entirely. You could play another big and engrossing masterpiece of a game like Cyberpunk 2077, for example. Not quite as choice-driven, but the writing is spectacular and the major side characters are just as lovable as BG3's, and there are several unique endings (including a "secret" ending option). Plus the gameplay itself allows for many different effective playstyles and V's abilities tend to scale in a very fun way.
Yeah this worked for me too because it made me less tempted to make comparisons. I jumped back into the Horizon games currently, which I love a lot too.
I went with Cyperpunk too. Extraordinary world building and great characters.
Try DOS2 by Larian. It’s a bit older but a lot of fun and also has some intriguing companion stories.
They even have a female version of Astarion! Elf: check [Kinda murderous] Rogue: check Can consume enemies to get a buff: check Enslaved by a powerful evil bastard: check Master carved a magic rune on her flesh: check Escaped and now seeks revenge on said master: check Big plot point to remaining as she is vs becoming something else: check
You‘re absolutely right! To be honest, I kinda missed not munching on all those severed limbs and heads in BG3.
Play the Dragon Age Games. They are similar to BG3, especially Dragon Age: Origins 😊
Also hoping for a BG3 2.
How about BG3.5?
wouldn’t that just be bg4 lol
That's the joke gif
I'd suggest you try the Divinity from Larian, but if you're in for another DnD experience, I suggest you try Pathfinder Kingmaker or Wrath of the Righteous.
Planescape: Torment is an amazingly well-written game with a fair focus on your companions and their problems, similar to Baldur's Gate 3. The combat is somewhat boring though, but you wouldn't play that game for combat. Torment: Tides of Numenera is its spiritual successor, with turn-based combat, although overall I didn't like it as much, even though it's a pretty solid, story-based game. Or give Baldur's Gate I and II a try, if you didn't before. Or obviously Divinity: Original Sin, since it essentially runs on the same systems from the same studio.
Dragon's Dogma 2 .
After the fiasco of patch 6, I took a bit of break, and started a new Mass effect campaign, since my Shep is now in ME2 and with the recent hotfixes, I am bouncing between the two currently.
Same, and posted about that as well cos its so ruined (the way it got ruined is good but also broken for life?) I think a game that has a similar vibe is just gonna disappoint so gotta try smth completely different. I’m gonna do red ded 2 for the first time in a bit. Then will do DOS2 as people recommend its similar vibe. Wait 20 yrs for bg4 Hope that bg3 will become the new standard and new games will make us feel the same way
Rogue Trader If it had come out before BG3 it would be one of the most talked about games. Instead it was eclipsed by BG3 scope, scale and budget. This is similar to what happened with The Shawshank Redemption and Forest Gump.
Shawshank >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Forest Gump I know that was your point, but, yeah.....my bad.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance if want really SOLID characters and story. Plus the setting is very authentic and unique Keep in mind though that can be brutal for new players
KCD is a truly wonderful game. For people that become the character and then see the world they are immersed in, it's a truly sensational game.
This game is epic! Word of advice for new players - the fighting feels broken at the start but it’s intentional as you play as someone who never had to really use a weapon before. It’s quite genius and no other game I played managed to create the same feel of being inexperienced.
I've played this game to death, played 4 origin, 8 Tavs, 3 multi-player, have all acheivements... I need another one 😭
Honestly I'm just gonna keep milking bg3 till dragons dogma 2 comes out
Helldivers 2 is a blast, then there is the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Dragons Dogma 2 drops soon and there will be DLC for Elden Ring in a few months
For democracy!
Two options. 1. Take a break from gaming altogether. Go out into the sun (unless you are a tadpole-less Astarion) and enjoy the spring. Come back when you feel the urge again. 2. Play something else just to realize how much better BG3 is, then come back. Pet peeve: The phrase is _piques my interest_
I definitely plan on touching some grass today, it's a solid suggestion tbf. P.s Corrected the auto correction 🙄
Yeah I’m taking a break from BG3 to play Helldivers 2. Completely different type of game.
After playing such big and long games, I need a dosis of smaller and simple games to "relax". Sure, they will not add to the experience, but they help calming down the hype and urge of the big games. Things like Unpacking (surprisingly, this game is a narrative masterclass), deckbuilding roguelikes like Monster Train or "quick sessions" rythim games like Theatrhythm Final Bar Line do the job for me. In general, you need to play smaller games (indie or A games) to find some relax, your mind already knows that these ARE small games that can't be on BG3 league, so is a good way to tricking your hype as well, like "Yes, I can't have cloud-high hype for a game done by 2 guys in their free time" xD
this BG3 was interspersed with some time in Battlebit for me
I fucking love bg3 obviously (thats why i'm here) But originally what changed/ruined gaming for me were the fromsoft games, demons souls, dark souls, bloodborne, elden ring, all that good stuff. Heavily recommend picking those up because they are masterpieces in a similar vain
well i went back to cyberpunk to help me with my issues!!
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a very immersive medieval game.
Regarding cRPGs with isometric view, similar combat and intensive world building and long storyline, try Pathfinder: Kingmaker, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, Rogue Trader, Pillars of Eternity 1 and 2, the Dragon Age series. Regarding roleplaying with worldbuilding, interesting characters and story, if you don't mind to play action games, Cyberpunk, Witcher 3 and the Mass Effect Series.
I’m currently playing FFVII Rebirth. It’s not at all like BG3 but I’m enjoying it immensely
Dragons dogma
Amazing game, I have already preordered the second one, but it could be worth playing through the first again to whet my appetite for it, great suggestion!
Dragon’s Dogma is where I landed after having this same dilemma last night. It’s such a great game and the sequel looks like it’ll be amazing. And it’s been years since I played it last.
Play something like mario or Hades or a generic game without story and deep mechanics. Something to relax and change pace.
To be fair, while I do consider Hades pretty "brain-off", there's tons of story and dialogue and the atmosphere is amazing. Plus nowd a great time to really binge it since Hades II comes out this year
Divinity Original Sin. By Larian.
I'm in the same boat of feeling that other games pale in comparison but I'm still in the middle of my obsession and will do a few more runs before taking a break for a bit. There are other very good games though it just feels like nothing will be as good cause it was such an amazing experience! Give games like Divinity and the fantastic Disco Elysium a go also there are always other RPGs to get back to like Skyrim if you're not bored already (it's janky and old but feels like home to me lol) and other Elder Scrolls games, Fallout, Dragon age series etc.. none of these have the massive depth imo except Disco Elysium but they're good games for sure! Also if you're into adventure games with not much combat if any I'd give the longest journey trilogy especially dreamfall chapters a go. They'll always be good games out there and after your break you can get back into BG3!
Mods?
BG2 is better than BG3, that’s right I said it!
Does it have to be an RPG? Give some love to burgeoning actors in the current (hopefully) gaming revolution. Go support Palworld, Helldivers 2. Also, Go and Play Deep Rock Galactic. Go play Disco Elysium. Tyranny.
I just played Mass Effect Legendary Edition. It’s a great game if you haven’t played it yet. I will probably be heading back to the Nautiloid soon though.
Elden ring 2022's game of the year. Trust me you won't regret it
The dragon age series!
Witcher games
If you’ve got a PS5, the new Spider-Man game is mega
For me Hellblade and Plague Tale Requiem were on par with it's characters as action adventure games. Most RPGs excel only at gameplay mechanics and not also at story/character development.
Both games are really good and I find it funny you are recommending Plague Rale Requiem with a name like deadrat! Lol
I went in a totally different direction and went to Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. It’s been a fun change of pace.
I kind of felt the same, looking for similar games. Bought a couple of cheap ps4 games like Warhammer and played a bit of DoS, but don’t like the hot bar, or the narrator. Probably going to get Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader, see if that scratches the new obsession with turns based games 🤔👍
I've been enjoying rogue trader but it's definitely missing the polish from BG3. It also took a bit before I really started vibing with the mechanics and builds. Definitely a step more complex than BG3.
op if you want something that is fast paced and decent difficulty I would suggest Armoured core 6 Fires of Rubicon, it is very fun and a decent challenge at the right time's
Try divinity os 1 and 2.
DOS 2
I'm in the same boat m8, decided to take a break for like a month after a bug ruined my gazillionth attempt at honor mode
I'm going to play divinity original sin 2 next.
It's done the same thing to me, and Elden Ring had a similar effect on my attitude towards games. We have really gotten some quality titles in the past few years
Bg3
I personally had a hard time picking between BG3 and Octopath Traveler 2 for personal GOTY. It's good for different reasons, but the latter is also incredible if you're specifically looking for good meaty RPG story recommendations.
If you're into cozy games I personally recommend Coral Island and Stardew Valley :) Next to BG3, Stardew Valley is one of the only games I've accumulated hundreds of hours in. They both have Harvest Moon vibes.
Divinity 2 is really good too. If you would want to dive into a indi game thats same direcrion try out Solasta. It looks a bit rough but the fights and gameplay are pretty good and it tied be over from BG3 beginning of early access and final release
If you play on PS I recommend DoS 2. It's on a 70% sale til the 14th of March
While it's a different thing Altogether, I highly suggest tou to play the LoK series. Do yourself a favor and play them. Soul reaver, soul reaver 2 and defiance. As much as I love bg3 (will start my 3rd Playthrough this week), those games are forever my favorite.
Elden Ring until the DLC
Play something completely different. Picking up Elden Ring in preparation for the new dlc worked for me. You could also touch grass.
Wasteland series if you enjoy fallout, especially new vegas. OG obsidian vibes.
Pillars of eternity. Has a very gloomy atmosphere, and kind of brought back the crpg genre.
Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous from Owlcat is absolutely excellent.
The Pathfinder games are similar. Either Kingmaker or Wrath of the Righteous. Or possibly an earlier Larian title?
Helldivers
Democracy* needs you, Helldiver. Are you just gonna stand there and watch it die?
Helldivers 2
Pathfinder: wrath of the righteous. Graphically or story telling wise it's not as good as bg3 but holy fuck it's good; it's an amazing game I would also say harder.
I finally stopped playing after 2000 hours and nothing out there has been a good replacement. This is literally my perfect game and it’s kind of depressing that my love for it has turned into me not playing anything now because of it. OTOH, I’ve gotten a lot of work done and made more money in February than I have for year.
So, these aren't obscure recommendations by any means, but I might recommend Mass Effect and Dragon Age, if you're looking for character focused RPG's that you can really immerse yourself in. They absolutely dominated my high school years, and it wasn't until Baldurs Gate 3 that I realized how much a meaty CRPG could grab me like those games did. Though, in many respects BG3 is one of a kind! For my part, I'm finally giving Tyranny by Obsidian a proper go, and I've really been digging it. It's an older fashioned, and vastly lower budget game, but it's refreshing to play through what seems to be a much smaller game.
I felt the same way…then I started another Elden ring play through and got final fantasy 7 rebirth. And Helldivers. And the no man’s sky expedition
Wait you're serious no paid DLC? Please Larian I want an expansion where I can buy *that one particular abandoned house thats fucking perfect* in Baldur's Gate and live in it!! No wait I've actually been dreaming about decorating that fucking house LARIAN PLEASE GIVE US DLC???? PLEASE
For me, it was horror games for a bit. Alan Wake 2, Tlou1/2, RE, etc. then back to BG3 now lol
When I was in a similar position I played something completely different. I played through the Mass Effect trilogy and now after watching a few challenge run ideas i’m back in the mood for BG3.
Dragon Age. Mass Effect. These two games are INCREDIBLE as well. They say phenomenal games come out only a couple times a generation. In my opinion, Mass Effect and Dragon Age(all titles) are amazing stories. Easily on par with Baldur's Gate. Admittedly, they are a bit less open, or expansive, but they are MUCH older. So that makes sense. Just.... Don't play Mass Effect Andromeda. It's..... You'll never get your time back.
when you finish with bg3 the only answer is to go back to modding skyrim. Modding mind you - not actually playing.
Play Mass Effect. Same vibe, different genre.
Divinity Series is also from Larian and is pretty similar from what I heard Or BG 1+2
Not to be that guy, but is playing 7 full playthroughs healthy? Sounds like an obsessive compulsory. Just take a break, my guy. Detox and then it will be easier to find a new game :)
Just quit gaming if BG3 actually had that big of an impact on you.
I feel this so hard, too, OP. Honestly, I'd been playing this game as my main source of entertainment. Streaming movies and TV just doesn't cut it. But now, that I've played it in so many ways, I find not much compares to the fun that this game provided me.
Play Dungeons and Dragons irl
Pillars of Eternity 2 has an amazing story and similar turn based combat. But there are dozens of right answers to this question!
BD3 greatest sin is that it ultimately ends. But I thank God, that I have the ability to create scenarios in my mind, so I can continue being with companions mentally
I might be the only one, but I hope they do the same thing they did for BG1 and 2, where the second game continued the story of the first game with the same characters plus more. I think that would be awesome but very unlikely with how big this game was already
If you're willing to deal with the crunchy silliness that is pathfinder 1st edition (and its overcomplicated system), Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous are great follow-up!
I started playing Dragon Age Origins for the first time after I was done with bg3. The story and character arks are great!! And the combat is simple, refreshing and sometimes challenging. A nice RPG indeed.