August 08,2023
“Baldur's Gate III” will be released on August 3 on PC, then on September 6 on PlayStation 5. ©Larian Studios
The very evocation of the Forgotten Realms instantly sends shivers to fans of Dungeons & Dragons, the role-playing monster, recently adapted to the cinema. But it provokes the same reaction among video game fans, the RPG duo Baldur's Gate having exploited this universe with immense happiness, giving birth to two of the best titles of the genre, quite simply.
We explain to you how the release of this third part, in addition to contributing to the renewed hype around role-playing games, constitutes a huge event, whether you are a diligent specialist or a total neophyte in the field.
I - Modern Cult License
Baldur's Gate is not just an adaptation of the Dungeons & Dragons universe. The license was created by Bioware, a prolific studio that has never sacrificed anything in terms of quality and respect for the source material. As proof, we owe him titles such as Neverwinter Nights (2002) or Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003). More recently, the developers distinguished themselves with the major sci-fi trilogy Mass Effect (2007, 2010 and 2012) and a return to basics with another heroic fantasy trilogy, Dragon Age (2009, 2011 and 2014).
Baldur's Gate 3: Launch Trailer
The studio nevertheless remains inseparable from Baldur's Gate, its first creation, which marked role-players by its meticulous respect for the rules of the second edition of Dungeons & Dragons, but also by its accessibility to the general public, with in particular a very successful combat system. and intuitive controls. An aspect that this third part takes up while offering the trifle of at least 80 hours of play to complete its scenario… resulting in 17,000 different endings. Epic.
If Bioware is no longer at work on this third instalment, it has given way to another monster studio of its kind: Larian Studios. Belgian developers had recently imagined one of the most beautiful modern role-playing game licenses with the Divinity series. For its second part, the saga will even rely on screenwriter Rhianna Pratchett (yes, the daughter of the illustrious Terry Pratchett and his Discworld), who had already built her reputation on cult titles, from Mirror's Edge to Bioshock Infinite through the excellent reboot of the Tomb Raider saga.
Baldur's Gate 3 - Official Announcement Trailer
When Larian announced his work on Baldur's Gate III in 2019, fans were elated. Especially since the developers have multiplied the novelties, relying in particular on the rules of the 5th edition of D&D, by moving to 3D with the Infinity engine or by offering an ultra-complete character editor. Its large open world will also offer multiplayer, up to four in cooperation.
For now, the Titanic RPG is released on PC only. Console gamers might be a little frustrated, but their wait won't be long. Indeed, the title of Larian Studios will land on PlayStation 5 on September 6th. An astonishing "coincidence" of the calendar, which places the release of this exclusivity reserved for the Sony console exactly opposite that, on Microsoft's Xbox, of the famous Starfield from Bethesda (Fallout, Skyrim).
Starfield Official Gameplay Trailer
Between a heroic fantasy atmosphere on one side and space opera on the other, the choice will be heartbreaking for RPG lovers. The two proposals are massive, between a license that has come back from the depths of time while modernizing, and a new franchise, a promise of almost endless space exploration. So, if the question were to arise, forgiveness in advance for this easy answer: for RPG enthusiasts, to choose, it would be necessary to do both, quite simply.