Baldur's Gate 3 (PS5) Review-
"As a newbie to the whole overwhelming entity that is Dungeon's & Dragon's, a name which has earned itself Godhood status in the hall of fame of gaming, it can be easy to misconceive that this would be a bit too much or something that you just can't get into without prior knowledge of the many spin-offs and numbered titles that came before it. Well, rest assured, it did not at all affect the amazing time I had every second of the way with this one of a kind experience."
"For starters, I would compare the game to the likes of Dragon Age: Origins, which if many like me, was over the moon about when it first released back in 2009. Not only is Baldur's Gate 3 that and much much more, but its gorgeous and up to date on the latest hardware which quickly eliminates any urge to ever go back to the cel shaded aesthetic of Dragon Age: Origins. I've been told that this game was in development for a very long time, but this should be a shining example to other game developers that a little more time in the oven can result in your recipe becoming a perfect meal. Critics the world over are raving about this one and there are many reasons for that."
"You start your journey with a few overwhelmingly hard choices, should you customize your own character or should you play the experience as a origin character, who by the way are ALL packed with charm and intrigue. You can't go wrong with an origin character especially if this is your first time playing a tabletop RPG because Heaven's knows you don't want to create a character that is proficient in all the wrong things and get demolished at the first sight of enemies. Baldur's Gate 3 allows you complete control over the entire experience choosing how your characters will progress into subclasses, which spells your mages can cast freely without having to possess the scrolls of, and so much more. It is all tutorialised in a way that is easy to understand and come to grips with and without the overwhelming barrage of info all at once some games make the mistake of. Regardless, no matter who you start out as, it will all share the despair that is the beginning credits. You awaken to find yourself enslaved in a hive pod, unable to escape and a long-tentacled mindflayer waggling a parasite in front of you. You soon realize that this particular parasite is a tadpole, a brain-devouring vermin that will eventually force the terrible and painful act of ceremorphosis upon whoever it's head it rests in, turning the host into a mind flayer, a creature who feasts on brains. It is a very scary scene to watch, as your character is helpless in the incubation, but alas, your time to get revenge will soon be given. After the opening, you gain access to the open world and it is here where you will see the game start to flex it's muscles to the fullest. Journey wherever you want, whenever you want, befriend whomever you want, or kill them or steal from them while they aren't looking. Whatever type of character you want to be, Larian Studios has given you the reins to do it. And despite the huge amounts of possibilites and outcomes that could potentially unfold being rolled all into one game, the game holds up spectacularly well and the whole time you are treated to gorgeous environments and such amazing expression-filled character animations, it's a little amazing how all parts work so well with the others."
"The game does however require a stricter learning curve of it's mechanics that some players may be accustomed to, but the game is so good, I'm sure most players won't mind at all dying time and again perfecting the things they ought to do and ought not to do. The enemies can be tough even at the beginning, especially if you have an unbalanced party, or if you do like I did my first run and completely miss a huge origin character that would have made my trekking through dungeons a WHOLE lot easier. But, I still managed and you will too, but rest assured the roll of the dice will NOT always produce the results you wish for, even if in the end it is fair. Some chaotic results and unintended events will take place as a result of this but a forgiving save/autosave system ensures that even if you make a choice that you will never live to see the results of, another try is just one click away. Did i mention how amazing the control system is too, by the way? Well, for this type of game, you would imagine it to be a nightmare especially with the massive wealth of options at your disposal, but Larian Studios takes us all back to school with the Radial Menu. It works like a charm and is so easy to come to grips with, and controlling your character in/out of combat is fluid and simple, giving you the ability to zoom in on your 3rd person POV as close as you want. It's just so rare for all the parts of such a well-oiled machine to flow and complement each other as nicely as Baldur's Gate 3 does."
"You will fall in love with the characters, the lore, the witty, yet brilliant writing, the simplicity of the complex systems at work. You will fall in love with Larian Studios, who has made the impossible possible, by creating a D&D game that I think anyone can enjoy. I just hate it for whoever has the unlucky position of trying to follow this brilliant act. They are indeed gonna need a lucky roll of the die!!