This year’s The Game Awards were held on December 7, 2023, and in tough competition with popular titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Resident Evil 4, it was finally Baldur’s Gate 3 that won the title of Best Game of the Year 2023. Here’s everything you need to know about the game and where you can get it.
Best game of the year 2023: Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a story-rich, party-based role-playing game developed by Larian Studios and set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Released in August 2023, the game immerses players in the vibrant and dangerous realm of the Forgotten Realms, where they must gather a party of adventurers and navigate a complex web of political intrigue, mystical forces, and monstrous threats.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Gameplay Mechanics
At the heart of Baldur’s Gate 3 lies the player character, who awakens in the underbelly of Baldur’s Gate, their mind infected by a parasitic Mind Flayer. With this affliction comes mysterious abilities that blur the lines of morality and challenge the player’s choices. The player must decide whether to resist the parasite’s influence or embrace its power, shaping their ultimate destiny.
Baldur’s Gate 3 excels in its innovative gameplay mechanics, incorporating elements of turn-based combat, environmental interactions, and cooperative storytelling. Players engage in tactical battles where positioning, preparation, and strategic spellcasting are crucial for success.
They can also manipulate their surroundings, using fire to ignite flammable barrels or create makeshift bridges to traverse treacherous environments. The game encourages cooperation between party members, allowing them to combine their unique abilities and solve puzzles together.
Narrative and Worldbuilding
The game’s narrative is deeply rooted in the Forgotten Realms lore, with familiar characters from the Dungeons & Dragons universe making appearances. Players encounter renowned deities, formidable demons, and intriguing allies as they unravel the secrets of the Mind Flayer threat.
The story branches significantly based on player choices, leading to diverse outcomes and unforeseen consequences.
Technical Prowess and Polish
Baldur’s Gate 3 is visually stunning, with detailed character models, impressive environments, and impressive lighting effects. The game also runs smoothly and is free of major bugs, demonstrating the technical expertise of Larian Studios.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Critical Acclaim and Player Reception
Baldur’s Gate 3 has been praised by critics for its immersive gameplay, faithful adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons lore, innovative design, and technical prowess. The game has an average Metacritic score of 96, indicating widespread critical acclaim.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has also been a commercial success, selling over 10 million copies on PC and PlayStation 5. The game has also been well-received by players, with a 93% positive rating on Steam.
Awards
Baldur’s Gate 3 won the Game of the Year Award at The Game Awards 2023. The game was also nominated for several other Game Awards, including Best Narrative, Best Visual Art, and Best Music/Sound Design.
Baldur’s Gate 3 features a diverse and intriguing cast of characters, each with their own unique personalities, motivations, and backstories. These characters play a pivotal role in the game’s narrative, offering companionship, support, and guidance to the player character as they navigate the perilous world of the Forgotten Realms.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Characters
Baldur’s Gate 3 features a diverse and exciting cast of characters, each with their own unique personalities, motivations and backstories. These characters play a crucial role in the game’s story, offering companionship, support and guidance to the player character as they navigate the dangerous world of the Forgotten Realms.
Origin Characters
Shadowheart
A tiefling cleric who harbors a deep sense of guilt and seeks redemption for her past sins. She is haunted by a demonic entity known as the Dark One, and she struggles to control the power it wields over her.
Astarion
A vampire spawn who desperately seeks to break free from his curse and regain his humanity. He is cunning, manipulative, and fiercely loyal to those he deems worthy of his trust.
Gale
A mage who is fascinated by the arcane arts but struggles with his own inner demons. He seeks to find a place where he can truly belong, and he believes that the player character may hold the key to his salvation.
Wyll
A warlock who has made a pact with a powerful archfey in exchange for power. He is a charismatic and talented performer, but he is also deeply conflicted about the sacrifices he has made to achieve his goals.
Lae’zel
A gith, a warrior race of humanoids from another plane of existence. She is fiercely loyal to her people and believes that the player character can help them to reclaim their lost homeland.
Karlach
A tiefling ranger who has been ostracized from her community for her unorthodox beliefs. She is a skilled warrior and a formidable opponent, but she also possesses a deep sense of empathy and compassion.
Additional Companions
Halsin
A goblin shaman who is haunted by the atrocities he has committed during his life as a mercenary. He seeks redemption for his past actions and believes that the player character can help him to find a path to peace.
Minsc
A ranger from the Sword Coast who is accompanied by his beloved miniature giant space hamster, Boo. He is a bit eccentric and overenthusiastic, but he is also fiercely loyal to his friends and allies.
Minthara
A drow assassin with a mysterious past. She is a skilled combatant and a master of deception, but she is also capable of great cruelty.
Jaheira
A druid who is dedicated to protecting nature and preserving the balance of the world. She is a compassionate and wise leader, but she is also fiercely independent and unwilling to compromise her principles.
Why Baldur’s Gate 3 won the Game of the Year Award
Baldur’s Gate 3 won the Game of the Year Award at The Game Awards 2023 for a number of reasons. Here are some of the key factors that contributed to the game’s success:
- Immersive and engaging gameplay: Baldur’s Gate 3 offers a deep and engaging role-playing experience, with a focus on tactical combat, intricate character customization, and a rich narrative. The game’s turn-based combat system is highly strategic, requiring players to carefully consider their actions and utilize their party members’ unique abilities to succeed. The character customization options are extensive, allowing players to create and develop their own unique avatars. And the narrative is captivating, full of morally ambiguous choices and unexpected twists and turns.
- Faithful adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons lore: Baldur’s Gate 3 is set in the world of the Forgotten Realms, a popular setting for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) adventures. The game faithfully adapts the D&D lore, with familiar characters and locations from the tabletop game making appearances. This familiarity provides a sense of authenticity and immersion for D&D fans, while also making the game accessible to newcomers.
- Creative and innovative design: Baldur’s Gate 3 is not just a faithful adaptation of the D&D formula; it also introduces several innovative gameplay mechanics. The game’s environmental interactions allow players to manipulate their surroundings to their advantage, adding an extra layer of strategy to the combat and exploration. And the cooperative storytelling elements encourage players to work together with their party members to solve puzzles and progress through the story.
- Technical prowess and polish: Baldur’s Gate 3 is visually stunning, with detailed character models, impressive environments, and impressive lighting effects. The game also runs smoothly and is free of major bugs, demonstrating the technical expertise of Larian Studios.
- Critical acclaim and player reception: Baldur’s Gate 3 has been praised by critics for its immersive gameplay, faithful adaptation of D&D lore, innovative design, and technical prowess.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has also been a commercial success, selling over 10 million copies on PC and PlayStation 5.
Where can you play Baldur’s Gate 3?
Baldur’s Gate 3 was initially released on PC on August 3, 2023, followed by a PlayStation 5 release on September 6, 2023. The Xbox version of the game was initially scheduled to launch by the end of 2023, but there has been no official announcement regarding its release date.
Larian Studios has stated that they are still working on the Xbox version and will provide an update on the release date as soon as it is available.
Will Baldur’s Gate 3 be available on Nintendo Switch?
The availability of Baldur’s Gate 3 for the Nintendo Switch is currently unconfirmed. Larian Studios has not made any official statements regarding a Switch port for the game. However, the studio has said that it is open to the possibility of porting the game to other platforms after the full release.
There are a few factors that could affect whether or not Baldur’s Gate 3 makes it to the Switch. The Switch’s hardware capabilities may not be strong enough to run the game smoothly, and the game’s large file size could make it difficult to fit on the Switch’s limited storage. Additionally, Larian Studios may be focused on developing content for other platforms, such as the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
Despite these challenges, there is still a chance that Baldur’s Gate 3 could come to the Switch. The game has been a commercial success on PC and PlayStation 5, and there is a large audience of Switch owners who would be interested in playing it. If Larian Studios can optimize the game for the Switch’s hardware and find a way to fit it on the console’s storage, then there is a good chance that we will see Baldur’s Gate 3 on the Switch in the future.
What are the minimum and recommended system requirements for Baldur’s Gate 3?
Minimum System Requirements:
- Operating System: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-7500
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GTX 1060 (3GB)
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage Space: 60GB
Recommended System Requirements:
- Operating System: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i7-7700
- Memory: 16GB RAM
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GTX 1080 (8GB)
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage Space: 60GB
About The Game of the Year Awards
The Game of the Year Award, also known as the GOTY award, is a prestigious award given annually by The Game Awards to the game that is judged to have delivered the best overall experience across all creative and technical fields. It is considered one of the most coveted awards in the video game industry, as it recognizes the game that has made the most significant impact on the year’s gaming landscape.
The Game Awards ceremony is held annually in December, and the Game of the Year Award is typically presented as the final award of the night. The winner of the award is selected by a panel of judges that includes video game journalists, industry experts, and fans.
In addition to the Game of the Year Award, The Game Awards also presents a number of other awards for individual categories, such as Best Narrative, Best Visual Art, and Best Music/Sound Design. The awards are given to games that have excelled in specific areas of game development.
The Game of the Year Award is a powerful tool for recognizing and celebrating the best games of the year. It helps to raise awareness of the games that are pushing the boundaries of the industry and setting new standards for excellence. The award also helps to drive sales for the winning game, as it can generate a lot of positive publicity.
Some of the most notable games to have won the Game of the Year Award include The Last of Us, Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Grand Theft Auto V. These games have all been critically acclaimed and commercially successful, and they have all had a significant impact on the video game industry.
The Game of the Year Awards is a valuable tool for the video game industry, as it helps to promote innovation and excellence. It is also a source of pride for the developers and publishers of the winning game, as it is a recognition of their hard work and dedication.
FAQs – Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a story-rich, party-based role-playing game (RPG) developed by Larian Studios and set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). Released in August 2023, the game immerses players in the vibrant and perilous realm of the Forgotten Realms, where they must gather a party of adventurers and navigate a complex web of political intrigue, mystical forces, and monstrous threats.
At present, Baldur’s Gate 3 is available on PC (Steam and GOG) and PlayStation 5. However, a release for Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch is expected in the future.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is currently in Early Access, which means that it is still in development and not yet fully released. The developers have not yet announced a release date for the full game.
Early Access is a way for players to experience a game while it is still in development. This allows developers to get feedback from players and make changes to the game based on that feedback. Early Access games are typically not as polished as full releases, and they may not have all of the features that will be included in the final version of the game.
