Baldur’s Gate 3 is an RPG that is best played on the Steam Deck. I have been playing the game on both desktop and PC gaming devices, and what sets Baldur’s Gate 3 apart is the ability to play it for short bursts wherever you are. This makes it a great game for playing on the go or when you’re away from your desk.
Produced by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 is the highly anticipated sequel to a series that started in the late 90s. It’s been a long wait since the last proper installment in 2000. After three years of early access, the game is now available for $60 on Steam and $70 on PlayStation 5. It will also be released for Mac on September 21 and Xbox Series consoles in the coming months.
If you’re a fan of RPGs like me, there are many reasons to love this game.
Raise the Gate
Baldur’s Gate is based on the Dungeons & Dragons pen-and-paper RPG. The story follows your character and a group of friends who have been kidnapped by mind-altering creatures and had parasites implanted in their brains. Now, it’s up to the team to remove these parasites before they take over their minds completely.
The gameplay in Baldur’s Gate 3 involves using weapons, magic, and other skills to engage in combat. To add a touch of the Dungeons & Dragons experience, the game incorporates dice rolls for various choices and actions. These dice rolls add suspense and unpredictability to the game. For example, I had a kid try to sell me “magic,” and I chose to call out his deception. As my character had good persuasion skills, I was able to succeed in convincing him that he was lying. This led to interesting interactions and consequences within the game.
This freedom to make choices and have them impact the game is what gives Baldur’s Gate 3 incredible replay value. The developers claim that there are over a thousand possible endings based on the player’s choices.
The game also offers a lot of exploration. What may seem like an innocent dry well could conceal a nest of magical spiders waiting to attack your party. There are also numerous characters with their own problems and quests that you can choose to help or ignore. And if you’re in the mood to be a villain, there’s always the option to hack and slash your way through most of the game’s characters. I spent a lot of time being a noble hero, but I also indulged in some questionable actions, such as accidentally stealing from a merchant. Some actions may only offend people, while others could potentially land you in jail.
For newcomers to RPGs, especially those unfamiliar with the D&D ruleset, Baldur’s Gate 3 may present a steep learning curve. The game can feel complex and challenging, requiring strategic thinking both in and out of combat. With so many choices and potential consequences, it’s possible for players to make mistakes, which is why saving the game frequently is advisable.
Time to take over the world.
Good things come in small packages
Baldur’s Gate 3 boasts crisp and detailed graphics that look impressive on the Steam Deck. However, some display settings may need to be adjusted to ensure smooth gameplay while maintaining visual fidelity. Personally, I found that setting the frames per second to 30, lowering the resolution from the native 1,280×800 pixels, and optimizing all the game’s features to medium worked well for me. It’s worth noting that playing Baldur’s Gate 3 on the Steam Deck may cause your hands to get warm due to the device’s fans blowing hot air to keep it cool. However, the battery should last for up to two hours of gaming.
Considering the game’s price of $60, there’s hardly any reason not to purchase Baldur’s Gate 3 if you enjoy RPGs. It’s a perfect game to have on your Steam Deck.
