Oh the devs making excuses for how BG3 and Larian is an anomaly that they shouldn’t be compared with is hilarious. Or it would be if it wasn’t such a sad reflection of the state of the industry.
For indie devs, it weird. Like, why are they coming out with this? No one thinks small indie devs can do what Larian are doing. Larian used to be a small indie studio, but not for BG3 (and not really for DoS before it).
For big devs, it’s embarrassing. I think even Blizzard devs got in there. They have more devs and more money and more history with their franchise than Larian, but claim they shouldn’t be negatively compared?!
Like I say, it would be laughable if it weren’t so sad.
It’s very different with builds, but because of the fact that it’s a 4-person party that can change, even, as you progress, then yeah it’s comparable.
In DoS2 it’s amazing the varying ways you can play and replay using different mixed/combined classes. I replayed the game multiple times with very different parties making it a very new experience each time. Got 100s of hours out of it and even on the last play through was finding new ways to play and even new parts of the game.
In BG3 there will, I’m sure, be similarly complex and fun party make-ups because of the classes and subclasses across four party members.
No not at all. Pretty much the opposite of ‘action’ in that when combat begins it goes into turn based mode.
The point is, though, that combat is so complex that you couldn’t possibly do it in real time.
The whole things is strategic, not ‘action’.
I enjoy both styles and though my all time favourite ARPG, Grim Dawn, is excellent, I would still rather play Divinity Original Sin 2 and probably even the alpha of BG3.
I highly recommend giving it a go. A good game is a good game and BG3 will be a very good game.
BaldurGate 3 is another game genre, is not aRPG, is a combination of real time strategy with rpg, do not like it.
Alternatives to D4 will be POE 2 and LastEpoch. I am waiting for those since already have nothing to do in D4, not playing seasons…
Exactly this.
They are wildly different types of RPGs, and I’m not really sure why they are getting so many comparisons.
Beyond them both being isometric RPGs Diablo and Baldur’s Gare have never really been in the same gameplay space; Baldur’s Gate is a heavily story oriented game where choices affect outcomes and Diablo is a hack and slash dungeon crawler where you blow up thousands of monsters.
Their core mechanics and moment to moment game loops player are really nothing alike.
It’s a fantastic game so far! If you like crpg’s, story driven games and DnD, I highly, highly recommend it! It really is a different game though, so it’s more up to what kind of games do you like.
They are getting compared because people (including the OP) are concerned and disappointed with the quality and finish of D4.
“is it a actually finished and tested product… unlike D4?” they ask.
The answer is: Yes. It has been in public alpha for years and even the alpha was an enjoyable and satisfying play almost worth the money in itself. They have regularly updated the alpha and the solid improvements toward release indicate that the finished product will be very well finished and tested.
They have recently invited many YouTubers and reviewers to play the finished product, giving them many hours to experience it and all indications are it is the excellent and expected finished product version of the alpha we have been playing.
Larian are an very different company to Blizzard and, yes, BG3 is a different type of game in it’s style, but more germane to the OP and the regular comparisons, it is very different in finish and quality too.
BG3 has effectively been crowdfunded and in beta (early access) for three years. Great thing with Early Access is that you see the polishing in real time.
Though the game isn’t fully released until Aug 3rd, it’s fair to say that the game engine, underlying systems, UI elements (including revisions on feedback), driver and hardware compatibility etc have been tried and tested more than any AAA title. It works.
Well… Do you like turn based combat, and DnD? If you do then it’s right up your alley.
I think the problem with comparing the two is that if you go into Baldur’s Gate expecting a better and more polished Diablo you are going to be terribly disappointed because they aren’t really anything alike outside of being isometric fantasy RPGS.
One of the big problems a lot of players that are new to Diablo have is that they didn’t bother to research what they were getting into and what to expect from the franchise; they saw some pretty trailers and big headlines and bought in without realizing what they were buying and were disappointed. Hell, I’ve seen posts from people who say “I hated Diablo 1-3 but thought this one would be different…”
My big fear is that a lot of people are going to jump onto Baldur’s Gate 3 with misplaced expectations and immediately hate it because it’s really not for everyone.
I’m not sure people are thinking BG3 is the same type of game, but I understand what you’re saying.
As for misunderstandings over D4 this possibly comes from Blizzard promising and hyping so much. “Play it your way” etc.
People don’t (and should not be expected to) consume multiple hours of Blizzard presentations to understand what D4 would be.
I’ve been a gamer since 1980. I know the industry. I know the Diablo franchise. I expected Seasons to be a thing, for example, but not for it to be leaned into so heavily. I had great fun in previous Diablos (and all other ARPGs) completely ignoring Seasons or their equivalents, whereas D4 appears to have been designed with Seasons as the whole point and this has changed the design enough that players like me aren’t finding it as enjoyable as it could be.
And, anyway, back to the OP, no matter what D4 should play like, it should be completely finished and tested, no matter how the ‘live service’ model has come to be abused by greedy corporations.
Don’t buy into the hype. BG3 is probably a fun game for what it is, but the hype is very misleading and you’ll find yourself in another D4 situation.
Keep your expectations low for BG3.
To be fair it plays much more slickly than a pen and paper tabletop D&D campaign.
The computer is a much quicker and slicker Dungeon Master than a human could be and modern computer graphics and sound a much more immersive environment in many ways.
But yeah, if you like the strategic complex possibilities of a D&D style rule system you will love BG3.
Whilst the advice is generally good and I’ve clearly, as I’m here, been suckered before, I have to say Larian are a genuinely passionate and dedicated bunch.
The years long alpha version of BG3 was (and is) already an excellent game, never mind the release.
I honestly wish Larian would give a quick free trial of the alpha now, though. It would mean people burned by the hype of ‘other games’ would know BG3 is what it says it is.
thx for all the replys 
gonna give it a try… started playing DnD a few years ago and are enjoying it so might be fun