Gamer’s and fans of Dungeons and Dragons are met with excitement in the hopes of one game earning the title of game of the year: Baldur’s Gate 3. Initially released on Aug. 3 2023 for PC, Baldur’s Gate 3 remains a hot topic in the gaming community due to what it has to offer. 

Baldur’s Gate 3 is role-playing game where the player is presented with the option to create their own character, or pick one of the default characters with predetermined stats before their journey. As the third installment in the Baldur’s Gate series, the game uses rules from the most recent release of Dungeons and Dragons: 5e. In addition, the game integrates its mechanics in that the player rolls a D20 to decide the success or failure of an action attempted in game. 

So what is the main feature of Baldur’s Gate 3 the gaming community is hooked on? Usually most role-playing games have a certain plot the player is obligated to follow, with the exception of a few side quests along the way. According to RPGFan.com, the game only limits your freedom in the beginning portion of the game with the mindflayer. After this portion of the game, however, the game does not force the player to reach their final destination in a timely manner. Instead encouraging the player to take their time to do side quests and progress relationships with other characters.

Casual players new to Dungeons and Dragons can also enjoy the game. According to Anthony Rivera, one of the teachers at Thunderbird High School who runs Dungeons and Dragons sessions for students, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a wonderful option for people who are not able to acquire a Dungeon Master and group of people to play traditional Dungeons and Dragons with but still wish to delve into the game and world of Dungeons and Dragons.

Currently, Baldur’s Gate 3 is out for PC and the Playstation 5. There is confirmation for an Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S release later this year, but the release for the Nintendo Switch seems highly unlikely due to the Switch’s lesser graphical capabilities. However, gamers can still enjoy Baldur’s Gate 3 on the go with its release on the Steam Deck. 

With these qualities in mind, Baldur’s Gate 3 is worth a play and serves a strong contender with other games for the title “Game of the Year”.