Summary
With the sheer number of video games in existence, there is a niche for everyone. In particular, the open-world format has appeared with consistent success and incredible popularity, allowing for greater storytelling as a whole. And yetBaldur’s Gate 3, in all its splendor, didn’t reach for that star.
Despite being based onDungeons and Dragons, a game that thrives with open storytelling,Baldur’s Gate 3did not snatch up the industry behemoth that is the open map itself. The franchise’s expected fourth installment should capitalize on the success of some of the best RPGs to date and go fully open world.
Baldur’s Gate Could Learn from Other Open Worlds
One of thebest parts ofDungeons and Dragonsis that, at the dungeon master’s discretion, adventurers can go anywhere and interact with anything. The best DMs make their world feel huge and alive so players are encouraged to explore. This is also true of open-world video games.
WhileBaldur’s Gate 3is non-linear like open-world games, allowing players to explore each region in their own time, each region is connected to a specific, arguably small batch of quests, and players lose access to early regions later in the game. Some players may even find that each region is rather small compared to famousRPGs with huge and immersive maps. An open worldBG4could make use of numerous features that have proven vastly beneficial to other games.
Modern Open-World Games are Visually Pleasing
To start, open-world games are simply pleasing to look at, especially with the state of today’s industry. With impressive graphics, players can get lost in a game for hours at a time, truly feeling like a part of the world.Red Dead Redemption 2andHorizon Zero Dawnare only two examples ofgames that are remarkably realisticand visually breathtaking, encouraging further exploration. WhileBaldur’s Gate 3earned much deserved praise for its environmental design and animation, an open world would provideBG4the opportunity to show off even further.
Open Worlds Encourage Player Freedom
Open worlds facilitate exploration and overall freedom, especially when a region presents varying challenge levels, encouraging players to come back. Small regions are limited to one or two tiny quests and hardly any loot, each defined well by its level, such as the Sunlit Wetlands orMyconid Colony.
The best and longestBG3side quests are flashy parts of the story that are hard to miss and deeply enjoyable, while some small ones might feel like an afterthought.BG3players discover the latter when they go out of their way, leaving desire for agame that rewards players for exploration. Those playing the game for a second time can easily skip more content since it might not seem worth it. Going fully open world would allow for a greater volume of events for an even better sense of adventure. The bigger the map, the more quests or loot can be found in the nooks non-completionists wouldn’t find.
World-building is the Gem of Open Maps in Video Games
Perhaps most importantly, an open-world game simply has more natural, fleshed-out world-building. The best open-world RPGs tell players more, even in the little things.Baldur’s Gate 3is filled to the brim with wonderful details, but sometimes they don’t feel seamlessly integrated into the story. Some of the most impressive or enjoyable sections seem to toss in extra Forgotten Realms lore without considering how players might relate to it as they progress in the story.
Games likeThe Witcher 3: Wild HuntandFalloutexcel at this, even incorporatingreactive storytelling in their world-building, forcing players to put a tangible emotional investment into the quests, characters, and overall progression. Especially inDungeons and Dragons, exploration is fully incentivized with story in addition to loot and experience.
Despite its success,Baldur’s Gate 3still has things to improve upon. The rise of the open world in the video game industry should be proof enough that it’s an option worth considering, butBG3was beloved in part for the care it placed in its creation. IfBaldur’s Gate 4is going to be anything like its predecessor, it will heed the features its players love most and combine that with what is most fitting for a game based onD&D.
Baldur’s Gate 3
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCEChoose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPICForged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian’s next-generation RPG engine.
