Highlights
- Baldur's Gate 3 sets itself apart from other RPGs by giving players immense control over their character's identity, allowing them to be whoever they want.
- The character creation in Baldur's Gate 3 offers a wide range of options for players to customize their protagonist, from physical features to stats and abilities, making each character unique.
- Larian Studios has created one of the best character builders in the RPG genre with Baldur's Gate 3, and future fantasy games should take inspiration from its success and offer players limitless freedom in character design.
One of the most important aspects of any RPG is the player's identity, and it seems like Baldur's Gate 3 understood that. Larian Studios has given players control of virtually every single aspect of their character and has let them be whoever they want. It takes all the hallmarks of Dungeons and Dragons and throws it into a game for a new type of RPG character creator that fans have flocked to. This freedom has helped Baldur's Gate 3 set itself apart from the crowd, and future fantasy games may need to follow its lead.
Character creation has come a long way since the early days of the RPG genre, and Baldur's Gate 3 has taken it a step further. Players want to have limitless control over their adventure, and Larian Studios was mostly able to deliver. It has created a fantastic RPG that may prove impossible to follow; especially if future titles within the genre leave the customizability on the cutting room floor.
Baldur's Gate 3 Has Redefined RPG Character Creation
Just like with most RPGs, players are thrown into Baldur's Gate 3's character creation screen after a brief cutscene introduces the premise. While this character creator may not have all the sliders that a Bethesda RPG has, it does give players a plethora of options for their character. They can control everything from the physical features and class to the background and specific stat bonuses. Pretty much every aspect of these characters can be altered to fit the player's desire, and some may spend hours trying to build their perfect protagonist.
One of the most important parts of the character is their physical features, and Baldur's Gate 3 lets players edit almost everything they can see. They must first choose their race and subrace from a long list of options before they can begin customizing the actual character. Once that is selected, players can alter the character's facial structure, body type, hair, piercings, scars, and so much more. Larian Studios has included enough options so that no two characters will look alike, and that gives players immense freedom in how they want to be perceived in this world.
Once players are happy with their Baldur's Gate 3 character's physical features, they will be able to then customize every other aspect of that character. They must choose whatever special bonus their race gets, their class and subclass, their stats, their starting abilities, and even their background. Each of these choices can significantly impact the way players approach every situation and go a long way in making these characters feel more alive.
Baldur's Gate 3's character creator may not have the level of physical customizability that Saints Row or Fallout offer, but it does give players so much control over the actual specifics of that character. It feels like Larian Studios just took the Dungeons and Dragons character creation, streamlined it a bit, and then tossed it into the game. While there are some things that it could add to make the feature stronger, Baldur's Gate 3's character builder may be one of the best that the RPG genre currently has.
It is easy to see why Baldur's Gate 3 has been a massive success, and hopefully, more RPG games are inspired by what Larian Studios has done. The studio has built a strong foundation with its character builder that future fantasy games should run wild with it. Players want limitless freedom to design whoever they want, and Baldur's Gate 3 has brought them one step closer to realizing that dream. Now, it is up to future RPGs to continue delivering on that promise.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available now for PC. The PlayStation 5 version will be available on September 6th, 2023. A version for Xbox Series X/S is still in development.
