Highlights

  • Baldur's Gate 3 won six awards at The Game Awards 2023, including Game of the Year and Best Performance.
  • Memorable moments in the game include Shadowheart defying Shar, Aylin reuniting with her long-lost love Isobel Thorm, and Ketheric considering repentance.
  • The game's companions bring incredible moments, such as Astarion confronting Cazador and Karlach finally being able to touch people again.

WARNING: Major Spoilers Ahead for Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 has been a pleasant surprise this year, with its fantastic storytelling, breathtaking world, and wonderful characters. Larian Studios won six awards at The Game Awards 2023 for Baldur’s Gate 3, including Game of the Year, and Best Performance for Neil Newbon for his portrayal of Astarion.

There are many memorable moments in Baldur’s Gate 3. From discovering that the dream visitor is in fact a mind flayer known as the Emperor, to witnessing Ketheric Thorm defy death, and the infamous bear scene with Halsin, as well as many more moments that show why Larian Studios won all these awards for Baldur’s Gate 3.

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The Nightsong Quest

Shadowheart Rejecting Shar

From a very young age, Shadowheart had devoted her life to the Goddess of the Night, Shar. When meeting the Nightsong, she discovers that her past isn’t what she thought it was, and that Shar had been manipulating her. Depending on player choices, she will defy Shar and save the Nightsong, who turns out to be the Goddess Selune’s daughter. This is a pivotal moment in Shadowheart's story and is a testament to her strength.

Dame Aylin and Isobel

Soon after freeing Aylin from the clutches of Balthazar, and after defeating Ketheric and the Apostle of Myrkul, Aylin reunites with her long-lost love, Isobel Thorm. The two will share a heartwarming embrace and this moment is certainly great representation for the LGBT community, showing that this game is for everyone, no matter their identity, gender, or sexuality.

The Chosen Three: Ketheric & Orin

Convincing Ketheric to Surrender

If players choose to attempt the skill checks on the rooftop of Moonrise Towers and succeed, then players will have the option of a persuasion check of 18 to convince Ketheric Thorm to repent for his sins. For a moment, he considers and asks if it's even possible for him to repent, but ultimately he decides that he can never repent because Myrkul will not allow it. Unfortunately, Ketheric will still sacrifice himself for Myrkul, and Myrkul will become angry with the player for killing Ketheric and attack the player. This scene is powerful by showing a villain’s more vulnerable and human side, even if it is short-lived.

Meeting Orin and Astarion’s Reaction

When first entering Rivington in Act 3, players may come across the shapeshifter Orin. There are many ways to meet her, but when she does finally present herself it is a satisfyingly creepy moment as she taunts and threatens the player with a hint of hysteria. Astarion’s reaction to this is quite a humorous moment as he freaks out about whether his companions have been replaced by a shapeshifter or if he’s just traveling with a bunch of weirdos.

The Companions

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a masterpiece, and the game's companions are the cherry on top. From wonderful writing to an amazing cast of actors, the companions sure bring lots of incredible moments to Baldur’s Gate 3.

From Lae’zel defying Vlaakith, freeing Orpheus and joining the rebellion against Vlaakith, to Wyll breaking his pact with Mizora, and Gale taking control of his life again after surrendering the Crown of Karsus to Mystra. However, two moments in particular are worth going into detail about.

Astarion Confronting Cazador

Possibly one of the most intense moments of the game. At the culmination of The Pale Elf quest, when Astarion finally confronts Baldur's Gate 3's Cazador after nearly 200 years of torment at the hands of his foul master, he lets out all his fury, anger, and sadness as he kills Cazador. It is a heart-wrenching and bittersweet moment when Astarion falls to his knees in sobs after finally gaining true freedom after almost 200 years.

On a happier note, if the player is in a romance with Astarion, a few days later, he will bring the player to his grave where he will confess his love and say that it’s time for him to start living again, with the player by his side. It should be noted that there is another memorable moment in Astarion's Baldur's Gate 3 romance, and that is his confession scene in Act 2, where the player gets the chance to hug him and show him that they can be intimate without sex.

Helping Karlach to Touch Again

The moment when Karlach is finally able to touch people without burning them again is truly heartfelt, especially the wholesome hug that the player and Karlach can share. However, the sweetness of this moment soon turns bittersweet as Damon informs Karlach that if she doesn’t return to Avernus soon, she will inevitably die.

When the player asks Karlach what she wants to do, she says that she would rather die than return to Avernus. If players are in a romance with Baldur's Gate 3's Karlach, then in Act 3 she will ask the player to go on a date with her, which is quite possibly one of the most wholesome romance scenes in the game.

Honorable Mentions

Many more moments in Baldur’s Gate 3 make it a great game, and here are just a few honorable mentions:

  • Astarion’s Hidden Scene
  • The Battle with Raphael
  • Meeting Elminster
  • Scratch and the Owlbear

Astarion’s Hidden Scene: “I WAS RIGHT THERE”

One of the most hilarious moments in Baldur’s Gate 3 is also one of its most well-hidden. This scene is only played if Astarion dies in Rosymorn Monastery while the player is trying to steal the Blood of Lathander. After he is resurrected, the beloved vampire will freak out hilariously while also chastising the player for their reckless actions and that next time, he will be the one to aim the all-powerful weapon.

Raphael’s Musical Battle

No list of Baldur’s Gate 3’s finest moments would be complete without mentioning the battle with Raphael in his House of Hope and the incredible score composed by Borislav Slavov. The soundtrack for BG3 is magnificent and the musical piece that plays in the battle with Raphael is the cherry on top of the experience in the House of Hope and makes this battle one of the most memorable in the game.

Meeting The Famous Elminster Aumar

Elminster, also known as the Sage of Shadowdale, has been a recurring figure in the world of Dungeons and Dragons for quite some time. So it was a pleasant surprise to meet him in the Mountain Pass. Unfortunately, he had dire orders for Gale on behalf of Mystra. However brief Elminster's appearance was, the excitement and awe of the other companions make this encounter with this wise old wizard a memorable moment.

Scratch and The Owlbear

What is probably the most adorable moment in Baldur’s Gate 3, is when players are woken up at night to find that Baldur's Gate 3's Scratch the Dog is comforting the Owlbear cub while it is having a nightmare. Scratch might be one of the most popular NPCs in the game, with him being petted over 48.5 million times. These two animals surely bring joy and comfort to the journey in Baldur’s Gate 3.