Highlights
- Baldur's Gate 3 offers a massive and carefully crafted open-world experience full of worthwhile content, providing unparalleled player freedom and a breath of fresh air for RPG enthusiasts.
- The game's size and wealth of content can be overwhelming and exhausting for some players, though, potentially feeling like a never-ending chore and resulting in fatigue during marathon play sessions.
- Despite its achievements, not all players will have the time or opportunity to complete Baldur's Gate 3 due to practicalities of life and other gaming releases, which could lead some to feel that they are missing out on other experiences. Still, for those who love the game, having so much content is a big upside.
Baldur's Gate 3 is not a brisk gaming experience. Larian Studios' latest fantasy RPG epic is a sprawling game, not just because of its actual map size, but also its branching narrative, side content, and exploration opportunities. Larian has gone on record stating that an average playthrough of the game can take up to 100 hours, and when factoring in Baldur's Gate 3's missable quests and nearly unrivaled replay value, the hour count could be even greater.
For the most part, gaming audiences seem pleased with the size of BG3, and they have good reason to be happy about it; massive open-world games have something of a reputation for taking a quantity over quality approach, jamming their worlds full of content, but content that is often copy-paste or one-note. The consensus among gamers is that BG3 does not suffer from this issue, as just about everything in the game is worthwhile and carefully crafted. The breadth of the game also offers nearly unparalleled player freedom, even if some BG3 players criticize certain choices and their outcomes. While there are plenty of upsides to the size of the game, there are some drawbacks to it as well, and it might not be enjoyable for every player.
Baldur's Gate 3's Enormity Might Be Too Much for Some Players
Even though most fans believe the wealth of content in Baldur's Gate 3 is all worth experiencing, it can be somewhat overwhelming at points. It's not uncommon for players to log over 25 or 30 hours before even finishing the game's first act, and this could result in feelings of exhaustion. The game is varied and consistently surprising, yes, but it is still only one game, and it would make sense for many players to grow weary or fatigued after so many hours with the same title.
Factoring in Baldur's Gate 3's tough boss encounters can exacerbate these feelings, as a lot of players might not have the stamina to persist through brutal challenges during marathon play sessions. The end result of this, in the worst cases, is the game feeling like a chore to play, something that is a massive time sink with no end in sight. For those struggling with BG3's combat, play time can be extended significantly, with satisfying moments of payoff being minimized.
There's also the issue of practicality. A lot of people are passionate about gaming, but they don't all have the time for a game that requires huge chunks of time to properly enjoy. Even the biggest Baldur's Gate 3 fans have commitments and hobbies outside the game, which can lead to difficult time management situations. On top of this, 2023 is a huge year for gaming, and highly anticipated titles like Armored Core 6 and Starfield will be wrestling with Baldur's Gate 3 for gamers' time and energy. As players spend weeks or more on Baldur's Gate 3, some may feel like they are potentially missing out on other gaming experiences.
Baldur's Gate 3's achievements cannot be overstated. In an industry where many gamers have become disillusioned by hyped-up, massive AAA games that are sometimes underwhelming, BG3 has managed to provide an experience that justifies its mammoth size. BG3 may not be perfect, but it's a breath of fresh air for many gamers, especially those passionate about traditional RPGs and tabletop games. The unfortunate reality is that many will simply not be able to complete the game, as the practicalities of life and other video game releases can get in the way. However, for those who can find the time to play and complete it, Baldur's Gate 3's time-to-beat is more of a positive than a negative.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available for PC. A PS5 version is set to release on September 6th, and an Xbox Series X/S version is currently in development.
