Baldur's Gate 3 is one of the most highly anticipated RPGs this year and serves as another step in transitioning players away from the previous console generation. On top of launching on PC, Baldur's Gate 3 is also coming to PS5 shortly after as an inadvertent console exclusive.
Given that Baldur's Gate 3 stays true to the CRPG roots of the original games, the controls were more or less built with PC players in mind, needing to be retooled to be comfortably playable on a PS5 controller. Larian Studios is no doubt working to ensure the experience is as good as it can be across platforms, but it is best to know exactly what differences there are before choosing where to get the game.
Differences Between Baldur's Gate 3 on PC and PS5
One of the most notable differences between both versions of Baldur's Gate 3 is that the PS5 version appears to be graphically dated based on trailers shown by Sony. While this might not reflect the final game due to being in early access for several years, it would be disappointing to console fans who wanted visual parity with the final PC version.
It is unknown what resolution the game will run at on PS5, but Sony mentioned that Baldur's Gate 3 is targeting 60 FPS on the console. Whether this is just how the game will always run or if this is based on a potential performance mode is not known, but whichever it is, it is safe to say the console counterpart will not have the suite of graphics options available to players on PC.
Where the differences get interesting is how each version plays. Since the game was built with a keyboard and mouse in mind, practically all functions needed to be adapted for ease of use on a controller. Previews for Baldur's Gate 3 have noted that the command wheel used to replace the hotkeys can feel a little clunky since to mash all the functions together, it feels more like there are 3 command wheels to sort through. This is undoubtedly the most substantial difference between the two versions, but there are a number of smaller changes that subtly change the experience.
On PC, moving around the player character is done in the traditional point-and-click style that acts more as ordering the party around instead of direct control. On console, the analog stick is used to move the protagonist around, giving more direct control of them when not engaging in combat. Since Baldur's Gate 3 accommodates a third-person camera along with the isometric angle, it's a meaningful change that can impact how players connect with their party while removing the potential frustration found with misclicks that have characters go place or do actions that were not intended.
More so than any graphical differences, the differing control schemes on both versions can substantially change how players interact with the world. Navigating outside combat with direct control can encourage a slower pace of exploration, while having hotkeys streamlines fights and interactions with objects.
Whatever option gamers go with doesn't change that both the PC and PS5 versions of Baldur's Gate 3 will boast 174 hours worth of cutscenes as it accounts for everything the player is doing. That alone shows where Larian Studios' priority is regarding the game and its attempt to craft a true role-playing experience.
Still, considering that seeing everything the game has would supposedly require 18 playthroughs with a single character, it is also important that regardless of what platform the game is being played on, it controls smoothly and is nice to look at. Given its positive reception on Steam Early Access and commitments to its roots, there is the possibility that any issues that spring up across both versions will hopefully be rectified before and after launch.
Baldur's Gate 3 comes out on August 3 on PC and September 6 on PS5.
