Highlights
- Elden Ring and Baldur's Gate 3 have set the standard for future open-world and CRPG games, breathing new life into the fantasy adventure genre.
- Although their gameplay and narrative styles differ, both games have established benchmarks that other studios should take notes from.
- Elden Ring was hailed as the best game of 2022 and Baldur's Gate 3 has the potential to be a strong contender for 2023's Game of the Year, showcasing their influence and impact on the gaming industry.
When it comes to fantasy games, both Elden Ring and Baldur's Gate 3 have truly set the standard for what future games in both the open-world genre and CRPGs should try to emulate. The fantasy world is filled with incredible titles, but Elden Ring and Bladur's Gate 3 are some of the best in recent memory, breathing new life into fantasy adventure games. Between these two games, open-world games and CRPGs could have a bright future ahead of them.
Although both titles are connected through the genre of fantasy, the narrative style and gameplay couldn't be more different. Elden Ring's focus on an open-world narrative is very different from the likes of Baldur's Gate 3's turn-based role-playing, but both of these games have set standards that other development studios would be fools to not take notes on. After Elden Ring was hailed as the best game of 2022, Baldur's Gate 3 has the potential to follow in those footsteps, being a strong contender for 2023's Game of the Year, and it will likely have just as much influence.
Elden Ring and Baldur's Gate 3 Have Written the Blueprint for Future Games
The subject of open-world action-adventures can't be discussed without the mention of FromSoftware. The studio has brought forth some of the most successful action fantasy titles ranging from the Dark Souls games to Sekiro. Naturally, the excitement for Elden Ring's release was palpable, but the immense success the game found after its launch took the gaming world by storm. It was undoubtedly the best game of the year for many, cementing Elden Ring as the blueprint for open-world fantasy. There have been many incredible FromSoftware games, but many players saw Elden Ring as the studio's magnum opus, setting the bar for future open-world titles.
Baldur's Gate 3 will likely have this same effect on future games, specifically in the CRPG genre. Although Baldur's Gate 3 was an anticipated release, the sheer depth and consequences of choices have wowed many who have played the Dungeons and Dragons-inspired title. Larian Studios introduced a new standard for a variety of different features common in games that instantly made other current iterations feel outdated. These beautifully crafted features are why Baldur's Gate 3 is one of the best-rated PC games of all time.
From character creation to a player's choices deeply affecting relationships between other characters, Baldur's Gate 3 is a fresh RPG that Larian Studios nailed when it comes to the overall execution of the game. The character creator alone has left some players spending hours perfecting their character's appearance. However, the rest of the game is just as well-crafted. Baldur's Gate 3 is filled with well-written companions who take choice-making to the next level, creating an even more immersive fantasy experience for players.
Baldur's Gate 3 has already hit massive milestones, and it's a perfect example of what many gamers are looking for in their role-playing experiences. Other studios working on games in the same genre now have a lot of pressure on their shoulders in order to compete, but this only breeds better games overall. Larian Studios has brought something truly great to the table, and other studios now have no choice but to follow suit.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
