- Tested on PC in early access
- Game purchased
- 120 hours of play... for now
For some, it's a smell, a music, or even a few words, and immediately come back to them at the head of memories with sometimes amazing precision. For Proust who gave his name to the phenomenon, it was a madeleine. And know that it is enough to evoke the universe of Baldurs Gate so that in me a discharge would flow carrying me in the middle of the living room in front of the family computer. We are in the year 2000, my parents watch TV next door while, in the same room and yet miles away, I sail in pajamas in the lands of the forgotten Kingdoms, with eyes riveted on what would be a passion of more than 20 years.
Original Sin
The influence of the works of Bioware on what has become the current role play is obviously major. The application of the Dongeons and Dragons, mixed with the sumptuous, lisometric views proposed Baldurs Gate 1 and 2 have made them cults and the work still influences the current novelties. From Pillars of Eternity passing through SolastaThere is no shortage of novelties if you like the genre. As long as the wait was long with more than twenty years that will finally separate the third episode from the previous opus.
So necessarily since last October, date on whicharly access of the third opus was born, you can imagine that I did not let it go. The Belgians of the studio Larian have made this choice ofearly access spraying about every 2 months a new patch that brings an extra dose of content to the addicts we are. A crack dealer technique that has proved its worth and that the studio also controls perfectly the original Divinity: Original Sin.
System D
A little content here, a new class that can be played there, the novelties contained in the patches are quite uneven and the latest one has surely had to tarnish the few hopes of some to see more tinkering to get under the tooth. To the summary of this fifth patch therefore, an improved dice rotation system, some quests in addition and camps that adapt to the environment. There's nothing to whip a cat so, while new classes or a fifth level have been expected for some time.
However, developers have the good taste of listening to players' opinions on certain points. A few months ago, for example, a post joined the « Top All-Time » of the subreddit of the game indicating wanting to change the system to throw dice which, it is true, was not always very clear. This fifth patch appeared in mid-July therefore copies the system desired by the community. While one can only rejoice that a development studio is listening so much, the risk of having content asepticated by players' repeated demands is still moderate, when one knows the excellence of the communities of roolists in general.
The studio is based in part on the charisma and experience of its creator, Swen Vincke. The colourful founder of the Larian studios does not hesitate to give his person to make live his creations. He turns into a game master during the now cults « Panel From Hell » – explanatory videos accompanying patches – or ingame at the very end of the EA, where he staged to thank the player.
Unpretentious village...
In this first act of Baldurs Gate 3 a shadow hovering above the game and each of the interactions you will have with the characters: the very city of Baldurs Gate. Some quests send us there even though the city is not yet revealed and numbers of NPCs refer to it as a relief to reach it. The majestic and huge city seems to make the whole continent where the first act that can be played takes place shivers. And for those who knew the city in the first opus, the idea of finding it in the near future and under the artistic direction of the Belgian studio is absolutely rejoicing.
Always on RedditThe predictions go well on its size and distance. Some speak of an entire act among the three planned, dedicated to the city and start to dream it up while exploring the cellars of each building for as little as Larian decides once again to follow the demands of the players. One of the NPCs also states that Baldurs Gate is 10 days walk from the place where act 1 takes place.
The foot in the door
Remains the question that comes back to every new game I'm launching: shouldn't I turn off as quickly as possible to fully enjoy the game once it's over? Why don't you wait wisely, rather than beg for many bugs and other balancing problems of any kind. I had the feeling after scrutinizing this first act of discovering new things. A subtlety of gameplay or a hidden trunk, there is so much to discover. Each patch, even if it sometimes brings more functionality than content as such, is an opportunity to perfect or discover a new class. The sixth update is expected to arrive in September, while Sven Vincke just announced a release scheduled for 2022. So a few more shots before you get your hands on what will probably be one of the best games of next year. What to fine-tune the beautiful, the great Baldurs Gate.
Long Story Short
The action begins by flying over Faerûn, in a kind of flying boat that seems to fall into a rade. We quickly realize that we've just taken a pike that doesn't look like a Pfizerbut to a mental parasite. Fortunately, other adventurers were in the same flying vaccine. The adventure begins once you fall off the machine to find how to treat the dangerous virus that turns you into a mental flageller. Incredible realism, isn't it?
Ah this Baldur 🙂 We had made Divinity Original Sin 2 together and it's a great memory.
On the other hand, I'm waiting for version 1.0!