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The imminent arrival ofย Baldur’s Gate 3ย has many players staring at their video game backlog, trying to figure out what to play before this behemoth RPG arrives and after they’ve reached its end. Theย Baldur’s Gateย games have always been stiff competition for other games in the genre, offeringย unforgettable charactersย and stories. There’s no doubt thatย Baldur’s Gate 3ย will be the best of them all. Whether these games feature similar combat mechanics,ย starting classes,ย or branching stories, they complement the new Larian Studios title. Here are the top games to check out to scratch thatย Baldur’s Gate 3ย itch.
8. Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire
A deep isometric RPG with compelling turn-based combat? Where have we heard that before?ย Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfireย might not be the first name on people’s lips in conversations aboutย Baldur’s Gate 3,ย but it has to be one of them. The game checks pretty much every box on the CRPG list, but it also includes something its competitors don’t โ pirates.ย Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfireย sticks close toย DnDย fundamentals, which makes it easy forย Baldur’s Gateย fans to get into. For players who want a hefty dose of swashbuckling with their magic,ย Deadfireย is the perfect offering.
7. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
Theย Pathfinderย TTRPG is an evolution ofย Dungeons and Dragons,ย so it will surprise no one to discover thatย Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteousย feels a great deal likeย Baldur’s Gate.ย The character options aloneย are enough to justify picking this game up, but its offerings don’t stop there.ย WotRย can be played with either turn-based or real-time with pause combat, letting players choose the kind of action that feels best. There are classes, companions, and Mythic Paths to think about, ensuring that no playthrough feels quite the same. A word of warning, however: the learning curve here is no joke.
6. Wasteland 3
Wasteland 3ย fuses the unrelenting cold and misery ofย Frostpunk,ย the post-apocalyptic setting ofย Fallout: New Vegas,ย and the CRPG mechanics ofย Baldur’s Gate 3.ย It’s a hard game that requires strategy, patience, and occasional luck to survive. Players willing to brave this uncompromising title are treated to a unique and immersive roleplaying experience. With a custom squad of up to six Rangers in either single-player or co-op, Wasteland 3ย offers the player a high degree of choice, both in combat strategy and narrative progression. Some games make the suffering worth it. This is one of them.
5. Disco Elysium
Most RPG character sheets look more or less the same. Inย Disco Elysium,ย that couldn’t be further from the truth. The character’s thoughts and emotions take the place of more traditional stats as the player helps their tormented detective solve a murder or destroy himself trying. The setting is exquisitely deep, matched only by the quality and depth of the dialog. Sure, you can’tย play co-op in this one,ย but watching your character’s beliefs come to life and talk to you as you try to navigate each encounter is an experience unlike any other. Fans ofย Baldur’s Gate 3ย will devour this.
4. Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Tormentย is set in Sigil, City of Doors, one of the strangest and most fascinating locations in all ofย DnDย lore. With access to the entire multiverse at one’s feet, getting sucked into bizarre adventures is inevitable. The protagonist hero is no vanilla fantasy hero. You play as the Nameless One: an enigmatic creature that has lived countless lives. Accompanied by a talking skull, the Nameless One embarks on a journey filled with fantastic writing and weird setpieces. Go in with as few spoilers as possible. You won’t regret it.
3. Baldur’s Gate 2
If you have your eyes onย Baldur’s Gate 3,ย it might be worth taking a step back in time toย check out its predecessor.ย There’s no essential connection between the game’s stories, so players aren’t missing anything if they give this one a pass and dive right into Larian Studios’s newest venture.ย That said, the secondย Baldur’s Gateย is an extremely deep and diverse roleplaying experience. The characters and writing here are top-notch. That’s good news since the graphics may be a bit dated for some gamers to swallow otherwise.
2. Neverwinter Nights
There was a time whenย Neverwinter Nightsย was the gold standard for choice-driven RPGs based onย DnD.ย Though that time may have passed,ย Neverwinter Nightsย nevertheless remains an exceptional adaptation of the source material. This journey into the Forgotten Realms can easily eat 100+ hours of a player’s time, even without the expansion packs. Building one’s party, exploring the world, and combating enemies are all satisfying. Battles aren’t the game’s strong suit but are still enjoyable. More importantly, the story here is good enough to justify this being one of the best games likeย Baldur’s Gate 3.
1. Divinity: Original Sin 2
If you’re looking for something that feels like the newest game by Larian Studios, checking out their older masterpiece is the obvious choice.ย Baldur’s Gate 3ย players will feel right at home withย Divinity: Original Sin 2.ย So many of the systems that were transformed or perfected inย Baldur’s Gate 3ย have their first appearance inย Divinity.ย Whereasย BG3ย takes place within the rules and setting ofย Dungeons and Dragons,ย the world ofย Divinityย is unique but no less compelling. In terms of branching storytelling, quality of writing, and depth of cast, it doesn’t get much better.
