Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3 is an attempt to translate the rules of tabletop Dungeons & Dragons into a video game without losing the freedom that defines the tabletop experience along the way. The premise is classic: a party of adventurers with a parasite in their heads seeks a way to get rid of it, and in doing so uncovers a conspiracy reaching all the way up to the gods themselves. Combat is turn-based on a grid, with a dice roll for every action, and the environment is fully interactive — barrels of oil, height differences, objects you can push, spells that reshape the terrain. Crucially, the game accounts for genuinely unconventional solutions: killing an important character, sabotaging your own quest, or bypassing an entire chapter is a legitimate path, and the story adapts accordingly.

The Xbox Series X|S version launched at the end of 2023 and is fully featured, including multiplayer co-op. The Series X even handles split-screen mode, while on the Series S this option is limited, which was the biggest technical hurdle during development. Controls adapted for the gamepad are surprisingly comfortable: radial menus, smart spell targeting, and clear action queues. Loading of the extensive areas is short thanks to the SSD, which is no small feat for a game with this much data. Visually, the game leans on detailed faces and acting work, since a substantial part of the experience takes place in dialogue; the orchestral score stays discreetly in the background and only steps forward at moments when an event truly carries weight.

The reception was enthusiastic, and the game picked up numerous Game of the Year awards. Its influence is felt in how it raised expectations around reactivity — after it, it's harder to defend an RPG where choice means nothing more than a different line of dialogue. Today Baldur's Gate 3 feels like an exceptionally generous title: three sprawling acts, hundreds of hours of content across replays, and a party of characters with their own goals and opinions about what you do. For players who were wary of turn-based combat, it also happens to be the best available introduction to the genre.