B A LDU R’S G AT E I I I

It’s finally here, but was it worth the wait?

ut now in Early Access, Baldur’s Gate III feels like it’s trying to make up for lost time. There are no humble beginnings here – instead we’re treated to psychic squid monsters, interdimensional ships, and jaunts into the Underdark. And that’s before even visiting the city itself, which is currently inaccessible.

OAs the series’ new Dungeon Master, Larian Studios wants to make an impression quickly, setting you on a high-stakes adventure with a sense of urgency that can only come from being implanted with a tadpole that’s turning you into a mind flyer, one of those aforementioned psychic squid monsters. It’s only undermined by my compulsion to stop every few minutes to push people off ledges.

The ability to shove people has made its way over from D&D proper, and with Baldur’sGateIII’s very tall design, there are plenty of opportunities to use it. Sneaking up on, say, an oblivious gnome and knocking them into the abyss is the most obvious use, but it can also come in handy if you want to push someone into some fire or poison, or line up some enemies for an attack that strikes a row.

PUSH OFF

In my party of four, I have an arsenal of magic missiles, animal companions, curses and a barbed spear designed to gouge out eyes, but I always try to go for the environmental kills. Agent 47 could really thrive in Faerûn. Unexpected murder weapons are my second choice, if there’s no room for accidents. Almost every object can be turned into a weapon in a pinch – one of my first kills was with a skull that I picked up and tossed at a monster. Thanks, Skully.

This is a side of D&D that was previously missing from Baldur’sGate –

DIP YOUR WEAPONS IN PUDDLES OF ACID, OR IGNITE THEM USING A TORCH.