Baldur’s Gate 3has reinvigorated the CRPG genre through garnering praise as a worthy successor for the original BioWare classics, but one notable flaw in its narrative premise ultimately creates a disconnection between story and gameplay. This comes in the form of the confusing sense of urgency surroundingBaldur’s Gate 3’s Mind Flayer tadpole infectionat the heart of its scenario, an element which directly clashes with the game’s near-constant encouragement to engage in slower moments. A theoreticalBaldur’s Gate 4could benefit greatly from addressing this matter of pacing to ensure that players don’t feel restricted by the prospect of artificial time constraints.
In an example of the “urgency problem” trope in many video game plots, the interesting, pressing scenario ofBaldur’s Gate 3’s main story can end up clashing with the aspects of the game that are meant to be experienced at a slower pace. The reality ofBG3’s true emphasis on downtime and easing into connections might not be clear to players until well into Act 1, butBaldur’s Gate 4could learn from this dissonance if it hopes to hit even higher marks.
The False Urgency of Baldur’s Gate 3’s Ceremorphosis Storyline Highlights a Design Contradiction
When Companions and the Main Quest Represent Conflicting Interests
In games with world-threatening stakes to kick off a playthrough, a plethora of side content that can be tackled freely is almost guaranteed to detract from the weight of a narrative’s dire circumstances. Practically all signs in the early game point toBaldur’s Gate 3’s Illithidtadpole being a direct and active threat to the player’s survival, prompting its removal to be their main focus to avoid becoming a Mind Flayer.
Nettie inBaldur’s Gate 3’s Emerald Grove, the Hag in the swamp, and even Volo all propagate this idea through trying to help in its removal while raising alarm bells about ceremorphosis, and are all likely to be found after the initial recruitment of several companions. While it’s actually most beneficial to Long Rest as much as possible at this point in order to unlock more dialogue and progress these party quests, it wouldn’t be surprising for the player to assume that the tadpole could kill them if they rest too much.
Baldur’s Gate 4 Can Thrive With Transparency in Its Own Flexible Narrative Structure
The truth ofBaldur’s Gate 3’s Emperoris that they are preventing the player from becoming an Illithid from within the Astral Prism artifact obtained after the prologue, so there was never even any legitimate threat of becoming a Mind Flayer to begin with. This is made clear to the player through that character’s Dream Guardian form, and that interaction itself requires resting enough to even be visited within dreams. There is a definite sense of suspense to this reveal as a whole, but that sort of pacing could also easily incentivize a player to rush through most of Act 1 without realizing how many unique camp interactions are being missed.
Finding an Unrestricted Scenario as Exciting as Becoming an Illithid
The setting of the Forgotten Realms and those beyond it have a massive amount ofpotential forBaldur’s Gate 4to explore, with everything from the Nine Hells to Planescape all being ripe for the picking. Across all these inspirations, there’s likely room to find a premise as compelling asBG3’s own without making it based on a false feeling of urgency. The originalBaldur’s Gateduology was more centered around uncovering the player’s origin as a Bhaalspawn and the implications of that concept, proving that there doesn’t need to be an overbearing threat purely for the sake of creating an intense few opening hours.
Baldur’s Gate 3
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCEChoose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPICForged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian’s next-generation RPG engine.
