Larian Studios recently showcased the first gameplay for Baldur’s Gate 3, the highly-anticipated follow-up in the hallowed franchise, at PAX East 2020. The build showcased was pre-alpha and live gameplay (hence a number of bugs that cropped up) but we got a pretty good idea of how Larian is implementing the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset. There’s also that sweet cinematic opening, which you can see below.
The developer also confirmed that Baldur’s Gate 3 would be going into early access this year. Larian CEO Swen Vincke told PC Gamer that features like simultaneous turn-based combat are in the works and that player feedback will be very important. “If you look at Divinity: Original Sin 2 when it went into Early Access and when it came out of Early Access, it never would have been as good. So we want to give this one the same treatment.”
The early access build will feature the first story act and five characters with different Origins (which are essentially characters with pre-defined backstories and builds). These include Gale, a Human Wizard; Lae’zel, a Githyanki Fighter; Shadowheart, a Half-Elf Cleric; Astarian, an Elven Vampire Spawn Rogue; and Wyll, a Human Warlock. Players will be able to recruit these characters as companions during the story and also make their own.
As for the classes and archetypes available during early access, they’ll include Fighter (Battle Master, Eldritch Knight); Wizard (Evocation, Abjuration); Rogue (Arcane Trickster, Thief); Ranger (Hunter, Beast Master); and Cleric (Life, Light, Trickery). More companions will be added as time goes by, though Larian didn’t commit to a release date. Baldur’s Gate 3 is currently slated for PC and Google Stadia – stay tuned for more details.