D&D Live 2020 kicked off Day 1 with a live gameplay stream ofBaldur’s Gate 3by no other than the head of Larian Studios himself, Swen Vicke. This stream revealed some of the new mechanics that the creators ofDivinityare bringing to thenewest entry in theBaldur’s Gatefranchise, including the camp, the tactical sneak mode, and the double-edged sword “Tadpoled” mechanic.
Developer Larian Studios—the creators of theDivinityseries—have been very open during the development of what it says will be thebest video game adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons. What we know so far is thatBaldur’s Gate 3will be aBaldur’s Gate/D&D-style story withDivinity-style gameplay. The main trailer showcased the skeleton of the story line: Ceremorphosis, the process of turning a normal person into an illithid—mindflayer—by implanting a larva into their brain.
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The larva that is in the main character’s brain is more than just a stowaway, as shown in the newest gameplay footage. The interesting Tadpoled mechanic allows the player to Jedi Mind Trick someone, as we see when Swen tries to read the thoughts of one of his companions. This opens new dialogue options but is not a completely free ability. By feeding the tadpole in his mind, the player gets a notification he has lost something to the creature as he moves further into darkness. Players who enjoy self-sacrificing mechanics will attach to this feature very quickly.
The camp is also shown in greater detail. Rather than just popping out a sleeping bag and time-skipping forward, setting up a camp allows the player to visit with their companions, not unlike the feature inDragon Age: Origins. We also get a look at how Dark Vision is incorporated when switching to one party member allows you to see in a dark cave as if they are carrying an invisible lantern with them.
One of the other features shown in detail is the sneak mechanic. Rather than just crouching—or putting a rock over one’s head like inDivinity—the character actually changes their entire style of movement to tip-toeing and slinking. There is also a sun icon that tells the player if they are completely visible, partially visible, or completely hidden.
While these were some the main new features showcased, we also got to see how Inspiration Points can be saved and used to retry dialogue attempts. When exploring secret areas, fans of D&D will recognizea very important character that was discovered.
SomeBaldur’s Gatepurists are still divided over the fact that the game seems to be moreDivinitycontrols than oldBaldur’s Gatecontrols, because change is always a scary thing when reviving beloved franchises. Hopefully, the promise of being the best D&D adaptation is lived up to whenthe game releases on Early Access in two months.
Baldur’s Gate 3is in development for PC and Stadia.
