The following quotes hover over a screenshot fo Baldur's Gate 3: "loved the gay sex," "I threw a goblin child across the room," "can kick squirrel...game of the year," "this game sucks. it's too good," and "it's beautiful."
After finally launching in its full form on August 3, the wait for Baldur’s Gate 3 is now over (for PC gamers, anyway). So, does the long-awaited return of a classic CRPG series, developed by the studio behind modern CRPG hit Divinity: Original Sin 2, live up to the hype?
I don’t think you need me to answer that: It’s been clear for the last week that the hype for Baldur’s Gate 3 has reached epic proportions, with the game hitting all the right notes with CRPG and TTRPG fans alike. Baldur’s Gate 3 dethroned CSGO in concurrent players on Steam over the weekend and is currently entertaining more than 150,000 viewers on Twitch at the time of this writing. But let’s hear from folks in their own words—and what better place than Steam user reviews, where it’s reached an overwhelmingly positive rating?
True to the merits of its tabletop origins, fans are particularly enamored with the remarkable number of potential outcomes of various situations in the game. Anyone who’s played Dungeons & Dragons, or similar TTRPGs, knows this phenomenon well: The game simultaneously oscillates between storied, epic moments of what we’d see in The Lord of the Rings and the bonkers lunacy of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. TTRPG fans are enjoying that in video game form, while newbies to the genre are getting a taste of just how wild and unpredictable these games can be.
There is also a resounding refrain from gamers on just how awesome it is to simply pay full price for a game and get, wait for it: A full game. Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t just lack the microtransaction nickel-and-dime-fest of many other large games these days, or a damn season pass, but the absence of such things is reflected in the gameplay as well, which doesn’t burden you with a grindfest that’s skippable for a “meager” cost.
People are also really into the sex.
But okay, there are a few critiques here and there. Still, these minor rough edges aren’t enough to stop the torrent of praise Baldur’s Gate 3 is enjoying right now. So let’s hear from folks in their own words.
A positive review of the game says: "Almost 30 hours in and I haven't gotten past the first part of the game. There's so many options to what you could do in different istuations. You *could* fight the enemy. Or you could side with them. Or you could 'side' with them, wait til they walk up to a ledge, and shove them off. I'm already thinking of what other playthroughts I want to do. It's beautiful.
A positive review says: "Game has such rich amazing environments, great voice cast and no stupid grinding go get 10 of these or 20 of those things, no microtransactions at all, you pay for the game you get 100% of the game. Textures are beautfiul and soundtrack is on point."
A positive review says: "This game is the middle bite of the cheeseburger. 10/10."
A negative review says: "It's really strange how much Baldur's Gate 3 feels like Divinity Original Sin 2 wearing a n necklace of d20's."
A positive review says: "Having played BG1 and BG2 this is simply a perfect successor. Just a great old-school turn-based RPG. Also you can f***k bears. 10/10".
A positive review says: "I loved the gay sex."
A positive review says: "Play your way - don't use a guide, feel the world react to your choices. Hit people with a salami."
A positive review says: "I can finally play D&D alone because I don't have friends."
A positive review says: "Can kick squirrel... Game of the year."
A positive review says: "Me and the boys had a chat with a dog while testing out a potion of animal speaking. Dog got a bit too lippy and attacked us after we yelled at his dead owners corpse to somehow prove to the dog he was dead. (We didn't kill the owner, he was like that when we found him.) Long story short, our Paladin is now an oat breaker and we regret nothing. We're an absolute menace to society. 10/10 game is fantastic."
A positive review says: "Miss, Miss, Miss, 2 Damage, Miss."
A positive review says: "60 dollars for a microtransaction-free, battle pass-free, subscription-free, non-live service game in the year of our lord 2023...Wild."
A positive review says: "As a naked dwarf-bared who accidentally killed a squirrel with a violent punch over some petty argument, spoke with all the rats in the Druid camp and threw a naked party song around the goblin camp--I approve this game."
A positive review says: "I rolld a nat 1 on a strength check to cut off a corpse's head. 10/10."
A negative review says: "No I don't want yet another pointless launcher, I don't want an account with you, and I don't want you harvesting my data without permission with the default being set to "yes" for telemetry. Just the game I paid for thanks. Nothing else. Ever."
A positive review says: "YOU CAN PICK UP RATS."
A positive review says: "I threw a goblin child across the room and killed him because he was going to warn the other goblins of my presence...Are we the baddies??? 10/10"
A positive review says: "This game sucks. It's too good. It makes all other games sort of pointless. Now I only have on egame to play and the AAA developers don't want to make more games this good. The bar is too high. Gaming is over. 10/10 best game ever? But at what cost?"
A positive review says: "Tried to save a gnome, ended up throwing him to his death by accident. Highly recommend."
A positive review says: "allows me to live me dream of being a naked gnome with the power of zeus."
A positive review says: "can pet a Dog 10/10."
A positive review says: "Its just as horny as real dnd."
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Jimmy Tsui, a former member of the Sun Yee On triad in Hong Kong and Tung On in New York City's Chinatown, breaks down 12 Chinese organized-crime scenes in movies and TV shows based on realism. Tsui breaks down the accuracy of triad activities in Hong Kong and the United States, such as the money-laundering scenes in "Rush Hour 2," with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker; "A Better Tomorrow," with Chow Yun-fat and Leslie Cheung; the human smuggling ring in "Lethal Weapon 4," with Jet Li, Mel Gibson, and Danny Glover; and the connection of triads with the nightclub and movie industries in Hong Kong in "Young and Dangerous 3." He explains the realism of triads dealing with law enforcement and other international criminal organizations, such as the Irish Mob in "The Departed," with Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson; the tensions between the yakuza and the San Francisco triad in "War," with Jason Statham; the relationship between the Hong Kong police and the triads in "Infernal Affairs," starring Tony Leung and Andy Lau; and the interaction with motorcycle clubs in "Sons of Anarchy" S6E10. Tsui also looks at scenes in New York City's Chinatown, such as the rivalry between two Tong associations in "The Corruptor," with Mark Wahlberg and Chow Yun-fat; and the gambling-house scene in "Year of the Dragon." Tsui also explains the rituals and hierarchy of the triads, such as the initiation-ceremony scene in "Election" (2005) and the voting scene in "The Brothers Sun" E7, starring Michelle Yeoh. Tsui was involved with the Sun Yee On triad and Tung On in New York City's Chinatown for over 10 years. In 1985 in New York, he was arrested and charged with robbery and homicide with a $1.5 million bail. The case was dismissed and resulted in his transition into Sun Yee On in 1988. He was involved in karaoke bars, gambling houses, and various scams. After leaving the triads, Tsui got involved with Chinatown Gang Stories, a YouTube channel organized by Mike Moy, a former gang member and New York City Police Department officer. You can learn more about Jimmy Tsui's story here: https://www.youtube.com/@chinatowngangstories
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