Baldur's Gate 3
Games review
As of Aug 10, 2026, Baldur's Gate 3 is rated 96/100 on Metacritic (119 critic reviews), and 97% positive on Steam (852,000 reviews). Each source is shown in its own units, never blended into one score.
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Is Baldur's Gate 3 worth it in 2026?
A 97% positive rating across 852,000 Steam reviews and a 96/100 from critics isn't noise, it's a genuine consensus that Larian built something rare. The writing and characters are the core of it, and six reviews in the sample independently flag replayability and choice as standout qualities, which means a 100-hour first playthrough isn't padding, it's density. The real catches are Act 3 performance degradation, choppy framerates and stuttering in the game's final third that Larian has not fully resolved, a UI clunky enough that at least one CRPG-literate player quit after 27 hours across two attempts, and turn-based combat that moves slowly enough to lose players who aren't already committed to the format. Multiplayer works well solo or with friends, but only one player can drive dialogue at a time, so co-op means one of you sits out every conversation.
Players who want a deep, replayable RPG with exceptional writing and don't mind investing time in turn-based combat systems, whether playing solo or with friends who are happy to share the driver's seat.
Act 3 carries documented performance issues, expect framerate drops and stuttering in the game's final stretch. The UI is clunky enough that even fans of the genre have cited it as a dealbreaker, and in multiplayer, only one player controls dialogue at a time, which limits true co-op storytelling.
AI-generated editorial synthesis of the source scores and sampled review themes, not a hands-on test. Reviewer experiences and allegations are not independently verified facts.
Pros
- memorable characters and writing7
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- [h3]More Than a Game, an Adventure I Will Remember[/h3] Some games entertain you. Some games impress you. A very small number of games stay with you long after the credits roll....
- I reached 100 hours and completed my first ever playthrough of BG3. I do not know why I left it till this long but every moment was worth it. A fantastic, well written story. Y...
- BG3 is one of the best RPGs I've ever played (alongside Oblivion/Skyrim). The world is incredibly detailed, the characters are memorable and every choice genuinely feels like it ma...
- high replayability and choice6
see reviews +-
- I reached 100 hours and completed my first ever playthrough of BG3. I do not know why I left it till this long but every moment was worth it. A fantastic, well written story. Y...
- BG3 is one of the best RPGs I've ever played (alongside Oblivion/Skyrim). The world is incredibly detailed, the characters are memorable and every choice genuinely feels like it ma...
- I am ordinarily am not a huge fan of turn based games , but I do like a good RPG and man oh man does this game scratch that itch. I am one to never have the patience to replay a ga...
- engaging gameplay and combat6
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- You think you have free will in this life until a virtual 20-sided die decides your entire destiny. Still, where else can you miss a 99% hit on a sleeping goblin but successfully...
- bg3 has genuinely become one of my favourite games ever. i went into it never having played d&d before and honestly i wasn’t even that interested in turn-based combat, so i rlly wa...
- Really fun tabletop RPG that will easily sink a lot of your time. A lot of options to build your character however you want. There are massive power spikes later in the game that...
- beautiful visuals and presentation6
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- I first stumbled across BG3 back in 2023 when it randomly popped up on my Steam page. I'd already sunk hours into the Divinity Original Sin games before that, so the moment I saw g...
- I genuinely tried to like Baldur’s Gate 3. I loved the first two games, and after hearing so much praise for this one, I gave it 27 hours across two separate playthroughs. Unfortun...
- [h2]The Ultimate CRPG[/h2] I haven't played many RPGs in general, and in the CRPG subgenre, Baldur's Gate 3 was only my second such game. Yet that didn't stop me from thoroughly e...
- accessible to new players4
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- bg3 has genuinely become one of my favourite games ever. i went into it never having played d&d before and honestly i wasn’t even that interested in turn-based combat, so i rlly wa...
- [h2]The Ultimate CRPG[/h2] I haven't played many RPGs in general, and in the CRPG subgenre, Baldur's Gate 3 was only my second such game. Yet that didn't stop me from thoroughly e...
- I am ordinarily am not a huge fan of turn based games , but I do like a good RPG and man oh man does this game scratch that itch. I am one to never have the patience to replay a ga...
- multiplayer experience3
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- really fun solo AND with friends. tons of content if you are a fan of build crafting in these games, the music is really great and varying all over the game, and if you liked t...
- Baldur's Gate 3 is absolutely an incredible game and I think almost every gamer should have the experience of playing it. That said, it gets so much praise that people tend to glos...
- Gorgeous game and a very in-depth campaign. As with everything by these devs the multiplayer is unlike anything else!
Cons
- act 3 performance issues3
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- Really fun tabletop RPG that will easily sink a lot of your time. A lot of options to build your character however you want. There are massive power spikes later in the game that...
- Overall a fantastic game with interesting story lines, good mechanics, well designed and likeable characters, and interesting game play. I stalled out and didn't play for a while i...
- Baldur's Gate 3 is absolutely an incredible game and I think almost every gamer should have the experience of playing it. That said, it gets so much praise that people tend to glos...
Themes and quotes are drawn from 31 sampled reviews with text; the scores above reflect all 852.1K ratings. Counts are how many of the sampled reviews mention each point.
Rated near Baldur's Gate 3
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