Truly, there isn’t enough time in the day, or maybe even longer than that, to praise Baldur’s Gate 3 and developer Larian Studios. More specifically, to praise what they were able to accomplish in this title. They were able to craft an RPG that not only paid tribute to the universe of D&D in various ways but made almost every aspect of the game feel in the players’ control. It’s not simply about having certain party members and unleashing cool attacks; it’s about affecting the story in certain ways that lead to unexpected twists and potentially dark endings that gamers intentionally seek out.
It’s true; there are some paths in the game that are meant for those who WANT the “dark endings and plots.” The “Dark Urge” is the most prominent one, of course, but there are others out there that ensure that the titular Baldur’s Gate and even your party companions don’t end up with the best of fates.
In a tease of the upcoming Patch 7, which is said to fix about 1000 bugs, Larian Studios dropped a small clip from one of the new “evil endings.” You can check it out below if you don’t mind spoilers.
If you can’t tell what’s going on, this is a scene where citizens are being controlled by the Netherbrain, which is the force within the RPG that MOST people attempt to stop so that they aren’t being controlled by The Emperor or the vile trio that originally controls it.
That being said, you have options within the game to command the power of the Netherbrain and rule over the land with it under your power. If you’re a fan of a certain anime, this is the RPG take on Madara’s plan. Just saying.
While we don’t see the full context of the scene or the other endings that are teased for the patch, it speaks to how Larian Studios is still determined to improve and branch out the game so that gamers can enjoy numerous paths. That’s one of the true joys of Baldur’s Gate 3 in the year it’s been out. In fact, certain stats revealed just how diverse people are in their choices and how they decide to “win” the game or who they decide to be with.
Oh, speaking of that, can we please get a good ending for Karlach? Seriously, she deserves it, as do the people who intentionally go into the game trying to be her partner!
