This year is shaping up to be one of the biggest years for the role-playing game genre. From Diablo 4, Final Fantasy 16, Baldur's Gate 3, and Starfield, gamers have had a great selection to choose from. While we're spoiled for choice, many would agree with us that Baldur's Gate 3 is the pick of the litter, a sentiment shared even by one of the creators of Baldur's Gate 2.

Former BioWare developer David Gaider has at last completed his playthrough of Baldur's Gate 3, and his excitement could not be contained. Taking to Twitter (or X, if you like), Gaider praised Larian Studios for its remarkable efforts in bringing this game to life, stating:

Well, I finally finished BG3.

As someone who worked on BG2, my very first game in the industry, I gotta echo what everyone else has said: this resurrected the feeling of it in every way. Hats off to @larianstudios for all the love that clearly went into this. A worthy successor.

Well, I finally finished BG3.

As someone who worked on BG2, my very first game in the industry, I gotta echo what everyone else has said: this resurrected the feeling of it in every way. Hats off to @larianstudios for all the love that clearly went into this. A worthy successor. pic.twitter.com/HQmuFX9y9l

— David Gaider (@davidgaider) August 27, 2023

Like any developer would, Gaider pointed out that there were certain aspects in which the game fell short. However, he reassuringly mentioned that these aspects did not take away from the overall experience.

Did I have some issues? Did I encounter bugs, even big ones? Do I have some Thoughts on the construction of its romances? Did I yearn for SOME kind of epilogue or wrap up at the end? All yes, but none of those detracted from the monumental achievement, here. I enjoyed every hour.

Based on the popular tabletop RPG Dungeons & Dragons, Baldur's Gate 3 is the third mainline installment in the Baldur's Gate series that first began in 1998 and enshrined itself as a landmark of the RPG genre, consistently decorating "best of" lists throughout the decades.

Though the game is positioned as a sequel to Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, in a real sense, it is a spiritual successor to Larian Studios' other RPG, Divinity: Original Sin II, embracing similarities such as turn-based combat, one-on-one conversations, and the absence of a day-night cycle.

Larian Studios obtained the rights to develop the game after catching the attention of DnD's publisher, Wizards of the Coast, through its impressive work on Divinity: Original Sin II as well as other critically acclaimed RPG projects.

In what has been praised as a bold move that might see Baldur's Gate 3 take home the coveted GOTY award, Larian Studios has defied contemporary gaming trends such as multiplayer gameplay (though it features a co-op multiplayer mode), live service, and monetization, a point that Gaider also mentioned.

I find myself bemused, considering all the things I've been told from time to time that are too "old-fashioned" for a modern title: a silent protagonist, turn-based combat, nothing resembling monetization or live service for miles to be seen. Yet here we are. 😊

I hope Larian and all the creators involved are proud of their achievement. I can't imagine all the resources and the work that would've been required (well, that's not quite true - I can), and I really hope it was worth it. If we're all lucky, this is just the beginning.

So there you have it! Baldur's Gate 3 has now received a big thumbs up from one of the series' developers, which carries a lot of weight with it. Currently, the game is exclusively available on PC via Steam, but PlayStation players are counting down the days until it drops on September 5.

Xbox gamers might have to exercise a little more patience as Larian Studios has yet to announce an official release date, but fortunately, they will have a chance to sink their teeth into the CRPG before the year ends. Just don't expect to play on a split screen if you own the Xbox Series S.