Is Baldur's Gate 3 a turn-based RPG?

Gamers were surprised when it was revealed that Baldur's Gate 3 will be handled by Larian Studios. With the title currently out on PC, it is clear that the Belgian developer of the Divinity series fame has taken it in a new direction. This makes sense since the game is also based on the latest fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons.

Baldur's Gate 3 has seen a big shift from the purely isometric setup to AAA-budget cutscenes packed with immense detail. There are new ways of interacting with characters and the environment, none of which were possible before. With so many changes in place, is the same true for combat as well?

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Is Baldur's Gate 3 combat turn-based or real-time?

Taking more than a few notes from the Divinity Original Sin games, Baldur's Gate 3 features a turn-based battle system. On initiating combat, each party member and opponent will act in turns governed by the Initiative Tracker on top of the screen. Players must manage their movement and action resources to gain the upper hand by utilizing creative techniques to come out on top.

This is in stark contrast to Baldur's Gate 1 and 2, which had real-time-with-pause combat for the character party. Developed by BioWare, the predecessor titles had all action play out in real time, with a computerized die calculating the probabilities of hitting an opponent. This design decision has been in place ever since Larian Studios' project was announced years ago.

However, purists were wary of this new shift to combat. After all, battles were a big part of the Baldur's Gate experience, and that remains true here.

One could argue that turn-based is a superior choice. Dungeons and Dragons, in its tabletop format, has always been turn-based. As such, Larian Studios has translated the RNG aspects to a turn-based system seamlessly.

The dynamic nature and approach to problem-solving also make Baldur's Gate 3 a truer DnD experience than anything that has come before. Want to kill any enemy by teleporting them into a pool of lava? Doable. Shove them off a cliff? Absolutely possible. Given that it is also an evolution of the battle system of Divinity Original Sin games, this incorporates environmental interactivity to a smart degree.

Interestingly, players could have gotten real-time-with-pause a long time ago. Fallout 1 and 2 developer Black Isle Studios was assigned to create a successor to Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn called Baldur's Gate 3: The Black Hound in 2002. However, nothing came of it as the studio was shut down, and the IP found itself in Larian Studios' hands.

Now that much of Black Isle's talent has been scattered to the winds, perhaps this move was for the best. Even if players dislike turn-based combat, it is hard to dispute the fact that Baldur's Gate 3's battle system is incredibly deep and well-polished. Early-access hands-on reactions from gamers and critics alike have been unanimously positive, and the same is true for the final launch.

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Baldur's Gate 3 is out right now on PC via Steam and GOG. PlayStation 5 users will be able to play the game on September 6, 2023.