Baldur’s Gate 3 is so good that it’s ruining other games

Baldur’s Gate 3 players are reporting their post-game depression, which is affecting their ability to play other games.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s one-year anniversary is rapidly approaching, yet the fervor around the game is still going strong. This is helped by people still discovering secrets and uncovering or creating inventive ways to solve the many challenges the player faces on their journey.

The replayability is helped by the sheer number of character options and types of run you can do. In fact, Baldur’s Gate 3 almost ruins itself in this regard, as players struggle to finish a single playthrough, as they want to experience a different character and another side of the story.

All of these elements combined make for a game with seemingly unlimited replayability. This has the side effect of making other games suffer by comparison, especially when 2024 has a much lighter video game release schedule than 2023, leaving longer gaps for players to return to the Forgotten Realms.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has raised the bar for many people, both in terms of content and gameplay. Its blood-drenched adult world stands in stark contrast to the saccharine and inoffensive universe of Starfield, which launched around the same time but hasn’t left anywhere near the same impression on the audience.

Fans on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit have been lamenting its effect on their opinion of other titles. Multiple lengthy playthroughs take precedence over trying out new games, and even when they start something else, they’re called back to Baldur’s Gate 3.

Inevitably, this will die down, especially as Larian has confirmed that no Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC is in development. Over time, people will have had their fill of the Forgotten Realms and move onto other things.

But Baldur’s Gate 3 has created a standard that other games will struggle to reach. And much like classics like Deus Ex or Skyrim, the itch to reinstall and roll up a new character will always be there.