Larian is following up Baldur’s Gate 3 with not one however two new RPGs. And, unsurprisingly, they’re going to seemingly be large ‘uns. That is simply Larian’s type, however it does include some issues, particularly after they’re following a sport as huge and elaborate as Baldur’s Gate 3.
One of many challenges inherent in following up a large RPG with extra beefy RPGs is discovering unique concepts to fill them with. Chatting with writing director Adam Smith for Baldur’s Gate 3’s first anniversary (try the total interview on Larian’s previous, current and future), he tells me that this is a matter Larian’s at the moment bumping up in opposition to.
“One of many greatest issues we now have now could be that at any time when we’re speaking about issues, we are saying we did that in BG3,” says Smith. “And it seems, we did a number of issues in BG3 once we suppose again to it.” It is the basic ‘Simpsons did it’ drawback.
This is not a brand new concern for Larian, although. The primary Divinity: Authentic Sin was additionally fairly meaty, and Divinity: Authentic Sin 2 was large—so this subject reared its head even when the studio was engaged on Baldur’s Gate 3.
“It was the identical throughout improvement,” says Smith. “Have they already seen this sample? Have they already used these verbs on this order? Have they already had this emotional arc? So that you’re continually making an attempt to guarantee that they’re getting a brand new expertise, and you are not simply repeating your self, and you are not simply giving them content material for the sake of content material.”
Inevitably, builders deal with comparisons to their earlier video games irrespective of how a lot new stuff is squeezed inside them. Baldur’s Gate 3 is an distinctive sport primarily based by itself deserves, however it nonetheless evokes recollections of the Authentic Sin video games and, after all, its basic Infinity Engine predecessors. This is not a foul factor. However for Larian, there is a robust need to strive new issues and experiment.
It’s going to seemingly be a while earlier than we begin to see what form these experiments take, although. Larian’s preserving quiet with reference to each of its subsequent RPGs, leaving us numerous room to hope and speculate.