MeinMMO presents games that play similarly to Baldur’s Gate 3 and feel similar. Ideal if Larian’s masterpiece has left a void that you want to fill.
What kind of games are these? We have selected a range of classic role-playing games or “CRPGs” that you can play on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. This includes a selection of the best games from recent years in various settings.
Important for the games on the list is that they share at least some similarities with Baldur’s Gate 3 – that is, they are based on Dungeons & Dragons or other “pen & paper” systems, offer turn-based combat, or otherwise evoke the feel of role-playing.
If turn-based combat isn’t your thing? Here are alternatives to Baldur’s Gate 3 without turn-based combat.
Here’s how we selected: The list is based on the experience of our authors and editors, many of whom have been engaged with role-playing games for decades. Baldur’s Gate 3 has impressed almost everyone at MeinMMO, resurrecting old experiences.
Many of these titles also belong to the highest-rated games in the genre on Steam and similar platforms, although some have simply been forgotten. However, we recommend only games in which we’ve spent hundreds of hours.
Pathfinder
- Initial release date: September 25, 2018 (Kingmaker); September 2, 2021 (Wrath of the Righteous)
- Developer: Owlcat Games
- Setting: Fantasy/Pathfinder
- Co-op? No
- Platform: PC, Mac, Linux (both) and Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox (only Wrath of the Righteous)
The Pathfinder games are based on the pen & paper of the same name, which itself evolved from an earlier version of Dungeons & Dragons. Unlike D&D (and Baldur’s Gate), Pathfinder is significantly more complex.
You have a choice of dozens of classes and even prestige classes, as well as the ability to gain additional abilities that function independently of your class. However, you still play in a group with companions and turn-based.
Kingmaker is the first part of the two games. In the world of Golarion, you are tasked with ensuring that an overgrown barony can be made habitable again. You become embroiled in ever-growing political intrigue and a supernatural plot that pits you against beings from another world. Along the way, you have to manage your kingdom.
Wrath of the Righteous, or WotR for short, takes it a step further. You must save the entire world from merging with the demon realm. In doing so, you develop special “legend” powers, but you have to manage less than in the first part. It’s more about the adventure.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
- Initial release date: September 14, 2017
- Developer: Larian Studios
- Setting: Fantasy
- Co-op? Yes
- Platform: PC, Mac, Xbox, PS4/PS5, Nintendo Switch, iPad
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the direct predecessor of Baldur’s Gate 3 from Larian. The RPG plays almost identically, and many lessons that Larian learned from Divinity were applied in Baldur’s Gate 3. The game is regarded as one of the best role-playing games on Steam.
As a chosen one of a god, you have special powers, which, however, are not well-received by the Inquisition – as they threaten the safety of the world. Your task is to decide what to do with these powers and how you want to use them.
The big difference from Baldur’s Gate 3 is that you are not playing in a D&D system, but in a unique rule set. Although the combat still runs in turns, you have action points and no predetermined number of actions.
If you are interested in Original Sin 2, the predecessor Original Sin (1) as well as the other Divinity games, which are, however, played quite differently, are also worth checking out.
Wasteland 3
- Initial release date: August 28, 2020
- Developer: inXile Entertainment
- Setting: Post-Apocalypse
- Co-op? Yes
- Platform: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4/PS5, Xbox
In Wasteland 3, you play a group of lawmen trying to restore order in a world after the nuclear apocalypse. The game is strongly reminiscent of the early Fallout titles and is considered one of the best games with an apocalyptic setting.
Instead of fireball and lightning, you fight with flamethrowers and futuristic Tesla cannons or throw grenades. The combat is tactical, and you should use cover to avoid making it easy for your enemies.
Like in Baldur’s Gate 3, you can expect a deep story with various branches and characters and companions with their own personalities. However, it lacks the option to enter into a romance like in Baldur’s Gate 3 or the small conversations among characters.
Wasteland 3 is ideal if you’re looking for a break from the common fantasy settings in the RPG genre. The predecessors of the series are also recommended.
