One reason why Baldur’s Gate 3 is so popular is the great characters. However, it was a long journey to get there. Some of the characters come from previous installments, which were adopted largely due to their special popularity among fans. In an interview, designer James Ohlen reveals which games inspired him in his work.
Who is James Ohlen?
- In his early career, the Canadian led two D&D campaigns alongside a comic book store.
- He was then recruited by the founders of the game development company BioWare and worked there for 22 years as Creative Director.
- There, he was responsible as Lead Designer for the first two parts of the “Baldur’s Gate” games.
- He was also significantly involved in games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age: Origins, and Star Wars: The Old Republic.
You can find out more about Baldur’s Gate 3 here:
“I am very competitive”
In an interview with “Rock Paper Shotgun”, Ohlen states that the team behind Baldur’s Gate 2 was heavily inspired by the character Cloud and his gang from Final Fantasy VII.
The role-playing classic was released in 1997 and revolutionized the genre through the combination of profound story, innovative battle system, and previously unparalleled graphics.
The story revolves around the seemingly cold-hearted mercenary Cloud, who gets involved in political intrigues, personal dramas, and philosophical themes.
How did this happen? During a smoke break, a colleague explained that the characters in Baldur’s Gate were not nearly as well developed as those in Final Fantasy VII.
“I am very competitive,” Ohlen explains. Therefore, he started playing Final Fantasy VII himself and concluded: “Oh my God, these characters make ours look like a bunch of cardboard cutouts. That’s terrible.”
This led the team at BioWare to work twice as hard to create unforgettable characters. They also revised existing characters and gave them deeper backstories in Baldur’s Gate 2.
For example, Jaheira – with her grumpy yet protective nature and her tragic backstory – became the beloved companion she is today.
It is no wonder that to this day, particularly memorable and beloved characters are repeatedly adopted. For instance, the companions Jaheira and Minsc with his space hamster Boo from the predecessors have returned in the latest installment, Baldur’s Gate 3.
The fans’ love for the characters from Baldur’s Gate 3 shows that the excursion to Final Fantasy VII was definitely worth it.
Aside from a great personality and interesting backstory, companion Jaheira can also impress with further small details.
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