GDC 2025 Gold Award: Narrative Review

Finding Peace in Unhappy Endings

Overview

Baldur’s Gate III is the latest installment of the Baldur’s Gate franchise. A turn-based RPG based on the 5e “Dungeons and Dragons” TTRPG, the game opens with the player being taken by mind flayers, who promptly place a parasitic worm into the player’s eye, beginning the process of ceremorphosis: the complete and irreversible transition into a monstrous Illithid mind flayer, with no trace of their former selves. After escaping into Faerûn’s Sword Coast where they begin receiving guidance from The Emperor – a rogue and morally-ambiguous Illithid – the player meets various other companions that they can choose to travel with while steadily working their way to their home city of Baldur’s Gate. By the end of Act II and throughout Act III, the player can choose to kill the champions of the “Dead Three” and destroy the emerging “Cult of the Absolute” in an attempt to control the Elder Brain while being faced with impossible decisions with unknowable consequences.

“I feel like there should be a sunset for me to ride off into. Or an orchestral swell, or…something.” [1]

Characters

With hundreds of characters, countless lines of dialogue, and a branching, morally ambiguous narrative, this review will focus on the six “Origin”, non-Dark Urge characters, with the player generally pursuing a “positive” ending for each character.

SHADOWHEART – A devoted cleric of Shar, the harsh and unforgiving goddess of darkness. When her dreams of becoming a Dark Justiciar are within reach, her entire sense of morality and self are called into question when she is tasked with killing the Nightsong – a celestial, bound in torment for a century, who could be the key to driving back the Cult of the Absolute. As the foundation of her life unravels upon sparing the Nightsong, Shadowheart must come to terms with stepping away from her dreams by her own volition and finding meaning in the absence of and rejection by the goddess she dedicated her life to – a goddess that had stolen her future, and her family.

"I've never been able to write my own future. I wouldn't even know where to begin." [2]

ASTARION – a vampire spawn, freed from his master’s influence after receiving the mind flayer parasite. Astarion harbours 200 years’ worth of resentment and hatred towards his former master and is determined to return to Baldur’s Gate to enact his revenge. Upon disrupting his tormentor’s ascension ritual, Astarion can choose to kill his former master, ending the vampiric cycle, but condemning himself to live as a vampire spawn for the rest of his undead existence.

"I suppose that's the less convenient side of freedom - having to live with the choices you made.”

“Do you regret your choice?”

"No, I made the right choice. Although I do regret the options I had." [3]

KARLACH – after being sold by the one she trusted the most into the service of an archdevil, the mind flayer specimen places Karlach on the brink of freedom after ten years fighting a war in the hells themselves. Upon entering into servitude, Karlach’s heart was replaced with an Infernal Engine that cannot function outside of the hells. Karlach is able to get revenge on her ultimate betrayer, but finds no solace as she confronts her own impending mortality.

"What was the point? I'm still dying. I'm dying. I'm going to die. My heart. It was mine, and they took it. All of it, so I could rot. Because the person I trusted the most gave me away to the devil.

I don’t want to die. I want to live. I want to stay.” [1]

GALE – a wizard prodigy who impressed even the goddess of magic herself before falling from grace when attempting to control forgotten and forbidden Netherese magic. With his powers diminished and his life barely being held together, Gale is determined to reclaim the favour of his goddess. In his relentless pursuit of knowledge, Gale becomes obsessed with the idea that he has the potential to transcend even her, taking her place as the god of magic. Yet, as his choices and hubris finally catch up to him, Gale must choose to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save what he truly cares about.

"How easily things slip away from us. No matter how hard they were in the obtaining." [4]

WYLL – a man who would do anything for his people, and who pays the price. A humble man born into nobility, Wyll first entered into an infernal pact in order to save his beloved city, and is subsequently banished by his father, ashamed that his son would draw power from the hells. Even when those he cares about most turn their backs on him, Wyll is devoted to doing what he perceives to be right and just – always at the sacrifice of his own life.

"You think you'd give up anything for a cure. But the Devil won't take anything - he'll take everything." [5]

LAE’ZEL – a fierce warrior of the githyanki people, dedicated to fighting the Illithid Empire in the Astral Plane and the multiverse itself. Even in the face of being executed by her own people, Lae’zel remains faithful to the githyanki lich-god Vlaakith until she learns the truth of her leader. In the face of Queen Vlaakith herself, she is finally able to recognize the lies she had trusted her whole life: in claiming a new path for herself, she is branded a traitor by those who she had dedicated her life to, yet still seeks to liberate her people despite their hatred of her.

"I followed your path. What good, this heart of stone, for it to be shattered." [6]

Breakdown

Everything about what the characters believe is challenged

Good narrative hinges on conflict, both internal and external – and beyond engaging combat that tells a story of its own, Baldur’s Gate III masterfully presents engaging and believable challenges for every character. Throughout the first act of the game, the player can make contact with each Origin character, who quickly define themselves by their mission: Wyll is hunting a devil named Karlach; Lae’zel is pursuing a cure from a githyanki crèche; Shadowheart does not entirely know what her mission is, but she believes it to be from Lady Shar herself and is determined to prove her devotion. However, by the end of Act II, every character’s quest is revealed in a new light. Wyll quickly learns that Karlach is not a devil, but rather another prisoner of the hells – just like him. Lae’zel learns that the fabled “cure” of the githyanki would brutally kill her and fuel her malicious lich-queen’s false life. Shadowheart learns that her life – her family, her memories, and her perception of herself – has been stolen by her goddess. Larian steadily crafts a reversal in every single Origin character, requiring them to face their fundamental beliefs about themselves and the world around them. How they respond to these challenges is irrevocable and defines the rest of their quest. By presenting these massive challenges that the player has direct influence on, the narrative becomes interconnected and has real stakes on an emotional level.

Characters are revealed and brought depth over time

The narrative of Baldur’s Gate III is supported well by Larian’s experience with the three-act story structure and pure breadth of content: there is so much for players to discover that it can take a great deal of time for players to progress through the story. It is only during this exploration that the player can truly “get to know” the characters: just like in real life, it takes time and attention to nurture a relationship, and truly understand and form a bond with someone. For example, Astarion is an almost overwhelmingly snobbish member of the party from the very beginning: he makes it very clear that he is on a quest for revenge and is willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish this goal by any means necessary. For much of the game’s first two acts, he arguably sees the player as a means to an end as he is increasingly consumed with hatred and vengeance. However, when his confrontation with his abuser finally comes to a bloody end (and in rare moments of vulnerability teased out throughout the narrative), Astarion’s façade finally drops and the player can see who he truly is: a victim of abuse. Gone are his dramatics and theatrics as he exhibits genuine remorse – not for his tormentor, but for the part he was forced to play for centuries. That night in camp, Astarion confides in the player in a touching moment of sincerity. However, as with all things in life, there are no choices without regrets of the wandering mind. At the end of his arc, Astarion is finally able to recognize this, and only at the end of his story does the player gain a complete picture of who Astarion is and wants to be.

Characters are always in motion

As the world changes around them, characters abandon their original goals in the face of new ones, sometimes multiple times throughout the story. Gale in particular faces several internal turning points throughout his story as he reveals he is harbouring a Netherese Orb that will ultimately consume him. As he is commanded by Mystra, Gale has fully resolved himself to detonate the orb at the first viable moment (which can bring the game to a premature end at the conclusion of the second act). However, as a testament to his growing affection for the player, he can be persuaded to ‘stand down’, even remarking – “Damn you for giving me so much to care about” [4]. In potentially his final moments alive, he shows that his fundamental cares have shifted from Mystra – and magic itself – to those around him. However, as is ever the tale of great wizards, he is supremely tempted when he learns that the Elder Brain is being controlled by the lost Crown of Karsus, and by the game’s third act, he is obsessed, potentially leading to strife within the party. This uncertainty can fester throughout the entire act as Gale can grow increasingly defiant of Mystra and the gods, thrusting his ending into question. However, no matter what path the player takes Gale on, he eventually must come to terms with his hubris – his fatal flaw from the beginning – either by accepting the consequences of his pride by detonating the Netherbrain with his orb, or by “doubling down” on his ambitions by challenging the goddess Mystra herself, also ending in his inevitable demise. Over the span of the dozens of hours required for a thorough playthrough, Gale is constantly taking in new information that the party learns about their Illithid quest, and consequently has a different goal for every act of the game. Even when held by the immovable hand of a goddess, Gale learns and grows along with his companions.

The characters both fundamentally change and stay true to themselves

While each character is changing throughout the entire game, it’s an important narrative touchstone that they always retain their core sense of self. As discussed previously, every character is faced with a direct challenge to how they understand themselves, and their worldviews are permanently altered. However, after their lowest point, they are able to begin the journey back towards their foundational selves, just as heroes return from The Abyss in the Hero’s Journey. For example, Lae’zel’s entire identity is based on her dedication to her people through her prowess in battle. She begins her journey with utmost faith in her god-queen’s design, yet she is slowly forced to understand disturbing truths about what she has believed in her entire life. After her most crucial decision – choosing to defy Vlaakith and free Prince Orpheus – she is able to find a new resolve that provides the foundation for her fighting. Even while being hunted as a traitor, Lae’zel is dedicated to fighting for the freedom of her people. This mirrors the journeys every person goes through in the real world. It is impossible for us to change completely and wholly: instead, we are a summation of all of our experiences. While we change and grow throughout our lives, we are always searching for the core of our identities.

The characters – and by extension, the players – are faced with impossible choices

The Baldur’s Gate III narrative is built around difficult choices: every character is faced with a diametric choice with substantial consequences at some point in their journey, helping players forge an emotional connection with the characters. These often extreme choices are further amplified by the player often not knowing the full extent of the consequences of their choice: they are forced to make these choices in the moment, raising the stakes even further. A prime example of this is Wyll’s struggle against his infernal pacts: first, when he chooses to spare Karlach after realizing her innocence and is brutally turned into a fiend, and second, when he finally approaches the absolving of his pact, but is forced to enter one even worse in order to save his father, who hates his infernal association. In both moments of grand decisions, Wyll is forced to either lay down his own life, or the lives of those around him – something he could never forgive himself for. Not only do these pacts bind him to a fate he does not want nor deserve, they provide a tangible moral struggle for the character: can Wyll live up to his own expectations of doing good in the world while operating within an infernal system?

Above all, the narrative is driven forward by the characters desiring most what they cannot have

By the conclusion of the game, the player comes to intimately understand each character, including the drives and desires they long for the most. While every character displays this trait – Gale hungers to become stronger than ever, but ultimately must accept his sacrificial fate; Wyll wants to be free from his pacts, but is bound for eternity in order to save his father; Shadowheart wants to be with her parents, who are the tools of a merciless goddess – Karlach’s ending is among the most gut-wrenching: even after doing everything “right” and leading with optimism and genuineness, she is going to die, and there is nothing she can do. The one thing that she wants more than anything is to live a simple and genuine life, and it is the one thing withheld from her.

Rather than the characters achieving their goals, they all “fail”, as defined by their quests at the beginning of the game: Wyll fails to both save his father and his soul. Shadowheart and Lae’zel fail in their devotion to their goddesses. Astarion fails to live his life free from Cazador’s abuse. Gale fails to regain both his power and Mystra’s favour. Karlach fails to live a normal life. However, each and every one of them underwent significant change throughout the narrative that ultimately allows them to find peace in their unsatisfied fates.

Strongest Element

The strongest narrative element of Baldur’s Gate III is that there is no “perfect” ending: every character must make peace with their choices, and the things they had no choice in. As discussed elsewhere in this review, many game narratives place the player as a hero who is able to “fix” everything by the end of the game, but Larian’s success stems from taking a larger-than-life fantasy world and grounding it in the struggles of reality. The player is going through the story along with the characters, taking in new information bit by bit and making the best decisions they can in the moment, but those that have lasting ramifications. By the end of each character’s personal quests and the overarching narrative’s conclusion, the player must accept the decisions they made throughout their journeys. Even if the player attempts to make all the “right” decisions, no character has a perfect ending – at least, not how that character would have ideally resolved their quests at the beginning of the game. The reason Larian’s narrative feels real is because this mirrors life. Life is unexpected, and things never quite turn out that way that we hope they do: the real journey is in how we make peace with the decisions we make.

Unsuccessful Element

Choices in games are generally an amazing thing: when done well, they are what give players agency, and choices with consequences instill the story with weight and meaning. However, at times, too many options are presented, which can detract from the heart of the story. While its complexity and massive scale are inspiring, the unfortunate reality of tight timelines and budgets within game development inevitably causes certain elements to not quite get the time the developers may have hoped for. While the core of this review is centered around the narrative and emotional depth of the six Origin characters that offer parallels into the real-world, players can choose to recruit several additional companions along their adventure. Some of these are new additions, like the druid Halsin, and some are callbacks to beloved characters from elsewhere in the franchise, such as Jaheira and Minsc (with Karlach’s excitement over meeting the legendary Jaheira mirrored by many seasoned Baldur’s Gate fans). However, many of these supporting characters’ narrative arcs aren’t as nuanced as the Origin characters’: Halsin wants to end the Shadow-Curse. Jaheira wants to stop the Absolute. Minsc wants to fight alongside an old friend (and Jaheira - if Boo lets her). These are all necessary goals in their own right in order to help build connections between characters and across the franchise, but are all attainable goals, and as a result, the supporting ensemble does not go through the same fundamental change and growth required of the Origin characters.

However, it is worth noting that the only reason these supporting characters don’t quite shine in the same way as the Origin characters is because of how strong the narrative and game as a whole is on so many levels: every character has amazing moments in their own right, but are simply overshadowed by the depth and complexity of the main ensemble.

Highlight

The embodiment of all the Origin characters’ stories is Karlach’s monologue following her revenge on Gortash in the game’s third act. Karlach is a character with a relentless optimism: someone who is determined to get the very most out of life. In this moment – a moment that had been burning inside her for ten long years in the hells, and for the entire game – she finally breaks, exclaiming, “I feel like there should be a sunset for me to ride off into. Or an orchestral swell, or…something,” [1]. While not an orchestral swell, Karlach’s musical theme aptly titled “I Want To Live” from composer Borislav Slavov softly underscores the moment of brokenness. Karlach finally obtained her goal – a reactionary goal, born from betrayal – yet was not fulfilled. In fact, with nothing left between her and her impending death, completely outside of her control, she is at her absolute lowest point. So often do we define ourselves by our goals, and so often do we realize that the achievement of our ‘dreams’ does not inherently bring happiness. Upon this revelation, we are left to find peace in the broken pieces – something that can become a journey even more beautiful than the pursuit of the original goal.

Critical Reception

97% by PC Gamer (US) / Fraser Brown

PC Gamer reviewer Fraser Brown lauds the title as “the new pinnacle of the [RPG] genre”, praising a narrative that “is as deep as it is wide”. Among many memorable gameplay elements, Brown particularly notes the foundational integration of player choice throughout the game’s sweeping narrative: “you might not always know what story you're writing, but you're always its author” [9].

10/10 by IGN / Leana Hafer

In their comprehensive review touting many aspects of the game’s design, Hafer takes special care to note that it is filled with “fully-realized, powerfully written” characters that are equally important to the gameplay itself. They go on to reflect that what really separates the game from competitors is the pure depth of the game despite its massive scope: “it’s all there for a reason”. Finally, Hafer commends the game’s narrative design for “[staring] you down and [demanding] that you prove” that you are the hero, filled with choices that challenge you to “compromise on what [you] believe in in one way or another” to create a high-stakes and weighty story [10].

Lessons

Players need time with characters to feel invested in them

One of the most celebrated aspects of Baldur’s Gate III is how comprehensive and expansive the game is: a single playthrough can easily last over 100 hours, with millions of players logging many more. This is critical for a narrative-based game with a diverse ensemble of characters: they are multi-dimensional and dynamic characters that simply cannot be fully explored and understood without ample time.
Additionally, these moments in character arcs are metered out in very specific stages that are often quite far apart. For example, players are finally able to see Shadowheart begin to let down her guard after saving the Emerald Grove in Act I, but it is not until players complete the Gauntlet of Shar in Act II many hours later that they unveil the next layer of her character. The same can be said for every Origin character. Even on a smaller scale, there are many lines of dialogue that are only made in passing banter as players are exploring the world around them: more opportunities to understand who these characters are that are only revealed by spending raw time with them.

Players are receptive to stories they can see themselves in

Baldur’s Gate III has been universally praised not only for its breadth of narrative, but also for the how they draw connections between virtual characters and real-world players. A major part of this is representation across race, gender, and sexuality spectrums. From before the game even begins, players are given complete control over their characters, including having a variety of gender, sex, and race options during character creation that reflect the beautiful and diverse bodies of players across the world. This is fully supported by the statistic that a whopping ~15% of all time spent in the game is spent in character creation: customizability is clearly an important point in players becoming immersed in the story [8].

While Larian does not shy away from complex topics of bigotry and racism, such as the game’s first direct conflict surrounding the Tiefling refugees and the Emerald Grove druids, as well as the conflict between deep gnomes and duergar in Act II, these conflicts are largely handled with care, developing a mutual trust between the studio and the player. In an alternate approach, Larian discusses sexuality by providing a great deal of representation across all sorts of NPCs, from outspoken discussions of monogamy and polyamory to displays of loving queer relationships, showing a world where queerness is entirely normalized. Perhaps even more valuable is that the player can change their minds at any time – both with altering physical characteristics with the Magic Mirror, as well as with roleplaying decisions that develop their characters – reflecting the ebb and flow of life. So many of the things that shape our identities are constantly changing as we make decisions and learn more about ourselves, and Larian’s brave handling of these complex themes help build trust with the players so that they can truly see themselves in this massive story.

Unhappy endings can be satisfying in their own way

There is often a pressure on storytellers to craft a perfect story, with perfect conflict and a perfect ending. Yet, perfection is an unattainable myth. Especially depending on player choices – choices that can often positively impact one character while negatively impacting another – it is impossible to perfectly resolve each character’s story. However, this is not, and should not be the goal of narratives. The goal of narratives should be to tell honest and real stories – not artificially perfect ones. The best stories are reflective of our lives, and our lives are never completely satisfying. Larian leans into leaving characters without a perfect “happy ending,” and as a result, creates dynamic and multi-dimensional characters that players can truly see themselves in.

Summation

Baldur’s Gate III undeniably proves that it is worthy not only of its many accolades, but also continued discussion and analysis. Beyond being an extremely ambitious game that largely hits the mark across all design goals, it is universally praised for crafting an original and relentlessly real narrative despite being set in a fantasy world. It is clear that the writers at Larian Studios care deeply about telling stories that players can not only find themselves in, but ones that can actively help them make their way through the real world. Like Baldur’s Gate III, life doesn’t always have happy endings; through the stories we tell and are told – perhaps we can find peace in that.

References

[1]       Larian Studios. Dialogue from Baldur’s Gate III. Karlach voiced by Samantha Béart. Larian Studios, 2023. Jan. 18, 2024.

[2]       Larian Studios. Dialogue from Baldur’s Gate III. Shadowheart voiced by Jennifer English. Larian Studios, 2023. Jan. 18, 2024.

[3]       Larian Studios. Dialogue from Baldur’s Gate III. Astarion voiced by Neil Newbon. Larian Studios, 2023. Jan. 18, 2024.

[4]       Larian Studios. Dialogue from Baldur’s Gate III. Gale voiced by Tim Downie. Larian Studios, 2023. Jan. 18, 2024.

[5]       Larian Studios. Dialogue from Baldur’s Gate III. Wyll voiced by Theo Solomon. Larian Studios, 2023. Jan. 18, 2024.

[6]       Larian Studios. Dialogue from Baldur’s Gate III. Lae’zel voiced by Devora Wilde. Larian Studios, 2023. Jan. 18, 2024.

[7]       “Baldur’s Gate 3”. https://baldursgate3.game/. Jan. 19, 2024.

[8]       L. Ngan. “15 percent of Baldur’s Gate 3 playtime is spent in character creation”. Eurogamer.net. https://www.eurogamer.net/15-percent-of-baldurs-gate-3-playtime-is-spent-in-character-creation. Jan. 19, 2024.

[9]       F. Brown. “Baldur’s Gate 3 Review”. PC Gamer. https://www.pcgamer.com/baldurs-gate-3-review/. Jan. 19, 2024.

[10]     L. Hafer. “Baldur’s Gate 3 Review”. IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/baldurs-gate-3-review. Jan. 19, 2024.