BALDUR’S GATE 3
Verdict: An enthralling tale with endless possibilities.
What is it?
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a role-playing video game developed and published by Larian Studios, based on the tabletop role-playing system. A cataclysmic event known as the ‘Night of the Red Star’ has occurred, marking the rise of a sinister force known as the Mind Flayers. These malevolent beings, also known as Illithids, are a psionic and highly intelligent race that thrives on consuming the brains of other creatures. As a player, you find yourself captured by the Mind Flayers and infected with a tadpole, which is slowly turning you into one of them.
Gameplay
Baldur’s Gate 3 offers both a single-player and cooperative multiplayer element. Players can create one or more characters and form a party along with computer-generated characters to explore the game’s story. Optionally, players will be able to take one of their characters and team up online with other players to form a party. Unlike previous games in the Baldur’s Gate series, this instalment has turn-based combat, based on the D&D 5th Edition rules.
Graphics
The art brings the world of the Forgotten Realms to life as a colourful but grounded high fantasy world with everything from humble halflings to terrifying red dragons rendered in a style that feels realistic without becoming uncanny. The character creator has huge depth, whereby it’s possible to spend many an hour messing around with the different playable races and all of the visual options available to them.
SEA OF STARS
Sea of Stars is a role-playing game centred around two heroes named Valere and Zale, who use the power of the sun and moon to fight against an alchemist. Gameplay includes elements of puzzle-solving and turn-based combat, with players able to control up to six player characters.The game features sailing mechanics, side quests and combat focused around finding the ‘elemental weaknesses’ of enemies.
ARMOURED CORE VI: FIRES OF RUBICON
Armoured Core VI is a mecha-based vehicular combat game set in interstellar dimensions in which players pilot mechs called Armoured Cores, which can be customised using parts to upgrade and fine-tune their power. Players have four weapon slots, one in each arm and two equipped on the mech’s back.
VAMPIRE SURVIVORS
Vampire Survivors is a roguelike shoot ‘em up game in which the player controls an automatically attacking character while fighting against continuous waves of monsters, with the goal being to survive the onslaught for as long as possible and unlock additional characters, weapons and relics for subsequent sessions.
