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Skyrim vet says it “felt good” playing Baldur’s Gate 3 because decisions had “actual consequences”
Bruce Nesmith, a veteran designer of Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls and Fallout games, says he enjoyed Baldur’s Gate 3 because its choices can have lasting consequences. He said this made decisions feel more meaningful, even when they closed off parts of the game.
Nesmith contrasted Larian’s branching role-playing game with Bethesda’s approach of letting players experience many factions and storylines in one playthrough. Baldur’s Gate 3 often requires another character and a different path to see what was missed; the article notes Morrowind also limits players to joining one of three great houses, though its consequences are more limited.
In short
- Bruce Nesmith praised Baldur’s Gate 3’s consequential choices.
- Those choices can close off parts of a playthrough.
- Seeing other paths may require another character.
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The case for
Meaningful, lasting consequences can make choices feel weighty and help a role-playing game reflect the character a player has created. Requiring players to commit to a path may also give different playthroughs distinct stories and encourage replaying the game to discover what other choices bring.
The case against
Letting players explore several factions and storylines in one playthrough can better suit those who want to see a game’s world without restarting or leaving content unseen. If choices permanently close off large parts of the story, players may feel pushed to replay or worry that they have made the wrong decision, rather than freely inhabiting their character.
Explained simply
Role-playing games let players shape a character’s story through choices. Some games allow players to explore most storylines in one playthrough, while others make certain paths unavailable once a decision is made.
Bruce Nesmith is a game designer who worked on Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls and Fallout games. Baldur’s Gate 3, made by Larian Studios, is a branching role-playing game where choices can affect later events and which parts of the story a player can experience.
The difference matters because it changes how players approach decisions: they may need to accept missing some content or start again with a different character to see another path. Bethesda’s Morrowind also limits players to joining one of three great houses, though the reported consequences are more limited.