With 2023 coming to a close and the Game Awards right around the corner, two of the biggest action RPGs Diablo IV and Baldur’s Gate 3 have received a massive liking through the gaming community and have both been nominated to be voted for during this year’s show. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a story rich game that implements turn based combat when clearing through areas around the massive worlds of the forgotten realms.
Taking place nearly 160 years in the future from the last Baldur’s game released, the development team decided to take the Baldur’s Gate franchise in a different direction by branching the story off to another plot line and not the same, generic one they have been using for the past couple of games. Baldur’s Gate 3 has a massive variety of classes and races to choose from to form your own unique character.
Where on the other hand, Diablo IV is a top-down action RPG that takes place within the “World of Sanctuary.” Diablo IV shares similar characteristics to Baldur’s Gate 3 with a similar character leveling system and strategic combat. The only true major difference in gameplay mechanics is how Diablo IV does not implement turn-based combat to their game. You can move freely and it’s crucial to think quickly when you make those game changing moves and decisions that could alter your advantage over enemies in a split second.
From the point of view of an avid RPG enjoyer, I truly believe that both of these games are worth buying. But if you only want to choose one, I think that you should pick based on which genre you prefer the most. If you like a slow-paced and strategic game with a rich story and complex characters, get Baldur’s Gate 3. But, if you like a fast-paced game with more freedom and options to carve your path, Diablo IV is the way to go.
UPDATE: DECEMBER 7, 2024
As of today, Baldur’s Gate 3 has won the Game Awards show Game of The Year (GOTY) with a staggering 14% lead over the runner up, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. All the games presented on the show were amazing works of art, but Baldur’s Gate 3 shined through and ended up taking the title of “Game of the Year” while also securing a trophy for the game’s developers.