AsDungeons & Dragonssteadily grows its influence across entertainment media, the traditional tabletop roleplaying game is now gaining various adaptations in mainstream genres such as TV shows, movies, and of course, upcoming video games.
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While it’s important to remember that the world of modern gaming has largely been influenced by D&D, we’re seeing an increasing number of direct source adaptations that convert the paper and pencil mechanics we know and love into highly-stylized virtual landscapes. Two recent examples includeSolasta: Crown of the MagisterandBaldur’s Gate 3, but which one should you play?
9Who is Solasta’s Developer?
Solasta: Crown of the Magister is the passion project of Tactical Adventures, a small team of only 15–20 people. With the company being founded in 2018, Solasta’s release in 2021 is made even more impressive. The game can be played across Mac, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox Cloud Gaming platforms.
According to Tactical Adventure’s official site, the team’s goal is “to recreate the feel of a tabletop RPG onscreen, through the faithful adaptation of rules and universes.”
8Who is Baldur’s Gate 3’s Developer?
Baldur’s Gate 3 is under development by Larian Studios. This team—made up of over 400 members—was also behind the popular Divinity series. This will be the first main game in the Baldur’s Gate line not developed by BioWare.
Swen Vincke, the Creative Director at Larian Studios, has stated that they are committed to “creating reactive, systemic worlds that respect player agency.” BG3 is available on Windows, Mac, and PS5. Act 1 of the game is currently available to play.
7Solasta Character Creation: Total Freedom
Your Solasta party will consist of four members, with each of these heroes being entirely up to you to create. This freedom of personalization makes Solasta a perfect choice for those who want more control over the exact actions taken by each party member, as well as the ability to fine-tune the party dynamic to experiment with class types you want to see working together.
For those of you who are in current D&D campaigns, Solasta also offers the chance to recreate your character, as well as those of your friends, in a virtual field.
6Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Creation: Intriguing Companions
Unlike in Solasta, where every playable character is your own creation, BG3 gives you the chance to customize only one hero in your party. All the others are pre-made, set in their appearance, class, and personality. Each character will have their own established motivations that you may react to, but not control yourself.
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This isn’t at all a negative point when you consider the storytelling and dialogue that is able to emerge from these dynamics. Not to mention the option to romance six different characters, with no restrictions on gender, race, or any other factor—besides raising their approval to like you enough, of course.
5Solasta Gameplay
The gameplay in Solasta is remarkably similar to the traditional D&D mechanical system, from creative measures you can take against enemies, such as using your surroundings to your advantage, to inventory management and supply rationing. There’s even a clever day/night system that affects your party’s plans.
Solasta’scombatis highlighted as one of the game’s main strengths. Actions and reactions have been implemented extremely well, and the UI is well-organized and easy to navigate. The game also offers a sense of direction, moving you along in a steady fashion throughout your adventure.
4Baldur’s Gate 3 Gameplay
BG3 is the first in its series to feature turn-based combat, which in this game follows the style of D&D 5th Edition rules. Homebrew features are more apparent in BG3, with many liberties being taken with elements such as character actions. There is less of a sense of game direction, which allows players to explore the world more freely—even by wandering into zones you may not be ready for.
Overall, BG3’s narrative focus is much greater than Solasta’s. Due to the larger production budget of Larian Studios, the game not only wins in terms of visual and audio quality, but also shows off some great storytelling. The choices you make shape your world and relationship dynamics. There’s even a multiplayer feature for those who prefer to include their friends in the fun.
3Solasta And Baldur’s Gate 3: Replayability
The replayability value of Solasta lies in its open-ended character creation. Experimentation with how different classes work together is one of the main reasons you might feel encouraged to play through different campaigns. In addition, Solasta has various DLC expansion packs that offer exciting new classes, ancestries, backgrounds, and the Lost Valley campaign, with more to come.
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In contrast, BG3’s main replayability draw is to experiment with roleplaying styles and new story branches in order to achieve different outcomes. If your first campaign involves taking the high road and seeking peaceful solutions for each conflict, maybe you’d like to experience an alternate playthrough where you get to embrace your villainous side and win over your other companions—like the charmingAstarion, who is already on his way to becoming a fan-favorite.
2Why You Should Play Solasta
Solasta is best suited for those who are seeking a faithful adaptation of traditional tabletop D&D, as well as for players who enjoy the mechanical aspects of video games.
If you’ve always wanted to get into D&D, but you don’t have a community to play with, Solasta could be a fun way to introduce yourself to the general rules and give life to your character ideas. Solasta has an extremely active modding community, and it’s always a great idea to support smaller developers so that they can continue creating future works.
1Why You Should Play Baldur’s Gate 3
If you’re looking for a game that feels cinematic and story-immersive, then BG3 is the right pick for you. Along with being visually stunning, there are so many narrative decisions you can make to enjoy your roleplaying to the fullest potential.
This game has a high replayability rate due to its many exciting dialogue branches and multiple outcomes, as well as by offering the ability to play with your friends.
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