Set in the iconic universe of Dungeons & Dragons, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an isometric role-playing game by the acclaimed developers at Larian Studios. With a diverse cast of fully voiced companions and NPCs, a rich story, and a degree of player choice that’s frankly mindboggling, Baldur’s Gate 3 is setting the bar of excellence higher than it’s ever been for the entire genre.
Games like Baldur’s Gate 3 are few and far between. Though the RPG genre is filled with titles to browse through, finding a game that reaches the same standard or at least close to it is a tall order.
Updated by Hamza Haq on August 10, 2023: Five new entries have been added to the list to give players more niche options to choose from when looking for a game similar to Baldur's Gate 3. New links have also been added to bring the article up to date with the latest findings uncovered with the full release.
15 Neverwinter Nights 2
The second installment to the Neverwinter Nights series might not be as iconic as the first, but it's still one of the best CRPGs ever made. The story is set in the city of Neverwinter, where the players interact with the world and role-play while complying with the Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 ruleset.
What's cool about Neverwinter Nights 2 is that it's set in the Forgotten Realms, the same world Baldur's Gate 3 is set. The only difference is exactly where in the Forgotten Realms. While the graphics do show their age in this title, it's nonetheless a treat to experience from the eyes of a D&D fan.
14 Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dragon Age: Inquisition is the latest title in the beloved Dragon Age series from BioWare. Although not as universally acclaimed as Dragon Age Origins, DAI still scratches the same RPG itch its previous title did, but only in a different way.
Fully voiced will amazing voice acting and excellent visuals, DAI is an immersive delve into the continent of Thedas. A unique blend of politics, combat, a falling kingdom, and orders of priests and knights, it's a game you have to experience at least once.
13 Planescape: Torment
Another offering by BioWare, Planescape: Torment, is also based on the Dungeons & Dragons ruleset, just a very old version of it (2nd Edition). Created in the infinity engine, this game was originally released in 1999, but you can find an enhanced version of it with upscaled graphics on Steam.
If you liked what Baldur's Gate 3 did with the Dark Urge, you'd find a similar storyline in Planescape: Torment, as you're playing an immortal with amnesia who doesn't know who he is or what he is supposed to be doing.
12 Wildermyth
A much more recent release than most of the other titles on this list, Wildermyth is an indie tactical RPG by Worldwalker Games, a relatively unknown name in the industry. However, ever since its full release in 2021, it has found a dedicated, if small, community of players actively playing the game.
Wildermyth tries to replicate the feeling of having a real Dungeon Master at your side who reacts and adjusts his tactics based on what the player characters are doing. However, to enjoy this extraordinary experience, you’ll need to look past the papery graphics and seemingly simple mechanics and let the game guide you.
11 Talespire
If your goal is to replicate the feeling of playing pen & paper RPGs with your friends, sitting around a table, guided by a friendly DM who sets the rules, Talespire is the closest thing you’re going to get as a video game.
Like Baldur’s Gate 3, Talespire is centered around tabletop RPGs. Yet, unlike BG3, you won’t be using a predefined rule set like the DnD handbook. Instead, you’ll be free to choose the rule before every game. Combined with its unique action-figure style characters, it’s a charming game, well worth a try.
10 Tyranny
A gem from Obsidian Entertainment, Tyranny is a CRPG bearing all the hallmarks of a traditional role-playing experience but with a twist. In Tyranny, you won’t be playing as the hero who’s out to save the world from the great evil. No, you are the evil, and the world had better watch out.
Tyranny features phenomenal story-telling that changes and morphs according to your choices in ways few games can achieve. It looks and feels like one of the original Baldur’s Gate games but with a visual uplift that has you coming back for more.
9 Wasteland 3
The holy grail of modern tactical role-playing games, Wasteland 3 came out of nowhere and cemented itself as the best of the best, seemingly without issue. Unlike the other games on the list, Wasteland 3 is not set in a fantasy world. It has a modern, western story grounded in politics that draws you in through its nuances.
The gameplay is standard tactical RPG stuff but dialed up to eleven. The balance is excellent, as you never feel too overpowered or outclassed at any point in the game. The game’s main focus is combat, but the story is the one that will keep you returning day after day.
8 Diablo 4
Little needs to be said about Diablo 4 that hasn’t already been said. The grim-dark fantasy world of Diablo is iconic, and while it doesn’t have all the nuances and RPG elements of Baldur’s Gate, it’s still a fantasy world you’ll want to experience at least once.
After the fiasco that was Diablo Immortal, it seems Activision Blizzard managed to eke out a win with Diablo 4. It’s a different experience from Baldur’s Gate, but if it was the deep lore that drew you into BG, there is plenty of that here.
7 Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition
An industry icon, Neverwinter Nights has always been one of the best games in the genre. With the enhanced edition out in 2018, the visuals got a much-needed refresh that allows players to enjoy the incredible story and gameplay without sacrificing visual fidelity.
If you needed any more reason to play Neverwinter Nights, it was made by the same studio that was responsible for the original Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale back in the day, Beamdog.
6 Dragon Age: Origins
If the lack of complexity in Dragon Age: Inquisition puts you off of the title, you'll adore Dragon Age: Origins, provided you can overlook the dated graphics and combat controls. It's a heroic fantasy game that puts in the shoes of the character who is going to save everyone. Generic, yes, but told in such an engaging way that you can't help but accept that tropes are tropes for a reason.
Like Baldur's Gate 3, Dragon Age: Origins really shines when it comes to companions and their interactions with the players. Few games can lay claim to doing as good a job with companions as DAO has.
5 Pillars Of Eternity
For fans of CRPGs, Pillars of Eternity 1 was an absolute treat to experience. It is a top-down CRPG with an incredible focus on story-telling and worldbuilding. A Dark fantasy world filled with a rich story hidden under every rock, Pillars is a complete experience you can lose yourself in.
Made by Obsidian Entertainment, both Pillars of Eternity games breathe life into the world by focusing on the smallest of details in the setting. You don’t need to have played Pillars 1 to enjoy Pillars of Eternity 2, as the stories take place in completely different eras with no overlap.
4 Divinity: Original Sin 1 & 2
If you’re excited about Baldur’s Gate 3, chances are you’ve already played Larian Studios’ previous offerings in Divinity: Original Sin and Divinity: Original Sin 2. But, if BG3 was your first introduction to Larian, it’d be a crime not to give these fantastic games a try for yourself.
Both DOS and DOS2 are simplified versions of tabletop games, distilling down what makes the genre fun and only offering players the juicy parts. And, if you’re intimidated by CRPGs in general, these two games would be an excellent entry point. Like Pillars, you don’t need to have played the first Divinity game to enjoy the story of the second one.
3 Solasta: Crown Of The Magister
A hidden gem if there ever was one, Solasta: Crown of the Magister is the most accurate rendition of DnD rules in a video game setting yet. The developers tried their best to replicate a tabletop experience as a video game, and it shows.
Gorgeous graphics, a wide variety of enemy types, and settings to play around with result in a game that delivers on what it promises: a true DnD experience on a PC and consoles. Despite its lack of renown, Solasta is a must-play for DnD fans looking for a video game.
2 Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2
Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2 were at the pinnacle of what could be achieved at the time of their making. These were pioneer games in every sense of the word. Despite it being ages since their original release date, the games still hold up today.
BG 3 will not force you to play the first two games by any stretch of the imagination. But finding the little nods and references to previous titles will only be possible after playing the games themselves.
1 Pathfinder: Kingmaker & Pathfinder: Wrath Of The Righteous
Owlcat Games’ Pathfinder series is a testament to what a dedicated team of developers with a passion for the genre can do for a game. Based on the Pathfinder ruleset, Pathfinder: Kingmaker features true-to-tabletop gameplay, a compelling story, and a world that revolves around player choice and a diverse cast of companions.
Coupled with a class system that goes so in-depth you can spend hours just getting lost in all the choices you can make to make your character build unique before even starting a playthrough, Kingmaker was a masterpiece. Wrath of the Righteous does all that and more.