An Iconic

Although is one of the biggest releases of 2023, quickly becoming a front-runner for multiple Game of the Year awards, one of the game's few notable weak points on release was its lackluster ending. After the final battle, each companion simply received a few short lines of dialogue, with many story-relevant characters not featured in the ending at all, and the game would come to a somewhat abrupt end. As of the game's fifth major patch, however, has received an all-new epilogue, promising additional closure to the stories of companions and other major characters.

Alongside a new epilogue and other features added by the fifth major update for , the game has also introduced a new hardest difficulty, Honour Mode, which adds a level of challenge that significantly exceeds any preexisting way of playing the game. However, aside from just increasing in-game difficulty, Honour Mode also introduces an extremely limiting, automatically updating single save slot for the entire playthrough, meaning that player decisions, bad rolls, and other potential mishaps can't be walked back once they happen.

Patch 5 delivers another batch of changes to the hit RPG, further expanding and improving an experience that has only continued to grow since its official release in August. As with the other major patches for the game, Patch 5 is a mix of everything from minor bug fixes to major additions, with the latter category receiving an arguably bigger boost now than ever before. It also takes up a whopping 30 GB of space, so it might be necessary to clear out some files before taking advantage of everything new.

Yurgir may not be the most unambiguously good character in , but the choice over whether to kill him can still cause internal conflict. Almost every choice matters in, from the most minor selection of wording to decisions between life and death. Navigating a situation carefully can often lead to interesting rewards, but the game also has no shortage of consequences, and it's often the most minor ones that come back to bite the party later in the campaign.

Each year, The Game Awards is one of the biggest events in the video game industry, serving as a culmination of the year's gaming work and a way for everyone to look back and ponder what was enjoyed, or even disliked, during the past twelve months. 2023 was a big year for video games, with many impressive releases that happened regularly throughout the months. Because of this, talk about which games will be awarded has been a topic of conversation throughout all of 2023.

is a massive game that weaves together countless side stories along with its main plot, making the world of Faerûn feel alive and fleshed out. But with such a large scope and an enemy that threatens the entire plane, it's natural that there will be a few plot holes spread throughout the three acts. These plot holes might not affect the story as a whole, but they might leave Tav scratching their head and wondering why nobody seems to care about those missing details.

Being based in the world of, is packed full of awesome spells to cover a multitude of situations. However, when they are examined closely, some spells are more than a little odd. Either because of their outcomes or the concept behind them in general, these spells are some of the weirdest in .

Paladins have some of the most interesting class features in thanks to the oaths that play a central role in defining them. Although the idea of upholding oaths comes from the implementation of paladins in the tabletop experience, developer Larian Studios has tweaked the rules for the paladin to fit better with video game mechanics. These changes are focused in particular on creating fun consequences for keeping or breaking the sacred oaths of a paladin.

Over the course of the party's adventures in the characters go from fresh-faced at level one to powerful adventurers at level 12. However, given the backstories of some of the companion and Origin characters that doesn't make a lot of sense. From wizards powerful enough to catch Mystra's eye to 200-year-old vampires, some of the Origin characters should be a much higher level when first met.

doesn't make all available character options — including whether it's possible to become a vampire — clear from the very beginning. The degree of freedom provided when making a custom character is unprecedented in the video game space, only rivaled by a tabletop game with a very patient DM. However, the choices don't end with character creation. The character a player ends up with might turn out totally different from the one they started with, depending on the opportunities they take throughout the game.

Clerics are one of the most versatile support classes in , capable of providing healing alongside buffs. When creating a cleric, one of the first steps is to choose their subclass, known as their domain, which will determine what spells and abilities the character will have. With seven subclasses currently available, it is important to know which are the strongest and have the most to offer to make the most of any playthrough.

is based on, but reaching the maximum level of 20 isn't possible in this video game version of the beloved tabletop RPG. The level cap is significantly reduced to level 12, which is higher than it was in the early access version of the game but doesn't hold up against 's standard. However, players shouldn't hold onto hope that developer Larian Studios will be increasing the level cap further anytime soon through expansions or DLC.

As the long-awaited third installment in its series, allows for player choice to drastically affect the outcome of the game's many quests and narratives, with many decisions also having a major impact on gameplay and companion approval. One especially important-seeming decision comes in the game's second act, once players have finally acquired a Moonlantern and discovered that a pixie is trapped inside. While the decision of whether to free the pixie is a tough one to make for first-time players, the solution can be relatively simple.

is based on the 5e ruleset. That does not mean, however, that the video game plays exactly like the tabletop RPG. In fact, developer Larian Studios has made a lot of changes to the DnD rules so that the gameplay doesn't get too complicated or bogged down by not having a dungeon master.

The Emerald Grove is a hotbed of conflict in , but there's one particular way to explode it into violence that ends up being a darker path than any other. Act One of the game focuses in part on a refugee crisis, with the druids in Emerald Grove threatening to turn out a band of tieflings who merely seek protection against near-certain death at goblin hands. Although evil parties might be tempted to act uncharitably toward the tieflings or side with the goblins outright to commit a massacre in the grove, these aren't actually the most vile methods of handling the situation.

is filled to the brim with interesting characters with varying levels of impact on the overall narrative. One character that has a surprising role in the game is Mol, a young tiefling pickpocket who can be met in the Emerald Grove in Act 1 of the game. Though not as important as key origin characters like Shadowheart or important NPCs like Nightsong, Mol, in her own right, has a part to play in the overall narrative and can be met in every act of the game if the right choices are selected.

does an excellent job of adapting the experience to video game form, but there's no small number of differences between it and its inspiration. Some core aspects of are fundamentally impossible to translate, while others just work better in tabletop play than they do in a video game. Most of these changes are minor, but certain ones overhaul the experience in significant ways.

has been nominated for a whopping eight awards for 2023’s The Game Awards. With nominations in categories such as Best Narrative, Best RPG, and the coveted Game of the Year Award, it seems clear the impact that has had on the gaming world in 2023. But it is also a clearer indication of what players want and have been asking for in terms of gameplay and narrative for a long time.

will be getting an official release in Japan, but the version of the game that makes it over won't be the same as the one that most people are familiar with. The Japanese version of the game is being published by Spike Chunsoft, known for a variety of RPGs, visual novels, and more. In addition to the Japanese games that the company develops and publishes, they've handled the localized versions of over a decade of major western games starting with, which includes the games from developer Larian Studios.

allows for character builds that aren't ideal in combat, but can still be fun to play. Then, there's the option to use Wild Magic, which is a high risk, high reward system. And that means the risk could be one or more characters being affected by magic that either makes them useless in combat, or it actively hurts them.

recently announced an upcoming expansion to the dungeon crawling game which will be titled and is expected to make its debut late in 2024. The announcement came with a trailer during the BlizzCon 2023 event, but not much information was provided just yet as to the story that will be seen in the campaign of the new DLC other than that it picks up where the crucial narrative left off at the end of the base game. The story so far has been left on a cliffhanger, which this expansion is poised to address.

The nominees for every category in The Game Awards 2023 have been revealed. There will be 31 total awards given, and the nominations have narrowed each category down to five or six potential recipients. The Game Awards is perhaps the video game industry's most lucrative honors ceremony, with over 100 million viewers tuning in for the livestream in 2022. Although the show is highly anticipated for the game reveals and trailers it promises to bring each year, its prizes are ultimately the reason for the occasion.

In the epic world of there is plenty of loot to be found to fully equip the whole party. While some of this can be found in chests or from looting fallen enemies, there are some great things to be purchased from the game's many merchants. From unique armor and weapons to spell scrolls and potions, vendors can be a great source for amazing items in .

Giants are an iconic part of, but steers clear of many tabletop campaigns by leaving the hulking creatures out of its narrative. It's no surprise that not every race from could make it into the game, but the fact that giants are something of a household name makes them seem like one of the more notable omissions. One skill, however, can make it possible to get a giant in the game without any modding. Getting there requires a bit of cleverness, but it ultimately isn't hard to implement in practice.

includes a variety of races, but some of the ways they interact with each other in hostile manners don't have an immediately clear reason. Creating Tav as different races opens up the option to use race specific dialogue, but it also changes how other NPCs view the main character. However, a lot of the context as to why this is the case is found across the editions of and in the changes to the Forgotten Realm over time.

Save scumming is a staple of many campaigns, but it looks like developer Larian Studios is finally going to directly address the practice with an update for the game. As a general term, save scumming refers to saving games right before risky moments and reloading upon failure in order to achieve a more desirable outcome. makes it particularly easy to employ this strategy and build a laundry list of backup points, as saving is possible at any time besides cutscenes and never has to overwrite any previous files.

has been something of a standard-bearer for just what major games like could be, and one area where this is particularly evident is in the game's approach to updates. Although spent several years in early access before its official release, it didn't launch in perfect shape, with later gameplay segments in particular having the potential to run into various issues. develoepr Larian Studios hasn't slowed down its work on the game, however, with patches and hotfixes releasing steadily to fix the problems that linger and improve things with general tweaks.

is exceptional in a lot of ways, from combat to NPCs and the depth of their stories. However, the game has a surprising letdown early on when using Tav, the default name for a custom character, as the protagonist rather than an Origin character — excluding the Dark Urge. The options for character creation are limited, making customizing Tav fall flat compared to the rest of the game, meaning that the best choice could be looking for mods to supplement existing creation options.

shows a variety of relationships, and allows for Tav or the Origin characters to develop a romance with another character or two. Some of those relationships have elements that are entertaining to witness, such as Ascended Astarion, making them options that are chosen despite the unhealthiness of it. But toxic relationships in come in all forms, from romantic to family and even business partners.

is a massive game full of NPCs who an offer the party some truly unique items. One of the strangest is Araj Oblodra, a drow who will give characters potions in exchange for a little blood. It's a wonderfully fantastical little interaction – perfect for 's adaption of ' Faerûn – but is this trade worth it, and what happens once Araj has the blood?

is one of the most exciting spells to use in, offering a wide variety of memorable lines perfect for taunting enemies. This bard spell is all about insulting foes, but it backs up those stinging words with magical enchantments that can cause its targets to take psychic damage and disadvantage on an attack roll. has almost a hundred lines in total, all of which can be fun, but a select few stand out from the roster as the most devastatingly iconic options.

When entered early access in 2020, only a small selection of the spells from 5e made it into the game's first version. By the game's full release, most of the remaining spells (up to the sixth level) from the had made it into the game, with some spells from other books, like from also being included. Currently, there is a multitude of spells and subspells available in, most of which feel fun, powerful, and satisfying to cast. Unfortunately, there are a handful of spells that are severely underwhelming.

Patch 4 represents another major batch of fixes for the expansive roleplaying game, and some of the changes stand out as the most essential. Although the game launched as an impressive title, its complex branching nature and enormous scope has seen a fair share of bugs and issues as a consequence. Each patch has brought the game closer to its ideal form, and Patch 4 is no exception to the record so far.

features a solid lineup of playable races from, but there are plenty more excellent options that didn't make it in. DLC could be the perfect way to introduce some of the possibilities left on the cutting room floor, as a few new races could sweeten the pot for a story expansion or any new batch of content. Having more races also helps to increase the game's considerable replay value, as unique features and dialogue can shift how some encounters or areas play out in interesting ways.

is a world packed full of danger and drama, so it’s good to have a little comic relief here and there. While some characters add to the tension and story with serious cutscenes and complex questlines, others provide some much-needed fun throughout the game. They don’t all have huge roles to play in the epic plot, but every time one of these characters is on the screen, it is a joy.

might not seem like an obvious alternative to taking online love quizzes, but one character named Zethino has just what the romantically curious are looking for. Relationships play a big role in, but a green approval bar can feel like a somewhat reductive way to judge the success of a romantic entanglement. Turning to an outside character offers a more personable assessment, particularly when the character in question is one Zethino, who goes by the audacious title Master of Love.

is a fantastic game with a complex plot and nuanced characters, but it's also pretty hilarious at times. From start to finish, it is packed with moments that are laugh out loud funny. Mirroring its source material, manages to walk the line between serious dramatic moments and having a sense of humor perfectly.

An effective party composition can make all the difference in , but one of the most powerful setups is likely to fly under the radar. The companion characters that can be added to a party offer a nice variety of skills, so the obvious avenue might just be to pick a custom character class that complements a few favorite companions well. Multiclassing can optimize things a bit further, taking party members down specific leveling avenues to get the most out of combining the features of different classes.

It's possible to immortalize a custom character in , but it can be all too easy to make a mistake that will forever affect Tav's preserved legacy. Whether helping everyone in sight or going down a path of evil, it's safe to say that any protagonist is going to leave a major impact on the world. Making sure that history has something to remember them by might be a touch narcissistic, but it's arguably justified as long as it ends up looking good.

doesn't offer a lot of rewards for choosing to run a morally evil playthrough. However, Larian Studios has helped remedy that to an extent through patches and hotfixes, which have put content involving Minthara that ended up not working back into the game properly by fixing the triggers. But there are still big downsides to recruiting Minthara despite those fixes that leave whether she's worth recruiting lingering.

has a lot of romance for a game about saving the world, with many characters for the main character, default name Tav, to build a relationship with. However, it’s not only the main adventuring party who gets to enjoy a little romance. Dotted throughout the game are many NPC couples, making the world of Faerûn feel more alive with their love and sometimes their tragedy.

does an admirable job accounting for player creativity and experimentation, but certain possibilities are blocked off by limitations that can be immersion-breaking and lead to some head-scratching moments. The task of emulating the experimentation of tabletop is a challenging one, as the lack of a dungeon master that can respond naturally to improvisation means that the game has to account for a surplus of scenarios ahead of time. Many of 's biggest failures to manage this are all tied to the same mechanic that feels like it has a uniquely incomplete implementation.

One of the crowning achievements of is the player's ability to make consequential, substantial, and significant decisions — choices that can enormously alter the course of a playthrough. Although these choices can be diplomatic in nature, some of the game's NPCs are better off dead — both for the player's experience and, in some cases, the overall narrative. Dispatching certain characters can have little to no long-term effect beyond material gain; however, killing other characters can drastically change the game's overall landscape, its events, and even, in a few examples, the ultimate conclusion of a run-through of the game.

may be a long experience, but developer Larian Studios found some smart ways to make it engaging across the full course of its runtime. It's possible to play through the game in an efficient manner, skipping sidequests and random activities to focus on the main story experience, but focusing on speed doesn't feel like the most rewarding way to take on its challenges. Although the ways in which maintains interest and variety may not always be immediately obvious while playing it, stepping back to think about its design reveals just how smart it really is.

With the amazing cast of colorful characters and NPCs in , it's no surprise that it's perfect for some pretty mind-blowing cosplay opportunities. Developer Larian Studios has been celebrating the game since its release on August 3, sharing cosplay, memes, and video clips across X.

includes countless choices to make through the game that change the party's path as they try to solve the problem of the Absolute along with the Mind Flayer tadpoles in their brains. Naturally, not every choice has positive consequences. Instead, some result in characters leaving the party, too upset or disgusted to continue traveling with the group, and that might mean losing out on quests or a skill set that rounds out the team in combat.

There are a variety of weapon options in , all offering different damage types to suit different play styles. One of the more versatile is the finesse weapon; these melee weapons use Dexterity as the primary stat rather than Strength, often allowing them to be dual-wielded. These weapons are perfect for rogues, rangers, and bards as well as classes who don't traditionally use a weapon such as spellcasters.

may not always feel like the most powerful tool in , but it has a surprisingly wide range of utility that can make it effective in many different scenarios. In the tabletop version of, is an exceptionally versatile tool, as anything that a player can think of to do with it might be allowed by a DM so long as the request is reasonable. The nature of video game programming makes it slightly less improvisational in, but developer Larian Studios has prepared for quite a few potential uses nonetheless.

does an excellent job of recreating the roleplaying experience in a video game, but one specific side quest pokes some loving fun at its inspirations. is a tool that can be used for endless creativity, but it also lends itself to certain tropes or familiar gameplay elements that recur in many campaigns. In some cases, tropes can be popular because of their epic scale or memorable impact, but others stick around more because of convenience than out of any particular love that players have for them.

can be a challenging game, but it also contains plenty of features that help make tackling its hardest fights and highest skill checks much easier. Some possible boons are well-hidden, while others just end up being passed over because they lack the flashiness of the game's most attractive elements. One useful technique, in particular, appears to be going unused by the majority of the game's players, but its ease of use and consistent efficacy make ignoring it the wrong decision for most campaigns in

In a game as massive as , it should come as no surprise that there are twists and turns to the plot. With such an epic plot full of adventure and romance, these twists can catch some off guard. From character motivations to shocking identity reveals, 's story has plenty to keep even those coming back for yet another playthrough on their toes.

has impressed everyone with its complex and interweaving story, where even the tiniest of decisions can have an impact on the plot. In a world with so many places to explore and characters to meet, it’s little wonder that sometimes the smallest things can lead to unforeseen consequences. From unexpected quests to surprising allies for the final battle, really does deliver on the promise that choices matter.

features items that are used to summon creatures that act as familiars and help during combat. While some of these items are easy to miss, at least one is tied to who may be the most popular character in the game, or at least the most popular non-companion character in the game. He's beloved to the extent that calling him into battle with his summon item isn't worth risking his safety, even though he'd be dismissed and not killed.

is full of characters with their own stories and goals, but that doesn't mean that the main party will end up crossing paths with all of them. There's a set of NPCs in the game that most parties will likely never meet due to the specific roles the developers at Larian Studios gave them. Even if these characters are generally never seen, their existence shows how much thought and preparation went into to handle just about any scenario.

features a variety of characters that join in the fight against the Absolute. Unfortunately, not everyone is guaranteed a happy ending in Faerûn. Instead, too many characters have their heroism rewarded with misery once the cult is handled, and turning into a mind flayer is no longer a threat.

Thisobald Thorm has a memorable presence in Act 2 of , but deciding on the best way to deal with him isn't always easy. The Shadow-Cursed Lands of Act 2 are full of looming darkness and threatening encounters, but a few semi-abandoned locations play host to possibly more peaceful encounters. One of these is the Waning Moon, an old brewery currently occupied by a monstrous barkeep and a variety of ghouls. This barkeep is a strange, Frankenstein-like creature who can seem intimidating, but it's possible to initiate a conversation with Thisobald Thorm without pulling out a blade.

Companions play an important part in , with the party at the core of the game's mechanics. Two companions whose stories are deeply intertwined are Wyll and Karlach, with one sent to hunt the other in Act One. While Karlach is certainly a desired member in the party, it comes at a cost of Wyll, but there is a practical workaround to this issue.

has continually surprised and delighted in how reactive the game's events are to player input, and one incredibly unlikely ending scene shows just how dedicated the development studio was in including as many eventualities as possible. Developer Larian Studios has truly set a new, very high bar when it comes to the roleplaying genre; even seemingly small choices can have rippling effects throughout the game's depiction of the Sword Coast. 's ending changes primarily based on obviously major choices and the outcome of companion quest lines, but a bit of errant magic can result in a truly unique conclusion.

The Last Light Inn is a major location of a significant story branch in Act 2 of , and the path taken there can have significant effects on everything to come. Located in the dangerous Shadow-Cursed Lands, the inn is a rare refuge under the protection of the Selûnite cleric Isobel, who maintains a spell that keeps the people in the inn safe. However, that protection is only as secure as she is, and things quickly evolve to take a turn for the worse when her own safety becomes threatened.

One of the most important areas of is the party camp. Here, companions can be chatted to further their personal quests, and long rests will move the story along at key places. But companions are the only characters who will join the party at camp as several followers can be found throughout the adventure to make the camp feel more alive.

With around 1000 explorable planets on offer, Starfield is positively bursting with new environments to explore. But some players think they’ve discovered something more familiar: an homage to a classic Halo planet. Kinda. 

Many UK gamers have fond memories of Segaworld, a massive arcade billed as the largest in Europe during the 1990s. Greeting visitors at the entrance was a huge status of Sonic the Hedgehog spinning a globe on his finger. It was the most exciting entrance to an arcade a '90s teen could ever imagine.

Fans of Final Fantasy VII are being spoiled with many new titles set to release over the next couple of years. We enjoyed a wonderful remake not too long ago, but Square Enix isn’t holding anything back with their dive into the FF7 lore. Who would have thought a once complete classic would spin off into a self-contained franchise?