Starfield vs Baldur’s Gate 3 – debating which 2023 AAA RPG is worth your time
This year hasn’t been short on top-tier RPGs worth delving into, with Starfield and Baldur’s Gate 3 representing the genre’s best despite being very different from one another.
Fans of roleplaying games have been eating good this year. Although Baldur’s Gate 3 had been quietly gestating in the background for a while thanks to an extended period in early access on PC, 2023 was finally the year that Bethesda would reveal its hand and unleash Starfield onto the world as an Xbox Series X|S console exclusive. The battle lines between these two genre titans were drawn – and I think it’s fair to say that both were well received by their intended audience.
But when it comes to the Starfield vs Baldur’s Gate 3 debate, which one should you play first that will be worth your time? That’s what we’re here to settle. Both games are an RPG in the sense that you get to create your own custom character, influencing the story and world around you; yet there’s plenty of drastic differences, too.
There’s no doubt that both Starfield and Baldur’s Gate 3 are two of the biggest games of the year. But you only have so much time in the day so here’s a breakdown of the main differences between the two titles.
Starfield vs Baldur’s Gate 3: story
When it comes to story, both Starfield and Baldur’s Gate 3 lean into it with a heavy focus. Bethesda’s space RPG casts you in the role of a member of Constellation, a private research organisation tasked with tracking down different pieces of a mysterious artefact so as to learn more about the universe. This leads to a narrative that can be as sprawling as you like, visiting various different planets and communities as you gain new superpowers and discover more about your place in the galaxy.
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Baldur’s Gate 3, by nature of being a sequel, is a tad more focussed in that you play as a new hero who, at the start of the game, has a mind flayer parasite installed into their brain. Your journey to get it out forms the main bulk of the story in Baldur’s Gate 3, whereby you seek a cure by embarking on an epic adventure alongside a unique party of heroes. Even though it’s the third main game in the series, Larian Studios’ fantasy RPG serves as a great place for newcomers to jump in, similar to Starfield.
Starfield vs Baldur’s Gate 3: gameplay
Here’s where things get really interesting. Both Starfield and Baldur’s Gate 3 prioritise letting people inhabit their own character in this world, yet both games differ quite a lot in their gameplay. Starfield can be played from either a first- or third-person perspective, in a style that’s more traditional for a lot of AAA single-player action-adventure games. Similar to Bethesda’s past franchises – Fallout and The Elder Scrolls – expect to choose between dialogue options and engage in combat. However, the primary method of action in Starfield is shooting.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is set in a fantasy universe so you’ll hardly ever bump into conventional weapons, if at all. It’s more similar to Diablo 4 in that it’s played from a top-down, isometric perspective, yet it differs from Activision Blizzard’s hellish action in that you attack and defend in classical turn-based fashion. You’ll command a party of heroes against the enemy, looking to avoid clashes by performing Dungeons and Dragons-style skill checks. But if your luck runs out, prepare to make tactical decisions using the unique talents and abilities of your party.
Starfield vs Baldur’s Gate 3: setting
Starfield is set in what I would call a hard sci-fi universe, where humans can perform interstellar travel and can explore amongst the stars but in a manner that remains somewhat grounded. Don’t expect to see lightsabers or magic portals, for instance – at least for the vast majority of the journey. It very much takes place in our very own Solar System, featuring a generous 1,000 planets to visit – some being handcrafted, while others are procedurally generated in-game. It’s Bethesda’s vision of what our 22nd century future might look like.
The setting for Baldur’s Gate 3 exists as an already established universe based in the world of Dungeons and Dragons. The titular location isn’t actually the entire map, but is rather a nexus point of sorts where multiple adventurers have gathered. Other locations that fans of the IP will recognise include the Underdark, Druid Grove and the Moonrise Towers amongst others. It’s a high fantasy RPG that ticks all the boxes, placing you in a deep and engrossing location steeped in lore and full of creatures like goblins, elves and more.
Starfield vs Baldur’s Gate 3: companions
Unfortunately, there really only is one winner when it comes to the companions in Starfield and Baldur’s Gate 3. In the latter, every voice and motion performance has been expertly captured by the team at Larian Studios, rendering companions like the vampiric Astarion or the battle-ready Shadowheart more as believable friends you enjoy fighting beside. They can come and go as they please depending on if they like your actions in-game or not too.
Starfield plays it a bit more straight with its companion system. True, you can romance many of them, but then they’re not as interesting as Baldur’s Gate 3’s eclectic cast of characters either. This lack of excitement isn’t helped by the stiff animation still present due to Bethesda’s unwillingness to move away from using the Creation Engine. Constellation leader Sarah Morgan and space cowboy Sam Coe are strong companion highlights, though.
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