Summary
Romance inBaldur’s Gate 3is arguably one of the biggest highlights of the game, but there are still a couple of areas where the concept falls a bit short. Although it’s possible to play through the game without paying much attention to relationships, romantic opportunities with party members tend to present themselves in any campaign, and cultivating those bonds can be a lot of fun. It’s only one feature of many, however, and it stands to reason that romance isn’t fleshed out to a degree that makes it feel truly complete.
In the time sinceBaldur’s Gate 3’s official release in August 2023,relationships have already received some major updatesthat smoothed over the roughest aspects present at launch. Overzealous characters like Gale had their tendency toward affection re-tuned, and some awkwardly implemented scenes of intimacy reworked to ensure that big moments felt more natural.Complaints about love inBaldur’s Gate 3have largely transitioned from major gripes to minor sticking points, but even those can add up to make for an experience that isn’t quite what it could be.
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Camp Changes & Hugs Could Make BG3 Better
Minor Tweaks Would Go A Long Way
AlthoughBaldur’s Gate 3doesn’t shy away from coupling two characters together, it isn’t very consistent when it comes to intimacy. One common complaint lies in the arrangement of camp, which allots everyone in the party their own bedrolls and tents. It stands to reason that two characters who find themselves in a steady relationship would share a tent, but that never ends up happening,leaving the player character to sleep alone on most nights even once they’ve landed a partner. Custom characters also just go to sleep by the fire, and it seems cold to leave them out there.
A change that could have even wider-ranging effects would bepushing hugs as a central part ofBaldur’s Gate 3intimacy. The game isn’t completely devoid of hugs, with one that can occur in the epilogue being notably meaningful, but they’re generally absent throughout the course of a campaign. It makes sense that some characters would be hesitant toward hugs — Astarion’s trauma might leave him more likely to sleep with someone than share in that sort of tender moment — but the lack of hugs can be a disappointing choice on the whole.
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Even outside romantic relationships,hugs could offer a lot to general companionship between party members. The protagonists ofBaldur’s Gate 3go through a lot, and it makes sense that they might hug each other to provide comfort after some of the more significant moments in the campaign. In smaller scenes, it could also be a good way to show affection without leaping into romance, a balancing act thatBaldur’s Gate 3occasionally struggles with. There’s one great example with a Karlach hug in Act 2, and although most would be less significant, they wouldn’t be any less welcome.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Mods Offer A Partial Solution
It’s Possible To Add Some Hugs To The Game
Although there doesn’t seem to be any way around the separate bedrolls inBaldur’s Gate 3right now, there is one way to address the hug situation. For anyone playing on PC, aBaldur’s Gate 3mod called HUGSopens up the opportunity to hug other characters throughout the game. It might not tie into story moments or cover character nuances in the way that developer Larian Studios officially incorporating more hugs could, but for those just looking for a bit of physical comfort, the mod is definitely an impressive option.
Baldur’s Gate 3will receive official mod support with Patch 7, which should open the gates wider for future community-driven improvements to the game.
Baldur’s Gate 3still hasn’t finished its period of ongoing development, sothere’s always a possibility that new intimacy options could come in the future. Neither of these particular possible improvements are mentioned in the highlights for the upcoming Patch 7, but Larian has confirmed that the long-awaited update won’t be the last.Baldur’s Gate 3might not shy away from affection, but to represent it in a truly thorough way, it might still have a ways to go.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.
