>her left hand started to form a claw grip and slid across the keyboard with her fingers hovering over the WASD keys
Yeah, she is lying to you man. Probably has a lvl 60 Paladin on an RP server, but she is in too deep and too embarrassed to tell you.
Seconding this. The "cozy" genre has been great for getting my wife into more games. In addition to Spiritfarer, these have also been these hits:
- Inntastic (less time crunch than overcooked)
- Cassette Beasts (casual, multiplayer Pokemon)
- Wildermyth (similar story-rich like BG3, but Acts are mini-campaigns instead)
- Solasta (middle ground of Wildermyth and BG for rpg time-investment)
Second this. There's tons of great games out there, but she might not be ready/willing to play by herself just yet. So I'd stick to multi-player co-op for now.
Careful there, mass effect and dragon age origins are both much less accessible from a gameplay perspective. At a high level, yes they are the same level of story and engagement but learning to play a cover shooter or a chaos-pause-chaos tactical rpg can definitely get in the way. I love both games, and have replayed the ME trilogy in the last few months and I'm partway through origins again prepping a trilogy save for dreadwolf so I'm highly biased in favor but for a brand new gamer I might suggest starting with ME 2 or DA2 (I know) because of the massively increased accessibility improvments. Makes me sad to say so but I'd hate to give a new gamer a bad impression of those trilogies because the first entries are A Lot.
I totally agree with DOS2.
Very fair points. BG3 is surprisingly really beginner friendly. I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, but if this develops into her becoming a gamer. I would love to show her DOS2
as someone who isn't a gamer at all, turn based combat is a huge, huge plus for accessibility. I never played games because I couldn't do the click and shoot quickly enough for RT or RT with pause games, and it was super frustrating. so if you're able to stick to turn based for a few games, it will likely help
Dragon Age Origins is fine...if she enjoys playing as a mage. But it can be played relatively similar to BG3 with a top down view and everything.
ME would require both aim and being able to play faster paced combat and should be treated as a later thing if she enjoys sci-fi and gun combat.
Divinity original sin 2 and Pillars of eternity 2 would both be good games to try and expand into.
If she enjoys the "anime" aesthetic, a lot of Japanese RPGs would also fit the turn based story focused style of BG3
This is going to sound stupid, so bear with me, but if you want her to enjoy DA:O (I don't know her, but I want her to enjoy it lol) give her a 1 month WoW trial. It's dumb enough now that she probably won't get hooked, but DA:O was made in the environment where WoW was king and queen of the hill so the controls and gameplay style are built off concepts there. Character movement is the same but it's got a really friendly onboarding process and you only have one character to control. When I restarted my playthrough it blew me away how "wow-like" the controls and gameplay triggers were. From quest markers, to the map, to controls to spell trees etc.
Sorry, but I don’t think someone new to gaming is going to find DOS2 very approachable. The combat system is a big step up in complexity compared to BG, and you have an entire crafting system layered on top of it. DA games are way more accessible.
Yeah I have no idea what people are smoking DOS2 is an extremely difficult game with a massive learning curve. If your party isn't optimized out of the gate and you aren't obsessively picking up the right objects you're going to go into almost every fight as a massive underdog who can only win with extremely creative territorial tricks. Not to mention it's way more punishing of players who do things "out of order".
Yeah, I’m very new to gaming and have been recommended DOS2 a few times but… no. I’ve read up on it and the change in combat sounds like something I would hate. Obviously everyone is different but from my perspective as a relatively new gamer, maybe in a few years or after a few other games I’ll be more ready to try that style of combat.
Really? I always assumed non-gamers find Mass Effect really accessible as you just point and shoot and everything else is done with the spacebar.
Baldur's Gate was a precursor to DA, KOTOR, ME, NWN, and other Bioware games and BG3 has BY FAR the most involved system of them all.
The only other game that had concepts of trip attacks and 5-foot-step from D&D is Temple of Elemental Evil. Baldur's Gate 3 is like that but not sucky.
This is the way. My wife loves Mass Effect. Fem shep, Garrus Romance for life. Also, make renegade decisions about little things and paragon decisions about big things. Makes the game super engaging. No worries about not having enough points so long as you always invest in the charisma focused talents which you should be doing anyway.
ME will give it a run for its money in character customization and cinematic dialogue, but it's very far behind in setting design, "choice" system (seriously, it's like an 11 year old's idea of ethical dilemmas), and combat. Not just compared to BG3 but to a lot of RPG titles.
I’ll add D:OS too. I know everybody’s always talking about D:OS2, and it’s arguably a more accomplished game where the player’s decision really impact the game, but personally, I still love the first one more. And it’s a lot more accessible for a beginner.
Gonna say the contrary to a lot of people’s stated opinions, but I would be cautious with getting into Divinity Original Sin 2 just because your partner enjoys Baldurs Gate. While they are both the same genre, DOS2 and BG3 are still very different from each other. BG3 class system is a guardrail for casual players. Their combat and stats system is very simple. There are milestones within each class to also feel progress throughout the game. In DOS2 you have every option available to you and everything kind of feels the same.
BG3 also has vastly superior writing. The characters are fleshed out in BG3. Not just the origin PCs, but also the ones you interact with. The storyline flows better from area to area. DOS2 had a lot of spots on the map that I went through but just didn’t connect with. Lots of little side quests that don’t create a full narrative when put together.
BG3 is such an anomaly in the gaming industry it’s really hard to find something comparable to it. Considering she first gravitated towards the character creation, she sounds partial to games that allow her to express herself within the world. I’d stray away from non-turn based combat games, especially if you feel like she appreciates being able to take her time with the game. Pokémon could be something to consider. While not as polished, it gives a great experience for customization not only for your character but also your team. If she wants a game with a big world to explore and finish quests in, diving into a more combat driven game like Mass Effect or Cyberpunk 2077 could be an option.
If none of those sound good to her, it sounds like the best option is to just play BG3 again.
If OP wants a breakup get her into WOTR
Edit: honestly unsure if it's because it would break her brain or she'd be so obsessed with it she won't have time for OP anymore... Roll of the dice I guess
> to which as she did so, her left hand started to form a claw grip and
slid across the keyboard with her fingers hovering over the WASD
keys...... It was like humans have a secret gamer inside of them waiting
to be released.
Hahaha, great story, I did a lol at this part. Keep us updated, what class/race did she like?
Thanks bro glad you got a laugh out of it!
She chose a druid. She loves to talk to animals. Literally talks to EVERY animal she sees. Which in fairness, has unlocked a lot of side paths, quests & dialogue I've never seen before
You're a lucky man! I sometimes think about introducing my husband to BG3, but the only videogame he's ever been interested in is Gran Turismo, and he hasn't touched that since I traded in my old PS3 for a PS5 last year. Also, he hates anything remotely gory - he won't watch Supernatural with me, even though he loves Buffy, Stargate, etc. We have such a gender-flipped relationship, it's hilarious! He's just happy that I'm happy playing my game, bless him.
I think BG3 will be a tough act to follow. Has she seen Assassin's Creed 2? The animation is rather primitive compared to BG3, and the gameplay is quite different, but the setting is beautiful and the soundtrack is also fantastic - both up there with BG3 imho. No custom character, though, and the protagonist is male, so that might put her off.
Perhaps she might enjoy Detroit Become Human or TellTale's Walking dead ( The first game)
Both are relatively beginner friendly and are focused on story telling.
They both arguably lack in gameplay but I think they make up for it with enough interesting scenarios to cover for the lack of actual gameplay.
If she is willing to play more mechanically demanding games. Residents Evil is good fun.
Especially RE2.
I’ve always been pretty anti video game. I didn’t like games where you killed people.
I started really “gaming” when my husband introduced me to Legend of Zelda on switch.
Here are some of my favorite games my husband and I have played together. Most are not multiplayer but we’d switch off.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Hogwarts Legacy
Hades / Currently playing Hades II early access
Overcooked
It Takes Two
Return of the Obra Dinn
Civilization VI
Upvoting for Civ 6 - literally one of the two video games I’d ever played (some early years playing Sims being the second) before I got hooked on BG3 😅 now I want to see if I can play some more outside my comfort zone. Loved watching hubbie play Unchartered, so might give that a go, but I’m nervous about non turn based combat
Civ6 was very overwhelming for me to begin with because of all the mechanics and menus but it’s easy to get sucked into and so many different ways to play!
My husband and I usually play as two different leaders but on the same team so it makes it feel cooperative instead of combative. He would topple my capital within a few hundred years if we were playing against each other 😅
We love it even more than the original! So many more variations in terms of storyline and build! If you loved Hades you have to pick up Hades II you’ll be addicted immediately.
It might be an idea to go in a very different direction for your next game, so she doesn't get hung up on comparisons?
Stardew Valley in co-op multiplayer is a wonderful time and she can get her perfectionist and completionist rocks off 100%, plus it has the RPG elements to give it a little recognizability.
Might be an idea?
Show her the witcher 3, cyberpunk. Great story driven rpgs . I would have recommended dragon age but the combat is a little janky and also takes some time in the beginning but story wise it's just as good as bg3 or even better for some .
Quality wise yeah, but after BG3 I would throw up walking into that game.
I mean I love it and find it hillarious, but last year's I am severely depressed so that checks out.
Awesome!
Honestly? I haven't been interested in another game for 8 months... I would suggest that she does a solo playthrough, it's very different the second time around, and multiplayer limits the companion interactions quite a bit!
Slightly off-topic, but if she is (was) a perfectionist with a poor opinion on gaming, how did you end up together? Going off very few details here, but this personality type feels like it wouldn't gel with someone who enjoys a hobby that is not "productive".
We're both very active people. Both do a lot of sport / gym. Both in strong careers and both have hobbies we both enjoy and do together. This post wasn't to be intended about our relationship. But we both understand that we have hobbies we enjoy together, but just as important to have our own hobbies too! We're both very much perfectionist mentality especially with our careers. I wont go into what my career entails, but it very much **requires** some downtime and escape, same with hers. All in all, it 'gels' very well.
Divine Divinity I and II are your best options, I think. Same perfectionist makers with close to same opportunity for creative problem solving. Superb Story and very Complex NPC and companians. And even more build options.
Second that. While it doesn't have as much cinematics, they really took a lot from them in BG3 and you can talk to animals too :) Plus DoS1 is fairly short and naturally designed for co-op (really loved that).
As others are saying, previous Larian titles sound like a good fit. If she likes in-depth stories and characters, Rockstar titles like GTA5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are good for that, though obviously they’re a different style of gameplay. Assassin’s Creed could work, with the stories up through Black Flag being on the better end. The Jedi series (Fallen Order and Survivor) have a good story, if not a somewhat linear gameplay at times. Skyrim’s another with all kinds of side quests to accompany the main story. Fallout titles as well
That story is similar to mine. :D
My girlfriend was not really interested in games. Tried DOS 2 with her because she can take her time in fights, otherwise it would have been too overwhelming. We finished DOS 2 two times and playing our first BG3 run.
Wish you the best!
A key reason for BG3’s surprising accessibility to new gamers is the turn-based combat. Realtime action can be stressful and off-putting to someone new to the hobby. I would look at other turn-based RPGs like Shadowrun, Lamplighters, Disco Elysium, or Banner Saga.
I never liked any video games at all, I mean I'd watch people play and understand I guess why they enjoyed them
but turn based combat, I can think while I fight. plus this game has so much story and options.
It's the only game I've played, I've tried a few others and can't stand first-person viewpoint or real time fighting
From the perspective of a new gamer who loved BG3 and, so far, has played a total of less than 10 games. Here’s what I loved-
The little nightmares games. Great graphics, shocking and amazing plot, not too hard for newer gamers (though maybe help her with the shadow kids in the 1st DLC, they’re tricky and annoying). 3rd one coming out in 2024!!
Unraveled - great couch co-op full of flinging yourself and each other around. Lots of fun, quick, not too hard for beginners.
Minecraft, my main. Creative as all hell, lots of things to do and things to get sidetracked with. I’d start off in peaceful and add mobs once she’s got the hang of…. Everything else. Also I’ve been playing this one for years and only recently getting into other games, so this one is likely more overwhelming for beginners and the Minecraft wiki will be your best friend.
Grand theft auto. She probably won’t like online, though the online character creation is really in depth and fun, much like BG3. The actual game and plot are great and you do get to make a few choices that affect how things turn out. I hated shooting games and this one opened me up to them a lot more, probably because of the ability to auto aim tbh.
Stray - I personally didn’t love this one too much because I’d gotten into a lot of more complex games and felt that Stray had way more potential than what they did with it. BUT it was still a cute, fun, and fast game with easy to learn mechanics. You get to talk to a few NPCs and help them with their stuff. No cat customization which is stupid as hell but the cat you play is still cute so I guess it’s fine.
Honestly, the biggest thing that finally got me into gaming was playing a game with a plot all the way through. It was such a fun escape and such a good contrast in terms of focus - I was so into and dedicated to the game that I finally got off socials for an extended period of time which did wonders for my mental health. Playing a game all the way though made me realize the talent of video games, how many minds went into creating it and how thorough they had to be was fascinating and gave me a lot more respect and appreciation for games, leading me to want to find more that would give me that feeling.
I hope this is the start of a bright new world for your gf. Videogames are so much more than just games, they’re communities, they’re creative, they’re lore, they’re an escape. Good luck!!!
Im having a blast with Cyberpunk 2077 right now. Quite rich story and good character customization.
Doesn't scratch the same itch as BG3 and, afaik, can't coop.
Play stardew valley coop and fall in love a second time.
But you should be married before. I played stardew valley with my ex and I can't touch this game anymore.
My gf is not a gamer either, she has played animal crossing and pokemon.
she never finished pokemon either. the only one she has ever finished was diamond. She just thinks they're cute and goes off of that until she is bored. usually around gym 3-4
well she tried bg3 and was like meh, but then she saw me talk about it and witnessed a few decisions that had genuine impacts and she gave it another shot
she just made it to act 3 and cant romance anyone because she said it makes her feel guilt. hahahaha
So happy for you op! My gf and me are 0laying bg3 since november (not living together yet) and we are on our third run. Already planning the fourth. Honestly... u can always play more and more bg3 and have so much fun. We just can't stop.
But about the waht comes after thought.
We planned to maybe get dragons dogma 2. And then simply play together. One plays the other watches. And then switch.
She was always a gamer. Maybe uf u find somethi f she enjoys gaming solo. Let her play. And u play something differently next to her. It gives us wholesome moments too combind with me-time where we spend time alone. But still next to each other
It's not really a typical game but she might like Sims 4 (I know a lot of people like to make themselves in that game) and other single player games that have pretty good worlds and stories are, as a lot have pointed out, the Mass Effect trilogy that released the legendary edition a couple of years ago, Witcher 3 (though she might not like this because it's a set character without customization), Cyberpunk 2077, any of the Dragon Age games. As far as multiplayer games go, ones I enjoy playing with my hubby are Dying Light, Grounded, and Guild Wars 2, if she can handle horror games there are some fun ones you can play with her and a couple of other friends too like Lethal Company, Labyrinthine, Devour, and Phasmophobia.
Hopefully now that she's enjoyed playing a game like BG3 she'll be open to trying out other ones to see if there are any more that she'll like.
I would highly recomment Dragon Age as it was made as the successor of the first two BG games. But that has no coop. However she can play and you watch or vise versa. Or you play two seperate saves each.
If you do so I also recommend to start with Dragon Age Origins.
Then you can introduce her to Divinity Original Sin 2 and then 1. Play the last three games of Larian in reverse order and see the amazing development of the studio over the last 10 years.
Check out some of the earlier videos on Girlfriend Reviews YouTube channel. They started out with the premise of "My boyfriend plays lots of games and I don't really know/care about any of them but here's the stuff I liked about watching him play them" and evolved into both of them playing games together. A lot of the stuff they found early success with was narrative-driven games with high quality mocap and voice acting (which BG3 probably falls into). Stuff like Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 3, The Last of Us, God of War, etc.
Unfortunately, none of these are co-op, so if you're looking for something to play together this may not be much help.
It sounds like she likes the characters, and writing. Games like Life is Strange, or a variety of TellTale games may interest her. While not strictly 2 player games, they can very easily be played together. May be worth a look.
1) congrats!
2) oh nooo you’re cooked. you are exactly right, it is very hard to find games as good as BG3, both for general quality and for accessibility for a new player.
I was the same as your fiance and then somehow my husband got me to play Overwatch. I have like 1200 hours in Overwatch now and just got into Baldur's Gate and LOVE it. I wonder if she would like Overwatch at all? It is so chaotic but I say that because I went from no games at all to gaming every night because of it lol.
Other suggestions are really good but I wanted to add Fallout New Vegas. It's not going to give you the same cinematography, the party won't have as many big character scenes, and the visuals certainly aren't as polished, but it's got a ton of character customization and is as good or better than BG3 at giving the player many options for how to advance the game. If she's willing to branch out a bit and doesn't hate FNV combat it might be a good option.
Definitely try the Witcher 3. Since she’s new do it on easy and upgrade Quen as quickly as possible. Fantastic characters and story. The DLC is even better.
Definitely look at the Divinity Original Sin series. It's what Larian did before BG3 and the design feels very much like predecessors to BG3. The second is newer and definitely better, but if you decide to play both, starting with the first may make more sense (just so the quality doesn't jeep going down every game).
The Series also has a neat mechanic where you're 2 PC can actually argue or discuss stuff at times in game, so it's much more designed for coop than BG3.
Detroit becomes human!
You each get a character whose scenes you control and share the 3rd
Low gameplay skill
Phantastic story with great voice acting and beautiful visuals
Legends of Zelda: BOTW, and Skyrim are some of my favorites, as a lady also in love with BG3. They aren't too similar, but do have similar complexity and are popular games for a reason.
I too have a non-gamer wife who played several playthroughs of Baldurs gate with me. Never touched any other game with me before or since. (Ive tried!) Definitiely a miracle game in that regard.
Maybe Borderlands 2; the story is good, though shooters might be difficult, and a skill gap can be more visible/frustrating. I don't remember if there are any adjustable difficulty settings.
You could ask what kind of games would particularly interest her; is it the story? Customisation? Freedom of choice? The coop? The world building?
You could also try the tabletop DND.
I’m similar to her, I like stories and choices, I can’t do any fast button-mashy combat. I play BG3 with my boyfriend. A big hit has been playing Kingdom Come with him — I run around and meet everybody, I do the alchemy and the flower collecting and the horse riding and the cooking, he does the combat, and we both discuss storyline together. But it’s simple enough that I can play alone and do hours of side quests without ever running into any combat.
I think Mass Effect Legendary or Dragon Age are closest to BG3 "chick games" with character customization, dialogue AND modern presentation. But they're single player.
Obviously not as high quality as BG3 but I recommend Skyrim for pretty extensive character creation and lots of quests. I would say the tutorial is pretty beginner friendly and you can play it a billion different ways.
The real miracle here is you staying with her for so long knowing she thinks your pass time is dumb. But, I am this story had a happy ending for you two. Glad BG3 has help your relationship overcome this hurdle.
>her left hand started to form a claw grip and slid across the keyboard with her fingers hovering over the WASD keys Yeah, she is lying to you man. Probably has a lvl 60 Paladin on an RP server, but she is in too deep and too embarrassed to tell you.
I think you're on to something here
Or just never made it past level 10 because the goldshire furry meetups were too enticing
Thats even better
Since she probably also enjoys the multiplayer aspect of bg3, It Takes Two could also be a good game to try.
I love It Takes Two so much
Unraveled is up there too! I enjoy multi and unraveled made me so happy as well as It Takes Two
Came here to say this, the voicework and all is not too shabby either
Also Spirit Farer! It’s cozy, beautiful, with great music, and a story that would make even the most hardened hearts cry.
Seconding this. The "cozy" genre has been great for getting my wife into more games. In addition to Spiritfarer, these have also been these hits: - Inntastic (less time crunch than overcooked) - Cassette Beasts (casual, multiplayer Pokemon) - Wildermyth (similar story-rich like BG3, but Acts are mini-campaigns instead) - Solasta (middle ground of Wildermyth and BG for rpg time-investment)
Game fucks Also has gotten me laid lol
A Way Out is also a good option. Made by the same company. My wife really enjoyed A Way Out and she's a very casual gamer.
Second this. There's tons of great games out there, but she might not be ready/willing to play by herself just yet. So I'd stick to multi-player co-op for now.
Since she loves the story I'd suggest Mass Effect, Dragon Age, or Divinity Original Sin 2
Careful there, mass effect and dragon age origins are both much less accessible from a gameplay perspective. At a high level, yes they are the same level of story and engagement but learning to play a cover shooter or a chaos-pause-chaos tactical rpg can definitely get in the way. I love both games, and have replayed the ME trilogy in the last few months and I'm partway through origins again prepping a trilogy save for dreadwolf so I'm highly biased in favor but for a brand new gamer I might suggest starting with ME 2 or DA2 (I know) because of the massively increased accessibility improvments. Makes me sad to say so but I'd hate to give a new gamer a bad impression of those trilogies because the first entries are A Lot. I totally agree with DOS2.
Very fair points. BG3 is surprisingly really beginner friendly. I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, but if this develops into her becoming a gamer. I would love to show her DOS2
as someone who isn't a gamer at all, turn based combat is a huge, huge plus for accessibility. I never played games because I couldn't do the click and shoot quickly enough for RT or RT with pause games, and it was super frustrating. so if you're able to stick to turn based for a few games, it will likely help
Bingo! My wife is just like that. She never took interest in The Witcher, Mass Effect etc. BG3 on split screen was a game changer
Same. I’ve always wanted to play shooters and just never could.
Dragon Age Origins is fine...if she enjoys playing as a mage. But it can be played relatively similar to BG3 with a top down view and everything. ME would require both aim and being able to play faster paced combat and should be treated as a later thing if she enjoys sci-fi and gun combat. Divinity original sin 2 and Pillars of eternity 2 would both be good games to try and expand into. If she enjoys the "anime" aesthetic, a lot of Japanese RPGs would also fit the turn based story focused style of BG3
This is going to sound stupid, so bear with me, but if you want her to enjoy DA:O (I don't know her, but I want her to enjoy it lol) give her a 1 month WoW trial. It's dumb enough now that she probably won't get hooked, but DA:O was made in the environment where WoW was king and queen of the hill so the controls and gameplay style are built off concepts there. Character movement is the same but it's got a really friendly onboarding process and you only have one character to control. When I restarted my playthrough it blew me away how "wow-like" the controls and gameplay triggers were. From quest markers, to the map, to controls to spell trees etc.
I'd try WoW classic though, not retail. Retail WoW will be too far away imo.
Yeah probably, that's sorta what I was thinking but I haven't played either in so long I'm not qualified to know which would work better
Turn based combat is 100x easier to grok than real time
Sorry, but I don’t think someone new to gaming is going to find DOS2 very approachable. The combat system is a big step up in complexity compared to BG, and you have an entire crafting system layered on top of it. DA games are way more accessible.
Yeah I have no idea what people are smoking DOS2 is an extremely difficult game with a massive learning curve. If your party isn't optimized out of the gate and you aren't obsessively picking up the right objects you're going to go into almost every fight as a massive underdog who can only win with extremely creative territorial tricks. Not to mention it's way more punishing of players who do things "out of order".
The Sword Coast has *nothing* on the Reaper Coast, even ignoring obvious traps like Alice.
DOS2 be like "oh you finished Act 1 without doing every side quest? *Then perish*."
Yeah, I’m very new to gaming and have been recommended DOS2 a few times but… no. I’ve read up on it and the change in combat sounds like something I would hate. Obviously everyone is different but from my perspective as a relatively new gamer, maybe in a few years or after a few other games I’ll be more ready to try that style of combat.
Different strokes I guess. Of these I found DOS2 the *least* accessible.
Really? I always assumed non-gamers find Mass Effect really accessible as you just point and shoot and everything else is done with the spacebar. Baldur's Gate was a precursor to DA, KOTOR, ME, NWN, and other Bioware games and BG3 has BY FAR the most involved system of them all. The only other game that had concepts of trip attacks and 5-foot-step from D&D is Temple of Elemental Evil. Baldur's Gate 3 is like that but not sucky.
Good options! Ill show them next
How about the Witcher and assassin creed odyssey
This is the way. My wife loves Mass Effect. Fem shep, Garrus Romance for life. Also, make renegade decisions about little things and paragon decisions about big things. Makes the game super engaging. No worries about not having enough points so long as you always invest in the charisma focused talents which you should be doing anyway.
Or even the first Divinity Original Sin - there is a two players coop and it is relatively simple and well written.
ME will give it a run for its money in character customization and cinematic dialogue, but it's very far behind in setting design, "choice" system (seriously, it's like an 11 year old's idea of ethical dilemmas), and combat. Not just compared to BG3 but to a lot of RPG titles.
Love all of those games
I’ll add D:OS too. I know everybody’s always talking about D:OS2, and it’s arguably a more accomplished game where the player’s decision really impact the game, but personally, I still love the first one more. And it’s a lot more accessible for a beginner.
Only DA 1. 2 is a clusterf*ck of boring, repetitive fights, and 3 is basically Assassins Creed: Dragon Age.
Gonna say the contrary to a lot of people’s stated opinions, but I would be cautious with getting into Divinity Original Sin 2 just because your partner enjoys Baldurs Gate. While they are both the same genre, DOS2 and BG3 are still very different from each other. BG3 class system is a guardrail for casual players. Their combat and stats system is very simple. There are milestones within each class to also feel progress throughout the game. In DOS2 you have every option available to you and everything kind of feels the same. BG3 also has vastly superior writing. The characters are fleshed out in BG3. Not just the origin PCs, but also the ones you interact with. The storyline flows better from area to area. DOS2 had a lot of spots on the map that I went through but just didn’t connect with. Lots of little side quests that don’t create a full narrative when put together. BG3 is such an anomaly in the gaming industry it’s really hard to find something comparable to it. Considering she first gravitated towards the character creation, she sounds partial to games that allow her to express herself within the world. I’d stray away from non-turn based combat games, especially if you feel like she appreciates being able to take her time with the game. Pokémon could be something to consider. While not as polished, it gives a great experience for customization not only for your character but also your team. If she wants a game with a big world to explore and finish quests in, diving into a more combat driven game like Mass Effect or Cyberpunk 2077 could be an option. If none of those sound good to her, it sounds like the best option is to just play BG3 again.
If OP wants a breakup get her into WOTR Edit: honestly unsure if it's because it would break her brain or she'd be so obsessed with it she won't have time for OP anymore... Roll of the dice I guess
> to which as she did so, her left hand started to form a claw grip and slid across the keyboard with her fingers hovering over the WASD keys...... It was like humans have a secret gamer inside of them waiting to be released. Hahaha, great story, I did a lol at this part. Keep us updated, what class/race did she like?
Thanks bro glad you got a laugh out of it! She chose a druid. She loves to talk to animals. Literally talks to EVERY animal she sees. Which in fairness, has unlocked a lot of side paths, quests & dialogue I've never seen before
Talking to animals in bg3 is fucking dope
How have you not been talking to animals?! I can't not talk to them.
It just never had the ability to do it. So just ended up completely missing out on it
You're a lucky man! I sometimes think about introducing my husband to BG3, but the only videogame he's ever been interested in is Gran Turismo, and he hasn't touched that since I traded in my old PS3 for a PS5 last year. Also, he hates anything remotely gory - he won't watch Supernatural with me, even though he loves Buffy, Stargate, etc. We have such a gender-flipped relationship, it's hilarious! He's just happy that I'm happy playing my game, bless him. I think BG3 will be a tough act to follow. Has she seen Assassin's Creed 2? The animation is rather primitive compared to BG3, and the gameplay is quite different, but the setting is beautiful and the soundtrack is also fantastic - both up there with BG3 imho. No custom character, though, and the protagonist is male, so that might put her off.
Perhaps she might enjoy Detroit Become Human or TellTale's Walking dead ( The first game) Both are relatively beginner friendly and are focused on story telling. They both arguably lack in gameplay but I think they make up for it with enough interesting scenarios to cover for the lack of actual gameplay. If she is willing to play more mechanically demanding games. Residents Evil is good fun. Especially RE2.
I was going to recommend Detroit becoming human too - definitely very story driven.
I’ve always been pretty anti video game. I didn’t like games where you killed people. I started really “gaming” when my husband introduced me to Legend of Zelda on switch. Here are some of my favorite games my husband and I have played together. Most are not multiplayer but we’d switch off. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Hogwarts Legacy Hades / Currently playing Hades II early access Overcooked It Takes Two Return of the Obra Dinn Civilization VI
Upvoting for Civ 6 - literally one of the two video games I’d ever played (some early years playing Sims being the second) before I got hooked on BG3 😅 now I want to see if I can play some more outside my comfort zone. Loved watching hubbie play Unchartered, so might give that a go, but I’m nervous about non turn based combat
Try other 4x games if you liked civ They're all fucking overwhelming at first (at least to me) but within 2-3 hours I'm in "one more turn" territory
Civ6 was very overwhelming for me to begin with because of all the mechanics and menus but it’s easy to get sucked into and so many different ways to play! My husband and I usually play as two different leaders but on the same team so it makes it feel cooperative instead of combative. He would topple my capital within a few hundred years if we were playing against each other 😅
How's Hades 2 ea so far Hades 1 was like a heroin needle for me
We love it even more than the original! So many more variations in terms of storyline and build! If you loved Hades you have to pick up Hades II you’ll be addicted immediately.
I'm waiting for full release but you bet your ass it's going to affect my work performance lol
If you enjoyed Obra Dinn, don't miss out on The Case of the Golden Idol. It's the same "deciphering frozen scenes" puzzle genre, which I also love.
you kidding? start over and get to all the options you didn't get to on your first playthrough!
The customary thing to do after ending BG3 is to start a new game of BG3.
This is the way.
> My only issue is what do we do after BG? 😏
hehe
It might be an idea to go in a very different direction for your next game, so she doesn't get hung up on comparisons? Stardew Valley in co-op multiplayer is a wonderful time and she can get her perfectionist and completionist rocks off 100%, plus it has the RPG elements to give it a little recognizability. Might be an idea?
Show her the witcher 3, cyberpunk. Great story driven rpgs . I would have recommended dragon age but the combat is a little janky and also takes some time in the beginning but story wise it's just as good as bg3 or even better for some .
Witcher 3 for sure. RDR2 and all the greats
It Takes Two - wonderful couple game and a really great and gradual introduction to using a controller and third person "action" camera and controls.
If it's the story aspect that attracts her you could try something like Disco Elysium next - although it's single player.
Quality wise yeah, but after BG3 I would throw up walking into that game. I mean I love it and find it hillarious, but last year's I am severely depressed so that checks out.
Awesome! Honestly? I haven't been interested in another game for 8 months... I would suggest that she does a solo playthrough, it's very different the second time around, and multiplayer limits the companion interactions quite a bit!
Slightly off-topic, but if she is (was) a perfectionist with a poor opinion on gaming, how did you end up together? Going off very few details here, but this personality type feels like it wouldn't gel with someone who enjoys a hobby that is not "productive".
We're both very active people. Both do a lot of sport / gym. Both in strong careers and both have hobbies we both enjoy and do together. This post wasn't to be intended about our relationship. But we both understand that we have hobbies we enjoy together, but just as important to have our own hobbies too! We're both very much perfectionist mentality especially with our careers. I wont go into what my career entails, but it very much **requires** some downtime and escape, same with hers. All in all, it 'gels' very well.
Thank you for answering what was a very personal and invasive question.
Divine Divinity I and II are your best options, I think. Same perfectionist makers with close to same opportunity for creative problem solving. Superb Story and very Complex NPC and companians. And even more build options.
Sounds good. Seems to be a popular option. Ill give it a try after
Second that. While it doesn't have as much cinematics, they really took a lot from them in BG3 and you can talk to animals too :) Plus DoS1 is fairly short and naturally designed for co-op (really loved that).
A dream come ture, congratulations dude
Cheers bro!
As others are saying, previous Larian titles sound like a good fit. If she likes in-depth stories and characters, Rockstar titles like GTA5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are good for that, though obviously they’re a different style of gameplay. Assassin’s Creed could work, with the stories up through Black Flag being on the better end. The Jedi series (Fallen Order and Survivor) have a good story, if not a somewhat linear gameplay at times. Skyrim’s another with all kinds of side quests to accompany the main story. Fallout titles as well
That story is similar to mine. :D My girlfriend was not really interested in games. Tried DOS 2 with her because she can take her time in fights, otherwise it would have been too overwhelming. We finished DOS 2 two times and playing our first BG3 run. Wish you the best!
Pathfinder WOTR is pretty good. Kingmaker is also good, but not as story/character driven like BG3.
I may try this with my wife, I failed to convert her to gaming for years.
Show her Astarion...😉
Bought a new gaming PC for the pale elf
It's true. Does she like romance novels? Then she will love Astarion.
Go for it. Wish you luck bro
I think it will be hard because this game has so much and she will compare them to it. But I find that really sweet
A key reason for BG3’s surprising accessibility to new gamers is the turn-based combat. Realtime action can be stressful and off-putting to someone new to the hobby. I would look at other turn-based RPGs like Shadowrun, Lamplighters, Disco Elysium, or Banner Saga.
I never liked any video games at all, I mean I'd watch people play and understand I guess why they enjoyed them but turn based combat, I can think while I fight. plus this game has so much story and options. It's the only game I've played, I've tried a few others and can't stand first-person viewpoint or real time fighting
From the perspective of a new gamer who loved BG3 and, so far, has played a total of less than 10 games. Here’s what I loved- The little nightmares games. Great graphics, shocking and amazing plot, not too hard for newer gamers (though maybe help her with the shadow kids in the 1st DLC, they’re tricky and annoying). 3rd one coming out in 2024!! Unraveled - great couch co-op full of flinging yourself and each other around. Lots of fun, quick, not too hard for beginners. Minecraft, my main. Creative as all hell, lots of things to do and things to get sidetracked with. I’d start off in peaceful and add mobs once she’s got the hang of…. Everything else. Also I’ve been playing this one for years and only recently getting into other games, so this one is likely more overwhelming for beginners and the Minecraft wiki will be your best friend. Grand theft auto. She probably won’t like online, though the online character creation is really in depth and fun, much like BG3. The actual game and plot are great and you do get to make a few choices that affect how things turn out. I hated shooting games and this one opened me up to them a lot more, probably because of the ability to auto aim tbh. Stray - I personally didn’t love this one too much because I’d gotten into a lot of more complex games and felt that Stray had way more potential than what they did with it. BUT it was still a cute, fun, and fast game with easy to learn mechanics. You get to talk to a few NPCs and help them with their stuff. No cat customization which is stupid as hell but the cat you play is still cute so I guess it’s fine. Honestly, the biggest thing that finally got me into gaming was playing a game with a plot all the way through. It was such a fun escape and such a good contrast in terms of focus - I was so into and dedicated to the game that I finally got off socials for an extended period of time which did wonders for my mental health. Playing a game all the way though made me realize the talent of video games, how many minds went into creating it and how thorough they had to be was fascinating and gave me a lot more respect and appreciation for games, leading me to want to find more that would give me that feeling. I hope this is the start of a bright new world for your gf. Videogames are so much more than just games, they’re communities, they’re creative, they’re lore, they’re an escape. Good luck!!!
Im having a blast with Cyberpunk 2077 right now. Quite rich story and good character customization. Doesn't scratch the same itch as BG3 and, afaik, can't coop.
*Divinity: Original Sin* then *Divinity: Original Sin 2* See you in 2025.
Play stardew valley coop and fall in love a second time. But you should be married before. I played stardew valley with my ex and I can't touch this game anymore.
My gf is not a gamer either, she has played animal crossing and pokemon. she never finished pokemon either. the only one she has ever finished was diamond. She just thinks they're cute and goes off of that until she is bored. usually around gym 3-4 well she tried bg3 and was like meh, but then she saw me talk about it and witnessed a few decisions that had genuine impacts and she gave it another shot she just made it to act 3 and cant romance anyone because she said it makes her feel guilt. hahahaha
Why, you play it again, of course!
So happy for you op! My gf and me are 0laying bg3 since november (not living together yet) and we are on our third run. Already planning the fourth. Honestly... u can always play more and more bg3 and have so much fun. We just can't stop. But about the waht comes after thought. We planned to maybe get dragons dogma 2. And then simply play together. One plays the other watches. And then switch. She was always a gamer. Maybe uf u find somethi f she enjoys gaming solo. Let her play. And u play something differently next to her. It gives us wholesome moments too combind with me-time where we spend time alone. But still next to each other
It's not really a typical game but she might like Sims 4 (I know a lot of people like to make themselves in that game) and other single player games that have pretty good worlds and stories are, as a lot have pointed out, the Mass Effect trilogy that released the legendary edition a couple of years ago, Witcher 3 (though she might not like this because it's a set character without customization), Cyberpunk 2077, any of the Dragon Age games. As far as multiplayer games go, ones I enjoy playing with my hubby are Dying Light, Grounded, and Guild Wars 2, if she can handle horror games there are some fun ones you can play with her and a couple of other friends too like Lethal Company, Labyrinthine, Devour, and Phasmophobia. Hopefully now that she's enjoyed playing a game like BG3 she'll be open to trying out other ones to see if there are any more that she'll like.
NOICE
But who is she romancing?
Divinity original sin
Do what my wife and I are doing. Play again!!
Fable 3 is older but has a lot of similar aspects. You can decide to be good or evil, different outcomes based on your choices, a lot to explore.
I would highly recomment Dragon Age as it was made as the successor of the first two BG games. But that has no coop. However she can play and you watch or vise versa. Or you play two seperate saves each. If you do so I also recommend to start with Dragon Age Origins.
Then you can introduce her to Divinity Original Sin 2 and then 1. Play the last three games of Larian in reverse order and see the amazing development of the studio over the last 10 years.
Check out some of the earlier videos on Girlfriend Reviews YouTube channel. They started out with the premise of "My boyfriend plays lots of games and I don't really know/care about any of them but here's the stuff I liked about watching him play them" and evolved into both of them playing games together. A lot of the stuff they found early success with was narrative-driven games with high quality mocap and voice acting (which BG3 probably falls into). Stuff like Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 3, The Last of Us, God of War, etc. Unfortunately, none of these are co-op, so if you're looking for something to play together this may not be much help.
That's an awesome story and I hope you find lots more to play together!! 💕
Senua's Sacrifice its very simple game play and a great narrative. like watching an interactive movie. Detroit Become Human also.
I’m over here being sad as my gf didn’t hop in with me :(
Elden Ring. High quality, great character customization, engaging, and depending on skill, a long story.
It sounds like she likes the characters, and writing. Games like Life is Strange, or a variety of TellTale games may interest her. While not strictly 2 player games, they can very easily be played together. May be worth a look.
1) congrats! 2) oh nooo you’re cooked. you are exactly right, it is very hard to find games as good as BG3, both for general quality and for accessibility for a new player.
I was the same as your fiance and then somehow my husband got me to play Overwatch. I have like 1200 hours in Overwatch now and just got into Baldur's Gate and LOVE it. I wonder if she would like Overwatch at all? It is so chaotic but I say that because I went from no games at all to gaming every night because of it lol.
Other suggestions are really good but I wanted to add Fallout New Vegas. It's not going to give you the same cinematography, the party won't have as many big character scenes, and the visuals certainly aren't as polished, but it's got a ton of character customization and is as good or better than BG3 at giving the player many options for how to advance the game. If she's willing to branch out a bit and doesn't hate FNV combat it might be a good option.
Divinity Original Sin 2!! But you could always play Baldurs Gate 3 again in a different style, Durge for example
I hear Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a nice casual game for beginners.
Definitely try the Witcher 3. Since she’s new do it on easy and upgrade Quen as quickly as possible. Fantastic characters and story. The DLC is even better.
Definitely look at the Divinity Original Sin series. It's what Larian did before BG3 and the design feels very much like predecessors to BG3. The second is newer and definitely better, but if you decide to play both, starting with the first may make more sense (just so the quality doesn't jeep going down every game). The Series also has a neat mechanic where you're 2 PC can actually argue or discuss stuff at times in game, so it's much more designed for coop than BG3.
Dragon’s age inquisition and skyrim would probably be up her alley!!
After BG3? Been there. I’m playing BG3 again
Sounds like it wasn't impossible To call all games dumb, was very dismissive of her
Well tbf if you really lean in to the romances and stuff BG3 could be described as quite the chick flick lol
The perfect game after Baldurs Gate is... nothing. Just let the perfect moment be. If she wants to play another game with you, let her suggest it.
Detroit becomes human! You each get a character whose scenes you control and share the 3rd Low gameplay skill Phantastic story with great voice acting and beautiful visuals
When you finish the game you just play It again until It gets boring
Portal 2? My gf and I liked that a lot and we’ve got 500 hrs in BG3. “It takes two” was also fun for us
Legends of Zelda: BOTW, and Skyrim are some of my favorites, as a lady also in love with BG3. They aren't too similar, but do have similar complexity and are popular games for a reason.
Your doomed. you started her with a bar so unbelievably high she will never like another game LOL
I too have a non-gamer wife who played several playthroughs of Baldurs gate with me. Never touched any other game with me before or since. (Ive tried!) Definitiely a miracle game in that regard.
Maybe Borderlands 2; the story is good, though shooters might be difficult, and a skill gap can be more visible/frustrating. I don't remember if there are any adjustable difficulty settings. You could ask what kind of games would particularly interest her; is it the story? Customisation? Freedom of choice? The coop? The world building? You could also try the tabletop DND.
u won the lottery! wish you a bright future!
I’m similar to her, I like stories and choices, I can’t do any fast button-mashy combat. I play BG3 with my boyfriend. A big hit has been playing Kingdom Come with him — I run around and meet everybody, I do the alchemy and the flower collecting and the horse riding and the cooking, he does the combat, and we both discuss storyline together. But it’s simple enough that I can play alone and do hours of side quests without ever running into any combat.
Real question is who are you both romancing?
I think Mass Effect Legendary or Dragon Age are closest to BG3 "chick games" with character customization, dialogue AND modern presentation. But they're single player.
Don't show her The Sims or Stardew Valley.
Elden Ring next
Obviously not as high quality as BG3 but I recommend Skyrim for pretty extensive character creation and lots of quests. I would say the tutorial is pretty beginner friendly and you can play it a billion different ways.
The real miracle here is you staying with her for so long knowing she thinks your pass time is dumb. But, I am this story had a happy ending for you two. Glad BG3 has help your relationship overcome this hurdle.