Unveiling the Spectacular Transformation: Experiencing Baldur's Gate 3's Opening Hour From Early Access to the Unforgettable Final Version!

Highlights

Baldur's Gate 3's full release brings significant changes, including a more robust character creator and alterations to the opening section aboard the Nautiloid ship.

The updated ship section is much leaner, featuring fewer rooms and modifications to item placements, resulting in a distinct gameplay experience compared to the Early Access version. While the elimination of specific sections and enemies may have a slight effect on the initial moments of gameplay, the overall alterations provide a renewed sense of freshness and excitement for players transitioning from Early Access.

Before its release, Baldur's Gate 3 underwent a three-year Early Access period, allowing players to experience the game's first act, which alone provides hours of content. Now that Baldur's Gate 3 is officially available, with the addition of some necessary fixes, it is important to highlight the distinctions between the pre-release version and the full game.

One of the noticeable changes occurs when players initiate a new campaign, as they are greeted with a significantly enhanced character creator after the initial cutscene. This improved feature offers players a wider range of customization options compared to what was available during the Early Access phase. Players will likely spend considerable time selecting and shaping the character they will embody for the next several dozen hours. Additionally, there are other modifications that contribute to a significantly different experience during the opening hour of Baldur's Gate 3.

Baldur's Gate 3's Introduction Feels Almost New in the Final Release

The opening section aboard a Baldur's Gate 3 Nautiloid, where the protagonist and party members are held captive and infected with a tadpole, has undergone significant changes outside the revamped character creator. These alterations have a meaningful impact on the pacing of the game. Though the pre-rendered cutscenes in the Early Access version and the final release remain the same, similarities between the two versions end there. Players wake up in a room with the same layout in both versions, but it is in the room housing the Intellect Devourer where the differences become apparent.

Some changes have been made to the game that affect the Nautiloid section. The initial jump at the edge has been removed and a few items have been moved around on the ship. However, it becomes apparent that this part of the game has been significantly reduced from its original version. The newer version of the ship now only has one room between where the player meets Lae'zel and where they find Shadowheart trapped in a pod.

This change may be disorienting for players who have experienced the Early Access version, as it previously featured a smaller room where the first imps were encountered. Additionally, players are now forced to confront these imps, whereas before it was possible to sneak up and defeat them unnoticed. Moreover, due to differences in stealth mechanics in the final version of Baldur's Gate 3, it is less convenient for a character to attempt hiding in the middle of combat in order to improve attack accuracy.

The alterations continue as the ship's exterior is completely removed, revealing a fierce battle between surviving Mind Flayer thralls and Intellect Devourers against the invading devils and githyanki. In this section, players are confronted by additional imps and have the option to engage in a fight against an Intellect Devourer accompanied by live thralls.

Though there are more bodies to search for extra gold and supplies, the primary aim of this section is to prolong the scene for a few more minutes. While removing this portion does diminish the portrayal of the entire battle to some extent, it is ultimately deemed beneficial considering the game's encouragement for multiple playthroughs of Baldur's Gate 3.

The lengthy initial sequence may slightly dampen the first few minutes of a new playthrough, but considering the level of detail in Baldur's Gate 3, it is a minor setback. However, players who are familiar with the Early Access version will notice that these changes have a significant impact on the game's opening moments.

There are noticeable similarities with the previous introduction, but the changes are a refreshing remix of what was already there. It is fascinating to see familiar elements transformed to such a great extent, and it adds a sense of excitement to replay this portion of the game and discover other alterations that have been made.

Baldur's Gate 3 is out now on PC and will come out September 6 on PS5.