The short verdict
Baldur's Gate 3 plays nothing like Skyrim — it is turn-based and viewed from above — but it is the best game available for one thing Skyrim players crave: role-playing a character of your own, with choices the world actually remembers. Try it if you are looking for a different kind of freedom rather than a similar game.
Baldur's Gate 3 and Skyrim at a glance
| Baldur's Gate 3 | Skyrim SE | |
|---|---|---|
| Steam rating | 97% · Overwhelmingly Positive Steam | 92% · Very Positive Steam |
| Metacritic | 96 MC | 74 MC |
| Critics (OpenCritic) | 96 · Mighty OC | 81 · Strong OC |
| Platforms | PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 |
| Steam Deck | Steam Deck Verified | Steam Deck Verified |
| Mods on Nexus | 19,862 Nexus | 141,888 Nexus |
| Steam release | Aug 3, 2023 | Oct 27, 2016 |
| Developer | Larian Studios | Bethesda Game Studios |
| Co-op | Online | None (single-player) |
| Perspective | Top-down | First & third-person |
Ratings, dates, developers, co-op modes and Steam Deck status from the official Steam store; critic scores and platforms from OpenCritic; mod counts from Nexus Mods. Refreshed automatically.
What feels like Skyrim
- Deep character creation with races, classes and backgrounds.
- Many ways to solve almost every problem, including talking, sneaking or stealing.
- Online co-op for up to four players.
What is different
- Turn-based combat based on Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition rules.
- Isometric camera with a party of companions.
- A story-driven campaign across large maps rather than a single open world.
Skip Baldur's Gate 3 if…
You want real-time combat and first-person exploration.
Is Baldur's Gate 3 a good alternative to Skyrim?
On our five-trait comparison, Baldur's Gate 3 scores 60% similar to Skyrim(close) and ranks #13 of 13 on ouralternative Skyrim list. Deep character creation with races, classes and backgrounds. The biggest adjustment for Skyrim players: turn-based combat based on Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition rules.
Baldur's Gate 3 trailers & video reviews
Official trailer
Video reviewWhat critics say about Baldur's Gate 3
- Critics recommend
- 96%
- OpenCritic rating
- Mighty
- Top critic reviews
- 109
Source: OpenCritic · verified October 14, 2026
- PC Gamer97/100
“Baldur's Gate 3 is an unrivalled RPG that will swallow your life whole.”
Fraser BrownAug 16, 2023
Read the full review - IGN10/10
“With crunchy, tactical RPG combat, a memorable story with complex characters, highly polished cinematic presentation, and a world that always rewards exploration and creativity, Baldur's Gate 3 is the new high-water mark for CRPGs.”
Leana HaferAug 18, 2023
Read the full review - Eurogamer4/5 stars
“With excellent stagecraft and meticulous detail, Baldur's Gate 3 conjures the illusion of perfect freedom - and then it disappears.”
Ruth CassidyAug 16, 2023
Read the full review - Rock, Paper, ShotgunUnscored
“Larian's RPG is an incredible world to get lost in, and though it may take you 100 hours, you will want to play again. It's the best Dungeons & Dragons game anyone has made, and probably will ever make. Unless there's a sequel in another 20 years.”
Alice BellAug 10, 2023
Read the full review - GameSpot10/10
“Baldur's Gate 3 is a sprawling, dense RPG backed by fantastic characters, an excellent combat system, and an impressive co-op mode.”
Jake DekkerOct 11, 2023
Read the full review - GamesRadar+5/5 stars
“Baldur's Gate 3 is the most successful and authentic take on D&D in the tabletop franchise's 50-year history. Its complexity and size might be daunting for novices, but the breadth and depth of Baldur's Gate 3's world make this a once-in-a-generation achievement.”
Ali JonesAug 3, 2023
Read the full review
Excerpts and scores as published by each outlet for Baldur's Gate 3, collected via OpenCritic OpenCritic.
Where to play Baldur's Gate 3 — price, Steam Deck & players
Steam Deck & PC
Steam Deck Verified
Windows · macOS · Controller: full support
Valve compatibility rating Steam
How long is Baldur's Gate 3?
Playtimes vary hugely with how much you explore. See community-submitted completion times on HowLongToBeat.
Baldur's Gate 3 PC system requirements
Minimum
- OS
- Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor
- Intel I5 4690 / AMD FX 8350 / Snapdragon X Elite
- Memory
- 8 GB RAM
- Graphics
- Nvidia GTX 970 / RX 480 / Intel Arc A380 / Qualcomm Adreno X1 (4GB+ of VRAM)
- DirectX
- Version 11
- Storage
- 150 GB available space
- Additional Notes
- SSD required
Recommended
- OS
- Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor
- Intel i7 8700K / AMD r5 3600
- Memory
- 16 GB RAM
- Graphics
- Nvidia 2060 Super / RX 5700 XT / Intel Arc A580 (8GB+ of VRAM)
- DirectX
- Version 11
- Storage
- 150 GB available space
- Additional Notes
- SSD required
From the official Steam store page · verified October 14, 2026
Latest official Baldur's Gate 3 news
Hotfix #36 Now Live!
Hey folks, Our last small update, which aimed to resolve corrupted savegames affecting a number of players, seemed to have also introduced some performance issues that triggered crashes. Thank you for your patience…
Community Update #36 A Very Moddy Christmas
Hello friends, The days are getting colder, the holiday decorations are creeping out early, and honestly? We’re leaning into it. It’s been a long year, one that saw Baldur’s Gate 3 receive twelve new subclasses, full…
Hotfix #35 Now Live!
Hello folks, We’re dropping by to serve up a small hotfix today! Focusing mainly on improving performance, this update should resolve some crashes on consoles and address certain issues on the Steam Deck. We’ve also…
Hotfix #34 Now Live!
[table equalcells="1" colwidth=""] Update 02/10/2025: We've rolled out a fix which aims to resolve issues with freezing on PS5 when accessing party management. As this fix involves tweaks to controller input, it will…
Official announcements from the developer’s Steam news hub, updated automatically.
Baldur's Gate 3 mods & community
Community links are fan-run spaces; opinions there are players’ own, not ours.
Community
What Skyrim players say about Baldur's Gate 3
Reviews from players on this site, answering the questions Skyrim fans actually ask. Published instantly, moderated afterwards.
No player reviews yet
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Baldur's Gate 3 FAQ
Is Baldur's Gate 3 like Skyrim?
Partly — we rate it 60% similar to Skyrim. Deep character creation with races, classes and backgrounds. The biggest difference: turn-based combat based on Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition rules.
Is Baldur's Gate 3 on PS5 or Xbox?
Yes. Besides PC, OpenCritic lists Baldur's Gate 3 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S.
Does Baldur's Gate 3 work on Steam Deck?
Valve rates it Steam Deck Verified, according to its Steam store page.
Does Baldur's Gate 3 have co-op?
Yes — its Steam store page lists online co-op. Skyrim itself has no official co-op.
Does Baldur's Gate 3 have mods?
Yes. Nexus Mods hosts 19,862 mods for Baldur's Gate 3, downloaded 552,189,005 times.
Is Baldur's Gate 3 worth playing?
critics give it a Top Critic Average of 96 on OpenCritic (96% recommend it), and Steam players rate it 97% positive (“Overwhelmingly Positive”) from 861,988 reviews. Skip it if: you want real-time combat and first-person exploration.
How long does it take to beat Baldur's Gate 3?
It depends heavily on how much side content you do. See community-reported completion times on HowLongToBeat.
