Baldur’s Gate 3included several characters from the franchise’s original two games. These characters fulfilled a variety of roles, from antagonists to friends and mentors, but all of them brought a feeling of nostalgia for those who had played the previous twoBaldur’s Gategames.
Nostalgia is a powerful tool for developers, but it can also backfire in some cases. Not all the returning characters inBaldur’s Gate 3had a positive reception, and writing resources spent on returning characters could sometimes be better spent on major characters who needed more screen time. There were some party members inBaldur’s Gate 3who received less screen time than others, andBaldur’s Gate 3’s sequel could avoid this by ditching the allure of nostalgia and instead focusing on its own characters.
The Returning Characters From Baldur’s Gate 3’s Predecessors
Minsc, Jaheira, Viconia, and Sarevok are all returning characters from previousBaldur’s Gategames. Sarevok was one of the major antagonists ofBaldur’s Gate, and returns as a minor antagonist inBaldur’s Gate 3. Viconia was a party member inBaldur’s Gate, but appears as a major antagonist in Shadowheart’s personal quest inBaldur’s Gate 3as the mother superior in the Shar enclave in Baldur’s Gate. BothJaheira and Minsc were party members in the previousBaldur’s Gategames, and return as party members once more inBaldur’s Gate 3, with additional dialogue if the player character is the Dark Urge.
The Ups and Downs of BG3’s Callbacks
Rather than just being simple cameos, these characters return with major roles inBaldur’s Gate 3. While players who have not experienced the previousBaldur’s Gategames do not need the context of their previous appearances to understand their roles or places in the story, those who did play the previous games benefit from the added context and nostalgia of their inclusion.
Conversely, some players objected to the role some of the characters played in their reappearance, as it ran counter to their character arcs from previous games. The biggest example of this is Viconia, who turns away from Shar in the epilogue ofBaldur’s Gate: Shadows of Amn, yet is themother superior of Shar’s cult inBaldur’s Gate 3.
Moving Away From Nostalgia in Baldur’s Gate 3’s Sequel
Baldur’s Gate 4has the chance of moving away from including returning characters in the way thatBaldur’s Gate 3used them, either by setting the game in the far future, or by limiting future character reappearances to cameos rather than major roles. Some characters, such asAstarion and Minthara, are members of long-lived racesand could still appear in aBaldur’s Gate 3sequel set hundreds of years in the future. Their appearances in future games could be feasible, but would be better if limited to cameo roles if they did appear.
Having characters from previous games reappear means that writing resources are spent on an established character that could have gone to a new, original character. Alternatively, the resources that went into givingscreen time to a character like Minsccould have instead been spent on characters like Karlach or Wyll, who made their first appearances inBaldur’s Gate 3, but who had less screen time and lines compared to other party members.Baldur’s Gate 3’s sequel could avoid this by instead focusing on its own characters, rather than including past characters for the sake of nostalgia.
Avoiding the inclusion of characters from past games also means avoiding continuity controversy, such as what happened with Viconia. While any sequel toBaldur’s Gate 3is going to have to ignore certain endings, especially the evil ones, the major characters still have several outcomes that would need to be addressed if they were to appear in a futureBaldur’s Gatesequel, and it would be better to leave their completed stories inBaldur’s Gate 3.
Baldur’s Gate 3
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCEChoose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPICForged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian’s next-generation RPG engine.
