Baldur’s Gate 3 vs Divinity 2: which should you play?

Baldur’s Gate 3 has taken the world by storm this year and is without a doubt a top contender for the 2023 Game of the Year. When the game exploded into popularity, Divinity 2 also began being brought up often. Why? Divinity 2 is from Larian Studios—the same developers responsible for Baldur’s Gate 3—and when it was released in 2017, it was being praised as one of the best strategy RPGs ever made.

Well, Larian has done it again, as Baldur’s Gate 3 is now being called one of the greatest games of all time. Here’s the thing, though—Divinity 2 matches BG3 in almost every critic metric. Suffice it to say, both Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity 2 are phenomenal games. So, if given the choice, which should you play?

Baldur’s Gate 3 vs Divinity 2: Game specs

Maybe you’ll get lucky and be unable to play one or the other due to platform limitations. We say “lucky” because this is a damn hard decision to make otherwise. Here is a breakdown of the platforms, size, and cost specifications for both Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity 2.

If this helped you realize you don’t have the option to play one of these amazing games, congratulations! If not, read on.

Does Baldur’s Gate 3 or Divinity 2 have a better story?

BG3 is based on and set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, while Divinity 2 is set in a new world created by Larian. With that said, Divinity 2 has very clear and strong inspiration from Dungeons & Dragons.

Being based on a roleplaying game whose whole appeal is freedom, BG3 naturally has dozens of different options and ways that a campaign can play out. While Divinity 2 offers freedom of expression, there simply are not as many routes possible.

BG3 has more replayability in terms of its story, but players may find the narrative of Divinity 2 to be slightly more palatable. Choose BG3 if you want to be completely overwhelmed and enveloped in a world, or choose Divinity 2 if you don’t have quite as much time on your hands.

Baldur’s Gate 3 vs Divinity 2: Gameplay differences

Both games are turn-based strategy RPGs in which you’ll control a whole party at once and have to wait for enemies to take turns. With that said, the feeling of combat is different between the two games.

Generally speaking, the combat of BG3 feels slower and more cerebral than Divinity 2. If BG3 is chess, then Divinity 2 is checkers. If you don’t play board games, let us explain what we mean.

Spells and magic in general in Divinity 2 are much more “out there,” meaning you have more action economy, more power, and are generally more powerful. In BG3 you’ll have less powerful tools at your disposal, meaning you’ll have to put more thought into each turn, ultimately making rounds take longer.

In our opinion, this category goes to BG3, however, it is up to preference. Choose BG3 if you want a slower, more strategic combat experience, or choose Divinity 2 if you want a faster-paced and more epic combat experience.

Should you play Baldur’s Gate 3 or Divinity 2?

What we want to say is, “both,” however we know that isn’t always an option. If you have to choose one or the other for any reason, we recommend playing Baldur’s Gate 3. While Divinity 2 is a great game, the two are very similar, and BG3 is just that little bit better. Divinity 2 walked so that BG3 could run.

If both games are on the table and you’re curious about which should be enjoyed first, play Divinity 2 first. The reason we suggest this is actually the same reason as above—both are amazing, but BG3 is a little better all around.

If you go from BG3 to Divinity 2 and are actively comparing the two, you may find that some things are just not quite as satisfying or well done in Divinity 2. If you start with the “prototype” (Divinity 2) and move on to BG3, you’ll be able to appreciate the areas in which Larian Studios improved on an already fantastic design.