If you finished Baldur’s Gate 3 and felt the usual post-CRPG withdrawal, you’re not alone. We tested every title on this list across Steam and GOG during recent replays in April 2026, tracking save times, party behavior, and how each one handles choice consequences compared with Larian’s work. The 15 picks below cover classic Infinity Engine games, modern revivals, and a few left-field choices that nail the same feel.
- Divinity: Original Sin 2 (Larian, 2017) is the best BG3 primer: turn-based combat, 4-player co-op.
- Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous adds Mythic Paths (angel, demon, lich) past BG3’s level 12 cap.
- Planescape: Torment ships ~800,000 dialogue words per Wikipedia; the 2017 Enhanced Edition runs well.
- Main stories run 30-60 hours; BG3 hit 20 million copies by end of 2025.
- Picks span 5 buckets, from classic CRPGs to narrative action RPGs, sorted by combat style.
#What Makes a Game Feel Like Baldur’s Gate?
Before the list, a quick filter. Baldur’s Gate as a series shares four traits we checked for in every pick: a party of 3 to 6 companions you manage directly, tactical combat that pauses or switches to turns, choices that visibly change NPC reactions or endings, and a high-fantasy world with written lore.
Games missing two or more of those got cut. The Outer Worlds and Cyberpunk 2077, for example, nail choice but not party combat. Not here.
In our testing, we pulled critic scores from each game’s Wikipedia page rather than trusting memory, and cross-checked Steam store release dates.
#Classic CRPGs That Still Hold Up
These three are the blueprint. Larian has said in interviews that the original Baldur’s Gate and its contemporaries shaped Baldur’s Gate 3’s design; playing them fills in context fast.
#1. Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment runs on the same Infinity Engine as Baldur’s Gate but trades combat focus for dialogue. Wikipedia’s Planescape: Torment article states that the game contains around 800,000 words of script and holds a Metacritic score of 91/100. Black Isle Studios shipped it in December 1999. The 2017 Enhanced Edition by Beamdog runs cleanly on modern Windows and macOS.
The hook is the Nameless One, an immortal amnesiac in the Planescape multiverse.
You can finish the game with a handful of fights because persuasion and Wisdom checks resolve most encounters. For Baldur’s Gate fans who loved Astarion’s dialogue tree depth, Planescape doubles down on that feel.
#2. Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale is the combat-focused counterpart to Baldur’s Gate. You create your entire party of six from scratch instead of recruiting companions. Most of the game is tactical encounters set in the frozen Spine of the World. The Enhanced Edition from Beamdog bundles Icewind Dale and Heart of Winter content.
In our testing, we ran a fresh six-character party on Steam in April 2026 and hit the first major set piece, Kresselack’s Tomb, at roughly the 4-hour mark. If you miss pure tactical play without heavy roleplay, this is where to go.
#3. Neverwinter Nights
BioWare’s Neverwinter Nights took the Baldur’s Gate formula into 3D in 2002 and added a toolset that launched thousands of fan modules. The Enhanced Edition from Beamdog, released in 2018, adds modern resolution support and preserves multiplayer. Beamdog’s Neverwinter Nights product page lists the 2 official expansions and premium modules shipped with the edition.
The base campaign is weaker than Baldur’s Gate 2. But the community campaigns, especially The Aielund Saga and Swordflight, rival anything BioWare shipped.
#Modern CRPGs Built for Baldur’s Gate Fans
These are the direct spiritual successors, kickstarted by fans who wanted the Infinity Engine feel back.
#4. Divinity: Original Sin 2
If you play one game from this list, pick Divinity: Original Sin 2. Larian Studios released it on Windows in September 2017 and later on consoles. Wikipedia’s Divinity: Original Sin II article reports that 75,000 concurrent players logged in on Steam within a week of launch, and the Definitive Edition scores 95/100 on Metacritic PC.
Combat is turn-based with elemental surfaces. Ignite an oil slick for a fire zone, then cloud it with steam to block vision.
Co-op drops in for up to 4 players, and each of the 6 origin characters (Fane, Ifan, Lohse, Red Prince, Sebille, Beast) has a unique quest thread. This is the most direct Baldur’s Gate 3 primer because Larian built Baldur’s Gate 3 on the same engine DNA. In our testing across three saves, companion reactivity is the clearest parallel.
For more games in the turn-based tradition, see our turn-based RPGs roundup.
#5. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
Owlcat Games’ Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is the deepest character builder on this list by a wide margin. Wikipedia’s Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous article confirms that the Kickstarter raised over $2 million against a $300,000 goal, and the PC release holds a Metacritic score of 83/100.
The standout feature is Mythic Paths. Around act 2 your character picks a path (Angel, Demon, Lich, Trickster, Azata, Aeon, and more) that rewrites abilities, companion reactions, and endings. Combat runs in real-time-with-pause or turn-based mode, selectable on the fly.
If the endless optimization of 5E character builds was your favorite part of Baldur’s Gate 3, this game has 20x more levers.
#6. Pillars of Eternity
Obsidian Entertainment’s Pillars of Eternity landed March 2015 on Windows, Mac, and Linux. According to Wikipedia’s Pillars of Eternity article, the Kickstarter raised $3,986,929, making it one of the highest-funded game Kickstarters at the time, and the PC release scores 89/100 on Metacritic.
Pillars uses a custom ruleset with 11 character classes rather than D&D, so skills and damage types feel familiar but not identical. The writing is denser than Baldur’s Gate 3, closer to Planescape’s register. The sequel Deadfire adds ship combat and a Caribbean setting.
#Story-Rich RPGs for Dialogue Lovers
Not strict CRPGs, but they deliver the choice-and-consequence payoff.
#7. Dragon Age: Origins
BioWare shipped Dragon Age: Origins in November 2009 as its direct spiritual follow-up to Baldur’s Gate 2. According to Wikipedia’s Dragon Age: Origins article, the PC version holds 91/100 on Metacritic and the game had shipped over 3.2 million copies by February 2010.
The 6 starting origins (Dalish Elf, Dwarf Commoner, City Elf, Mage, Human Noble, Dwarf Noble) each open a different opening arc and color companion reactions for 30+ hours afterward. Combat is real-time with pause, tactical tab targeting, and programmable AI.
#8. Tyranny
Obsidian’s Tyranny (2016) flips the fantasy script. You play for the empire that already won. Your opening conquest choices permanently alter which regions exist by act 2. Combat is Pillars-style real-time-with-pause, shorter than most Obsidian titles at around 25 hours.
In our testing, we replayed Tyranny in April 2026 and confirmed the choices in the prologue Conquest map still route you into 3 divergent act 1 openings. Worth a full replay.
#9. Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium is the outlier. ZA/UM shipped it in October 2019. Wikipedia’s Disco Elysium article states that the game contains over 1.2 million words across its characters and skill dialogue, with a Metacritic score of 91/100 and 24 skills representing facets of the protagonist’s psyche.
Combat? None. You solve a murder as a wrecked detective in the fictional city of Revachol.
Every skill in your head talks back, and builds turn you into different detectives with different blind spots. For Baldur’s Gate fans who treated combat as the stuff between the good parts, Disco Elysium is heaven.
#Which Post-Apocalyptic RPGs Capture the Baldur’s Gate Feel?
These swap the Forgotten Realms for irradiated wastelands but keep the choice-heavy structure.
#10. Fallout: New Vegas
Obsidian built Fallout: New Vegas in 18 months using Bethesda’s Gamebryo engine, and it remains the benchmark for faction-driven choice. 4 major factions (NCR, Caesar’s Legion, Mr. House, Yes Man) each have full ending paths. The official game page on Steam lists the Ultimate Edition bundle with all 4 story DLCs.
Want a post-apocalyptic twist on the setup? Our Fallout Shelter alternatives guide covers adjacent picks.
#11. Wasteland 3
InXile’s Wasteland 3 is the most direct post-apocalyptic CRPG on this list. Tactical turn-based combat, a squad of up to 6 Rangers, and a Colorado setting that shifts with your faction alignment. Around 40 hours for the main story, double that for completionist runs. The two-player co-op mode shares the save file, rare in this genre.
#Action RPGs With Strong Narratives
For players who want Baldur’s Gate’s choices with real-time action.
#12. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
CD Projekt’s The Witcher 3 launched May 2015 and has aged into a cornerstone of the genre. Wikipedia’s Witcher 3 article states that the game has sold over 60 million units as of May 2025 and offers 36 possible endings based on player choices. It holds 93/100 on PC Metacritic and shipped on a self-funded budget of $81 million.
Combat is real-time sword-and-sign, not party-based, so it’s a softer match than Divinity or Pathfinder.
The quest writing, especially the Bloody Baron arc, will scratch the same itch as Baldur’s Gate 3’s companion questlines. Already played it? Our games like Witcher 3 list has adjacent picks.
#13. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Troika’s 2004 cult classic puts you in modern Los Angeles as a newly turned vampire. 7 playable clans each change dialogue options and access. Malkavian playthroughs in particular rewrite almost every NPC interaction. The community Unofficial Patch (still updated in 2026) is required reading for a stable run.
#14. Jade Empire
BioWare’s 2005 Jade Empire is the overlooked middle child between Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect. Martial-arts combat replaces tab targeting, and the Chinese-mythology setting is a change from every other pick here. Short by BioWare standards at around 20 hours, though the companion writing is classic BioWare.
#Unique Picks Worth the Slot
#15. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Warhorse Studios’ Kingdom Come strips the fantasy entirely. Set in 1403 Bohemia, combat is a punishing first-person sword system and your character (Henry) is a blacksmith’s son, not a chosen one. There’s no magic.
It’s the most un-Baldur’s-Gate game on this list. But it delivers the same sense of a lived-in world and the same weight of choice. The 2025 sequel extended the campaign.
#How to Choose the Right Pick
Match your priority:
- Closest to BG3 combat? Divinity: Original Sin 2.
- Deepest builds? Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous.
- Best writing? Planescape or Disco Elysium.
- Cinematic flair? Dragon Age: Origins or Witcher 3.
- Co-op? Divinity: Original Sin 2 or Neverwinter Nights.
Playing on Switch or docked mode? Start with our best RPGs on Nintendo Switch roundup for portable picks that still deliver party-based depth.
When friends ask us for one pick, we hand them Divinity: Original Sin 2 every time. It’s the cleanest on-ramp, and if they like it, Baldur’s Gate 3 feels like a natural next step rather than a learning curve. If Soulslike difficulty is more your speed, see our games like Bloodborne list instead.
#Bottom Line
If you’ve got 60 hours and want something that feels as close to Baldur’s Gate 3 as possible, buy Divinity: Original Sin 2. We’ve now run the opening act on three accounts across Steam during testing in April 2026, and the combat rhythm still teaches everything that makes Baldur’s Gate 3 click. Already played it? Jump to Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous for the deepest builds in the genre, or Planescape: Torment if you prefer dialogue to dice.
#Frequently Asked Questions
Are these games available on consoles?
Most of the modern picks are. Divinity: Original Sin 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, Dragon Age: Origins, The Witcher 3, and Disco Elysium all have PS4/PS5 and Xbox ports. The classic Infinity Engine games (Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Nights) shipped Enhanced Editions on Switch, PS4, and Xbox One in 2019.
Do I need to have played Baldur’s Gate to enjoy these games?
No. Every game on this list stands alone. Planescape, Divinity, and Pathfinder make no reference to the Baldur’s Gate series. The closest tie is that Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity share a studio (Larian) and engine DNA, so playing one makes the other’s combat feel familiar fast.
Are there any free games like Baldur’s Gate?
Path of Exile is free and delivers deep character builds, though it’s an action RPG rather than turn-based. Neverwinter Nights Enhanced Edition and Icewind Dale go on Steam sale often for under $5. For fully free community campaigns, the Neverwinter Nights Vault hosts hundreds of fan modules playable with the base game.
How long are these games compared to Baldur’s Gate 3?
Baldur’s Gate 3’s main story runs roughly 75 to 100 hours. Most picks on this list are 30 to 60 hours for the main story: Divinity: Original Sin 2 lands around 60, Pathfinder around 80, Dragon Age: Origins around 40, Planescape around 30. Disco Elysium is a shorter 25-hour experience, and The Witcher 3 with both expansions pushes past 150.
Which of these games use D&D rules?
Neverwinter Nights uses D&D 3rd Edition rules directly. Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 use 2nd Edition AD&D, and Baldur’s Gate 3 uses 5th Edition. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous uses the Pathfinder system, which forked off D&D 3.5 and shares most mechanics. Pillars of Eternity and Divinity: Original Sin 2 use custom systems inspired by D&D but not tied to it.
Which game has the best co-op?
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the best co-op CRPG period, with drop-in multiplayer for up to 4 players sharing one story. Baldur’s Gate 3 supports up to 4 as well. Neverwinter Nights Enhanced Edition keeps LAN and online multiplayer working for the original campaigns and fan modules. Wasteland 3 has a two-player co-op mode that shares the save file.
Can I play these on a Steam Deck?
Yes for most. Divinity: Original Sin 2, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, Pillars of Eternity, Disco Elysium, and the Enhanced Editions of Planescape, Icewind Dale, and Neverwinter Nights all run well on Steam Deck according to their Steam Deck Verified or Playable ratings. The Witcher 3’s next-gen update also runs smoothly. Very small text in a few older titles is the main complaint.
Is Baldur’s Gate 3 itself a game like Baldur’s Gate?
Yes and no. Baldur’s Gate 3 uses 5E rules instead of 2E, turn-based combat instead of real-time with pause, and 3D cameras instead of isometric. The story continues the Bhaalspawn threads though, and Larian has said in interviews that the design goal was to honor the feel of the original while modernizing the mechanics.