Do you like 5e? Yes? Good, I don't need to say $#!+ else! Buy the game and play it and be glad that you did.

If you said no, then let me explain why that doesn't matter.
5e (Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition ruleset) is way better as a video game system than a tabletop RPG, and this game proves it. Looking at the gameplay alone there are many things that stand out from other games of the same genre. The first thing is that this game plays more like a turn-based strategy game than a true-blue CRPG when in combat, utilizing 5e's action system in a most intuitive way. There's no option to go into real-time, which would normally suck real hard... if it weren't for what I just mentioned. The combat in Baldur's Gate 3 is incredibly tactical and rewarding, with arenas feeling much better than the normally artificial feeling scenery of chest high walls and cover that doesn't make any damn sense. Every set piece fits narratively, and this fact makes discovering certain solutions to more puzzling fights that much more satisfying. Whether it's using the high ground to your advantage, or lighting up a grease trap in a doorway or tight corridor, running up to stuff and attacking it (while sometimes seems more effective) is not the only solution like it can sometimes feel when you're sitting at the table wondering whether or not your character's features are ever going to be useful. The environment being a factor in every combat is probably the biggest factor that sets this apart from the tabletop game.

If you still need convincing, then we can take a step away from the (much better than it's IRL counterpart) gameplay and look to the real reason people play CRPGs to begin with, the story and characters. The stakes are pretty damn high from the moment you hit "new game" and just continue to grow as you continue to progress through the various quests and Main Story scenarios. Your companions will sometimes be at odds with each other but come together to reach their common goal. Each of their personal goals will develop in a natural way *with* the main story (none of them feel like their side $#!+ is actually unimportant) so you don't feel like your companion quests are just running errands that just eventually lead to romance somehow. Not to mention that the world itself is very true to it's source material- that being: Faerun/The Forgotten Realms- with various races and factions being properly represented with no holds barred. The focus on the Sword Coast- while it does feel a bit overused- is expected in a Baldur's Gate game and is done brilliantly, making veterans feel right at home and drawing in new players with ease due to the more-than-competent world building. The scenery is diverse, ranging from the normal lush, green, forests we see in fantasy all of the time to the expansive and molten rivers of the underdark. There are others that I will not mention for fear of spoiling too much, but understand that the variance is there. This game has something for everyone and all that you need to do is give it a good 5 minutes, which will turn into hours, which will turn into days. Oh, and did I mention that there's multiplayer?

TL;DR the changes made to accommodate a video game adaptation of Dungeons and Dragons' 5th edition ruleset, as well as the incredible writing and visuals make Baldur's Gate 3 an instant pickup for anyone that wants some ridiculously good CRPG writing with tactical turn-based strategy combat. It's well worth any price it's at. Full, complete game right out of the gate. A much needed change to the triple A formula from a non-triple A company.

Do you like 5e? Yes? Good, I don't need to say $#!+ else! Buy the game and play it and be glad that you did. If you said no, then let me explain why that doesn't matter. 5e (Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition ruleset) is way better as a video game system than a tabletop RPG, and this game proves it. Looking at the gameplay alone there are many things that stand out from other games of the same genre. The first thing is that this game plays more like a turn-based strategy game than a true-blue CRPG when in combat, utilizing 5e's action system in a most intuitive way. There's no option to go into real-time, which would normally suck real hard... if it weren't for what I just mentioned. The combat in Baldur's Gate 3 is incredibly tactical and rewarding, with arenas feeling much better than the normally artificial feeling scenery of chest high walls and cover that doesn't make any damn sense. Every set piece fits narratively, and this fact makes discovering certain solutions to more puzzling fights that much more satisfying. Whether it's using the high ground to your advantage, or lighting up a grease trap in a doorway or tight corridor, running up to stuff and attacking it (while sometimes seems more effective) is not the only solution like it can sometimes feel when you're sitting at the table wondering whether or not your character's features are ever going to be useful. The environment being a factor in every combat is probably the biggest factor that sets this apart from the tabletop game. If you still need convincing, then we can take a step away from the (much better than it's IRL counterpart) gameplay and look to the real reason people play CRPGs to begin with, the story and characters. The stakes are pretty damn high from the moment you hit "new game" and just continue to grow as you continue to progress through the various quests and Main Story scenarios. Your companions will sometimes be at odds with each other but come together to reach their common goal. Each of their personal goals will develop in a natural way *with* the main story (none of them feel like their side $#!+ is actually unimportant) so you don't feel like your companion quests are just running errands that just eventually lead to romance somehow. Not to mention that the world itself is very true to it's source material- that being: Faerun/The Forgotten Realms- with various races and factions being properly represented with no holds barred. The focus on the Sword Coast- while it does feel a bit overused- is expected in a Baldur's Gate game and is done brilliantly, making veterans feel right at home and drawing in new players with ease due to the more-than-competent world building. The scenery is diverse, ranging from the normal lush, green, forests we see in fantasy all of the time to the expansive and molten rivers of the underdark. There are others that I will not mention for fear of spoiling too much, but understand that the variance is there. This game has something for everyone and all that you need to do is give it a good 5 minutes, which will turn into hours, which will turn into days. Oh, and did I mention that there's multiplayer? TL;DR the changes made to accommodate a video game adaptation of Dungeons and Dragons' 5th edition ruleset, as well as the incredible writing and visuals make Baldur's Gate 3 an instant pickup for anyone that wants some ridiculously good CRPG writing with tactical turn-based strategy combat. It's well worth any price it's at. Full, complete game right out of the gate. A much needed change to the triple A formula from a non-triple A company.