Baldur’s Gate 3 Alternatives: Divinity, Dragon Age, Pathfinder

What to play if you loved the big, messy joy of Baldur’s Gate

As a CRPG nerd who’s tested 60+ party-based RPGs over the last decade, I get asked for games like baldur’s gate 3 a lot. You want turn-based fights, big choices, and story. Same. I live for this stuff.

Short answer so you can get moving: If you want the best mix of tactical combat and freedom, play Divinity: Original Sin 2. If you want classic Bioware vibes and cozy party banter, go Dragon Age: Origins. If you crave crunchy rules and deep character builds, it’s Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. If you miss old-school isometric RPGs with serious lore, go Pillars of Eternity. If you want co-op chaos, yep—Divinity again. That’s the hit list.

Also, yes, Larian didn’t invent the genre. But they did make it wildly fun again. If you somehow missed it, read up on Baldur’s Gate 3 to see what made the world lose a year of social life. I was there. My friends barely saw sunlight.

How I judge “BG3-like” games (and why you should care)

• Turn-based or tactical real-time that rewards planning
• Party-based play with companions that feel alive
• Choice and consequence that actually matters
• Buildcrafting: feats, perks, multiclass madness
• Co-op or at least strong single-player hooks

In my experience, hit four of those and you’ll scratch the itch. Hit all five and, well, bye weekend.

If you want the most freedom and the silliest combat tools

I’ve always said the real boss in these games is physics. That’s why I keep returning to Divinity: Original Sin 2. The environmental combos are bananas. Oil, blood, poison, water—everything’s a toy. Throw a barrel. Teleport a boss off a cliff. Turn your friend into a chicken. I once spent 20 minutes setting up the “perfect” turn. It ruled. It also failed. Worth it.

If you’re in a co-op mood and want lighter, couch-friendly chaos between heavy CRPG sessions, I keep a list of two-player co-op games like It Takes Two for exactly this purpose. Not CRPGs, but they’re perfect palate cleansers after a long night of inventory Tetris.

If you crave crunchy D&D-style builds and long campaigns

What I think is: you’ll either love or bounce off Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous in the first few hours. It’s dense. The buildcrafting is absurd in a good way. Mythic paths let you go full angel, demon, trickster, or something weirder. It’s like min-max heaven. Or hell. Bring snacks. And a spreadsheet. I’m not joking.

Sometimes I miss the clean lines of older games—pixel art, side-scrollers, simple controls. When that mood hits, I go revisit some iconic 2D games that defined my childhood. Different genre, same warm brain-hug.

If your heart wants lore, worldbuilding, and that “classic CRPG” feel

I still boot up Pillars of Eternity when I want deep lore and a world that takes itself seriously. It’s real-time with pause, not turn-based, but it nails the party dynamic and the “my choices shape the story” vibe. It’s slower. More thoughtful. Like sipping tea instead of chugging a potion.

On nights when I want strategy in tight, readable pixels, I drift into pixel battle games. Turn-based grids, clean feedback, crunchy decisions. The itch is the same: plan, execute, cackle.

If you want big feelings, party banter, and hero’s-journey comfort food

Yes, it’s older. Yes, it holds up. Dragon Age: Origins is still the gold standard for companion chemistry and simple, strong fantasy storytelling. Your choices matter. The origin stories still slap. I romance Alistair every time and I’m not sorry.

Also, I’m a sucker for good art. If your eyes want nostalgia while your brain wants modern design, go dive into some pixel art games. It’s that cozy “I’ve been here before” feeling—without dealing with 90s UI pain.

What about co-op?

Co-op in Divinity: Original Sin 2 is still the best in the genre. Full campaign, real builds, true chaos. BG3 followed that path and made it flashier, sure, but DOS2 did the heavy lifting. My partner and I once argued for 30 minutes over who got the teleport gloves. Healthy relationship stuff.

Burned out on combat? I switch gears

When I’m done saving the realm for the 19th time, I detox with life-sim comfort picks. If you want stuff to unwind with, I keep a roundup of comfort games like The Sims. Zero goblins. Maximum cozy chaos. Think building a kitchen that somehow catches fire every Tuesday.

Mini guides: Pick based on your mood

“I want tactical chess with explosions.”

• Play: Divinity: Original Sin 2
• Why: Systems sandbox. Every surface is a plan.
• Tip: Teleport is life. Verticality is a free damage stat.

“I want to drown in builds and spreadsheets.”

• Play: Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
• Why: Deep feats, mythic paths, massive campaign.
• Tip: Plan your prestige classes early. Saves tears later.

“I want lore and a grown-up tone.”

• Play: Pillars of Eternity
• Why: Worldbuilding first; tactical pause real-time.
• Tip: Don’t rush. Read the notes. Yes, the notes.

“I want story warmth and companion drama.”

• Play: Dragon Age: Origins
• Why: Origins, choices, romance—a comfort blanket.
• Tip: Bring a dog. Always bring the dog.

Quick comparison (read like a table)

• Divinity: Original Sin 2 — Turn-based — 2–4 player co-op — Medium crunch — Sandbox tactics, funny chaos
• Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous — Turn-based/RTwP toggle — Single-player — High crunch — Epic length, build heaven
• Pillars of Eternity — Real-time with pause — Single-player — Medium-high crunch — Heavy lore, slower pace
• Dragon Age: Origins — Real-time with pause — Single-player — Medium crunch — Story-first, great companions
• Solasta: Crown of the Magister — Turn-based — Single-player (with custom party) — Medium crunch — True 5e feel on a budget

A few extra picks I actually play

• Wasteland 3: Turn-based tactics with snark. Skill checks that matter.
• Tyranny: Evil-leaning choices. Short, sharp, very replayable.
• Solasta: Built for grid combat nerds. Not flashy, very faithful.

Why these scratch the same itch

I’ve noticed the real hook isn’t just “fantasy RPG.” It’s agency. It’s planning your turn, pulling off a dumb combo, and watching the battlefield change because you did something clever. That’s why I group these together when people ask for games like baldur’s gate 3. Shared DNA: tactical combat, party dynamics, build freedom, and consequences you can feel.

One more on Divinity because it’s that important

BG3’s lineage is obvious. If you play Divinity: Original Sin 2 first, you’ll see the foundation—dialogue checks tied to stats, environmental effects, goofy-but-smart writing. Larian refined their own formula. Different skin, same skeleton. In a good way.

And if you want to go even more “classic”

It’s funny. People talk about “modern CRPGs” like they dropped from space last year. But the line runs back through Pillars, Dragon Age: Origins, and the isometric days that inspired them. I still replay those when I need a reset. Fewer particle effects. More heart.

Oh, and if you want a simple blast of feel-good nostalgia between campaigns, I toss on an old favorite from my list of iconic 2D games. Sometimes less is more. Sometimes less is just less. But it’s comfy.

Pro tips so you don’t rage-quit

• Save often. Quick-save is your best friend. Second best friend is reload.
• Read tooltips. Half the “bugs” are just rules doing rules stuff.
• Verticality wins fights. High ground is basically a cheat code.
• Don’t hoard every potion. Use them. This isn’t a museum.
• In co-op, set loot rules early. Trust me on this one.

What if I just want vibes?

Totally fair. Not every night is spreadsheet night. When I’m wiped, I lean on short, stylish stuff and a few pixel art games that still give me that “one more run” feel without demanding my brain’s GPU.

One last sanity check

If the core thing you loved was “talk to companions, make choices, and do tactical fights,” you’re safe with the picks above. If what you want is exactly that BG3 shine, well, there’s only one BG3. But these are the closest, best-feeling games like baldur’s gate 3 I can vouch for after way too many late nights and cold coffees.

FAQs

• Is Divinity: Original Sin 2 really the closest to BG3?

  Yeah. Same studio DNA, same spirit of “experiment and break stuff.” It’s less cinematic, but the systems are even wilder.

• I’m new to CRPGs. Which one should I start with?

  Dragon Age: Origins for story and ease, or Divinity: Original Sin 2 on Explorer (easy) mode. Both teach you the ropes without pain.

• Pathfinder scares me. Is it too complex?

  It’s dense, but you can use auto-level and a simpler difficulty. If you like builds and long campaigns, it’s worth it.

• Do any of these have good co-op?

  Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the best co-op campaign here. BG3 too, of course. The others are mostly single-player.

• Real-time with pause vs turn-based—what should I pick?

  Turn-based if you love planning each move; RTwP if you want flow and speed. I swap based on mood—and coffee level.

Henry Wright

Henry Wright: Celebrating the artistry of gaming. I cover Pixel Games, Indie Battles, Arcade Classics, Gaming Culture, and Visual Design. Let’s explore the pixels together!