Baldur's Gate 3 Gets Accessibility Mostly Right, But There's Still Room to Improve

ign.com:

It’s August and the only game I’ve consistently played is Baldur’s Gate 3. I can’t stop thinking about progressing in my multiple campaigns, unraveling new secrets and areas, and even determining which character best suits a specific conversation. And as someone who’s unsuccessfully tried numerous times to play tabletop D&D because of a lack of interest, I was initially apprehensive about playing the video game version. Thankfully I’ve never been more wrong.

I have three campaigns I’m currently running – a Storm Sorcerer obsessed with the arcane, a Paladin who ironically broke his oath merely 30 minutes into his adventures, and a charismatic Bard who is very eager to let Astarion continue to bite his neck. With every decision I make across my adventures, Baldur’s Gate 3 demonstrates the importance of accessible design, especially when a game can be so overwhelming. For this month’s Access Designed, I want to highlight the need for cognitive accessibility, and why Baldur’s Gate 3, despite my adoration, is a deeply complex title.

Before I truly dive into my critiques and concerns from a cognitive accessibility standpoint, I want to praise Larian Studios for its work regarding physical accessibility. Despite the plethora of keys and buttons that perform varying commands like abilities, camera control, and inventory management, every major action can be completed with just the mouse. As someone with a progressive disease and weakened muscles, it’s increasingly disheartening to need to take breaks from expansive titles. I never want to stop gaming with friends because of my limitations, and having the capability to conserve energy while simultaneously playing for hours is one of the best parts about this game. It doesn’t matter