After launching earlier than expected on PC, Baldur’s Gate 3 is finally available on PlayStation 5. The game is known for being tricky to run on PC, with the final act being borderline unplayable on Steam Deck, so how does it run on Sony’s current machine?
Baldur’s Gate 3 had an early access launch on PS5, with people who bought certain editions were able to play the game a few days sooner than everyone else. It turned out that this version of the game wasn’t the one that the general audience would receive, as Baldur’s Gate 3 received a new Hotfix ahead of the full PS5 launch. As such, this is the version of the game that we tested, and if you want to know our thoughts about the original PC version, check out Gamepur’s review of Baldur’s Gate 3.
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Baldur’s Gate 3 Is Playable On PS5, But It Has Issues
In short, Baldur’s Gate 3 is perfectly playable on PS5, but it shares many of the issues of the PC version of the game. You’ll have no problem finishing the game, so long as you can ignore a litany of minor issues that plague the experience, though none of them are game-breaking. The bulk of the issues are performance and glitch-related, with the former being not as much of a problem for a turn-based RPG.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is compatible with the DualSense controller, and Larian did a fantastic job making sure the game works with this control method. Indeed, my own playthrough on PC used a controller, so it’s my preferred way of playing. Baldur’s Gate 3 also has adaptive trigger and haptic feedback compatibility, but both are rarely used in the current build, so you may as well disable them to save on battery life.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Visual Quality & Performance On PS5
The PS5 version of Baldur’s Gate 3 has Quality and Performance mode, but there’s little difference between them most of the time. The main determinator for the game’s quality is the number of objects on screen, with the frame rate being a lot smoother in dungeons than it is in towns. The game never drops to an unplayable slow level, but you will see dips occasionally. You should also expect a big dip if you’re playing split-screen mode, which explains why the Xbox Series S version of the game won’t include it.
The game looks amazing, especially for those who have tried running it on PC and were forced to drop the settings as low as possible to get it working. The lighting and character models have never looked better. If you’re excited for Baldur’s Gate 3 after reading all of the online hype, then the PS5 might be your cheapest option unless you’re looking for a portable version with poorer visuals, so you should seek out a Steam Deck.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Bugs & Glitches On PS5
In terms of glitches, there are lots of small ones, ranging from animation screw-ups to the UI not responding correctly. Baldur’s Gate 3 has already received several patches since launch, which aim to fix these problems, but they’re alive and well in the PS5 port. Perhaps the most annoying of these is a recurring issue where a companion won’t follow you after jumping over a gap, forcing you to take direct control over them and make them jump… while your other party members are trying to jump back to the original location. It’s incredibly frustrating, and I hope it gets fixed soon.
There seems to be parity between the PC and PS5 versions when it comes to technical issues. With the PS5 port, you’re at least guaranteed a hardware baseline, while the PC audience will always be facing issues with the variable graphics cards and builds that people use. One saving grace is that the PS5 version works out of the box, while any PC user could potentially face issues that they’re unaware of before booting up the game for the first time.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s The Level Cap?
If you’re excited to play Baldur’s Gate 3 after hearing all of the hype about the PC version, then the PS5 port can satisfy your needs. Just bear in mind that the game is still a work in progress, even though it’s technically finished. You should expect Baldur’s Gate 3 to receive many more patches in the future, as there is still work to be done polishing all of the versions of the game. If you’re jonesing for a new RPG and Starfield is beyond the reach of your machines, then Baldur’s Gate 3 will more than scratch your itch.
