Everyone has a different level of preference for handholding in video games. Some people like clear instructions, a streamlined experience, and something that allows you to shut your brain off after a long day. Others like challenge, minimal guidance on what needs to be done, and the freedom to explore the game with no assurance of progress or success. Maybe you go back and forth between the two, as I do.

Currently, I’m playing both Kirby and the Forgotten Land on Nintendo Switch 2, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 on hardcore mode. You know, like any normal person would.

However, there’s a different kind of handholding that deserves to be explored – one that I believe is ultimately better when left out entirely, regardless of what sort of game you’re looking to play. Don’t worry, this isn’t like the internet bros telling you that your game shouldn’t have difficulty options because it makes them feel more accomplished in life. It’s a celebration of video games and what weaves the fabric of creativity together: curiosity.

The spark that led to the birth of video games itself, and so many of the great genres we know and love today. Curiosity should always be left up to the player, with the freedom to find little details and discoveries that give you a sense of fulfillment, whether you’re relaxing on Kirby or in between heated battles of blood and steel.

The prime example of curiosity done well? It’s a little old game called Baldur’s Gate 3; perhaps you’ve heard of it.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Let Me Do Things That Shouldn’t Be Possible

There were times in Baldur’s Gate 3 where a character would die early, accidentally ending a quest prematurely. This could happen in a vast number of instances throughout the game, and usually, you’d either reload the save to avoid that outcome again, or just move on and leave the opportunity for a second playthrough.

However, curiosity had a grasp on me. What if I used the Speak with Dead spell? Granted, there were times where the game would tell me that the corpse was unable to speak or just wouldn’t let me attempt it, but on occasion I was surprised to find that - despite the quests having already ended or altered - I could not only speak with the dead to learn more about the situation, but could also discuss these matters with other character as part of the quest. There would even be context or knowledge of the fact that this came from speaking with them after death, which I found to be a fascinating possibility.

Not only had post-mortem conversations been considered, but they had been scripted and voiced as if it were only natural that this would occur.

Larian Did Similar Things With Divinity: Original Sin 2

Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t the first and only game to offer a staggering depth of possibilities, however. Many games have included a few opportunities for something impressive, but just looking back to Larian’s previous titles, Divinity: Original Sin 2, the freedom for curiosity was immense, too.

After many attempts at a difficult fight, where the goal was to save someone held hostage in the middle of it, I started to wonder if there was another way. I set up my party members at an equal distance from each other, each with the means to cast teleport, creating a chain of sorts. With this, I executed a command to teleport the hostage along this chain and out to safety right as the conflict began, leading to the immediate progression of the quest while the combat had only just started.

Man, I love video games.

I love it when RPGs allow us to truly be curious, and Larian remains a prime example of how it can be done. It can take a lot more work to not only consider these things that players might try, let alone program them into the game with branching paths that people may never see, but it feels so worthwhile when you make a discovery like that. Whether relaxing or fretting in the deepest dungeon, if I can be curious and be rewarded for it, it makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable.

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Baldur's Gate 3

RPG Systems 5.0/5 42 9.4/10 Released August 3, 2023 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence Developer(s) Larian Studios Publisher(s) Larian Studios
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