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Larian Studios just wrapped up showing their latest Panel From Hell for the upcoming RPG, Baldur's Gate 3. The aptly named Release Showcase is the final live show to air ahead of the game's release on August 3. Today's showcase was streamed live from a medieval abbey and covered everything from "a customizable serial killer protagonist, to the importance of character identity, to the ability to wildshape into a dinosaur." Oh also, being able to fuck a bear.
The final playable Origin character was shared during today's stream. The Dark Urge is, by default, "an imposing dragonborn with alabaster skin and eyes that glare with the piercing gaze of a predator." Larian says that the Dark Urge is the first fully customizable character. Everything from their class, appearance, species, and gender are all up to you.
Stepping into the role of the Dark Urge, you’ll begin Baldur’s Gate 3 with your memory lost after an unfortunate encounter between a parasitic tadpole and your brain. Now all that’s left is an insatiable urge – an urge that makes itself known in your subconscious, through your deepest thoughts and in your dialogue options.
Followers of Blood in Baldur’s Gate will already be familiar with the Dark Urge’s simple but effective modus operandi: to murder brutally and indiscriminately. Driven to commit some of the most lurid acts of violence that you'll encounter in the game, to play as the Dark Urge means to either indulge your most depraved impulses or attempt to resist them.
The Dark Urge is guided by Sceleritas Fel, voiced by Brian Bowles (narrator in Divinity: Original Sin 2). Fel is a vile and loyal servant who lives only to see the Dark Urge return to its rightful, bloodstained path. His words of encouragement are like a poison in your mind, fueling your impulses – but it’s a poison that tastes like honey, if you’re so inclined.​
Followers of Blood in Baldur’s Gate will already be familiar with the Dark Urge’s simple but effective modus operandi: to murder brutally and indiscriminately. Driven to commit some of the most lurid acts of violence that you'll encounter in the game, to play as the Dark Urge means to either indulge your most depraved impulses or attempt to resist them.
The Dark Urge is guided by Sceleritas Fel, voiced by Brian Bowles (narrator in Divinity: Original Sin 2). Fel is a vile and loyal servant who lives only to see the Dark Urge return to its rightful, bloodstained path. His words of encouragement are like a poison in your mind, fueling your impulses – but it’s a poison that tastes like honey, if you’re so inclined.​
Baldur's Gate 3's third antagonist is Orin the Red. Orin is portrayed by Maggie Robertson and is a "shapeshifting murderess with the goal of painting the city of Baldur's Gate in blood."
Larian also showed off how players will get to create and customize their characters. You will get to customize things like your protagonist's appearance, to their stats, to their lore background. You can be a "hero, villain, or Ed Sharren, a simple bard traveling the roads of Faerûn with his trusty lute and a barely-concealed inner darkness that gnaws and festers, demanding release."
At launch, players will get to experiment with even more ways to create diverse, personalized characters:
- New skin options like freckles, vitiligo, scars
- New tattoo designs
- Heterochromia
- Lip makeup customization
- Accessories like earrings and piercings
- Horn color customization for Tieflings
“Have you ever considered the joys and pleasures of sexual congress with a wildshaped Druid?†asked Adam Smith, lead writer.
“Because at Larian, we have, and ultimately landed on the side of giving the people what they want: tender, consensual romance with a man temporarily transformed into a grizzly bear.â€
In Baldur's Gate 3 you will have "ample opportunities for romance with the characters you'll grow closest with." Larian says that emotional feelings with a party member may slowly turn into mutual physical desire, which could lead to a relationship. They also say, "a relationship that begins with a night of post-Goblin-slaughtering passion could also blossom into something vulnerable and sweet, given proper care."
Now, the trailer Larian released that focuses only on the relationship stuff doesn't seem to include that bear scene in question. However, Kotaku has a short gif of the sequence or you can hit up this timestamped YouTube video for the sequence. Scrub around to before the timestamp if you so desire, but beware that there's a decent amount of bare (and bear?) ass and maybe a few hints of dick here and there.
The bear isn't a real bear, of course. It is a shapeshifter in bear form.
Baldur's Gate 3 is out August 3 on PC and September 6 for PlayStation 5.
