Can someone give me a quick tldr why everyone is losing their mind over this?
I don't know anything about this game or it's predecessors.
Is it just a fantasy RPG or what's the hype all about?
How is it different from other fantasy RPGs?
the setting is awesome, a fantasy world with lots of lore, because it's D&D - there has been a lot of lore written about it, even if not about this particular game necessarily. So people are already familiar with how things work
the company making the game has put out great games in this genre(crpg) with innovative features and engaging gameplay. They have been constantly improving and listening to the community, and don't seem to be one of the companies that are just chasing the next money-making scheme, as they don't support today's P2W or subscription-based models, and even shy away from DLCs, instead opting to give you your money's worth with only one purchase. They also design their games with replayability in mind and with a pretty big scope, so if you like the game you can easily spend hundreds of hours for that $60. Overall pretty good guys
not many d&d games have come out recently (some pathfinder ones have been good contenders though), so this scratches a market itch
the full power of an AAA title for a previously considered nerdy topic. Imagine if comic books suddenly got a 3D movie
I've never played tabletop D&D but I like the idea of it.
Is this a game I can just play solo or does it require a party of actual people?
I've played my fair share of PC RPGs (BioWare games, Fallout,...) but never something like this.
Is there anything that compares to it? I can imagine it's a slow pace kind of game?
The two previous games from the same developer - Divinity: Original Sin 1&2 - compares directly to it. Baldur's Gate 3 is essentially Divinity Original Sin 3 (but this time we have the D&D IP rights).
It's a slower paced game with tactical, turn-based combat.
Is this a game I can just play solo or does it require a party of actual people?
There is co-op, but the game works just fine solo.
Just like tabletop, the lawful good Paladin or Cleric in the party is just seething while the devilish rogue pickpockets anything in sight, alive or dead. It evokes the same feeling, and that’s what makes it great.
One of my greatest gaming achievements was playing through D:OS in it's entirety with my wife. When she was home we played Couch co-op, when she was TDY we played via XBox Live.
I would love if my partner was into videogames like myself but she’s not. However it does mean the kids have at least one parent present this week while I play BG3 in my every waking moment around work.
I’ve played my fair share of PC RPGs (BioWare games, Fallout,…) but never something like this. Is there anything that compares to it? I can imagine it’s a slow pace kind of game?
Pathfinder Kingmaker & WotR, Solasta, Pillars of Eternity, and Planescape Torment to name a few. Nevermind the fact that BG1 and BG2 are also some of the best ever produced in the genre. Oh, and Larian has their own finger on the landscape with Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2, the games which got them the license.
cRPG (computer role-playing game) is a term that came into prominence to differentiate it from table top role-playing, which was very big in the 80's and 90's. Nowadays it is generally used to refer to old school RPGs of the 90's, or modern games that take after their formulas. Usually the biggest difference between a cRPG and an aRPG (action role-playing game) is that cRPGs are heavily dependent on the character's stats, while aRPGs favour player skill. In most aRPGs you can defeat higher level enemies early on simply through being really skilled. In cRPGs if your character doesn't have the right stats or equipment, then they won't win. That's an incredibly simplistic but accurate difference between the two from a gameplay point of view.
There are three primary sub-genres of cRPGs. Turn-based (Fallout), real time with pause (Baldur's Gate) and BLOB, which can be either real time (Might & Magic) or turn-based (Wizardry). BLOB, or Blobber RPG, is a first-person cRPG in which you control an entire party through the lens of a single POV. Very small and niche sub-genre that one though.