I never thought I'd become a gamer at 35. Yet here I am in 2025, three years after my wife introduced me to Baldur's Gate 3, and I'm completely hooked. It all started innocently enough - she would tell me these wild stories about her adventures, like convincing ogres to join her party only to have them attack her spider allies instead of the actual enemies. As someone who had played some D&D and binged countless hours of Critical Role, these anecdotes sparked something in me.

The Game That Changed Everything

We decided to start a co-op campaign on PS5, but I quickly found myself wanting to play more often than she did. Soon enough, I was deep in my own solo adventure, completely captivated by the world Larian had created. While my wife was juggling her time between BG3 and other games, I was single-mindedly focused on my journey through Faerûn.

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Before I knew it, I had sunk 200 hours into the game and rolled credits before she did - despite her 60-hour head start! There was something magical about the way BG3 combined meaningful choices with incredible production values. Every conversation was fully voiced. Every decision felt consequential. The characters were so well-written that I genuinely cared about their fates.

I remember staying up until 3 AM just to see how a particular storyline with Shadowheart would resolve. My wife found me the next morning, bleary-eyed but grinning, eager to tell her about the twist I'd discovered. That's the kind of game BG3 was for me - not just entertainment, but an experience I wanted to share.

The Impossible Follow-Up

After finishing Baldur's Gate 3, I faced a dilemma that I now call the "Baldur's Gate Problem" - where do you go after experiencing the pinnacle of a genre?

My wife suggested I try Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire (even pointing out it featured the Critical Role cast!) and Divinity: Original Sin 2. I gave them both honest attempts, but... they just didn't stick. The games themselves were great, but they felt like they were missing something.

It's not their fault - they simply weren't operating at the same scale. Other CRPGs might have some voiced dialogue, but not ALL dialogue. They might have occasional cutscenes, but not for every meaningful conversation. After experiencing a game that combined the flexibility of isometric RPGs with the presentation quality of something like Mass Effect, everything else felt incomplete.

Finding New Unicorns

Instead of trying to replicate my BG3 experience, I've found success by seeking out other "unicorn" games - those rare titles created at a scale and level of detail that few studios could achieve.

Red Dead Redemption 2 became my second gaming obsession. Though completely different from BG3, it shared that same sense of extraordinary ambition. The ridiculous attention to detail, the vast world teeming with wildlife, the way Arthur's journey unfolded - it was another masterpiece, just of a completely different kind.

Since then, I've been on a quest to find these unique gaming experiences:

  • Elden Ring: The Cosmic Tides (FromSoftware's 2024 follow-up to Elden Ring)

  • Starfield: Shattered Space (the expansion that finally delivered on Bethesda's promises)

  • Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare's return to form)

Each offers something completely different, but all share that same commitment to creating something special. They're not trying to be like other games - they're trying to be the best version of themselves.

The Unexpected Journey

What's been most surprising is how my gaming habits have evolved. I've gone from someone who hadn't touched a controller since my childhood Game Boy Advance days to someone who:

  1. Maintains a gaming schedule (yes, really!)

  2. Participates in gaming discords

  3. Has strong opinions about inventory management systems 😅

  4. Reads gaming news daily

My friends are shocked. My family is confused. But I'm having the time of my life!

What I've Learned

The journey from non-gamer to enthusiast has taught me a few things:

What I Thought What I Discovered
Gaming is a waste of time Gaming can be as meaningful as reading a great novel
Games are all the same Each game offers a unique experience
I'm too old to start gaming You're never too old for new hobbies
I'd get bored quickly I've found endless depth in these worlds

Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if my wife hadn't shared those BG3 stories with me. Would I have discovered this passion on my own? Probably not. It took that perfect game at that perfect moment to open the door.

What's Next?

As 2025 continues, I'm eagerly anticipating CD Projekt Red's next Witcher game and whatever Larian decides to make after their well-deserved break from BG3. The gaming landscape has evolved so much in recent years, with AI-driven narratives creating even more responsive worlds and VR finally delivering on its promises.

But I'm not just waiting for the next big release. I'm also exploring indie gems and classics I missed. There's something special about discovering a beloved game for the first time, even if it's years old.

So what about you? Have you experienced a game that changed everything for you? Are you stuck in your own version of the "Baldur's Gate Problem"? Jump into gaming in 2025 - with AI-enhanced experiences, cross-platform play everywhere, and more diverse games than ever before, there's never been a better time to start your journey. Trust me - from one late bloomer to another - it's worth it!