3 Cult RPGs That Deserve the Baldur’s Gate 3 Glow-Up

Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the most successful RPGs of all time. It redefined modern RPG storytelling with its cinematic presentation, reactive world, and deeply personal character arcs. Larian Studios proved that old-school design philosophy can thrive in a modern package, and there is no reason other games cannot do the same. Baldur’s Gate was first launched in 1998, before Larian Studios gave the classic RPG a makeover, and several other cult-classic RPGs deserve the same treatment. Looking back, three RPGs come to mind that should be considered for an all-out remake.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s success rekindled the flame for many long-time RPG fans. The hope that other beloved classics might one day receive the same treatment is now something many gamers want for their favorite game. There’s a generation of cult-favorite role-playing games, rich with choice-driven storytelling and unforgettable characters, that were ahead of their time. These three games can be given a second life through the same treatment Baldur’s Gate 3 received.

3) Fallout

Before the wasteland was home to vault dwellers in power armor and Brotherhood soldiers patrolling Bethesda’s 3D ruins, Fallout was an isometric masterpiece of choice and consequence. The original Fallout and its sequel, Fallout 2, were grimly funny, philosophically charged, and deeply human. They didn’t just let you shape the world; they forced you to live with what that world became. Every decision mattered.

Would you help rebuild civilization or embrace the chaos of the wasteland? You could become a savior, a tyrant, or something in between. Fallout offered branching storylines that still hold up conceptually today. But visually and mechanically, the game is a relic. A Baldur’s Gate 3-style remake could breathe new life into it, transforming the game into a cinematic experience.

Turn-based combat, limited animations, and text-heavy dialogue boxes could all be revamped with Larain’s attention to detail. Conversations could play out in full motion capture, each NPC dripping with personality. The SPECIAL system could evolve into something more dynamic, where traits and stats visibly shape dialogue tone and physical demeanor. All of this wrapped up in the iconic biting attire of 1950s America mixed with post-apocalyptic despair. 

2) Neverwinter Nights

Neverwinter Nights was more than a game: it was a toolbox. Released in 2002, it allowed players not only to experience BioWare’s sprawling D&D adventure but to create and share their own. It was the bridge between tabletop imagination and digital storytelling, with a dedicated modding community that turned it into a living world. What set Neverwinter Nights apart was its accessibility. You could jump into a custom campaign built by another player, host your own persistent server, or craft a story with friends.

But as beloved as it remains, it’s long overdue for a modernization that matches the sophistication of Baldur’s Gate 3. A full Neverwinter Nights remake could finally realize the original’s promise. With a revamped Aurora Toolset, it could be the ultimate D&D sandbox for the digital age, blending the narrative depth of the original storytelling with the creativity of community-driven campaigns.

In an era where Baldur’s Gate 3 has proven the commercial viability of D&D-based games, Neverwinter Nights is the natural successor to revisit. The game’s graphics and engine are dated today, even the Neverwinter Nights 2 remake. It was the epitome of early 2000s BioWare magic, and a Baldur’s Gate 3-style remake could bring this cult icon back into mainstream audiences.

1) Planescape: Torment

Fans of Planescape: Torment are haunted by a single question: “What can change the nature of a man?” It remains one of the most profound stories ever told in a video game, and this 1999 masterclass absolutely needs a remake in the style of Baldur’s Gate 3. Not just to give it a new life, but to fix the issues with the original release that would allow it to shine even brighter than before. Planescape: Torment was limited by its era. Walls of text substituted for cinematic presentation, and emotional beats relied on imagination rather than visual storytelling.

Through haunting dialogue and moral complexity, the game explored identity, regret, and redemption like few others before or since. Through haunting dialogue and moral complexity, the game explored identity, regret, and redemption like few others before or since. And it was through this character that players didn’t quest to save the world, but to understand it and the Nameless One’s place in it.

Imagine Planescape: Torment rebuilt in the Baldur’s Gate 3 engine, where Sigil’s impossible geometry twists in real-time, and every philosophical conversation unfolds with the weight of performance-captured actors. Such a remake could finally balance its heavy narrative with cinematic immersion, making its introspection feel as powerful as it reads. Planescape: Torment is an RPG that showed the genre could be philosophical, tragic, and deeply human, and it needs a modern remake now.

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