Is Baldur's Gate 3 Better With A Controller Or Mouse & Keyboard? Which BG3 Playstyle Is Best (2024)

Like Divinity: Original Sin 2 before it, Baldur's Gate 3 is one of the many modern CPRGs that has been ported to consoles. Traditionally, CRPGs have only been played on PC (with the "C" standing for computer), and their UI-based gameplay is usually made with a mouse and keyboard in mind. Still, with the popularity of the genre growing, many CRPGs can be found on consoles like the PlayStation, Xbox, and sometimes even the Switch, needing their UI to be reworked to fit a controller.

Larian titles aren't the only CRPGs that have made their way over to consoles. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is another example, and this trend of porting CRPGs to consoles has led to players expecting the UI to be properly adapted to controllers. For the most part, these controller schemes tend to work quite well, but the adjustment can take time (as does porting an entire game), hence why many players have to wait after a CRPG's initial launch for a console version.

Differences With Baldur's Gate 3 On Keyboard & Controller

The Choice Depends On Your Preferences

Playing with a controller has the benefit of convenience and can be used while on a sofa or in bed, rather than needing to sit in front of a desk. Still, the controller UI is very different to its mouse and keyboard variant. It uses a wheel system, somewhat similar to what Grand Theft Auto titles have been known to use for equipping guns. It's a good idea, but it lacks the customization options to make it a proper alternative to simply clicking on icons with a mouse.

If a player has Baldur's Gate 3 on PlayStation 5 or Xbox X/S, they won't have a choice and will have to play with a controller. On a PC, a controller can be utilized, in lieu of using mouse and keyboard, since the PC version has full controller support as well. Still, the game is a CRPG and was made with PCs in mind when it was first launched. The UI has been tweaked by Larian through updates, but on the mouse and keyboard, it has always been easy to play by clicking on icons.

In general, interacting with UI tends to be slower with a controller. Navigating the inventory can be a little cumbersome compared to using a mouse and keyboard (although BG3 is known for having messy inventory management generally), and getting the information needed from items and the like tends to be slower with a controller in general. On the other hand, moving characters with a controller is more precise and more immersive since the joysticks are used as is standard with many other titles.

Drawbacks Of Controller & Keyboard & Mouse

How Does The BG3 Experience Change?

In general, the mouse and keyboard layout can be viewed as the more practical option. It has a more classical CRPG feeling, and everything is either a click or a keyboard press away. It is also a lot faster to use compared to the controller version, although speed isn't usually an issue with Baldur's Gate 3. The game encourages players to take their time with it, and its turn-based combat doesn't rush players for time. At most, it rushes them to be as efficient as possible within a set number of turns.

Where the controller version shines compared to the mouse and keyboard is in the third-person mode. Moving with a joystick in the third person feels intuitive and is arguably more immersive than the traditional top-down view and clicking. It's smoother and better for seeing the details and Easter Eggs in Larian's world, even if it is less practical than the top-down view, which is better from a tactical standpoint. Nearby item highlighting isn't as precise with a controller either, and this can be dangerous in certain situations.

One major feature that mouse and keyboard lack is Active Search. This produces a radius around the selected player character, highlighting all selectable items within that radius. It is a useful tool and more precise than highlighting everything on the screen with the alt key on the keyboard. Adjusting the radius of Active Search is incredibly useful to highlight and pick up items that players may have otherwise missed, and keeping the radius relatively small stops too much information from being presented at once.

Is A Mouse & Keyboard Or Controller Better For BG3?

Which One Wins: Mouse Or Keyboard?

It depends on a player's personal preference. Using a mouse and keyboard is the traditional option and has more customization than using a controller. It is more precise, more practical, and more efficient. If players want to get as much information as possible, as quickly as possible, then a mouse and keyboard is the best option, especially from a tactical standpoint in combat during difficult encounters.

For immersion and smoother movement, a controller is the better option, especially if players want to relax on a sofa or in bed. It particularly shines when zooming in as close as possible for a proper third-person view. The game will be slower and less efficient to play with more cumbersome UI navigation and the use of radial wheels, but if players want to chill out and enjoy the great story and immersive world of BG3, a controller is a great option.

Ultimately, choosing what to play Baldur's Gate 3 with is the player's choice. The game is practically better with mouse and keyboard and less frustrating for those navigating menus. Movement and immersion is better with a controller, even if it is less efficient. It depends on what players value more and what kind of playthrough they intend to do. In general, those looking for a traditional CRPG experience the way that Larian envisioned the game should use a mouse and keyboard. For those that don't care about that, they can use a controller.

Baldur's Gate 3

Franchise

Baldur's Gate

Platform(s)

PC , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X

Released

August 3, 2023

Developer(s)

Larian Studios

Publisher(s)

Larian Studios

Genre(s)

RPG

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence