Look, I’m just going to say it. I haven’t played Baldur’s Gate 3 yet. I know, I know. The fact that it’s won so many awards should clue me into just how much of a gaming phenomenon it is. However, what I am really into is The Elder Scrolls series, and a recent mod is making my ears prick up.
Over on Nexus Mods, user Ghouls0Rules has made it possible to play Baldur’s Gate 3 as a Dunmer, the dark elf race from such hits as Morrowind and Skyrim. While it has a “heavy focus on visuals,” it goes beyond a simple skin and texture swap.
It also comes with additional features. The download page says it has “unique passives and spells,” as well as “some level progression for each subrace.” So this is more than just about looking like a TES character, as it has function too. You can get the mod from here. It actually came out in December, but I was too busy with Christmas and not playing BG3 to spot it at the time.
Feels like it fits, thematically
Gaming definitely had its ups and downs across the whole of 2023. While the industry experienced a lot of job losses and studio closures, Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3 was definitely a high point.
It’s currently flying high on the Steam top-sellers list, albeit it’s now been pushed down one spot by Counter-Strike 2. Given the RPG’s prestige, it’s likely to be riding this success wave for some time. The fact that it’s the ninth most played game in terms of peak concurrent players – according to SteamDB – should tell you everything.
And yet, I still need to get in on it. I don’t really have any excuse, and as a long-time fan of The Elder Scrolls games, I have even less of one, thanks to this mod.
