So, as a fairly young player of both of the original Baldur's Gate games, I've been looking forward to the release of the BG III. However, looking at the ESRB of Divinity: Original Sin II, I've seen that it contains sexual content. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm fine with the Romances in BG II (and so are my parents), but exactly how serious is the content in Divinity II, and how do you think that this will carry to BG III? Is it as explicit as games like The Witcher III, or just a series of innuendos? And if there is anything explicit, is there an option to turn it off?

(And yes, I am aware that you would have to initiate a romance for this, but my parents wouldn't really care. However, if I could turn it off or something, that would probably calm them down.)

Thanks in advance.

(Edit: It's worth bringing up that my parents don't care about graphic violence)

In DOS2, you can romance any of the six companions and have a long well-built relationship that varies depending on how you treat them, how you feel about them and vice versa. The relationship does have an 'intimate' moment at the interlude between Act 3 and 4. You can also flirt with various NPC's along the way, but nothing permanent or long-lasting as your main companion romance of choice. Also, there is no restriction based on race and gender, wherein the previous BG games some companions were not interested in you if you weren't a certain race or gender.
According to sources in BG3, you can romance any of the companions according to Larian, but the nature of your relationship can vary. Apparently the Githyanki companion Lae'zel is from a culture where monogamy isn't a concept, so this might cause some friction if you decide to pursue a romance with her. Some companions might develop relationships all by themselves if they mix well together, similar in previous BG games. As to the issue of sexuality, I have no idea.

In D:OS2 there is no sexual content represented visually. It, like most of the game’s story interactions, are relayed to you via the narrator. Those narrations can be quite explicit, though I wouldn’t necessarily call them tasteless or tawdry. I have only “seen” two of these scenes, but in these there were no explicit mention of genitals, for example. More in the vein of “your bodies intertwine and you gasp in ecstasy.” Sort of thing.

This isn’t necessarily a great barometer of what to expect from BG3, though. As I previously stated, a lot of the drama in D:OS2 is expressed via the narrator, whereas BG3 has a high budget and Larian can actually produce cinematic scenes graphically. Furthermore, while Divinity is Larian’s property to do with what they may, Baldur’s Gate is not, and we don’t know what kinds of limitations or expectations Wizards of the Coast has put on them in this regard.

If I were to hazard a guess, I would think that they won’t go as explicit as The Witcher games or even Dragon Age, but that is just conjecture based off of squat diddly.

In Original Sin 2, there’s nothing to see. The game just doesn’t have that kind of cinematics for talking, sexy time or anything else. The narrator did describe a bit of action in my play through, like a moderately saucy bit in a book and only in one point of the game.

I’m sure your folks could find a let’s play to review it if they are worried. In fact I just found a 30 min YouTube video with all the sex scenes. I won’t link it, because your mum will have my balls, but it was easy to find.

Might be different in BG3 as they have mo-cap animations now, but I doubt there’ll be aiming for Witcher 3 level.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VyapOudzFHw

His mum can have my balls.

Sorry, but couldn’t resist.

On second thoughts, maybe I should have chosen different wording? It seemed weirder said back to me.

BG3 should have romanceable succubus companions with first person sex scenes. Just kidding. There are sexual references on BG1/2, you can even romance NPC's and sleep with a female Drow in the underdark(depending on your party, some members will freak out).

Hopefully, the Underdark will be just as 'memorable' as last time. My Elf Mage was very 'popular' whilst in disguise down there. The irony was delicious let me tell you.

The Underdark was perhaps my favorite part of the series. I have high expectations for it in BG3, especially since I plan on playing a Drow.

BG 1 and 2 were both rated teen I think Larian is going for 17+ or 18+. When I played BG I turned off gore and it would be nice to have that option again. I'm with the romances I'm happy with suggestive or explicit, I just want the writing to be good

There was nothing explicit in D:OS2. Game didn't have cutscenes as such, so "sex scenes" worked similar to BG2 - mostly happened of screen, except both characters would wake in bed, possible with no clothing (aka. in underwear). Narrator did a bit describing, but again nothing too indulgent or naughty. There is some outside romance sex one can have but it's purely optional, and again - mostly humorous.

BG3 comes with higher production value, so it's anyone guess if they do special cutscenes for sex. Personally, I hope not, at least nothing explicit. Those rarely look believable and age really quickly. Less is more, I think. Whatever will Larian do, I think they will be more clever with it, then making a digital porno cutscene. I have to especially commend them for Red Prince's "romance scene", which was genuily hilarious and, dare I say it, hotter then any other sex seen in games that I had a displeasure of seeing.

They've said they've said they want to push the M rating as far, as, they can, so that suggests to me all sorts of adult content, such as nudity, sexual themes, booze, drugs, extreme violence, body horror, depictions of gambling, ect...,

Also in the Baldur's Gate Gazetteer in Baldur's Gate: Desent into Avernus, some major Brothels are mentioned, like Undercellar and that Bathhouse.

So yeah all indictations are its going to have some sexual content. Not nearly as much or as explicit as Subverse however, but more like the Witcher games.

Our team translates DOS2 currently and I already saw a few scenes and they are not too heavy. As teen I had a few books from Robin Cook and Martha Stuart and such (don't judge me, pls, haha) and I think the writing is similar but even lighter. No mention of genitals, just lightly erotic stuff like Warlocke said above.

As for BG3, we will see.

I hope it will be more serious in BG3. I don't mean sex animations, but some sort of sexual subtext in dialogues. DOS2 was light and companion romances were a bit of a joke. Generally companion relationships are poorly written in games. I much more prefer some subtle sexual content in dialogues with NPC. Something more like Radeka's quest in DOS2.

Sex animations like in witcher are pretty cringe tbh.

I've never played any of the Witcher games.

Will we be allowed to have gay sex?

If sex is in, gay sex is almost certainly in. Who wants to be the developer who lets you make any character you like as long as they are straight these days? None of them.

Sex in video games is about the most vapid, pointless waste of developer time imaginable.

Yup. It's like there are still some people who are too squeamish to go check out Internet porn, so they are desperate for their sex fix from their videogames.

But yeah, I agree. Either depict sex in a realistic and mature way, or not at all.

I’ll almost always take the “romance” option, but when it comes to animation, it’s probably a good time to put the kettle on.

Prude

Normally I agree, but the sex scene with Fane in DOS2 was hilarious, so if that were animated I would be fine.

Ideally, I just want to see the dialogue leading up to the scene and then just fade to black. I never need to see anything like the God awful Dragon Age sex scenes ever again.

Fading to black is lame, I wanna see some action!

I prefer it as unrealistic and as graphic as possible. Hehe.

I think people are already expecting heavy romance options, if you take into account some articles.

Hehe. I KNEW it!!

I think the moral of the story truly is, "just don't Dragon Age it." Dragon Age took itself very seriously while having really awful animations and expressions and cheesy music for their sex scenes. The whole thing didn't work, but nobody seemed to have the heart to tell anyone the Emperor had no clothes there. Such a shame. Somebody really needed to say "this is ridiculous" and everyone else needed to listen. That did not happen. Major mistake. The Witcher's stuff was both better animated and more tongue in cheek, so it was more successful, albeit still... not always equally so, and not so pleasing for the male-attracted for the most part.

Pillow talk lying down in a tent would've been both easier to do AND 100x more intimate-feeling. Shadowheart's hair clipping through Astarion's hand gave a tiny whiff of that, so probably a single finger stroked down the cheek or throat or shoulder would be a better idea in the final version of the game. Caresses only work if you're not distracted by glitches. DA2 did it so much better than DAO, but it was too sparing. I still would prefer some pillow talk rather than all the upright clothed conversations in convenient underwear, however; why can't we just show everything from the armpits up and imagine they're naked still? Sigh. I never understood these things in games. If you don't have incredibly good animations that will work with all character models, then just rely on voice actors and writing to carry the scenes. Bad sex scenes are really sad and embarrassing for everyone... Inquisition did it so much better it's insane, but even then it was a bit sparing and didn't feel so spontaneous as it might have been if it had happened when you were out and about, being driven somewhat by plot rather than just "you cleared this mission, so more content is available at the Keep." More like in the novels where you have a forbidden union during a long excursion in the DA equivalent of the Underdark, all gloomy and compelling for its hopelessness and danger.

Give me a boatload of sexual tension and sensuality sprinkled throughout over a scene with awkward boning animations modeled after porn any day. Give me unrequited feelings on the player's side or on the companion's side where someone's constantly trying to convince you they're better for your PC than someone else. God, that would be amazing, actual longing and wary tension and personality conflicts rather than just petty manufactured drama for drama's sake. Imagine a quiet PC pining for Astarion, probably without knowing all his flaws, with Gale noticing and constantly pointing out that your intellect would be wasted on him, peppering in barbs and flirtations, maybe even letter it boil to a fever pitch where he finally takes you aside and makes some impassioned plea for your affections, after which you can crack his poor heart and have him suffer, or just give in and sleep with him, after which you can either stick with him or still be drawn to Astarion and have to leave Gale with that one pity lay, which might leave him still carrying a torch or telling you to go to hell depending on how you let him down. (If you prefer, trade names for Lae'zel or Shadowheart or Wyll, of course, with circumstances adjusted per character.)

I understand that in Ye Olden Days of Yore, it would've been too sophisticated in terms of coding... but if someone could do it in the modern day, the inevitable binary confrontations simply not happening would be amazing. I like that Lae'zel won't care, but I also would hope to see less open characters becoming infatuated or even outright falling in unrequited love like that. It would be so much more interesting than those interactions where you could just feel the code happening. A more sophisticated, mature brand of romance would be so amazing, and would make any hopefully-classy touch animations feel like they mean something.

Ideally, I just want to feel like I'm living in a good fantasy novel while playing D&D. I know that's a big ask, but after DOS2 I would say Larian can do it if anyone can.

I just wanna clap some mindflayer cheeks.

Exactly.

*fist bump* I agree 110%

I hope there are booty call options and brothels, or should I say Feasthalls given this is the Forgotten Realms, for characters who don't want a commitment.

Hell yeah!

Do you think we will be able to masturbate in-game? So as an alternative for sex, we can make our main character masturbate?

This is an interesting point. If the goal in an RPG is player choice, it is a good question why we are being shoehorned into "romances" and "relationships." Seems very contradictory that on the one hand we are told "romance" in games needs to be diverse and inclusive (and for the record I am fine with this), but on the other hand certain alternative preferences such as just no-strings sex with multiple partners and no romance, or even such things as romantic poliamorous relationships, are not included.

What generally bothers me, ususally, is lack of courting. Which I imagine is rather difficult to do, as it takes time, and nuance. I think that's why I started to dislike romances as more options were presented. It makes everyone look like horny idiots. Be it Mass Effect2&3, Dragon Ages or Pillars of Eternity2, everyone just seems to want to have sex with PC. Which I find distracting, disingenuous and somewhat distasteful. It's one of those: you can ignore all or most romance options, but you can't stop NPC to get aroused when you enter the room for some reason.

To be honest... I can't remember this problem being in D:OS2. I triggered one romance, as was intended, and I don't remember other characters hitting on me.

Yeah I agree completely. As demands for more options became ever-increasing, the offsetting result was a huge dropoff in quality, nuance, and depth.

But then again, isn't this (what you describe above) the millennial way? Everyone has sex with everyone else? It's what we now get in movies and TV shows.

LOL

Thoughtful post, Wynne. *Hat tip*

I think my feelings about this sums up with : Romance, sex, brothels, one-night-stands, epic love stories? yes, but if it makes sense or add something to the world and the story.

I remember the "night lady" of the gothic game included a short dialogue and cutscene and all that stuff but it made no sense for her to be there and she offered nothing more than a nude cutscene.
In other games like tyranny, DoS2 or PoE 2 you can chat with the ladies and gentleman in the brothel, learn their stories and some of them are part of a quest, something that adds flavour to the city itself. I hope BG3 goes in that direction.

Haha. Yeah.



I imagine a lot of people were like that when reading my comment ^

The sex is described, there are prostitutes if I remember rightly and everything was done in good taste

Also:
As an open minded parent, I care WAY more about graphic violence vs sexual content for my son...just an interesting sidenote.

I´ll be more worried about the scene of Lae`zel taking a brain out of a guy or a tadpole forced through the eye of the MC than to see some naked bellybottoms and tongue-jousting to be honest when it comes the time to use the label +18