Solasta 2 is perfectly poised to fill a Baldur's Gate 3 void

I’m quietly amazed by Solasta 2. Here’s a Dungeons & Dragons role-playing experience like Baldur’s Gate 3 that actually seems on a par with Baldur’s Gate 3, for a change. The clarity with which French studio Tactical Adventures has transposed the hefty Dungeons & Dragons ruleset is astonishing; I actually prefer parts of this interpretation, which is a hell of a thing to say, given the quality of Larian’s game. And I don’t say that to foster an air of competition, but to stress how accomplished this is.

Solasta 2Developer: Tactical AdventuresPublisher: Tactical AdventuresRelease: 2025 (early access)Download the demo on: Steam

Presentation-wise, it impresses, too. In my preview build, there’s sumptuous detail in the Shire-like village environment, which is all hazy sunshine and swaying meadow flowers, and there’s high drama in the rocks and cliffsides suspended as if by magic around them. The characters look nice – this may be the most appealing interpretation of a halfling I’ve seen – and the kobolds bring humour with their harsh cockney accents and relentless wisecracks. I can’t stress enough how much this feels like playing Baldur’s Gate 3 – heck, Solasta 2’s main villain is even voiced by Baldur’s Gate 3 narrator Amelia Tyler – and for the team of 50 or so people making it, that’s incredibly impressive.

But let’s rewind a tiny bit because Solasta 2 hasn’t come out of nowhere. The studio’s previous game, Solasta: Crown of the Magister (which is very much the same thing), came out in 2021, and it amassed a lot of praise and goodwill for being a faithful video game recreation of Dungeons & Dragons. There’s pedigree here, then, but there are big changes afoot, too.