What videogames are you playing in 2026?

[Gradine]

My wife and I just started playing Split Fiction. A lot of fun so far, probably an improvement over It Takes Two in every way so far.

 

[Ashton van Richten]

Anyone here still play Overwatch?? It's been my daily game for so long. Currently I main Moira, Mercy, but also enjoy Lucio, Mizuki, Juno and Kiri. If I dps it's Emre, Torb or Sym, and Tank is rein, sigma or ram.

 

[Kaodi]

But there are some many players who share your preferences (I think Tav/Durge are like 93% of all runs) that it's impossible for them to make the choice to have a specifically designed protagonist. And thus, you run into issues where it becomes more compelling to create scenarios for the well-rendered companions rather than the fairly anonymous protagonist.

Maybe it is my weird version of OCD talking but now that I have had time to play the game a bunch I wonder whether if part of the reason Tav and Durge are so popular is because their class (and race) is customizeable from the get go and is a built in assumption. Like sure, you can respec other Origins, but it doesn't necessarily feel quite right for them.

 

[Parmandur]

But there are some many players who share your preferences (I think Tav/Durge are like 93% of all runs) that it's impossible for them to make the choice to have a specifically designed protagonist. And thus, you run into issues where it becomes more compelling to create scenarios for the well-rendered companions rather than the fairly anonymous protagonist.

I mean, like most video game narratives. The silent protagonist is a popular tripe for a reason.

 

[TwoSix]

I mean, like most video game narratives. The silent protagonist is a popular tripe for a reason.

Oh, I definitely understand the “why” of it. It’s just sadly (for me) not my personal preference.

 

[TwoSix]

Maybe it is my weird version of OCD talking but now that I have had time to play the game a bunch I wonder whether if part of the reason Tav and Durge are so popular is because their class (and race) is customizeable from the get go and is a built in assumption. Like sure, you can respec other Origins, but it doesn't necessarily feel quite right for them.

I think Dark Urge is the best of both worlds. It has a strong built-in personal hook and identity, but still allows for a lot of aesthetic customization.

 

[MGibster]

I picked up Resident Evil: Requium. It took me 12 hours to beat and was laughably easy on standard difficulty. I've got to admire them for having the guts to show some of the violence they did.

 

[Gradine]

I think Dark Urge is the best of both worlds. It has a strong built-in personal hook and identity, but still allows for a lot of aesthetic customization.

In many ways, I will never really understand why there is a "Tav" option that's not the Dark Urge; Durge is really the bridge that connects BG3 to the other two games in the series, and it's wild to me that that connective tissue really only exists (at least in terms of the protagonist) if you make that specific choice at the very beginning.

 

[Parmandur]

In many ways, I will never really understand why there is a "Tav" option that's not the Dark Urge; Durge is really the bridge that connects BG3 to the other two games in the series, and it's wild to me that that connective tissue really only exists (at least in terms of the protagonist) if you make that specific choice at the very beginning.

I wouldn't even consider any choice other than Tav. I don't find the idea of the Dark Urge remotely interesting, and I'm certain thst is not an unusual stance.

 

[Gradine]

I wouldn't even consider any choice other than Tav. I don't find the idea of the Dark Urge remotely interesting, and I'm certain thst is not an unusual stance.

At least to me, the Dark Urge option is basically: "Do you want to play as a Baldur's Gate protagonist?" And yeah, I kinda do.

I don't know how well that's signposted, especially since the game holds on to it as a bit of a twist (which, to be fair, it probably would be to the I'm sure millions of BG3 players who've never played the original games). In a lot of ways I think it's instead signposted as kind of a... I guess grimdark option? Which really doesn't do it justice, since the "Resist" path is far and away the most interesting plotline for me (and also plays out somewhat similarly to BG1 and 2).

Meanwhile, Tav is just... there. A victim of circumstance. No connections to anything or anyone. They're just there, wrong place at the wrong time (or vice versa). I can see the appeal to that kind of story as well, but having played through Durge it really feels like it's the "the main story is here" option.

It is annoying they don't let Durge pick their own background though