The popularity of Baldur’s Gate 3 is based a lot on its unique storyline and immersive gameplay. And these two aspects have been assisted by the diverse character roster in the game. From Lae’zel, Wyll, Astarion, Minsc, Shadowheart, Dark Urge, and many more.
Still, arguably the most popular character in the game is Karlach. This is an origin character and a recruitable companion as well, with an Outlander background. She is a Zariel Tiefling and a barbarian who first appeared in Act 1. However, one important aspect of this character was added so late to the game, that almost all the developers weren’t sure about it.
Karlach’s Infernal Engine Was a Late Addition to Baldur’s Gate 3
Karlach’s popularity has grown a lot upon her infernal engine heart. However, the developers almost didn’t put it in the game. Recently, in an interview at the BAFTA’s, An Evening with Baldur’s Gate 3, Larion CEO and co-founder Swen Vincke, Writing Director Adam Smith, and Lead Writer Chrystal Ding revealed a lot about the award-winning title.
About Karlach’s infernal engine, this is what Smith had to say:
We had a lot of different concepts, and one of the last things that fell into place was the heart. We didn’t have the heart for a long time—this person was just a fugitive from hell.
Smith then went on to explain the reason for giving her an engine. He stated the team was “looking for extra coolness.” He also discussed coming up with the idea, saying:
What is this character’s thing about them that we can interact with, that we can engage with?’ And we found this idea of this steampunk heart, this hell-heart, but yeah—for a long time, she didn’t have it.
While many fans have expressed love for this feature, it’s easy to see why it was almost not included.
The Cinematic Team of Baldur’s Gate 3 Got a Huge Headache
Infernal Engine was an important aspect to Karlach, but adding it so late became a headache for the cinematics.
Smith even went on to joke about it:
When you say to a lighting team and a cinematic team, ‘by the way, she’s now got a glowing metal heart in her chest’, they say, ‘oh, okay, really?’ That was a good Wednesday.
Vincke then added to the conversation and stated that it worked both ways for the team. There were some changes to the characters that were inspired by the cinematic team themselves. He explained that what truly ended up defending these dynamic characters was the combination of ideas between the two teams.
The late arrival of Infernal Engine in Karlach’s heart was a big mix-up for the early access players and the developing teams as well. What’s your opinion on this scenario? Did you enjoy this character design? Let us know in the comment section below.
