New Baldur's Gate 3 mod recreates the first game, so I guess I'll play it again

Where would we be without mods? The fan-made creations can make your every dream a reality, from adding Pokemon to Skyrim, to creating entirely new games out of the assets of another. The most successful mod of all time, if you remember, goes by the name of Counter-Strike. Even games with seemingly unlimited replayability, like Baldur's Gate 3, have mods that expand or transform the RPG into something completely different. The latest one to catch my attention takes players on a trip down memory lane, to where the series first began.

Baldur's Gate 3 is a bastion of storytelling, a game that will go down as one of the best RPGs ever made, and one of the best games of this decade. But that's not to say it's perfect. That's where the Baldur's Gate 3 mods come in.

Return to Candlekeep is a mod that takes players back to the opening of the original Baldur's Gate. If you played the original, which surprisingly few people have, you'll recognize exactly what this mod entails. If not, don't worry, because you're about to experience the opening of Baldur's Gate realized within its threequel.

You can play through the Baldur's Gate prologue and first area in this mod, which also includes a custom main menu, character creation screen, and camp. The modder, known as 786r786, hasn't tested playing in co-op yet, but says "it should run fine."

The standalone story should take you about 90 minutes to play through, so if you want to relive gaming memories or try the original game for the first time, you've got an evening of fun ahead of you. Just watch out: there's a bug that causes NPCs' helmets to disconnect from their heads, which is "currently unfixable."

I'll jump at any opportunity to head back into Baldur's Gate 3, and if you're like me, you can download the mod from NexusMods here.

If you're looking for more elfin fun, try one of the best fantasy games for size. And if you're jumping back into BG3 like me, check the best Baldur's Gate 3 settings to make sure it runs as smooth as possible.

What's your favorite mod? Counter-Strike? The one that removes Gale from Baldur's Gate 3 completely? A humble Minecraft texture pack? Let us know in our community Discord server, where staff and readers hang out.