Baldur's Gate II - PC

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

Platform: PC, Year: 2000, Publisher: Black Isle Studios & Interplay Entertainment, Genre: CRPG

   This review will be given understanding that I picked up the game in 2013 and so it is a fresh take on the game unhindered by nostalgia. I always heard about Baldur's Gate when I was a teenager but I never got the chance to experience the game until much later (kinda like Diablo II). I have to admit that at first I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy the game as it seemed a bit dated and quite complicated (I still have no idea what 1D6 means or whatnot). But as I progressed and got accustomed to the how the interface and gameplay worked I found one of the most worthy of games to be called masterpiece I have ever played.

Gameplay: 7/10

   This aspect of Baldur's Gate II, as well as other Infinity engine games, will either be one of it's strongest points or one of it's lesser aspects. Once you get the hang of the system (It helps if you play D&D which I have not) it works quite well. The problem is the steep learning curve. The most important thing to know though is that 'Spacebar' pauses the game at any time for any length of time, including mid battle. This is very important to know so that you don't get yourself killed as quickly as the game requires quite a bit of strategy and planning. Nowadays I love the Infinity engine and even if I don't get the whole dice rolling mechanics behind it all, I don't have to understand it to love the game. Weapon stats and Armor Class are confusing but I learned that +1 is generally better than the average weapons and that each + level made the weapon that much better, up to +5. As far as Armor Class, the lower the number the better (I know, seems contradictory to logic).

   Another confusing and potentially overwhelming aspect was the extremely large amount of spells. You could read the spellbook for hours and still not read all of the spells available and what they do. With spells it is almost better to learn by trial and error and learn that some spells can kill party members while others can heal or boost them. The combat also felt clunky and dated at times. The difficulty level was also at times very high especially during boss fights if you aren't an expert at utilizing spells and equipment. As such, I was able to beat this game at normal difficulty on my first playthrough but I died at least 30 to 40 times to get there. SAVE OFTEN and save under different files. It is completely necessary in this game.

    Despite all of the criticisms for the gameplay aspect of this game, I really did enjoy it. I loved moving my party members around the immense world, encountering all sorts of creatures, and kicking butt or getting kicked in the butt. Yes the gameplay is showing its age but if you stick it through the learning curve it is very fun! You can't play this game without using your brain consistently.

Graphics: 10/10

   At first play, the game doesn't seem amazing as far as graphics. The character animations are quite dated (kinda like the original Age of Empires sprites) and there aren't any voice animations. Combat looks a bit off at times and the spell special effects are meh. But (a big BUT), where the game truly blew me away was with the artwork and finesse put into the environments and enemies. Few other games have been able to compete with the world immersion this game provides. You actually feel like you are fighting your way through a lair infested with beholders or lost in a labyrinth of devious riddles and traps. In this game I shivered as I took the last remaining light source, the only thing keeping hordes of shadow monsters at bay, I gasped after entering an Egyptian inspired tomb and setting off a trap releasing swarms of undead monstrosities in a mad dash for me and my party, and I sat back in wonder, many a time, when I discovered an intricate landmark or creation completely unique to anywhere else in the entire game. There is so much detail to everything in this game. Just walk in a noble house in Athkatla to find intricately designed furniture, tiles, columns, items, etc. There is very very little repetition in tiles and this game captures the sense of exploration and adventure possibly better than any other game. It is also quite possible the biggest game I have ever played that doesn't rely on random maps or cookie-cutter levels. AMAZING, simply amazing!

Sound: 10/10

   Amazing on all accounts. The voice acting is very well done, the enemies and environments sound surreal. The soundtrack is astounding and fits the mood of whatever is happening on the screen. Some characters can be annoying but that is in no fault to the voice acting. Even most all of the NPC's in the village are voice-acted.

Story: 10/10

   Absolutely PHENOMENAL! The story is so rich and detailed full of heart, action, plot-twists, and more. Is it Brandon Sanderson quality, not quite, but it is definitely better than most run of the mill fantasy books out there, perhaps better compared to R.A. Salvatore (who I love as well) as far as quality. The best part, is the back stories and interactions of all of your party members. The game gives you 16 completely unique NPC's to compose your party. Who you choose to recruit and keep will greatly affect what dialog (often voice-acted) and banter you receive. Your choices, whether for good, evil, neutral, lawful, or chaotic, will warrant comments from your party members and will make some of them leave. The game has more written script than entire novels and if you take the time to read them (which you will because you often have to respond to them) you will be amazed at how much a part of this world you will end up feeling. You can make a lover or an enemy out of some characters depending on how you respond so choose wisely.

   Another truly remarkable aspect of Baldur's Gate II is how there are literally hundreds and hundreds of quests but each one of them is so much fun and unique with talking NPC's and unique situations. Gone are the fetch this, protect them, and kill this quests. Instead, the majority of side quests will take you to completely new locations  with their own thought-out stories whether it is freeing the slaves from their captors to gaining admittance in the city sewers to the cult of the unseeing eye only to descent into the pit to fight the sacrificial victims, and their eyes (beholders). One side quest had me plunging into the gauntlet-esque lair of a fiery red dragon while another had me awakening the tombs of some seriously difficult Liches only to resurrect an even harder lich. Astounding!

Variety, Pacing, and Everything Else: 10/10

   This game takes the cake on this section! There is an incomprehensible amount of variety in this game, it never seems to cease to astound. There are hundreds and hundreds of different enemies, loot, environments, NPC's, textures, quests, witty lines, magic spells, you name it and you've got it. The pacing of the game is spectacular as well. If you want to experience it all, quest by quest, you do not have to worry about getting bored. As mentioned before, each quest is a completely new experience. Even if you never leave the massive city you start out in you will always find something new to do until you've spent over a hundred hours. I'm sorry I am gushing about this game but it truly is something special. There are even large branching paths for the main quest based on decisions. Do you kill the vampires and side with the thieves guild (by far the easier option astoundingly) or do you join the vampires and infiltrate the elaborate guild. So much to do, so much replay value, like Shining Force or Chrono Trigger, I will be playing this game until I die. I forgot to mention the different classes and specialties you can choose for your main character as well. That will surely warrant a few playthroughs alone.

Overall: 47/50 - 94% Phenomenal!

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Bonus Stuff:

Favorite Party: Keldorn, Jan/Imoen, Edwin, Anomen (although he really annoys me), Mazzy/Valygar. This is an endgame party but I tend to incorporate Minsc, Jaheira, Korgan, and Yoshimo for most of Chapter's 2 and 3 (the biggest chapters by far).

Favorite Characters: Jan Jansen by a long shot! Edwin is pretty great too, Minsc for the first playthrough is fun as well but he gets to be annoying after a few playthroughs.

Least Favorite Characters: Nalia (never take her, her personality bugs the crap out of me), Cernd and Haer'Dallis are both useless to me, and I'm just not a fan of Viconia.

Favorite Quests/Locales: Absolute favorite: Beneath Spellhold, Close runner ups: Temple Ruins, the Underdark, Planar Sphere, Cult of the Unseeing Eye.

Favorite Class as Main Character: Paladin (Undead Hunter and then Cavalier because I use Keldorn as the Inquisitor) I have tried most every other class but I feel like the Paladin is the most versatile as he isn't squishy and can back up as an emergency priest which is always helpful. Plus the Carsomyr makes the game much easier and is a sick weapon!