How great of a game was Baldur's Gate!

[Kuroji]

I adore it. BG2 more than the first, but the mods out there really helped my love the first too. It wasn't worse, but I prefered the NPC interactions, the engine tweaks and more more focused approach over BG1's-go-anywhere style. Had I stareted with BG1, I have no doubt I would have found myself frustrated at the difficulty alot of the time. Now? I appreciate that. I had no idea of the DnD rules when I started playing, but I never had too much trouble for most of the game. Just made a crusader paladin, gave him some heavy armour and a huge sword, and that was it. Didn't really work so well when I got to the harder enemies, especially the high level mages, but I just danced around those until I grasped it better (and figured out which spells stripped their defences). A cleric/mage playthrough really helped with that too.

Hmm.. Now I ned to go play again - good thing I still have it and all my mods installed. Gives me a chance to have an evil party. Played so many hours, and never took Edwin, Jan or Korgan along, it's shameful!

I sometimes get told I should not look at it with nostalgia-glasses, but.. I only first played in 2007, and have played again several times since. I still love it more than pretty much anything since.

 

[LookingGlass]

I've been tempted to buy BG 1 and 2 from GOG a few times. But I need to finish about 10 other games before I have the time.

I'm assuming both 1 and 2 are worth getting, and 2 isn't just a remake of 1 or something.

 

[FunKing]

i really wish i still had it....it was one of my most favorite games ever

 

[IncredibleTurnip]

I've got eight words for you: "Forsooth, methinks you are no ordinary talking chicken!"

Am I forgetting anyone?

Anomen, the fighter/cleric who encourages you to take the evil path by knifing a paladin in training. And Sarevok for some reason in ToB.

 

[Kiltguy]

OMG! I just remembered that one line, that most have driven most of us a bit frustrated...

Spoiler: Just LOL with me

"You must gather your party before venturing forth."

Otherwise I simply loved the BG series, it's a shame that they never got around and did a fourth instalment, a rumour I heard way back when.

A man, Minsc. Must have been my favourite character in the entire game series.

 

[The Madman]

Actually, that's the exact one I'm thinking of lol! That's the one I have been talking about for a good amount of this, even though i have played the PC version too.
I just really liked the PS2 version, the one me and my friend played!
So you are the mistaken one, my friend.

Oh, well, good luck. You'd be amazed how many people think it's all the same series and don't know how different the console games and the PC ones are.

I've been tempted to buy BG 1 and 2 from GOG a few times. But I need to finish about 10 other games before I have the time.

I'm assuming both 1 and 2 are worth getting, and 2 isn't just a remake of 1 or something.

For reference it's like Mass Effect, where you can carry your character over from the first game to the second. There are even mods that combine BG1 and 2 into one game so you don't have to export-import and all that as well as improving the original games experience in terms of visuals and gameplay.

Anomen, the fighter/cleric who encourages you to take the evil path by knifing a paladin in training. And Sarevok for some reason in ToB.

Ah yes, Anomen, the annoying character whos only redeeming quality in my mind is that you have the ability to utterly ruin his life and leave him a broken wreck of a man.

 

[Tselis]

I played the hell outta that game. Every class/race combo (not that there were many, but still) with my husband. Honestly, that game was better, or at least more immersive, than alot of games out there now.

 

[Athinira]

In my mind, the series (especially the second game) it's still the best Roleplaying game ever created. I like games like Mass Effect very much, but that's more because i also like shooters, and Mass Effect 2 (i sadly can't include the first game since it's shooting mechanics are bollocks) mixes the best from roleplaying and shooters.

Baldur's Gate, however, isn't just a good game. It's also a prime example of absolutely excellent game design that no RPG has managed to recreate since then, and many current day roleplaying games could have been so much better if they would just go back and look at what GAMEPLAY mechanics (I'm not talking about story here, although the story and gameplay definitely go hand i hand) made the BG series so awesome and replayable. And yes Dragon Age, I'm looking at you.

From the top of my head:
- Excellent pacing
- Actual rewards for exploration and doing sidequests
- Many more possibilities in how you want to approach each fight. In fact, some of the hardest fights in the game can be defeated by an undergeared/leveled party if you show some creativity in your tactics and preparation, and play really really well (read: game has a high skillcap).
- Competent combat system (even if the AD&D rules are outdated, the combat was still very satisfying)
- Varying party members add replay value, trying out the game with a different party and experiencing new character storylines.
- The games engine and structure allows you to cheat its mechanics from time to time with creative play, which is always satisfying. There is nothing better than finding a solution to a difficult problem the developers didn't think off as long as it doesn't seem like cheating.

i really wish i still had it....it was one of my most favorite games ever

Baldur's Gate + Tales of the Sword Coast [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/baldurs_gate_the_original_saga] - $9.99
Baldur's Gate 2 + Throne of Bhall [http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/baldurs_gate_2_complete] - $9.99

Both available online at Good old Games. Knock yourself out

 

[Baralak]

I hate Baldur's Gate. Got it for free from PC Gamer some odd years back. I do credit it for getting me interested in Forgotten Realms and D&D, but the game itself is awful.

The character creation and conversations are fine, but combat is dreadful. There's too much going on, it's impossible to control more than one character at once, and the AI was crap. Not to mention I despise the isometric perspective that game has. The only time I've seen that perspective work is in games like Diablo or Sacred 2.

Still, I've tried 2, and the ICewind Dale games off GameTap years ago, and hated them just as much. Only True D&D RPG I've ever really liked was NEverwinter Nights 1 and 2. That, and DDO.

 

[steelserenity]

Actually, that's the exact one I'm thinking of lol! That's the one I have been talking about for a good amount of this, even though i have played the PC version too.
I just really liked the PS2 version, the one me and my friend played!
So you are the mistaken one, my friend.

Oh, well, good luck. You'd be amazed how many people think it's all the same series and don't know how different the console games and the PC ones are.

Thank you! And oh yeah I know, even I for the longest time didn't know the difference until i played the PC one

 

[Raband]

"The eyes Boo - Go for the eyes."


"You must gather your party before venturing forth."

Still my favorite game of all time.

 

[Athinira]

I hate Baldur's Gate. Got it for free from PC Gamer some odd years back. I do credit it for getting me interested in Forgotten Realms and D&D, but the game itself is awful.

The character creation and conversations are fine, but combat is dreadful. There's too much going on, it's impossible to control more than one character at once, and the AI was crap. Not to mention I despise the isometric perspective that game has. The only time I've seen that perspective work is in games like Diablo or Sacred 2.

I think i found the problem with you not liking the game. Your computer apparently doesn't have a space bar, or you forgot to use it, because that's about the only reason someone could have for complaining that you could only control one person at the time.

The combat in Baldur's Gate is not awful, it's downright awesome. It's one of the few games where a terrible AI actually works great, because it allows you to outsmart the game in clever ways (many beginners in fact think the game is waaaay too hard, but once you figure out how agro works in the game you will suddenly start getting somewhere), which always feels rewarding. The game and it's vast array of tricks (many of them coming from a wide selection of useful spells) allows you to employ clever tactics, including baiting opponents, finding a specific weakness of that strong mage in the group and exploiting it, and i could go on forever about how it rewards creative strategies.

The only problem with Baldur's Gate is that it has a pretty steep learning curve, which is why it turns off some gamers (especially now where we live in an age where games in general has to be easy to understand and accessable), but to it's credit it actually has a fairly simple user interface and control scheme (compared to some other games i could mention) that makes it easy to learn the basics. The trick is just figuring out the AD&D mechanics of the game and doing some actual experimentation with each battle, just like in, for example, Dead Rising 2.

Some people get turned off by gameplay where they can't just pick up the controller/mouse and go mow stuff down without dying, in which case Baldur's Gate is definitely not a game for them. For your critique of the game having a terrible AI, my guess is that you still didn't make it very far in the game because you aren't very good at it. I can respect that, but that isn't really the games fault that you don't like that kind of gameplay.

Edit: Also, it is possible to turn down the game speed if you think combat is too fast paced. It is also possible to turn it up if you think it is too slow.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Ah yes, Anomen, the annoying character whos only redeeming quality in my mind is that you have the ability to utterly ruin his life and leave him a broken wreck of a man.

And they expected women to have him as a love interest...ugh. I think he put me off paladin types for life.

 

[aidutcher]

I just started playing the Baldur's Gate games and they're pretty good so far. I got BG 1 & 2 + their expansions on Amazon for less than $20. I consider it an excellent purchase, haha.

Here's a link to the product page, if anyone's interested:
http://www.amazon.com/Interplay-Baldurs-Gate-Compilation-Pc/dp/B000PSRN6Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1314239884&sr=8-3

 

[Daniel Ferguson]

Damn good. Buggy as hell, but I have a new version and those are gone.

 

[aidutcher]

I just started playing the Baldur's Gate games and they seem pretty good so far. I got BG 1 & 2 + their expansions for less than $20 on Amazon. I consider it an excellent purchase, haha.

Here's a link to the product page, if anyone's interested:
http://www.amazon.com/Interplay-Baldurs-Gate-Compilation-Pc/dp/B000PSRN6Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1314239884&sr=8-3

EDIT: Sorry about the double post. It wouldn't show my post the first time >_<

 

[Aisaku]

Can you imagine if they made a game like Baldur's Gate 2 but with this generations graphics and voice acting?. I think the world would implode with awesome.

Probably never happen unfortunately. As much as I love Dragon Age, just look at the number of recycled environments in that game compared to the Baldur's Gate games which often had you travelling to tropical pirate islands, twisted underdark passages, underwater cities, and hell itself in one questline.

The sheer amount of time it would take to try and craft all that in 3D plus the cost of voice acting all that dialogue would be crushing.

Nice thought though, but methinks this is one sort of game that could and would only ever work in 2D. Shame because if they ever managed to pull it off, damn, that would be pretty amazing to see the whiskers on Boos nose as Minsc charges into battle, hamster at the ready.

Yeah it probably would be completely impossible but a girl can dream

If ppl were willing to compromise on graphics, I think it'd be doable. I have no problem with 2d graphics.

 

[The Madman]

Ah yes, Anomen, the annoying character whos only redeeming quality in my mind is that you have the ability to utterly ruin his life and leave him a broken wreck of a man.

And they expected women to have him as a love interest...ugh. I think he put me off paladin types for life.

To be fair Keldorn was a pretty damned good character. But yeah, bit lopsided there with Viconia, Jaheira & Aerie vs. Anomen. Thankfully that's what the mod community is for!

 

[Knight Templar]

I love this game. Spesficly BGII:SoA but it's all good.

Damn good. Buggy as hell, but I have a new version and those are gone.

Buggy?
I played the game religiously and very likely will again in the future, yet I don't recall it being buggy.
Except with characters getting from point A to point B. I turned on cheats just so I could jump past tricky areas when backtracking.

 

[octafish]

The day comes when Tiax will point and click!

The evil guys were so much more fun in Baldur Gate. I tend to lose interest in evil playthroughs but with those guys I could enjoy it.

I wanted infravision like the elves... But 'tis more than just taking their eyes...

I do not understand this... 'mouse magic' that makes me do thine bidding.