Baldurs Gate is the best (Baldur's Gate II - Shadows of Amn (PC))

Member Name: Vialdana

Product:	Baldur's Gate II - Shadows of Amn (PC)
Date:	12/06/09 (57 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Best ever ad&d role playing game created for the pc.

Disadvantages: Keep a close eye on the time or you'll miss meals or forget to pick the kids up.

I was a huge fan of Baldurs Gate I, and it's one of the few older games that stayed on my shelf right through till now because it's not just playable, it's playable over and over and over again.

Baldurs Gate II however, I didn't ever get round to buying - until now!

For anyone who's played the original game you'll be aware of the basics of how this game works, because the format is very much the same, but for those who are completely new to it, this is an AD&D game where you lead a party of up to 6 (yourself and 5 computer created characters), in battle against a variety of creatures from goblins and orcs to dragons, witches, vampires, golems, mindflayers and a whole host more. You get to create your own character at the begining of the game, choosing gender, appearance, race, class, kits (this is new to Baldurs Gate II, and lets you choose subsets within a class - so within fighter you can opt just to be a general fighter, or you can go for something a bit more specific like kensai. Each kit is slightly different so it adds extra choice for you). You roll for ability score, choose your alignment and proficiencies and depending on which class you've chosen you then get to go on to choose spells or abilities to suit that class as well. Another addition that wasn't in the first game is that you get to choose a racial enemy - when you fight this creature you gain extra bonuses.

Once you've completed your set up, you enter the game and the first thing you'll notice is that you and any characters you meet who can join your team start at a much higher level than you did in the first game - the reason for this is that you can import your character from the original game, and also monsters you meet are tougher from the begining, there's none of the wandering round fighting little creatures just to build your strength needed as there was in the first game.

If you are someone who played the first game, don't assume that every character who you've met before has exactly the same abilities either - don't forget if they were on your team before you controlled how they placed spells and extra ability points, where as here the creators of Baldurs Gate II have made that decision so do check before you asign people weapons etc.

I'm only a little way into the game (4 days in game play time), but one of the biggest things I've noticed that's different is that the game is much more chapter led. In the original game it was much easier to wander around and do things in any order you wanted to whereas here, you do have a bit more of a storyline to follow which helps create the desire (if not the need), to follow a bit more of a pattern. Don't get me wrong, you still get a lot of choice over who you choose as allies and so the story can take many different paths.

A few changes I'm really liking are that when you look on the map you can click to see where key places are - nothing fancy just things like taverns, specific houses, shops etc. which does help if you're not so great at remembering exactly which alley to go down to find something. The other really useful addition is that you have the ability (not right from the begining of the game but not far in) to make notes for yourself. Actually you really do need this as less seems to be placed in your journal for you, so be aware of that!

A few technical details - the game comes on 4 cd's, if you do a full install you'll only need to put one cd in and leave it there most of the time when you play. If you do a basic level install then you do have to keep swapping cd's, but with the size of most hard drives these days I doubt most people will need to do this. I bought my version off ebay for £4 delivered, and it is an older game now having been created in 2000. It can still be bought new however (often for under a tenner) as the game is still incredibly playable and surpasses many games that are coming out today. It IS worth reading through the booklet that comes with it before you begin - even if you've played the original game. It contains some useful information about things. There's a tutorial you can take when you first install the game too, I didn't bother with this having played the original, but I think it would be quite useful if you've never played before.

I'm loving this game, it draws you in, frustrates you, winds you up, makes you smile & laugh when you get something right or defeat someone tough, and talk to your pc on a regular basis (well apparently I do anyway ;) ). I would however recommend you have a clock or a timer near you when your playing though or you could find yourself so hooked that it's bed time and you've missed dinner! Yes, I really am finding it that gripping!

I look forward to playing this over and over again - as a fighter, a wizard, and every other type of character available... Many many hours of fun over the next few years.

Summary: An excellent RPG which draws you in and has so many different ways you can play it,