Superb RPG (Baldur's Gate (PC))

Member Name: shaneo632

Product:	Baldur's Gate (PC)
Date:	04/09/09 (6 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great visuals and gameplay

Disadvantages: None

Although the RPG world may be owned largely by Final Fantasy, one mustn't forget Baldur's Gate, a stunning RPG game for the PC, released in 1998 that set the world alight with its impressively non-linear system of gameplay, in which the moral choices of the player heavily influenced the outcome of the story.

You begin as a young man who is poor and growing up in the town of Candlekeep. However, strange things afoot, and mercenaries parade the various towns in the region with the hope of killing anyone who look remotely wealthy. Things pick up as you and your mentor Gorion are out for a walk, when an unknown assailant requests that you come with him. Gorion refuses and attempts to defend you, but is viciously murdered, before you flee with your life. From here, you meet your friend Iomen, who proclaims that she was watching the entire time, and so you begin to build a party as your adventure through the region of Baldur's Gate begins, with the hope of avenging your master's demise.

Baldur's Gate has been hugely successful, and is an impressive achievement because it melds the rules of Dungeons and Dragons into a computer game, of which it was the first game to do this successfully. It also was popular enough to spawn numerous expansion packs and sequels.

It's a visually impressive game alright, but what really impresses me is the sheer scope of the game - the area of Baldur's Gate is HUGE, and to explore the entire map literally takes hours. There's so much to do, and the player is never forced to do anything they don't want to, meaning the various subplots and side stories can take up more of your time than the main campaign! It's a game that's virtually flawless in presentation, with a compelling story and well developed characters.

Summary: An excellent game