Baldur's Gate Original Saga with Tales of the Sword Coast Expansion Pack
by Black Isle Studios
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Video Game Reviews of Baldur's Gate Original Saga with Tales of the Sword Coast Expansion Pack
Customer Review: My "First" Computer RPG
Summary: 4 Stars
This was, as I just said - my first computer RPG. I'm still playing it today.
Some people find the game too hard. The problem with this accusation is this - one cannot lift (in real life) three hundred pounds without dedicated training. The same holds true for any video game. If you challenge a Wyvern the first time you pass its cave, you will probably be killed. If you are a low level, you won't be in luck. Though it is not "necessary" to finish all side quests, you will not be able to face many of the challenges ahead the best you could have.
You must also realize that this game is "older". The graphics are comparable to the first "Myst" game. You can't expext to turn on your monitor and see Max Payne quality graphics. It's not "pretty", but not terribly ugly either.
Also - as a tip from me to you - set your AI Script. If you aren't the best at mangaging all of your people, the AI can help you keep track of them.
The plot is...interestingly minimal. There is so much to do and so many things that can be done. The plot is there, but if you don't play for a year, you can still figure out where you left off. It's basically a conspiracy plot - dealing in secrets and the nearly-lone hero who takes on the huge evil. It's engaging, but it doesn't beat you over the head and annoy you with (many) long speeches of just plot. The game moves, and that's what I like.
Customer Review: I guess you had to be there....
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought this game having heard great things about it. Good gameplay, great story, etc. To be honest, Baldur's Gate isn't very good.The gameplay is terrible. I have played some great pausable games, like Freedom Force and Knights of the Old Republic, but clearly, these games benefitted from people seeing the mistakes made in BG. (Its sort of how people might not like the Beatles, but have to accept they're important. I'm in that situation with Baldur's Gate. Although, out at the same time was the brilliant Fallout 2, so whatever. But moving on...) The combat quickly degenerates into try to keep your party members from wandering where they don't belong and getting killed. Or being overwhelmed by ridiculously overpowered monsters that finish you off instantly. Poison is balanced poorly in the realtime system. Correction. Not balanced at all, quickly killing the victim. The random encounters they give you are ridiculous. Wyverns? You end up dying so often taht you just reload and reload until you can arrive at your destination without encounters. Shops also don't stock up well, if at all in the early cities before reaching the Gate, so that you often find yourself unable to buy supplies to stay fighting.... which makes the afforementioned random encounters even more ridiculously unfair.
The voices are really, really annoying. I don't deny the coolness of Minsc and Boo, but the voice gets annoying quickly. Actually, all of them get annoying fast. Especially since the speeches get repeated so much. Example, a bandit attacks and he gives some stupid speech. Two seconds later, in another room, another bandit says the same thing. I played the game with sounds off myself. The music is also extremely silly. Melodramatic like in a bad film. Then again, I guess maybe that's why people liked this game so much, the excessive heavyhanded melodrama.
As for the story, it sounds interesting on paper, but in pratice, eh. Its nothing that interesting. I think Arcanum, or Knights of the Old Republic (ironically, also by BioWare) have much more interesting stories. At least, they keep you entertained anyhow.
The other thing that I didn't like in this game, and its no one's fault actually, are the dated 2nd Edition D & D rules. Not BioWare's fault. That's what was available.
I guess to appreciate Baldur's Gate you really had to be there. The first "good" RPG in a while, and it sold well. Even this isn't true... Fallout was released in '97, and for all its faults, is still a great game; Fallout 2 came out in '98, and once again, its much more enjoyable that Baldur's Gate.
The problem is that now we're getting too many run of the mill CRPGS, all with generic pseudo-medieval fantasy settings. I have nothing against pseudo-medieval fantasy settings. I love the Temple of Elemental Evil. I'm just concerned that once people get bored of the medieval fantasy stuff, CRPGS will stop being made. I think the end of the trend may be near, personally. Also, I think we've seen enough of the Forgotten Realms. We need an Eberron CRPG. Or at least one set in Greyhawk.
Back on topic, I just don't think Baldur's Gate is all that people make it out to be.
Customer Review: This may be old, but it still is a great game.
Summary: 5 Stars
This old game is great to play. What else needs to be said, you have a great story line to follow when you want. And who said you have to follow the story line right off? You have many choices to make depending on what you have already done. Another great thing about this game is that after you have finished, you can take this character you have helped groomed and move him into the next game Baldur's Gate II.Customer Review: Oh my Mud
Summary: 4 Stars
All right. One thing must be kept straight: This game is ADDICTIVE. I am glad I have a Laptop so I can play it wherever I go. That being said, now I must review this Extreme Monster.First things First: This game is HUGE. I got this a long time ago and I still haven't finished it, but I've played enough of it to make a review out of it. The plot is a very good one, nice and original. You probably know all the Plot stuff already, by reading all these reviews...but it truly is the stuff that would make an English teacher scream with Delight...maybe. Combat is usually fun, but it gets repetitive sometimes. Fighting bosses is fun, and sometimes they require skill to win. With the added expansion included in this, it will be forever and a half until I finish it.
I really don't have much bad to say about this game at all, but it's not the best game ever, that's why I did not give it 5 stars, but you must play it if you like D&D and/or RPG's.
Bottom Line: Play if you dare to lose contact with friends and family for a long time.
Customer Review: A classic!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great game. Its an epic and engrossing adventure. Its one of the best RPG's of all time. If you like RPG's you cannot go wrong with this game. You start out as a level 1 character (you get to pick among all the base AD&D 2nd edition character classes) and you have to work HARD to gain a level. By the end of the game you will be lucky to get to level 7 and every level you advance is a real accomplishment. This is not a Diable style hack and slash, it requires and incredible amount of strategy, tatics, long term planning, and plain good luck.
This is a classic AD&D game that comes as close as the computer can to the tabletop experience. You get drawn in and truly feel like your a part of this world as you play. You'll lose a lot of sleep over this game. Buy it and enjoy! Say good bye to the loved ones and they won't see you again for months.