Baldur's Gate - 4 in 1 Box Set Compilation
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Video Game Reviews of Baldur's Gate - 4 in 1 Box Set Compilation
Customer Review: Its a 1980 graphics game, thats my only issue with it
Summary: 2 Stars
Graphics were out of date when the game was released. It is more like 1980 game graphics, instead of anything even closely resembling 1990 quality graphics. And that is where I have an issue with the game and the series. Your basically using "stick figure" characters, who resemble just what I said = stick figures. They do not even resemble characters. The Ultima PC games that came out in the 1980s had better looking characters then this game does for a game released in 1998 or 1999.
I don't mind playing a 1990 to 1998 role playing game, and having worst graphics. Since for a RPG, you don't focus on graphics. But I do mind playing a 1980s graphics game, and that is what you are buying when you buy Baldur's Gate. And worst yet, its not even a good quality 1980's graphics game. Its the worst of the worst of 1980 quality graphics.
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to put down or criticize a game that a lot of people love. Just I found the "stick figure" character graphics so bad, that it made it extremely difficult for myself to get into the game. I actually picked up one of the games based on this engine a few times in my life, and tryed very hard to get into it. But the stick figure graphics, just got under my skin after a while, and I stopped playing. It wouldn't be so bad, if they actually had 1990 quality graphics. But I played dozens of 1980 and 1990 roleplaying games, and this game most definitely fits in the lower end of 1980s type graphics. Most good 1990 role playing games, you can see what the characters are wearing. If you change clothes, or weapons, or anything else, then that change will clearly reflect on the character's model as seen on the screen. None of that is true for Baldur's Gate. Its difficult enough with the stick figure character graphics to even figure out who is a girl or a guy.
Really ashame the developers did such a piss poor job on the character graphics in this game.
Customer Review: Time has only made these games better
Summary: 5 Stars
I played these when they first came out as I always wanted to play a D&D game...with attention...so it took me over three full years to go from beginning to end. Doing as many quests and plot diversions as I could, such fun...it was like playing inside a comic book.
About a year ago I discovered that the BGTuTu (strange name, but think of it as (Baldur's Gate to BG2) patch is an aftermarket add-on that not only fixes the remaining small minor bugs but lets you run the older BG1 game in the BG2 engine. All you needed to do was have all the games, like this set...and follow the lengthy, but simple instructions on how to put it all together.
Of course, I had to reinstall everything to try TuTu out..and now I'm a year into my next epic session..with all the benefits and better interface (and scripts and spell effects and audio)...with more than a year to go with all the extra quests and mods available from third parties.
In case you are wondering I chose a Paladin the first time around, as they are magnificent fighters and heal themselves easily and get bonuses against evil..and there's a whole lot of evil in Baldur's Gate. This time I chose the hardest of all classes: the multi-classed fighter, cleric, magic user. You need three times as much experience points to get to the highest levels and you get their three times as slowly. But, you are nine times as powerful when you get there! The ultimate long-term character for a great long-term game. I'll let you know how it turns out in 2010 or so.
Lastly, the audio and soundtrack from musical genius Jeremy Soule is probably the most sublime and inspired game soundtrack yet. Perfect orchestrations, moods, genre choice, and all original.
Customer Review: So much fun, it's dangerous
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, any person who has played a bunch of computer games will tell you this: The amount of fun you have in a game, after say the first day of playing it, is totally irrelevant to the game's graphics. The BG collection is a good example.
I too think it is better than the Neverwinter series, for one main reason:
BG and especially BGII are extremely open and non-linear. Yes, of course the game has limits, but there are so many optional areas, quests, characters, and items, and more importantly, so many decisions you have to make in each play-through that open some doors and close others, that you can play this game probably ten times in a row and still discover fun new things.
Even concepts which seem like game-universe "laws" can be surpassed once you gain enough skill as a player. I'm not talking about cheating. For example, you might think the Cowled Wizards are impossible to resist when they arrest you, right? Nope, not for a creative tactician. Or, you might think that it's impossible to beat the game using just three, two, or even one single character. But it's actually very possible--just more intellectually challenging and rewarding. Most do that with a fighter/mage or fighter/thief, though, to get the maximum number of abilities. But you couldn't do it with a single, lonely armor-less kensai fighter, right? Think again...
The great thing about these "implied" challenges, in addition to every other normal challenge in the game, is that even though they are ridiculously difficult, you still don't need a cheat sheet to do them, because since the game contains hundreds of items, spells, and abilities, (access to all of which have a sort of "open this door and shut that one" style) there are still a million different ways to complete even the most difficult challenges.
This is why the Baldur's Gate games are huge fun the first time, for the above-average (not great) story, and even more the second and third, to explore all the variations and possibilities within that story.
Finally, a note for new players:
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The only complaint I would have is that in order to play a Fighter character, you can't just choose one weapon specialization and go with it--you have to have advance knowledge of what weapons exist in order not to be stuck with crappy weapons during critical endgame duels.
If you are about to buy this game, let me tell you a few things that will save the need for the cheapening feeling of using a game guide or deciding to reboot your character halfway through:
-The one and only great 2-handed sword can only be used by Thieves and Paladins, though it comes early in the game. It is by far the best weapon in the game
-There is a good mix of low-to-mid level longswords, but few great ones
-There is only one good bastard sword and it comes late in the game
-There is only one good battle axe, and it is great, but it comes late in the game
-There are a good mix of low-to-high level Halberd weapons
-More attacks per round *usually* nets you more total damage than a higher damage per hit weapon, because all the different weapon types do not have a wide spread of damage ranges. I.E, most of the damage you do at a high level does not come from your weapon.
-Some liches can only be hit by +4 or higher weapons.
-NEVER be a sorcerer for your first playthrough...you will inevitably choose spells that sound good on paper but fall flat in practice...be a wizard instead, you will get more (real-life) experience that way.
That's it--all the rest you can figure out yourself, with a little patience and experimentation. Happy adventuring!
Customer Review: The Baldur's Gate Series is arguably one of the greatest Fantasy RPGs of all time
Summary: 5 Stars
The Baldur's Gate Series is arguably one of the greatest Fantasy RPGs of all time. I agree with the poster who said that the BG series is better NWN. It is far superior with character development and NPC and party interactions.Customer Review: Let's go back to when there were better games.
Summary: 5 Stars
So you want to try out some of bio ware's older games? Here is a secret. These games are better than the recent Neverwinter series. "What?" you say, "How could you." Well it's true. Sure it has AD&D version 2 which is an older ruleset than the Neverwinter series has, but you won't care. I'll assume you don't need great graphics to enjoy a game. Why would you even consider buying a game from the late 90's if you cared about graphics right? So I'll say the graphics were great for it's time and now I will leave the graphics alone. So how is this game so good? The answer is open ended gameplay, great combat system, and a great quest system. Exploration is another great thing about this game. To fully explore every part of the world will take you a long time, and you will find many fun little battles along the way. You can stray off from the main quest to explore the wilderness if you want, and pretty much it is part of what makes this game so great. The game has simpler combat and character customization than NWN, but it is not a negative factor. Simplicity is not always a bad thing. In truth the combat isn't really simple, it is just simpler than NWN. So should you buy? Yeah. Baldur's Gate is a wonderful adventure and baldur's gate 2 is even better. It's time to go back in time.