Rating: 
Summary: Truly brilliant
Review: Baldurs Gate II: Shadows of Amn (henceforth BGII) is a truly brilliant game. Few other computer roll playing games can compare to the immersiveness offered in the world that Bioware has magnificently created. The only one that comes close was Betrayal at Krondor, 7 or 8 years old by now. Baldurs Gate I pretty much rejuvenated a soporific genre that was running low on ideas. BGII has built on the foundation of BGI, and the results are impressive. BGII does everything important right. It makes good use of the AD&D license with monsters, places, and objects familiar from those that played the pen & paper version. One of BGII's main bonuses is that it incorporates some new 3rd AD&D rules, specifically in character creation. Whereas before you were the familiar basic fighter/wizard/thief there are slews of new options. Each of the old classes, such as Fighters, have been given "kits" which are basically subclasses. So instead of being a guy or gal with a sword, now you can be a Mageslayer. This class has great bonuses when attacking magic wielders. On the minus side, they can't use a lot of magical items, including healing potions - which can make the game much tougher. Its a great balancing act, and makes playing the game much more immersive. As you play to your strengths and find ways around your weaknesses it creates much more of a dilemma and challenge. There are also three new classes: monks, barbarians, and sorcerers. All of which I could continue on about in depth... The characters you come across in the game world are fabulous as well. Other characters that join your group will have their own personal axes to grind. They often need your help and agree to join only if you do indeed help them out. If you dont keep your word, they will easily walk out on you. Also, if you try and mix good and evil characters in your group, they will have words with each other and may even fight to the death! Such drama! The game allows for an amazing amount of personalization as well. If you are so inclined you can import your own picture and voice files into the game, for that truly submersive experience. I could go on and about the good stuff as there is simply so much stuff to gush about. Interesting quests, size of the game (200+ hours of entertainment) etc, but there are a few caveats. The game is a bear - four discs! A full install will eat up several gigs. And if you dont do the full install, your load times can be veerry sllooowww. Additionally, the minimum requirements are a bit misleading. I make the minimum requirements and I've had to do *tons* of tweaking to make the game playable. If your machine is borderline, be very careful, or else you will have a game that is barely playable, its just too choppy. Besides hardware concerns, there have been some performance problems - the game does occasionally lock up and crash. But overall, Bioware has done an incredible job in delivering a solid, bug free game (especially when you compare it to other stuff on the market) that pushes the limits of the genre. They have done nearly everything right: great manual, great support, multiplayer etc. If you are ready to graduate from Diablo's mindless hack and slash into a game that will challenge your imagination, tactics, and assumptions, do yourself a favor. Baldurs Gate II is going to go down as one of the best games to ever be produced. If you like roleplaying games, go buy this game. NOW!
Rating:
Summary: Why Diablo II doesn't compare
Review: I bought D II first. I played it and I liked it. The improvements from Diablo were good and I was pleased. Then a few days later Baldur's Gate came in the mail. Holy geez! As a computer gamer, I was impressed. But as a long-time RPG fanatic, I was blown away. A game like this could replace the traditional RPG. Listen to this, you generate your Player Character just like you would in an RPG, no having to chose from a standard 5 PCs as you must in D II. And you can customize the actual appearance of your PC. Not only that, but you must think. It's not your typical hack-and-slash game. Those of you who are bitter about the late arrival, well, GET OVER IT.
Rating: 
Summary: No Manual !!
Review: This is a review of the collection. Being a fan of the Icewind Dale series, and wanting to try a game that was more an RPG and less a hack&slash, I ordered this game. I just opened it and started playing last night, and while the game seems great so far, I'm very disapointed that a manual was not included. If I would have known, I'd have gladly paid the extra $$ to buy these 2 games seperately. It's probably going to turn out to be a 5 star game, but this product only rates 3 because of the missing manual.
Rating:
Summary: Still one of the great games of all time
Review: New technology, desire for on-line play and changes in interface preferences (less overhead point and click of several characters) have led to substantial changes in the later games produced by bioware. Nothing against the later games, some of which are excellent, but BG 2 still stands out as one of the great games of all time. The graphics are excellent and the story moves well. Further, there is a strong range of NPCs to choose from and lots of excellent subplots for each that the player can follow.The depth of the story is perhaps its strongest feature. This is high fantasy at its finest. Continuing from BG I, the story follows the player as a Bhaalspawn, with great potential for good and evil. Players can choose which trach to take and which alignment they want to associate with. Want to be a Paladin paling around with a good cleric/wizard? Can do. What to be an evil theif with an evil mage companion? You can do that to. The depth of the maps of the game are excellent, though in a few places you can get stuck because it is unclear what path is available. The game also includes several great improvements, like the character getting the chance to own a keep with its own special quests, based on which class you have. The Throne of Bhaal addition brings the game to a great creshendow. I don't want to give up too much, but other planes and the possibility of godhood are in your future if you play through to the end. The truth is, though I love the new games, I still go back every once in a while to play this one.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the most captivating game franchise I've ever played.
Review: With all the reviews about this game, you probably already have an understanding of what it is about, so I won't go into it. I will say that of all the games I've played, only a handful (if even that) has ever kept my interest enough to play them all the way through. Most of these so-called "Great classics", for me, tend to get boring half way through where I just lose interest, and I fail to understand what the big deal is about them. This would include games such as Half-Life... there are others, but I mention this because that game is still talked about. So, I am a tough customer to please. The Baldur's Gate series is one of the few games that has captured my attention to play the entire series all the way through numerous times, and at the end, still being disappointed that there isn't more. It is a shame that there will probably never be another game like this one. Neverwinter Nights doesn't even come close. I would HIGHLY recommend BG2:SoA and ToB. Go pick up the original BG as well, as it may help you to appreciate you character more being able to develop it from the beginning.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best RPG series
Review: I have played all the Baldur's Gate installments and they are simply one of the best series available. The experience will submerge you into a vivid and vast gaming experience while allowing you to connect with your characters. The ability to create and personalize your character and ultimately control the overall atmosphere of the game is very refreshing.
Rating:
Summary: ....Its all in the box, my friend.
Review: Everything you had ever wanted from and RPG is in this ... box you are looking at now. Sure, youre probably thinking right now "O great, another RPG fan.." but let me tell you something; I started off with RTS games like AOE:II and have never crossed anything that has ever been better than that for three years, until now. I heard about Baldurs Gate from a friend, and bought BG: Dark Alliance for the Gamecube. I beat it in three days ... But it gave me an amazingly good taste of the RPG genre. I bought BGII: The Collection and, well, got hooked. BGII:TC was a slap in the face, literally. I only got it yesterday and can tell you this little helpful bit of info, BUY IT! The game graphics are a healthy dose of eyecandy, even your mouth would love to lick it. Stunning enviroments, great lookin' spells, and everything else you would expect a five-star game would have. It is nearly endless.(And I stress the word "endless.") There are points in the game that, if you defeat the headmaster of a guild, you can become its leader, and bring in a bathtub full of sparkling gold coins that your Uncle Harry would bother you about straight to your grave. Ther are also amazingly detailed cities that you can travel to, with a house full o' dungeons and dragons (Sound familiar?) to explore on your way. Even the AI NPC's are too humoures for their own good good, for being, of course, not real. I wont have enough room to fill in my one-billion word list that the game has but before I go I want to tell all you slayin' blood thirsty gamers out there that, if you are interested in the best RPG to date, dont pass up this offer. End.
Rating: 
Summary: This game is one of the best!
Review: This game is fun and full of stuff to do that you will never be bored. I don't care if people say that its a copy of the first. A great thing about the game is that they bring back some of the npc from the last. My fav has to be Minsce and Boo they are the best! There is a review that I read that I thought was silly. a guy was complaining about in the begining of the game how your trapped and you have to kill the little guy in the jar. first off I think thats the best thing! because that drives me to want to defeat the bad guy even more and the fact that he takes your best friend to jail. Yet let me remind that guy....life back in that time was dark and evil....so pick up your sword or spell book and get ready for some butt kicking!!!
Rating:
Summary: Really good
Review: I really enjoy this game. I have played probably 50 games and out of them all this is the best. It has a great plot, and the gameplay is good, never repettive. I really like the fact that it has a pretty good mix of open and forced gameplay. If you like forgotten realms or fantasy this is a must have period
Rating:
Summary: Highly addictive and can be played forever
Review: Longetivity is a word that is underestimated in the PC gaming world, Championship manager and Baldurs Gate are 2 examples of games which can be played forever, especially with all the add on's and unofficial extras. The graphics seem a little weak at first but soon it grows on you and you are immersed in the intelligent plot and strong characters. Buy it if you like role playing games. Its the best
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