Baldur's Gate

by Black Isle Studios

Product Features

• The plot line of the game involves the regions around the cities of Baldur's Gate and Amn
• These cities are involved in a plot to destabilize the entire Sword Coast and precipitate a war
• Chaos threatens to overwhelm the Sword Coast
• The state of Amn is under siege to the south, the High Moor is being overrun in the north, and the region around Baldur's Gate is in turmoil
• 5 CDs filled with prerendered backgrounds, compelling music, and gameplay

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00001QEQA
• Item Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Media: CD-ROM
• Release Date: November 17, 1998
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (164 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,861 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Platform: PC

Amazon.com Review

Baldur's Gate is a near-perfect adaptation of the classic tabletop, role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Six separate races and eight core character classes, from which the player can create a completely original character, are available. The game world is well painted, and players are free to explore this wonderfully textured game environment in any way they see fit, all against the backdrop of a thoughtfully conceived and versatile plot.

You begin the game as a young orphan living with your stepfather within the safe confines of a scholarly community. It is a happy and idyllic life until your stepfather is killed and it becomes clear that you are intended to be next. You, as the young protagonist, then set out to discover just what kind of a mess you're in. During the adventure, you recruit a number of personable allies, battle foes, delve into dungeons, trek across wilderness, solve puzzles, and complete a plethora of epic quests that are seamlessly sown into the fabric of the overall plot. The story line unfolds in response to your choices to reveal your character's true identity as well as the nature and motive of your enemies.

If the Lord himself were to ask me what games he should have in his home game collection, the first two words out of my mouth would be Baldur's Gate. This 1998 Role-Playing Game of the Year is a masterpiece and the standard by which all such games will be judged for the foreseeable future. Groundbreaking 32-bit graphics, 3-D sound, multiplayer options, and a friendly real-time game engine are blended with a depth of plot in a way that redefines the genre. --Joshua B. Coombs

Pros:

• Versatile and responsive plot
• Entertaining character interaction
• Huge game world
• Friendly game engine

Cons:

• Nonplayer characters exhibit little free will

Product Description

A massive gaming experience awaits you in Baldur's GateProduct InformationBaldur's Gate takes you back to the Forgotten Realms campaign setting on a visually dazzling role-playing adventure one that brings to life the grand tradition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game through the cutting edge art and technology.  Immerse yourself in this quintessential medieval fantasy world where nations hang in the balance of your actions dark prophecies test your resolve and heroic dreams can be fulfilled at last.Set in TSR's best-selling Forgotten Realms campaign setting the most popular and longest running of the Advanced Dungeon & Dragons role-playing game worlds.  Every building and structure is modeled and rendered in fine detail - taverns temples houses arenas stores and brothels are meticulously created and visually stunning.Product FeaturesReal-time environmental effects such as rain snow lightning and fog - day and night lightingDynamic full color lighting effects from interior and exterior lamps and magic spellsCreate your character from a combination of six authentic A&D races - human elf half-elf dwarf gnome halfling26 different classes and subclasses - fighter thief cleric mage and subclasses such as druid and specialist mageGuide a party of up to five other characters each with their own personalities and disposition - allows you to control party characters one at a time or  as a group Windows RequirementsWindows 95 XP VistaPentium 100 MHz processor16 MB of RAM650 MB free Hard Drive spaceDirectX 5.0a or higherDirectX certified Sound CardDirectX certified Video Card (2 MB minimum)DVD-ROM drive4 MB SVGA Video Card100% Microsoft compatible keyboard and mouse 

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AD&D the way it is supposed to be, October 6, 2000

By 

J. Sexton (Joplin, Mo USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Baldur's Gate (CD-ROM)

After rereading the `Lord of the Rings' series, I had put myself back into a fantasy state of mind. It had been many years since my brother and I wielded stacks of paper, dice and books to an imaginary game that was so intriguing because as a player you had such dynamic freedom of action and decisions. I wanted a game that would make me feel like that, and I found it when I stumbled across Baldur's Gate. It is the most perfect AD&D game I have played to date.

You create your main character and customize him or her to your liking. All other characters must be encountered and often convinced to join. There are well over twenty characters that I encountered in my game play, although your party can only consist of six characters at a time. Once a character joins your party, you have complete control of them (unless your actions violate their alignment). One of the greatest benefits of controlling the characters with a computer (as opposed to on paper) is that it is much easier to control and remember all the variables that each character and class has. When in control of a character, your icon controls are specific to that class; so it is very easy to quickly switch your thief into stealth/backstab mode, to have your cleric turn undead, to have your bard sing an inspiring battle song, to have your ranger charm an animal. Also with the computer, you don't have to worry about all the little variables that affect a characters abilities; weapon proficiencies, THACO, abilities granted by magic items. This makes for a much cleaner enjoyable game.

The gaming world is huge. Each new area you enter is completely original with beautiful new graphics, random monster encounters, and so very many sub-quests. On average, I think that each area on the map had at least 3, sometimes 4 sub-quests to be completed. But only if you want to, the progression of the game is completely non-linear, YOU DO WHATEVER YOU WANT! Fight or talk, steal or buy, fight the bad guys or join the bad guys. There is a major plot line that your main character is forced into. You simply remain ignorant of new areas on the map until you have completed a chapter by ending a major quest. My only complaint of Baldur's Gate is that there are so many variables in the game play, I wonder what all I've missed.

Upon completion of Baldur's Gate, your character is saved so that you may load him into Baldur's Gate II. (In Part I, you are only allowed to progress to Level 7 or 8; this is why) . I strongly recommend playing Baldur's Gate first and not jumping straight to Part II. Part II has much that Part I does not: another two years of technology, AD&D 3rd Addition Rules, Character Kits, Ability to get a stronghold (castle). You would be selling yourself short by missing the development of your own character, as well as one of the best games you would have ever played. I am pretty certain that Part II will blow Part I out of the water, as far as being the greatest game. As great as Part I seems to me now, it would be terrible to play Part II, fall in love with the game, decided to play Part I, and then think that Part I was not very good in comparison.

PLAY `BALDUR'S GATE' RIGHT NOW!

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Go forth and conquer, December 28, 1999

By 

Jeremy B. Pugh - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Baldur's Gate (CD-ROM)

Baldur's Gate finally consumates the promising mariage of computing power and role-playing games. However, it's not for everyone.

I cut my RPG teeth on pen and paper geeking out in my buddies' basements. In the post-Commmodre-64 Era, I slogged through all of the original Ultimas and developed a high-patience threshold playing "Bane of the Cosmic Forge" on my Macintosh classic. (Imagine the bit-mapped dungeon slogging by on a tiny Mac screen, the horror.)

When I finally took the plunge last year and delved into the modern world of computer gaming on a newly-purchased PC I was overwhelmed with the fast action, fabulous graphics of most of the games out there. But Baldur's gate is the game for an old foggy like me who can't get up to speed with the methed-out the hyper-activity of circle-strafing Quake II enemies.

First, it's cerebral. This is not the game for people who enjoy the thoughless slaughter of Quake II. If you like puzzling over the right combinations of weapons, armor and magic, you will love Baldur's Gate.One of the things I enjoyed most about Diablo was this puzzling ("Would the battle axe of the moon be better than...") but I hated when you ran out of weapons to acquire in Diablo. Baldur's Gate has six characters to juggle equipment with and when you add that to the AD&D limitations on who can use what you have some wonderful tinkering.

Second, it's immersive. There is this feeling that you can go and do whatever you want. You are tied to a linear storyline but it will always wait for you to return from the numerous side quests. Go explore the woods to the east storm the Gnoll stronghold, it's up to you.

Finally, your actions have consequences. The choices you make in selecting party members and interacting with NPC's impacts how the story unfolds. This is the most compelling aspect of the game for me. If you chose to slay that guard over a stolen haubrak the evil characters in your party will rejoice will the lawful good paladin will decry his association with you.Your reputation will rise and fall based on your actions and this will affect game play down the road. Finding the right balance of allignments and actions is a pleasure and in encourages and entire replay of the whole game.

The game's main shortcomings lie in the party AI. Sometimes you have to babysit your characters negotiation of obstacles. Some people complain about the combat but I disagree, tinkering with various tactics against new enemies is part of the game's joy.When you get some tactics down for a certain baddie just let the AI take over and open a beverage.

In reading some of the other customer reviews I've seen two different players: Those who hate Baldur's Gate because it's slow and tedious at times and those who love it because it is a graphic incarnation of the beloved AD&D rulebook. Gamers who cannot swallow thier need to run and shoot, maim and kill will probably not like Baldur's Gate. However, if you enjoy tinkering and exploring a vastly varied world in style you will love it. And hey you won't have to dig up your 32-sided dice.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars After 6 Years It Remains One of The Best, December 14, 2004

By 

Zsolt Pardi (Auckland, New Zealand) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Baldur's Gate (CD-ROM)

I unearthed this gem among my collection of old games after a recent move, and I promply popped it in to play out of nostalgia after experiencing a string of disappointing RPG's on the PC. 2 Weeks later I emerged to write the review this wonderful game deserves.

The game is set in Faerun, of the Dungeons and Dragons fame. Don't worry though you will not need to know basically anything about Faerun at first to enjoy the land and it's people, which is why this game is so wonderful. Once you are in the game and playing you will not feel out of place at all. If you are looking for a unique and seamless fantasy setting then you have found it. This is a beautiful world teeming with life and unique characters and once you finish Baldur's Gate, I know you will read up more on this "Faerun." It is that immersive.

Soundwise, this game was a breakthrough in video game entertainment. Bioware outdid itself with its ambient environmental effects. Enter a forest area and you can hear birds and natural wildlife along with trees swaying and wind blowing. When rain comes, it comes with excellent audio. I'm telling you, crank up your fancy speakers and listen! You will become immersed. The towns are constantly alive with sounds of commotion and people shouting. Masterful. The combat sounds such as spell effects and weapons hitting flesh along with the music is commendable as well.

You all play CRPG's for the story right? Even as a couple of Diablo fanboys scamper out I'm going to tell you that the Baldur's Gate saga is one of the great storytelling achievements not just in videogames but literature as well. Call me crazy but I enjoyed the story that much! Oh and don't read the crap novels based on this game the author did it no justice. Baldur's Gate follows the player character as he/she sets out from his warm, cozy lifestyle in the fortress-library of Candlekeep and takes off into the unforgiving land of Faerun. This comes on the heels of your foster father Gorion's urgent warnings. You are sent out into the world fresh for adventure, and there are many twists and turns along the way including one at the start, which will hook you for the rest of the game. Even in Candlekeep things aren't what they seem and without spoiling anything I can tell you that the story blossoms as you advance. You will never feel like saying "What the hell am I actually doing here?"

The gameplay is simple and intuitive. Party navigation is a breeze, and over 15 NPC's can be recruited into your party of 6 as you progress and their unique "banter" amongst themselves really never leaves you bored with your party. Combat is simple and the weapons are fun. Character development is one of the richest ever found in an CRPG. As for all this anger about the rules of D&D and how they "suck" in a CRPG, I can safely say that you should not worry one bit if you are looking for a rich roleplaying experience. I never bothered with 2nd edition 3rd edition and all that crap, the rules are fine and everything is calculated "behind-the-scenes" for you so it never takes away from the experience. Everything is seamlessly done and for a person looking to immerse themselves in a wonderful world the rules should never come up and detract from your game. You DO NOT have to be a Dungeons of Dragons fanatic to pick up this game and enjoy adventuring. It really is quite a masterpiece by itself.

With a lot of areas to cover and hundreds of quests and mini quests (I'm not kidding) you are looking at least 30 hours of gameplay, 20 if you "powergame" and rush through. That's real value for the 10$ max you're paying.

Graphically the old game is showing its age, I must admit. The 640x480 resolution and low-bit sprites are all here, but strangely enough it did not detract from the overall experience one bit. For all you "What are you crazy, 640x480? This ain't the stone age!" people who might pass up on this game because the graphics are dated, do no despair! There is a great mod/upgrade for Baldur's Gate called BGtutu which converts the engine to the newer Baldur's Gate II engine, with dramatic effect.

There's no reason to doubt me and countless other gamers out there that consider this the Holy Grail of CRPG's, there is a reason for that. The reason is that Baldur's Gate is one of those special games that you will be proud to own and look back on it in another 20 years as the "genre-reviving","genre-breaking" masterpiece that it truly is.

There's not much left to say, except that if you are a person that is reading this review right now, in front of your computer, and searching for that different RPG, that is not just hack and slash then end your search my friend. You have found your gem and it is called Baldur's Gate. Give it a go, and when you're done and well on your way to installing it's sequel do what I did and recommend it to someone.

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