The first Baldur's Gate started with a humble enough beginning, and quickly became a sort of detective case. You had to figure out what was going on in the land and who was trying to kill you.
The second Baldur's Gate had more of a personal stake. You had to find Imoen, and eventually your very soul.
Throne of Bhaal felt more epic because it involved mass bloodshed and the killing of those who wished to be gods on a normal basis.
The thing the games have always been praised most for, is the cast of colorful party members you can bring along. Each of them have their own distinct personalities and skills and can bring different skills to the table. I couldn't really pick a favorite because I love so many of them, but I will bring special mentions to my favorites.
This is Minsc and Boo (The Hamster). They're probably the most famous of all of the party members in the game and it's not hard to see why. He's voiced by Jim Cummings, who you may recognize as the current voice of Winnie the Pooh. Jim Cummings also voices several other prominent characters in the series, but Minsc is by far the most popular. He's a Ranger from Rasheman a land of mighty warriors. Boo is his companion and lifelong friend. He provides Minsc with wisdom and comfort amidst the fierceness of battle. Minsc believes that Boo is a Miniature Giant Space Hamster though most think he's just a normal hamster. He's a bit crazy and is prone to going berserk during battle to defeat evil wherever it may go. He'll follow a good-alligned PC to the ends of Abeir-Toril. "Go for the eyes Boo! Go for the EYES!"
This is Edwin Odesseiron. He is a Red Wizard from Thay, and a jerk. He's the most powerful wizard in the game aside from the PC if it's a mage. As an evil character, he doesn't get along well with Minsc, but he makes up for it by providing some of the funniest dialogue in the series. He tends to flaunt his power and his ego is gigantic. At one point in Baldur's Gate II, you can follow a sidequest that temporarily turns him into a woman. She's as bitter and loud-mouthed then as she is as a male. If I don't play a mage, I always bring him with me. "Well certainly! There is so much to keep a great magus such as myself busy here! Look! A rock! How fascinating! "
This is Jan Jansen (Yawn-Yawn-Son). He's a Gnome Illusionist Thief. He likes to invent gadgets, but even more, he loves turnips. In fact, I'd say the only thing he likes more than turnips is telling long, probably untruthful, drawn-out stories about anything and everything, no matter if it pertains to the situation at hand or not. As a thief, he can become rather damn good. As a mage, he's alright, but nothing to write home about. He has a rather sad past, but he tends to not let it drag him down. He has a couple of hilarious banters with Minsc and a couple with Edwin as well. In fact, I'd say he's the best character to have a long if you want someone who will banter with everyone at least once. "Oh, yes indeed. It reminds me of my Cousin, Tyllie Fleetknees, and the garden she had at the foot of a dryad tree in the Forest of Wyrms. I tell you, she went up expecting well-aerated soil and did she get a surprise? Oh yes indeed! Why, I remember it like it was burned into my memory with a flaming stick, which was very close to the truth actually... "
Of course, I can't go without mentioning Jon Irenicus. He's my absolute favorite character in the series and one of my favorite villains of all time. He's voiced by David Warner, a man who is famous for playing villains (Sark from Tron, Nergal from the Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Ra's al Ghul in Batman the Animated Series). He's a supremely powerful mage who almost became a god. He's a vile, evil man, but wasn't always that way. He longs dearly for the ability to feel, but the only feelings who has are of rage and hatred. A very awesome villain, for an awesome game. "I cannot be caged! I cannot be controlled! Understand this as you die, ever pathetic, ever fools! "
The characters aren't the only things that make these games great. One must mention the sheer number of sidequests available to choose from. They rank in different levels of grandness, such as fetching a scroll for someone up to fighting an evil dragon who has stolen a man's land and kidnapped his child. They make the game very easy to play over and over again.
The game play of course is extremely important and it doesn't skimp out on it. They are in a top-down perspective and battles require varying amounts of tactics depending on the foe. You may reload several times before being able to figure out the right tactic to use against an enemy. Mindflayers in particular are difficult in this fashion unless you know what you're doing. Fighting dragons is one of the most heart-pounding things I have done in a game. You have several different types of weapons or spells to choose from and you must find what works best for the particular monster or person. Magic itself could take an entire entry to explain.
The music in the games is very mood-fitting depending on the location or situation. It can range from a jolly pub tune to an epic dragon fight song. I use the music in Morrowind it's so good.
I should also mention that the mod community is still going on strong and produces several mods of great quality. They've managed to fix some of the persisting bugs in the games as well, and have a made a mod to utilize Baldur's Gate with Baldur's Gate II's updates such as classes, spells, and races.
There are many other reasons to love these games and I've only scratched the surface. I'm done talking about them for now, but you'll probably hear more about them in the future. n_~ Stay tuned for the next entry!
No comments:
Post a Comment