Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

"*gasp* Even better than the original!"

Baldur's Gate was possibly the game that saved the PC RPG genre. Back in it's release in 1998, it won numerous awards, including RPG of the Year. Baldur's Gate II has been out for a while now (and it now has an expansion, Throne of Bhaal), but I figured I would review this great game anyway.

Graphics - 10/10
The game is in 2D, but the graphics are still amazing. The water effects are pretty sweet, and although there aren't any 3D effects, the game's graphics are still pretty outstanding. The spell effects are really cool, especially some of the clouds. The game occasionally slows down, but that's usually because the disk is fragmented, so I didn't take off any points there.

Sound - 10/10
The sound in this game is amazing. The various musical scores are excellent, with the battle score's tempo and the scores that are nice and soft when you wander around. The sound effects are nice, too. Hearing a warrior's grunt when he gets hit or a wizard's incantations is pretty neat. Also, the voiceovers are amazing!

Gameplay - 10/10
Controls are basically the same as BG1. The easy to use interface has been improved with the ''rest'' button now on the main screen. Also, you now have the option to hide all the sidebars and play even more immersed. The battles can be paused, so you can think about your actions and cast spells on targets without risking them moving. The only minor flaw in the system is the Pathfinding AI, which can be customized, so it's not really a problem. Most importantly, the plot is amazing! It's very detailed and intricate...and in my opinion the plot is one of the most important parts of an RPG.

Replayability - 10/10
With all the kits, alignments, and classes, this game has unlimited replayability. I've personally gone through 3 times so far, and plan on doing more. It's also very fun with multiple players. Plus, there are 4 different romances, so you get those too. Overall, there's unlimited options to replay a game of BG2.

Overall - 10/10
It's true, this is better than BG1. Even I'll admit it, although BG1 is one of my favorite games of all time. With unlimited replayability, an excellent plot, astounding sound, and nice graphics, BG2 is an excellent choice for any RPG fan, especially D&D fans.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/07/01, Updated 11/07/01