Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal

"The funnest part of the Baldur's Gate series!"

In the beginning was Baldur's Gate, the mysterious game on the store shelf with that weird looking skull on it. Needing some entertainment, we all purchased it, and after discovering it to be one of the greater games ever made, got the expansion and even the sequel. Now that we've successfully played out the compelling story of Shadows of Amn, we're hungry for more. Now here comes the clincher: this installment in the series is so good that it both wraps up the series nicely, but STILL leaves you praying for more. That more will never arrive again, because this is the ultimate computer RPG and there's nothing better out there.
After your adventures in Amn, your power surges beyond your wildest imagination. A new threat to the world, known as the Five, has arisen and only your, with your demi-godly power, can defeat it. The Five are all, like yourself, Bhaalspawn. They desire nothing but world domination, and have brought about many wars and trials to the peaceful land of Tethyr. Each member of the Five is completely badass in his own right. Will you prove to be the only one BADASS enough to take them down?

The gameplay is nothing but constant fun, and the battle system ROCKS! The game is easy or difficult only so much as you make it, because like most games, you set the pace. Stash it on easy for your first experience, or Core Rules if you like. But after a year or two of dedicated playing (which it will *easily* elicit from you) you can put it on Insane and have at it! Watching yourself fight, whether you're a brilliant wizard, a badass warrior, or a slick rogue, is incredibly entertaining; not because of the sprites, but because of the ever-random dice rolls! You never know if you're gonna miss or hit your opponent when the stakes are random! If you liked the previous games of the saga, then the conclusion will be no exception as you climb to level 40 and become one of the most powerful individuals in all of the Realms! +6 weapons, level 10 spells, and a new massive fortress to explore are only a few of the cool features of the game! If you liked battling your opponents in the other Baldur's Gate games, imagine doing it just like that... only with ten times the power! I mean, honestly: who didn't watch Drizzt's work in Baldur's Gate and just WISH they could be that powerful? This game grants that wish!

The story is incredible, and with a few touches it could easily be made into a best-selling novel. Deep characters, hilarious friendships, realistic romances, and villains from the sympathetic to the cardboard-cut-out type are not even part of the entire immersion into the fantasy world that you will experience with this game.

The graphics are so/so. If you can't stand games without XBOX graphics, then this probably isn't for you. But for a computer, the graphics are actually everything you'd expect from it. The top-scrolling view is actually very cool, in my opinion. It's not that they're BAD graphics, just that they aren't godly. Don't expect much here. The graphics don't make a game, and this is cold, hard evidence of that right here. The sound is very nice, with voices, realistic noises, and an awesome soundtrack to go with it! Whoever wrote that music was a genius! With voice actors like Jim Cummings and James Marsden, you can see why this game is a best-seller (for those of you who don't know, those two are among the best voice actors on earth).

The game time is probably from 20-40 hours, depending on the player. Once you're done playing, you will definitely be doing it again, because the beauty of this game is not only the alternate endings, both to the main plot and to the intricate side-quests, but also that you can play pretty much any different type of character you want! You can replay the game dozens of times before it gets old, and even then you'll find yourself pulling it out later for another run.

Whenever you see this game, you should definitely buy it if you're into fantasy. I don't see how you can regret it. I believe you can find it new, for $20, with Shadows of Amn, so hopefully you buy/bought them both at once. This is one of the finest classics ever created, and I truly believe that no other fantasy RPG will ever capture the magnificence of Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/11/05