Poll: Which one is better? (Old RPG Appreciation Thread!)

[Brotherofwill]

I'm looking into the possibility of picking up an old, 90's RPG since modern ones kind of fail to hold my attention (I've tried both ME2 and DA:O and walked away with a 'meh').

Since I'm really digging the first 2 Fallout games, I wanted to look at similar games to buy. I've already made a list of hopefulls, please help me choose:

Possibly give reasons as to why I should pick it up.

How do Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 differ?

It doesn't have to be Sword and Sorcery, put a deep, team-based RPG would be appreciated no matter the setting.

(As of now I'm leaning toward Planescape, because the cover looks amazing and I've only heard good things about it.)

 

[Icecoldcynic]

NWN. That game is awesome, and there are a HUGE number of custom modules to be found online.

 

[Sephychu]

I loved NeverWinter Nights, but Baldur's Gate II just made up more of my life.

Such fun I had.

 

[WorldCritic]

I think out of those NWN is the best.

 

[Lordmarkus]

I'm pretty much on the same level. I love fallout 1 & 2 and thinking of getting Baldur's Gate and Planescape Torment since they have gotten a lot of praise.

 

[GL2814E]

I loved Planescape Torment the most. Hilarious teammates and a ridiculous amount of choice. Plus it has several very wicked twists involved.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Arcanum is the one most like Fallout so go for that if you love Fallout but don't like Bioware games so much.

Neverwinter Nights probably has the best combat system out of all of them if you want that.

Planescape: Torment has the best graphics, animation, sound and the best characters and campaign. Combat is fairly weak but not bad.

 

[InvisibleSeal]

How do Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 differ?

Don't want to state the obvious... but BG2 comes after BG1. You can probably get a set of those two and their expansion packs as a quite good deal.

Both games have amazing storylines, gameplay, characters etc etc. Baldur's Gate 2 feels slightly more refined though - there are more expansive subplots, a more expansive main plot actually, better character interaction, very awesome equipment you can get. Although I do generally think it is a better game, I do think you should get the first one first for the sake of chronology.

EDIT: Also, I've played DA:O and I thought it was an excellent game. Baldur's gate 2 (and 1) still felt like it had a more expansive world to me, and the writing of everything was just perfect. I get that there were probably numerically more subplots in DA, but BG2's subplots were pretty much the same length as the entire main plot.

 

[moretimethansense]

If you have to get just one I'd go with Planescape

But you can get the baldur's gate 4 in 1 collection for about £10/$15 from amazon.co.uk/.com
or the icewind dale trilogy for about the same price

 

[Ieyland]

I'll leave this forum permanently if Baldur's Gate 2 doesn't win.

 

[Marter]

I'll leave this forum permanently if Baldur's Gate 2 doesn't win.

I'll hold you to it.

OT: Baldur's Gate II. I think it was the most fun. Only played for a short bit, and don't remember much, but it was awesome.

 

[The Root Beer Guy]

Difficult to decide. I suppose Planescape or BG 2. NWN was fun, but a bit shallow.

 

[unoleian]

How do Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 differ?

Aside from some minor rule adjustments and major refinements in graphics and storytelling in BG2, the games are largely the same. That is, they play almost identically, if you briefly overlook the vastly more complicated nature of some fights in BG2 as compared to the first.

However, it's hard to recommend picking up BG2 and jumping right in without playing BG1 first. Not only is the story in a way a continuation, especially as far as some of the major characters you meet talking about things from the past, but also BG1 starts with your character at level one, where BG2 picks up at the highest achievable level in the first game. This turns the entire first game, in my opinion, into one incredibly fun (and long) tutorial to prep you for the sometimes seemingly insurmountable challenges you will face time and again in the sequel. And you also get to enjoy the satisfaction of growing your character all the way from the ground up. Also, if I remember right, some equipment from the first can be available in the second if you import a character from the first game. Makes for a more satisfying experience, in my opinion, to go all out with both.

So anyway, long (and possibly confusing) story short-- play both, and experience the sheer awesomeness all the way through.

 

[Brotherofwill]

How do Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 differ?

Aside from some minor rule adjustments and major refinements in graphics and storytelling in BG2, the games are largely the same. That is, they play almost identically, if you briefly overlook the vastly more complicated nature of some fights in BG2 as compared to the first.

However, it's hard to recommend picking up BG2 and jumping right in without playing BG1 first. Not only is the story in a way a continuation, especially as far as some of the major characters you meet talking about things from the past, but also BG1 starts with your character at level one, where BG2 picks up at the highest achievable level in the first game. This turns the entire first game, in my opinion, into one incredibly fun (and long) tutorial to prep you for the sometimes seemingly insurmountable challenges you will face time and again in the sequel. And you also get to enjoy the satisfaction of growing your character all the way from the ground up. Also, if I remember right, some equipment from the first can be available in the second if you import a character from the first game. Makes for a more satisfying experience, in my opinion, to go all out with both.

So anyway, long (and possibly confusing) story short-- play both, and experience the sheer awesomeness all the way through.

Wait but in BG 2 you still level right? So you start mid-level and then just improve? I love character progression, I guess that means I have to play 1 before 2.

 

[suhlEap]

the first baldur's gate, solely because i played through it with my friend about 5 times on the ps2 co-op.

 

[Brotherofwill]

the first baldur's gate, solely because i played through it with my friend about 5 times on the ps2 co-op.

That's not the first Baldur's Gate. That's Dark Alliance. I loved that game. Beat it a couple of times in Co-op.

This thread is about the PC Baldur's Gate titles which are vastly different.

 

[Yureina]

A very close toss-up between Baldur's Gate I and II, but I go with I because if it was not for that game, then II would not have been created. Both are fantastic games, and under normal circumstances I would group them together.

 

[spinFX]

(As of now I'm leaning toward Planescape, because the cover looks amazing and I've only heard good things about it.)

Haha that is hilarious because most people blame the cover for the reason it didn't sell well. Amazing game though, you can't go wrong. If you get PST please PM me and I will direct you to some player made patches and mods you will NEED on modern systems.

BUT I think Baldur's Gate 2 is better. Go for that IMO! You won't regret a second of it. Oh man I get a stiffy thinking about that game. I'm about 2 weeks from loading it up again for about my 10th play through. I seem to play it once or twice a year.