Should I bother with Baldur's Gate?

[Jolly Co-operator]

Dragon Age: Origins is one of my favorite games of all time. Looking for another game similar to it, I discovered that it's the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate, and now I'm curious about it. I was wondering, do you think I'd like Baldur's Gate if I liked Dragon Age? I've also heard that the second game is considerably better than the first. Should I even play the first, or just skip to the second?

EDIT: Also, if anybody knows of any other games similar to Dragon Age, feel free to list them.

EDIT: Thanks for all the responses and recommendations. I've decided to try a few games, as they're all quite cheap right now. I've gotten Neverwinter Nights 2, and both Baldur's Gates (I'm currently installing the Tutu mod).

First impression of BG 1 (with Tutu and party member dialogue mods installed): First off, I'll give some details on my character. I created a half-elf fighter / mage, with proficiency in longswords and dual-wielding (being unfamiliar with D&D, I didn't realize until later that he was rather derivative of Drizzt Do'Urden). I started out with a pretty good roll of 91, and my stats are distributed thus:

Character Name: Anomander
Strength: 18
Dexterity: 17
Constitution: 16
Intelligence: 18
Wisdom: 12
Charisma: 10

I've just gotten to Nashkel and rested at the inn for the night. So far, I'm enjoying the combat. I've heard that the high rate of missed attacks could be very frustrating at the start of the game, but due to my character's high strength stat, it hasn't been too much of a problem. I've been enjoying the difficulty (which has felt fair so far), as well as the freedom the game gives me to roam about the map between towns. It's been a while since a game has been willing to let me run off to an area where I'm sure to get my ass kicked, and I love the sense of danger that comes with it. So far I only have one slot for spells, which is usually occupied by some sort of buff to augment my melee combat. I might try out some offensive spells when I have a few more slots.

The plot hasn't developed into anything particularly noteworthy yet, but it has grabbed my attention, and the world already feels intriguing, due to rumors heard in taverns. The dialogue mod has also made the game more interesting, and the characters feel far more alive than they did in the short time I played un-modded.

 

[Foolery]

A better question is whether you like Dungeons and Dragons or not. That's essentially what Baldur's Gate is. A pen and paper RPG. Just in video game format. Dragon Age doesn't have much in common with Baldur's Gate aside from party members and a stat system.

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

The first Baldur's Gate is still a good game, especially if you pick up the Enhanced Edition. It is dated in many ways (lack of meaningful side quests, very little voice overs, no explanation of core mechanics etc.) but it also provides a compelling story and some good old fashioned dungeon crawling fun.
Baldur's Gate 2 is less open than Baldur's Gate but provides a much more focused narrative, has several outstanding side quests and in general is a great example of classic isometric RPGs.

My advice? Get both and play them in order.

 

[Doom972]

It's like the comparison between System Shock 2 and Bioshock. It has very similar design principles, but the difficulty curve is very different.

Baldur's Gate is not as forgiving as Dragon Age: You'll need to familiarize yourself with AD&D 2nd edition rules (This guide [http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/75251-baldurs-gate/faqs/8566] tells you most of what you need to know in a brief, precise way), Make sure that you have enough potions and that your wizards/priests have their spells ready. This game will not hold your hand - Your health will not regenerate automatically, and spells require resting to recharge.

It should also be noted that the first game isn't very plot-heavy like its sequel, or like Dragon Age.

If this doesn't bother you then you are in for an epic challenging adventure that will provide you with dozens of hours of gameplay.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I'm pretty sure I'll like BG 2, but I'm still a little on the fence about BG 1, so if anybody could offer more arguments either for or against it, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Artaneius]

Do you like games that take skill and don't hand your hands at all period? If yes then play BG 1 if not, stay far away.

 

[Foolery]

EDIT: Also, if anybody knows of any other games similar to Dragon Age, feel free to list them.

Neverwinter Nights. Which, once again uses Dungeons and Dragons. It has game mechanics based on the 3rd edition rules. The setting is taken from the Forgotten Realms.

There's also a sequel. Neverwinter Nights 2. Which adapts 3.5 edition D&D rules.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

EDIT: Also, if anybody knows of any other games similar to Dragon Age, feel free to list them.

Neverwinter Nights. Which, once again uses Dungeons and Dragons. It has game mechanics based on the 3rd edition rules. The setting is taken from the Forgotten Realms.

There's also a sequel. Neverwinter Nights 2. Which adapts 3.5 edition D&D rules.

Do either of those games explain their rules? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with D&D at all, or tabletop games in general.

 

[Foolery]

EDIT: Also, if anybody knows of any other games similar to Dragon Age, feel free to list them.

Neverwinter Nights. Which, once again uses Dungeons and Dragons. It has game mechanics based on the 3rd edition rules. The setting is taken from the Forgotten Realms.

There's also a sequel. Neverwinter Nights 2. Which adapts 3.5 edition D&D rules.

Do either of those games explain their rules? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with D&D at all, or tabletop games in general.

It has a tutorial section at the beginning. You should be fine. It's totally a D&D game at heart but is very presentable and easy enough to understand.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

Dragon Age: Origins is one of my favorite games of all time. Looking for another game similar to it, I discovered that it's the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate, and now I'm curious about it. I was wondering, do you think I'd like Baldur's Gate if I liked Dragon Age? I've also heard that the second game is considerably better than the first. Should I even play the first, or just skip to the second?

EDIT: Also, if anybody knows of any other games similar to Dragon Age, feel free to list them.

You're better off with Neverwinter Nights 2. Baldur's Gate was awesome for its time, but NWN2 is more modern and in a way has a better story.
If you've played NWN2 already, though, you should definitely play Baldur's Gate or Baldur's Gate 2.

Do not play Neverwinter Nights 1 until you've already played all of the other games I mentioned above. Because NWN1 is more of a hack and slash than a deep rpg.

Source: I own and played all of these games.

Will I be missing any plot details if I play NWN2 before 1, or are the plots unrelated to each other?

 

[TaintedSaint]

BG Enhanced Edition is terrible its much better to buy the originals and then mod them.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

On the matter at hand, BG is a great game. BG2 is the superlative RPG of all time. Both have great storytelling, pacing and characters. Once you pass the difficulty curve, they are sublime. As others have said, they are D&D games in a computer format which IMO makes them even better. Die rolls are handled for you and the dungeons and environments exist in front of you, not just in the imagination.

They are great, party based RPGs and that more than anything is the "successor" part that made it through to Dragon Age: Origins. You have complete control over your entire party, though there are AI options you can set up, which, while not as customisable as DA:O, do grant some ability to let party members get on with it. If you do play them, I will suggest you take up the mantle as a spellcaster. The reason for this is that arcane magicians aren't as common as the others in terms of potential party members. There are a couple, but you'll find you have far more warriors than you know what to do with. Mages and sorcerers are late bloomers, but it's a fantastic journey to take and when you note their power in higher levels compared with the lower, it's pretty amazing.

The two games have lots of hidden things to discover, recurring characters and plots and the city of Athkatla is so much more alive than Kirkwall ever was (despite promises to the contrary). Be prepared to spend 150+ hours on the Bhaalspawn Saga. It's tough to begin with but once you have the hang of the rules and the game mechanics, you are in for an incredible experience. I'm genuinely jealous of anyone who hasn't played these games before because, unlike me, you still have the opportunity to play them for the first time.

I also agree with TaintedSaint above. The EE isn't terrible per sé, but I recommend also getting the original two games (from GoG perhaps?) then using BG: TuTu to smush them into one, along with many useful mods. It fixes the resolution, brings BG into the BG2 engine, makes the whole saga into one seamless experience and works flawlessly. The EE has three new companions you can have in the party if you wish and aren't bad, but I think TuTu is better.

 

[Darwinism]

Do you like games that take skill and don't hand your hands at all period? If yes then play BG 1 if not, stay far away.

Please, enlighten me as to what sort of 'skill' is required to play Baldur's Gate other than learning how to save often. It's unforgiving to an extent, certainly, but my mother played and beat the game handily on normal difficulty and she's a ~filthy casual~ who mostly plays titles like Candy Crush.



OP, NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer is a great game and worth slogging through the mostly mediocre NWN2 so you can have a full Shardbearer experience. If you like BG2 you will probably like BG1, but the scale of BG1 is smaller and focused on a lower level D&D experience, which means there will be plenty of times where the RNG simply decides that it's X party member's time to get offed/petrified/etc. This happens in BG2, as well, but you've got a much bigger toolbox in BG2.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

On the matter at hand, BG is a great game. BG2 is the superlative RPG of all time. Both have great storytelling, pacing and characters. Once you pass the difficulty curve, they are sublime. As others have said, they are D&D games in a computer format which IMO makes them even better. Die rolls are handled for you and the dungeons and environments exist in front of you, not just in the imagination.

They are great, party based RPGs and that more than anything is the "successor" part that made it through to Dragon Age: Origins. You have complete control over your entire party, though there are AI options you can set up, which, while not as customisable as DA:O, do grant some ability to let party members get on with it. If you do play them, I will suggest you take up the mantle as a spellcaster. The reason for this is that arcane magicians aren't as common as the others in terms of potential party members. There are a couple, but you'll find you have far more warriors than you know what to do with. Mages and sorcerers are late bloomers, but it's a fantastic journey to take and when you note their power in higher levels compared with the lower, it's pretty amazing.

The two games have lots of hidden things to discover, recurring characters and plots and the city of Athkatla is so much more alive than Kirkwall ever was (despite promises to the contrary). Be prepared to spend 150+ hours on the Bhaalspawn Saga. It's tough to begin with but once you have the hang of the rules and the game mechanics, you are in for an incredible experience. I'm genuinely jealous of anyone who hasn't played these games before because, unlike me, you still have the opportunity to play them for the first time.

I also agree with TaintedSaint above. The EE isn't terrible per sé, but I recommend also getting the original two games (from GoG perhaps?) then using BG: TuTu to smush them into one, along with many useful mods. It fixes the resolution, brings BG into the BG2 engine, makes the whole saga into one seamless experience and works flawlessly. The EE has three new companions you can have in the party if you wish and aren't bad, but I think TuTu is better.

Thank you for the detailed recommendation, I appreciate it. As for the TuTu mod, where can I find it, and how easy is it to install? (I have minimal experience installing mods) Also, can these mods be installed on a Mac? I mainly use my Windows desktop for gaming, but I'd like to be able to mod my Mac installs as well, in case I want to transfer my save files for when I'm away from home, and only have access to my laptop.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

Did you just asked if you should bother with one of the cult classics RPG's of all time? Of course you should, especially if you liked DAO.

It's more rough around the edges because of it's older engine, but the story is unparalleled (Planescape Torment being the only exception).

PS: Play both BG1 and BG2 + it's expansions. If you want an RPG based on story even more try Planescape Torment as well.

 

[Darwinism]

Icewind Dale is also from that Infinity Engine period and is a pretty solid game more focused on the combat side. Worth trying out. Same with Icewind Dale 2.

 

[f1r2a3n4k5]

BG2 is captivating from the word, "Go." The first hour will bring you up to speed with the game: story, mechanics, and characters. Unfortunately, that includes spoilers for the first game. But then it throws you into a completely novel story that is the best high fantasy writing I have seen in a game.

Also, the AD&D mechanics just make BG2 an intrinsically more interesting game:

You start BG1 at level 1. This makes for a slow, bland, and harsh early game. You'll have few combat options and can be killed by practically anything. While BG2 will auto-level you to an appropriate point if you start a new game.

So I'd say, skip BG1. It's very good, but BG2 is a masterpiece. If you find BG2 to be enchanting, then you'll be familiar enough with the mechanics to get through BG1. Or you could do something super-crazy like go BG2, BG1, then Throne of Bhaal. Just to mix things up.

 

[teebeeohh]

are you serious? i thought we had certain rules here
Symphony of the night is the best castlevania
we can't decide if FF7 was the best thing ever or terribly overhyped.
oh and BG2 is the best western RPG ever.

just don't buy the enhanced edition, buy it off gog and mod it. it's one of those games that have such a huge mod community that there is probably a pack with exactly the mods you need, that installs itself and fixes things is all round awesome.
and while i personally would skip BG, if you want to you should play it modded into the BG2 engine.


and prepare to read. nobody ha mentioned that yet but those games have very little VA and you will need to read mos dialogue and extensive descriptions(which is also the reason why BG2 is like a hundered hours long, one writer and two programmers can design a 5 hours sidequest with nothing but reused assets.)

oh if you like BG2 you could try all the other ininity engine games. i say could because that would take years.