This Game Is even Better than I remember and Tales of the Sword Coast Add on makes it an totally incredable game the graphics the voice overs the background music I love every aspect of this game I have the entire Collection and several other BioWare made titles If you are at all a D&D fan then this game will not let you down it is the closest to the pen and paper as you can get and the multiplayer is just awsome hands down the only complaint I have with the Game isnt even a complaint really and that is that it is much harder than I remember but I have been playing BG2SOA for so long I forgot what its like to be so low of a level other than that the game is overall my all time forever most Faverite game only followed by its sequel if you are a RPG fan get this game you will not be dissapointed it has almost nearly unlimeted replay value and each time you play you will get a different play each time......enuff said

Theres a steep learning curve, which is hard to get over at first but once you get a hang of the navigation and hotkeys the game is godly. Theres a loose storyline which you are destined to follow (although you dont really have to). The game is very open ended and you can pretty much go where ever you want straight from the beginning which is a nice thing to be able to do. Recommend playing on easy the first time around. Character creation determines how you will interact with your surroundings and how you will play the game giving it excellent replay value.
a good buy.

The game would not run on my Windows XP based computer. Although the game loaded, it was not able to run. The seller was helpfull in giving me ideas; however, he ultimately agreed to just take it back.

I had played a demo of the game, it was great so I thought that I would get the actual game. It was better then I thought. On my first try I got massacred when I tried to leave the first region by mid-leveled bandits. Still love the game, but that had me suprised at how different it is. I like playing these games, that's why I thought on getting it, it was fun to play.

Let me repeat that this game is a classic. A word of caution here: not everyone likes classic, whether is a book (eg. Lord Jim), a movie (The 7 Samurai), a thing (The Chrysler Buiding), or in this case, an RPG game. I'm sure one can name endless example of a classic. To me, a classic is something that has stood against the test of time; it may be outdated and rusty, but something about it is still refreshing and appealing -- and that's where Baldur's Gate shines, hence the hefty price tag for an old game (the price at Amazon actually went UP since I bought it almost 2 years ago).

Yes, the graphic is outdated. Yes, the ending is a downer; yes, there's too much of just walking around in the wilderness (think of it as exploration instead); yes, the game is hard (but only in the beginning - I know - patience is no longer a virtue - this game will certainly give you some practice, but not to the point where you'll go bonker. However, it may be tedious for beginner - the reason for 4 stars instead of 5 for fun factor); and yes, the sequel, Baldur's Gate 2, is better. But Baldur's Gate was the foundation of D&D RPG. To this day, the story still seems refreshing and the characters are still memorable, not to mention the game has more depth than a whole year's worth of Holywood screen writings nowaday.

I won't go over too much detail because you probably already know it from the other reviews. I'll only add that if you are planning to get this game or are already playing it, you'll want to download to TUTU conversion (do a google search for more info), which make use of Baldur's Gate 2's graphic to play Baldur's Gate 1. It is a significant improvement (but certainly not enough for MTV eye candy junkies).

Get this game if you are old school (remember Dagger Fall, Fallout 1 & 2, Arcanum, Planescape Torment, etc ?) Actually, if you are old school then you'd already have it no matter how much it cost. If you prefer eye candies instead, you may want to reconsider or look elsewhere because $39 is a hefty price.

Even though this is an older title it is still lots of fun.

Now usually I don't go for the fantasy D&D type games, hell usually I don't go for many games period, but this one got me. This is an extremely addictive and fun game, with plenty of sword fighting, archery, and magic.

The basic plot is that you are a character searching the realms for answers concerning your past and your murdered stepfather. As you go along, you can choose certain people to accompany you in your travels and battles.

Plenty of action, plenty of thought required to play and plan out your strategies, plenty of fun. 5 stars.

Hi there folks,
The gameplay here is much like others using the same engine: Planescape: Torment and Baldur's Gate II, for example - You're in control of a party, and you click around an area map for them to move around, or to issue orders in a combat.
Combat that can be a great fun, and that's a good thing, because you'll spend a great deal of the game in it. Personally, I'm more of a turn-based player, but the D&D rules system compensated in this point. It could be very boring, but as you're constantly achieving new powers and meeting different foes, it keeps up nicely to the end of the game.
Also, the loot you get from combat is fun to manage, as you may find a variety of magic items that will help you in combats, or which you may decide to sell in one of the MANY shops you'll find in the Sword Coast.
There are a lot of sub-quests, but one of the major flaws in the game is that it doesn't keep track of them for you, so you'll simply have to write down them by hand or remember everything for yourself. There is a 'journal' that's automatically updated, but I didn't found it very useful. The quests in themselves can be stupid sometimes, but most are rich in at least one aspect - be it humor (as trying to help a not-so-good mage to get back to it's human form), it's own 'story' or a nice, clever combat challenge. The non-obligatory sub-quests are what makes the game shine, in my opinion.
You can also do a lot of hack'n'slash dungeon exploring by yourself (I mean, that don't necessarily involve a sub-quest), and it's non-obligatory in the game. Not only there are a bunch of this kind of dungeons spread out in the game, as also every wilderness area map (and the game has a lot of them) has one or two interesting encounters, at least.
In my opinion, The story and dialogs is pretty stupid. But we warned I'm in love with 'extremal" games in this category: Like in-depth/filosophical games as Planescape: Torment or the ones with astonishing personality, as Fallout 1 & 2.
Graphics are not very impressive, even more now that's slighty out-dated, but sometimes your imagination can make up for it - being an RPG game and all, that's something wich shouldbe taken into account. An bonus in this category is that every single magic has it's own animation, and every single one is fairly interesting.

I did got a little tired of the game at half of it, but maybe that's because I tried to do as many sub-quests as I could, but in my case, that's a good thing - it's difficult for me to find a game that don't get me bored in a couple hours.
And I actually forced myself to go to the end of it, because it's a nice game, and I don't regret it - although when I finished the main boss and got teleported to the new town from the 'Tales of the Sword Coast Expansion Pack' I could stand no more of it, and turned down the PC.

Hope this help somebody, although it's not as well-written as I could/(should?) have made it.

I thank you for yor speedy and promt delivery. I am very proud to have done buisness with you. I will be doing buisness with you in the near future.

Everything was brand new so I didn't have to worry about scratches or anything. Overall everything was great.

I will keep this review short and sweet. The game is an absolute masterpiece. The fact that this was only the second attempt by Bioware to make a game (Shattered Steel was their first) is astounding. There isn't a single weak point to be found in the game. Everything, from the music, characters, storyline, to the well-paced action and RPG elements, have made this game a classic.

The reason I am reviewing this game now is because I picked it up again for old times sake. The game is as good as it originally was, if not better, because I am picking up on a bunch of details I missed the first time. The artistic graphics for this game still look fantastic, which is simply amazing when you consider how fast the graphics age for computer games.

In conclusion, Baldur's Gate is my second favorite RPG game of all time. Only the sequel is superior, as it should be (It's like comparing the first 2 Godfather films). If you have not played this game, you are not a fan of RPG games.

This is by far the best game I've ever played. This was my first rpg and I think it spoiled me. After playing all of the Baldur Gates for computer I looked for more games just like it thinking this was a standard for how rpgs are. This isn't, but should be. This is the kind of game you don't leave the computer for. I stopped eating so I could maintain focus on this game. In the second game I noticed they even tell people to rest a while and go eat. Obviously, I am not an individual in the fact that I stopped eating because I was so engrossed. You have to play this game.

I admit, the nowaday's games have impressive graphics, sound and gameplay and all that crap. But BG is still my favourite game all time (BG 2 is great too, although I like the first one more). Alot of people think this game is boring, and bad combats and all. Those people just couldn't beat the game I suppose without using cheats. Most people are in for the combats and the fighting, those are the same people who think this is a boring game. The best thing of this game are the large maps, the beautiful enviroment but especially the dialogues (you schould read them, it adds alot to the game). I also like this game because there is no pressure, you don't get depressed with it. There are no time-limits, you can play the game as long as you want. I did every thing on the game, also did the minor things that have nothing to do with the important things you have to do to finish the game. It took me 2 years (I don't play like 24/7 you know...) to get in Baldur and finish the game. Aftyer that I was hooked on BG 2, wich I almost finished, but I just wasn't skilled enough. To all the spoiled kids, go play your GTA San Andreas and your Halo 2 or other stupid games wich are just to heavy for a normal computer. Play Morrowind if you want the bad version of Baldur's Gate, but this is truhly the best game ever made. Modern games don't even come close. The only that came a little closer then the rest is Unreal Tournement (I know, it's a whole different type of game), but I got to boring after a while. This is a game that's fun because of what it is, not because of the graphics or something else. Although my copy is broken these days and I'm looking for a new one, but I can find one, maybe I schould buy it back on Amazon.

This was the best RPG I had ever played when I played it the first time. Though it is lacking in technical sophistication by today's standards, it has the best storyline that I've encountered anywhere, which counts for a whole lot in my book.

The graphics are great by 1999 standards. The gameplay systems are fine, and combat is pretty good--not as action-packed as a first-person shooter, but great for a real RPG.

The storyline is where this one shines. There's motivation throughout the game, and your character is always central. I remember having quite a feeling of anticipation and excitement with this game--something unequalled in any other game, even for Baldur's Gate 2.

The game remains challenging--even hard--throughout, as well, which is also rather unusual. Of course if you powergame and read the guide, it's probably not so hard.

I give this game my highest recommendation. You'll easily understand why it's a classic if you play it. If you don't mind playing a slightly "old-fashioned" game engine, you'll love it.

This game saved my sanity. Several years ago I was unemployed, living with my brother, and not having any luck with the job search. To lift my mood, one of my brother's friends brought this game over and suggested I play it to take my mind off of my "troubles". I had played the old Wizardy games as a teen geek but had not touched a computer game in more than ten years.

I fell hard for Baldur's Gate. It really opened my eyes to just how far computers games had advanced. Many people credit this game with saving the CRPG genre. I agree. What often gets lots in all of the commentary is the characterization. To this day I remember, "I serve the flaming fist" and "go for the eyes, Boo! Go for the eyes." Yes, this game has been surpassed. Some of the graphics and such has become outdated. Other games make inventory management easier. But I don't believe that for the pure joy of playing through a story any game since has beat this game. The only game that may have come close is Planescape: Torment.

After playing BG I went on to purchase BG II, Planescape: Torment, Divine Divinity, Wizardy 8, Morrowind, etc. Because of my busy life I have stopped playing video games. But there is always that touch of nostalgia.

I urge you to play this game. It is not perfect by any means. But it is the grand-daddy of them all and won a slew of awards for a reason. It is great!

This was, as I just said - my first computer RPG. I'm still playing it today.
Some people find the game too hard. The problem with this accusation is this - one cannot lift (in real life) three hundred pounds without dedicated training. The same holds true for any video game. If you challenge a Wyvern the first time you pass its cave, you will probably be killed. If you are a low level, you won't be in luck. Though it is not "necessary" to finish all side quests, you will not be able to face many of the challenges ahead the best you could have.
You must also realize that this game is "older". The graphics are comparable to the first "Myst" game. You can't expext to turn on your monitor and see Max Payne quality graphics. It's not "pretty", but not terribly ugly either.
Also - as a tip from me to you - set your AI Script. If you aren't the best at mangaging all of your people, the AI can help you keep track of them.
The plot is...interestingly minimal. There is so much to do and so many things that can be done. The plot is there, but if you don't play for a year, you can still figure out where you left off. It's basically a conspiracy plot - dealing in secrets and the nearly-lone hero who takes on the huge evil. It's engaging, but it doesn't beat you over the head and annoy you with (many) long speeches of just plot. The game moves, and that's what I like.

I bought this game having heard great things about it. Good gameplay, great story, etc. To be honest, Baldur's Gate isn't very good.

The gameplay is terrible. I have played some great pausable games, like Freedom Force and Knights of the Old Republic, but clearly, these games benefitted from people seeing the mistakes made in BG. (Its sort of how people might not like the Beatles, but have to accept they're important. I'm in that situation with Baldur's Gate. Although, out at the same time was the brilliant Fallout 2, so whatever. But moving on...) The combat quickly degenerates into try to keep your party members from wandering where they don't belong and getting killed. Or being overwhelmed by ridiculously overpowered monsters that finish you off instantly. Poison is balanced poorly in the realtime system. Correction. Not balanced at all, quickly killing the victim. The random encounters they give you are ridiculous. Wyverns? You end up dying so often taht you just reload and reload until you can arrive at your destination without encounters. Shops also don't stock up well, if at all in the early cities before reaching the Gate, so that you often find yourself unable to buy supplies to stay fighting.... which makes the afforementioned random encounters even more ridiculously unfair.

The voices are really, really annoying. I don't deny the coolness of Minsc and Boo, but the voice gets annoying quickly. Actually, all of them get annoying fast. Especially since the speeches get repeated so much. Example, a bandit attacks and he gives some stupid speech. Two seconds later, in another room, another bandit says the same thing. I played the game with sounds off myself. The music is also extremely silly. Melodramatic like in a bad film. Then again, I guess maybe that's why people liked this game so much, the excessive heavyhanded melodrama.

As for the story, it sounds interesting on paper, but in pratice, eh. Its nothing that interesting. I think Arcanum, or Knights of the Old Republic (ironically, also by BioWare) have much more interesting stories. At least, they keep you entertained anyhow.

The other thing that I didn't like in this game, and its no one's fault actually, are the dated 2nd Edition D & D rules. Not BioWare's fault. That's what was available.

I guess to appreciate Baldur's Gate you really had to be there. The first "good" RPG in a while, and it sold well. Even this isn't true... Fallout was released in '97, and for all its faults, is still a great game; Fallout 2 came out in '98, and once again, its much more enjoyable that Baldur's Gate.
The problem is that now we're getting too many run of the mill CRPGS, all with generic pseudo-medieval fantasy settings. I have nothing against pseudo-medieval fantasy settings. I love the Temple of Elemental Evil. I'm just concerned that once people get bored of the medieval fantasy stuff, CRPGS will stop being made. I think the end of the trend may be near, personally. Also, I think we've seen enough of the Forgotten Realms. We need an Eberron CRPG. Or at least one set in Greyhawk.

Back on topic, I just don't think Baldur's Gate is all that people make it out to be.

This old game is great to play. What else needs to be said, you have a great story line to follow when you want. And who said you have to follow the story line right off? You have many choices to make depending on what you have already done. Another great thing about this game is that after you have finished, you can take this character you have helped groomed and move him into the next game Baldur's Gate II.

All right. One thing must be kept straight: This game is ADDICTIVE. I am glad I have a Laptop so I can play it wherever I go. That being said, now I must review this Extreme Monster.

First things First: This game is HUGE. I got this a long time ago and I still haven't finished it, but I've played enough of it to make a review out of it. The plot is a very good one, nice and original. You probably know all the Plot stuff already, by reading all these reviews...but it truly is the stuff that would make an English teacher scream with Delight...maybe. Combat is usually fun, but it gets repetitive sometimes. Fighting bosses is fun, and sometimes they require skill to win. With the added expansion included in this, it will be forever and a half until I finish it.

I really don't have much bad to say about this game at all, but it's not the best game ever, that's why I did not give it 5 stars, but you must play it if you like D&D and/or RPG's.

Bottom Line: Play if you dare to lose contact with friends and family for a long time.

This is a great game. Its an epic and engrossing adventure. Its one of the best RPG's of all time. If you like RPG's you cannot go wrong with this game.

You start out as a level 1 character (you get to pick among all the base AD&D 2nd edition character classes) and you have to work HARD to gain a level. By the end of the game you will be lucky to get to level 7 and every level you advance is a real accomplishment. This is not a Diable style hack and slash, it requires and incredible amount of strategy, tatics, long term planning, and plain good luck.

This is a classic AD&D game that comes as close as the computer can to the tabletop experience. You get drawn in and truly feel like your a part of this world as you play. You'll lose a lot of sleep over this game. Buy it and enjoy! Say good bye to the loved ones and they won't see you again for months.

When Baldur's Gate came out several years ago, it took the gaming world by storm. Back then, it was innovative, graphically impressive, and completely original.

Some time has passed, and the graphics aren't very amazing anymore, and the game is not so much innovative. But, it still remains one of the best role-playing games of all time. The reason for this is plain and simple: Storyline.

The Baldur's Gate series (Baldur's Gate, Tales of the Sword Coast, Shadows of Amn, and Throne of Bhaal) simply have one of the most amazing storylines in gaming history. You will laugh, you will cry, but most of all, you will have fun. You will be drawn into a world completely different from our own, with people that aren't so different from you or me (with a few notable exceptions *cough* Minsc). You will never be the same.

I wholeheartedly reccomend this gaming series. While it may be old, it is still a game that changed the RPG world, and a must have for any true RPG fan.

Baldur's Gate is one of the most immersive and enjoyable RPGs that I've played. The plot is very interesting, the characters are wonderful, and I can't put my finger on exactly what does it, but somehow this portrait of the Forgotten Realms draws me into the game world like nothing else I've played before. The first time I fired up this game led to a 24-hour gaming marathon with no food or sleep; that's how engaging it is.

You play a young man (or woman -- you create your own character) forced to leave his home under suspicious circumstances early in the game, and you find yourself out in a hostile world seeking answers about yourself. The story in this game is more personal than the traditional task of stopping the madman who wants to destroy the world, though it still becomes epic in scale, and is very well done.

Along the way you'll meet a number of NPCs (non-player characters), up to five of whom you can take with you and control. Since there are a number of character classes available, and each class has a vast array of special abilities, managing your party requires a good deal of thought, and engaging in battle requires a sound strategy. A well-balanced party is essential. The game itself is very well-balanced, so there are always numerous ways to attack any given situation.

The game is very large, and spans five CDs (six if you include the expansion). You can stick to the main story arc if you want, but there are dozens upon dozens of optional side-quests that you can attack as well. This is part of what makes the game so immersive, I think -- the fact that you so often have very significant interaction with all the minor characters in the game, rather than having them just spit out the same line of dialogue every time you meet.

There are only two drawbacks I can think of to this game, and they are minor gripes indeed. The first is that the game is based on the D&D 2nd Edition rules, which are outdated now, but the game still plays extremely well. You just don't have access to the additional options that 3rd Edition presents.

The second drawback is that it may be difficult to get into this for someone who's already played Baldur's Gate 2. As good as this game is, the sequel surpassed it in every possible way, and so it does feel like a significant step backwards. Don't let that dissuade you, though. Especially at the low price you can now get the game and its expansion for, it is well worth the money. Be sure to check out the sequel when you're done.

This RPG left me with a lot to be desired. The battle system is a little off, I died like six times the first time I played the game. Make sure you save often, because the game glitches every now and then, to the point of crashing in some instances. For a real RPG experience, allow me to suggest The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. It has given me a much more enjoyable experience.

When i purchased this game i thought it would be fun to play a classic game such as Baldur's Gate, but when i got to play it, omg, it is so, so slow and the graphics are incredibly horrible. I couldn't beleive what I was seeing. It's horrible. The battles are the most awful thing, the characters are the ugliest thing, the gameplay just makes you want to hit your head with the CDs and the box of Baldur's Gate and throw up on it. IT'S THE WORST RPG I HAVE EVER PLAYED. It's a disgrace to the RPGs.

I like the board game, but this, this is simply a bad, bad PC D&D game. Amazingly boring. Absolutely awful
DO NOT BUY. I REPEAT, DO NOT BUY. I'm almost sure that you'll regret it.

First of all, let me say that my introduction to the Baldur's Gate universe came by way of the PS2 with Baldur's Gate:Dark Alliance. After playing that game, everytime I walked by a Baldur's Gate game at a computer store or department store, I'd always have to stop and take a look at the box. Well, eventually, that curiosity got the better of me and I decided to get it. Boy, am I glad I did. Baldur's Gate:Dark Alliance was excellent, I must admit. But, the Original is the bigdaddy of them all. I'm in awe of the epic storyline, the hundreds of quests, and all the challenges and battles you take on in this game. The one thing I really like about the game is how you can create a character from 6 unique races and 26 different classes and subclasses. Graphically, this game is sight to behold, especially with all the spells and etc. Overall, this is a Role-Playing experience that will leave you more than satisfied. A game that will be one of your most treasured gaming moments. Trust me, this is a game you'll be clocking alot of hours into(and I do mean ALOT!). I highly recommend this game to everyone. If you started out on Diablo or Darkstone,it's time to give Baldur's Gate a try. As I've played the two previously mentioned(and am a fan of those games as well), it's my opinion that Baldur's Gate has the edge on them. Play it and you'll see why I say that. Baldur's Gate is awesome.

I've played a few RPG games, and I have found that the Baldur's Gate saga is one of the best. You get to customize your own character and there are endles quests (some much harder than others). The graphics are very cool and the settings are amazing. The story line is intriguing and keeps you coming back for more. Disadvantages include bugs and characters abandoning your group or turning on them. My best advice for these problems is save often and save under many game titles.

I would suggest this game to both new and old RPG fans. I'm still enjoying it.

Other than playing RPG games with dice and paper in my teens, I haven't done much with the genre. Earlier attempts to bring RPG's to computers were weak. You either couldn't go many places or get into a redundant loop of similar situations.

Baldur's Gate has neither problem, at least for a while. Terrains are very nicely done, although the program does show its age here. Also, the sounds of each environment are very nice touches, as is the map which unfolds as you explore. Interactions with inhabitants also add a nice touch with many informative tips (and some humor) to be found.

Although the manual is a .pdf file, that should not be a discouragement in this case. The interface is quite simple and intuitive and the first mission includes a tutorial to get any player ready to stike out into the many places around Baldur's Gate.

The last HUGE plus is the unveiling of a bigger story surrounding the hero/heroine. All adventures include little pieces of that puzzle, adding even more enjoyment to the game.

The only reason I give it 4 instead of 5 is that it lacks the higher resolution and other bells and whistles that newer titles can boast (it needed to be able to be run on computers when 400 MHz was fast!). For the price, it will be hard to find as much enjoyment! A bargain and an excellent game all in one!

This is a true rpg masterwork. You can fully customize your character (race, alignment, class, gender, abilities, etc..) and equip him/her with all sorts of weapons, armor and spells. The game is in top-down view, giving the player the ability to see everything around. One of the greatest aspects of the game is the freedom you have. You can be heroic and go good deeds and commit no crimes, or you can be downright evil and break down people's doors, kill the inhabitants, and rob them of their meager gold and things. The game will become harder if you choose the latter path, as your reputation becomes horrible and merchants will charge you much more for goods, and the guards will constantly be after you. Also, if you have clashing alignments in your adventuring party, they will always insult, and sometimes try to kill each other.

The most difficult aspect of the game is gaining experience and making your party stronger. Eventually (years of real-time playing) you can create a character and a party that can slay dragons, instead of being killed by lowly monsters like Gibberlings and Hobgoblins. Overall an excellent game.

I usually don't play many Role Playing Games (RPG), but when a friend let me try his edition of Baldur's Gate I was hooked on the fantasy series for life. Let me explain why I chose to start playing the highly-addictive game. 1. The graphics are excellent. You won't see many games with the type of graphics this game has. Yeah there are a few RPGs with decent graphics but they don't compare to this. 2. The game play is simple. Even for me, a novice (at the time), the game was simple to understand. It would be like playing Diablo or Starcraft to a sense. Once you started playing the game more and more, you start to understand the real concept of the game, and then you can start to build you character and learn the more advanced, complex elements of the game. 3. This game is for anyone who has ever wanted to know what it's like to be a knight, or an elf, or even a gnome. It has many different characters. They are all useful in their own unique way. Well I better wrap this up, so here's the last reason why it deserves 5 stars. 4. Last but not least, this is the game that started the BIG RPG push. Yeah we have Final Fantasy for playstation, and don't get me wrong that itself is an excellent title, but c'mon. That's for Playstation not the PC! This is the mother of all RPG's for the comp. If you love RPG's you should have this title in your collection. This is the one that started Baldur's Gate II, Icewind Dale, Icewind Dale II, and finally, The new smash hit, Neverwinter Nights. With out this game and the slew of A.D.&D. and Forgotten Realms games before it we would be still waiting for the right RPG to come along. Well that's my review. Go out and buy this game. It is well worth the $$$ I paid for it and more.

For those people like me who were looking for a good pc game like dungeon siege just turn away. I know it looks good from all the reviews but it is absoulutely impossible!! It's good for awhile but then your guys are fine then boom they're dead. People are constantly dying and leaving if you take too long to go somewhere!! Plus it suffers from countless flaws. The battles are the worst part so just stay away from it and get a good game!!!

I recently purchased this game with the expansion at the store for 20 bucks. For that price I couldnt go wrong, what with all the great reviews about it. I had a few problems after the installation with some "assertion errors" but the online troubleshooting sites helped me out. It turns out that the problem was mine, not the game's.
Anyway, at first, I wasnt sure how much I would really like this game. I thought it might have the tendancy to drag on. Actually, I have put some time into it and now I am so engulfed with this game that I have been staying up until wee hours in the morning with it. Theres is always something to do, somewhere to explore, people to help out or kill. Theres so much going on that I have yet to even come close to the city of Baldurs Gate! Ive been content with traveling elsewhere. Thats part of the beauty of the game. The fact that it doesnt force you to do anything in any order or, like most games, force you to go to area A, find object B, kill Boss C, proceed to area Z, etc. I like the fact that I know there is trouble to the south in the mines, but I feel like hanging out in the hills, looking for an insane mage. Ill get to the mines later.
Everytime this game is played it will be different depending on your choices. While im waiting for Baldurs gate2 to be shipped with the expansion, I might as well roll up a totally different character, play the game in a new sequence, and recruit the NPCs that I told to get lost the last time around. Ill take Brage to the Garrison of the Flaming Fist so they chop off his head and give me the bounty instead of giving him shelter in the church.
In short, the game is fun. It has been making me decide to stay in on nights that I should have gone out with friends. I was disappointed that it had no paper manual, but 20 bucks for this game is well spent. The manual is on disk one anyway.

Baldur's Gate presents a solid, lengthy, and deep role-playing experience, coupled with an engaging storyline and downright hilarious characters. From Minsc, the sword-wielding berserker who has a pet giant space hampster to Tiax, the megalomaniac gnome who believes he will one day ascend to become the supreme ruler of all, Baldur's Gate remains totally hilarious in my mind to this day.

Everyone should have to play through this game as a school assignment! If you have not played it your education is seriously lacking.

Baldur's Gate is a fantastic game! Baldur's Gate continues to amaze and impress however if you're looking for a quick kill this RPG does not fit the bill. Baldur's Gate has good graphics by today's standards and has an impressive story line which is somewhat linear in nature. The story allows the player to do what they wish. Multitudinous side quests coupled with flexibility in characters allow the game to be played many times over which offers hours upon hours of play. The interface is well organized and easy to use, the music, story line, and great technical aspects of the game immerse the player into the story. Bioware is notorious for their thorough game testing resulting in outstanding reliability. There is one patch available for download on the Bioware web page along with another update that allows for support of DirectX 8.0. You can't go wrong with this title.

Buying this recently, long after the furor has come and gone about BG resuscitating the RPG genre, definitely puts a different spin on how the game looks to me. When the game originally came out, I got the feeling it was hack and slash, not to the extent of Diablo, but still nowhere near the plot and character-oriented style of Fallout (which had come out shortly before and I really enjoyed). I stayed away from it.

A few months ago, my brother borrowed the game from someone and I saw him playing it for a while; I was in the mood for an RPG and no really good ones have come out lately, so I decided to pick it up. For as old as this game was, I have had a ball playing it, although I have gotten pretty frustrated in certain places (usually because I was not powerful enough to go up against the enemies I was trying to fight).

The game is not a graphically stunning masterpiece -- the 640x480 graphics are...well, dated, but still plenty good for an RPG (which shouldn't be about eye candy anyway). The spell effects are fun to watch though, and to me, the game _feels_ right, being an old AD&D player from back in high school. The plot....well, it's not as open as Fallout, but it is still a big improvement on the hack and slash genre. Combat is necessary, and a pretty big part of the game, but I didn't find myself getting really annoyed with the fact. Some of the voice work is really good -- listening to all of Minsc's lines is a hoot (although I know there's a lot of people who find it annoying -- depends on your tastes, I guess). Bioware seems to have done a good job importing the AD&D system to computer form.

Now, there are some annoyances...having to explore all the wilderness tiles in order to get all the special encounters is a real pain and I wish they had found a better solution. The fact that you have to explore the big city in the game (Baldur's Gate) is also a bit silly, and it is annoying that the game does not stay paused if you go into the inventory screen. These were fixed in the sequel.

One thing I do want to say is that it is not clear that you are supposed to go to the expansion areas _prior_ to beating the game. I don't know if this was clearer in the original Tales of the Sword Coast box, but it was not clear to me -- most expansions I've played you play them after beating the original game. In TotSC, you need to go to Ulgoth's Beard and play them through at that time, because when you beat the main plot of the game (I won't spoil it here, even though the game is pretty old now), the game is over and you can't go back and wander the world, completing the expansion quests. Besides, the extra experience you will get from completing these quests (not to mention the items you will pick up) will make the final chapter of the game much easier.