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BioWare Baldur's Gate

Put down the dice

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Agentless Backup is Not a Myth

Antique Code Show I remember one summer when my dad decided it would be great to go on holiday for two weeks in a stone farm house in Scotland, it rained and we spent the whole time playing Dungeons and Dragons.

BioWare Baldur's Gate PC game

A few more options than a roll of the dice

Yet it wasn’t until the release of Baldur’s Gate in 1998 that my vision of how D&D might look on a computer became a reality. By this time D&D had a massive following and it was a natural progression for all those nerds to finally put down the dice.

BioWare Baldur's Gate PC game

Hobgoblins take the heat

Baldur's Gate became a standard for PC games to come. The story begins just like my memories of a D&D game. I would create my character, including class, stats, and abilities. There were over eight different classes to choose for my character too, ranging from a fighter to a mage. And then it was on to the game.

BioWare Baldur's Gate PC game

Death defying gameplay

Conspiracies are rife at Candlekeep where I was raised, a citadel of knowledge located on the Sword Coast of the Forgotten Realms. After the unfortunate death of my foster father Mage Gorion, it’s time to team up with a rabble of adventurers to try and avoid assassins while solving the mysterious lack of Iron production blighting the region.

BioWare Baldur's Gate PC game

Fort knocks

Baldur’s Gate pulls me in slowly and, by interacting with different NPCs, I become familiar with the controls of the game. The plot evolves around me in my quest to help or hinder the citizens of the Sword Coast.

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Next page: This plot is hot

YOU MUST GATHER YOUR PARTY BEFORE VENTURING FORTH.

YOU MUST GATHER YOUR PARTY BEFORE VENTURING FORTH.

YOU MUST GATHER YOUR PARTY BEFORE VENTURING FORTH.

YOU MUST GATHER YOUR PARTY BEFORE VENTURING FORTH.

YOU MUST GATHER YOUR PARTY BEFORE VENTURING FORTH.

YOU MUST GATHER YOUR PARTY BEFORE VENTURING FORTH.

Thankfully, there's a mod to disable this. Didn't know this when I went through BG2 though, to my loss.

Was quite amused by the nods to BG1/11 in Mass Effect 1/2 -the space hamster (with genuine Boo squeak) in the first one, and Tali's shouts in ME2: "Faster than Chiktika Fast-paws" and "Go for the Optics".

Also, el reg: may I humbly suggest that "Your email address is never published" be replaced with "Your email address is almost never published"?

;-)

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Good ol BG!

I loved this and BGII. Fantastic gaming for the day (still holds up surprisingly well), great plots and subplots, good graphics, and good NPC characters. Speaking of which, how in the name of all that is holy could you have a Baldur's Gate review and not mention Minsc and Boo?!?!

"Butts will be kicked liberally! Right, Boo?"

*squeak*!

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I refuse to admit that Baldurs gate is now 'antique' code. It was not that long ago. And I am not that old.

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