Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear

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2.6/5

( 296 Reviews )

2.6

296 Reviews

English & 6 more

Posted on: November 2, 2023

polysquirrel

Games: 285 Reviews: 28

I am a conservatist, can I play it?

Can you play Dragon Age? One look at top reviews, 'overall rating', and 'verified owners rating' tells you immediately this game stirred a controversy and was review bombed. Keeping to the game only, here's a recap; judge yourself: - A companion had a quip 'It's all about ethics in heroic adventuring', a play on a Gamer Gate slogan. *Not* a joke at their expense, mind you. It's since been removed. - A shopkeeper, if you decide to talk about them rather than just do business, will admit to being trans. 'Token' inclusivity, but not really forced, either. - There is a war going on, one location is filled with refugees. Thematic, nobody would blink if it didn't conicide with the refugee crysis in Europe (but must have been written earlier). - The game has a linear structure, without the semi-open exploration of BG and BG2. I can understand why people may not like it, but, personally, I found it hard to thematically justify side questing in BG2, given the pressure CHARNAME should feel to follow the plot. - It was buggy on release (what else is new?). I haven't seen any. Above all, though: this game was possible because a lot of people have a lot of nostalgia for BG. However, BG aged badly in so many ways, it's much easier to mention what aged brilliantly. If you want to play a game you remember BG being, not the game it was, pick one of its spiritual successors, like Tyranny. The story is okay-ish with a twist, not particularly moving or memorable, but neither 'only you can save the mankind'. The new companions are ok. One is gay, but it has always been a Bioware thing. You will pick your favourites from BG anyway. One thing I take issue with, are accusations that dungeons are bad. One is at least as good as Durlag's Tower, and the battles, on higher difficulties, are as good as it gets. Better than BG, worse than BG2, by the simple virtue of your abilities at this level. If you still play BG, play it. Otherwise, a safe pass.

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Posted on: October 29, 2018

HamburgerPants

Verified owner

Games: 10 Reviews: 1

Siege of Dragonspear

Ignore the reviews complaining about the gameplay or graphics their total bs, if you enjoyed the original games and aren't limited by prejudice you'll enjoy this expansion. If you are so mentally fragile that the inclusion of one very ancillary completely avoidable transsexual npc will ruin a game for you don't play it.

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Posted on: April 18, 2022

RonAFGreve

Verified owner

Games: 405 Reviews: 24

Awesome DLC nice addition to the BG saga

I thought considering the reviews this DLC was mediocre at best, but it is actually quite good. After playing a bit it is hard to stop. It is hard to believe that after more than 20 years the BG engine still holds up and this DLC gives very much the same feeling as playing the originals two decennia back. I rolled my own party but, that probably was a bit of a waste because most of the characters (like minsc) are available to join your party (which I preferred). It is basically good old adventuring like in the originals but there are some improvements (which I liked) like, when you want to move an object to anyone else's inventory, you see which characters can use it. You also directly see how much it improves certain properties like THAC0 (important is to realize that it uses the current weapon in use for the comparison). I am in the third chapter now and I can say I liked it a lot so far. They obvious did go through great lengths to get the same look and feel as the originals.

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Posted on: February 9, 2023

PNixdorf

Verified owner

Games: 254 Reviews: 2

Great game. I don't get the bad reviews

For me, Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 are by far the greatest games I have ever played in my life (and I'm 40 years old). I have played them dozens of time in the last 22 years. I was excited when this extension came out and can say that I am not disappointed. I really can't understand all the bad reviews critizising that there ist one (!) minor character, with whom you don't have to interact at all, that ist "trans". So what? These people exist - in real life as well as in the fantasy world. What*s all the fuss about this? I really don't get all the hate and review bombing. I enjoyed playing the new campaign and find it amazing how much Beamdog was able to improve the old infinity engine. For such an old engine, the game looks beautiful. The fights are well balanced and the story is great, as well as the voice acting. The only thing I find a bit disappointing is that the game is very linear and not nearly as open as BG 1 and 2. It's pretty straight forward. In about 15 hours, you can complete the campaign. Overall, the game works well as a link between BG 1 and BG 2. I don't regret buying it and have played it a couple of times in the last years. All in all: I can recommend this extension for all BG-fans.

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Posted on: May 25, 2021

Mauritzhl

Verified owner

Games: 109 Reviews: 1

A great bridge between BG1 & BG2

Firstly, I am absolutely flabbergasted by the negative reviews for Siege of Dragonspear. It really seems like Beamdog were stuck in a no-win scenario: if they change anything, they ruin the spirit of Baldur's gate; if they change nothing, there are too few improvements. I put playing this on hold for many years due to the negative criticism, and I can now after completing it definitely say that it is totally unreserved. Note that I played this in 2021, so bugs which may have affected early players may be gone now. I think the story is decent (not great, but surely not terrible) and gives an interesting account of the events occurring between BG1 and BG2. I didn't expect much in this regard, so I was happy to see that. I also felt that both the quests, dialog and environments were very much in the spirit of Baldur's Gate. The main difference is the linearity of the story and chapters. However, I expected an expansion pack, not a new game, and as such I am without a doubt satisfied with this and had a really good time. And just a comment on the "political content": there is absolutely nothing in this game that is more out of place than anything in either BG1 or BG2.

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