I really wanted to get into Baldur's Gate, but there was something just holding me back. I am no stranger to hardcore crpgs, or D&D, but I just couldn't go anywhere without dying. But today I made a new character, read the manual diligently, and decided to take the game slow and easy completing as many quests as possible. And something just clicked. I am doing so much better. I feel much more powerful than last time. I love just walking around the forest at night, or walking by a tavern and soaking in the lush atmosphere. This is one of the most atmospheric games I've ever played. I love Baldur's Gate. :D

Level 1 characters in BG are pretty squishy, you would have had that trouble with any character, even a fighter with high con. But yeah, once you properly distribute your stats and get past the level 1 hump, the game does get a lot more playable.

I think I restarted BG2 like 7-10 times. At that time, I didn't understand DnD rules at all or how to play the game. Hell, in Icewind Dale, I made single class clerics with 10 strength and maxed wisdom and intelligence, that's three stupids in one character. I forget what my first BG characters were like but I'm sure their stats were crap.

Anyways, enjoy the game :)

I love how down-to-earth it is. I like how any foe can pose a challenge, you're not just some hulk who runs in and one-hits everyone. Definitely my kind of game.

In that regard BG1 is a lot better than BG2. Things do get a little easier once you gain a few levels but not to the point where you felt a like a god smiting everything left right and centre with hellfire and brimstone (unless you have bow procifiency and clear out the Sorceror's Sundries out of their arrows of detonation). The level cap in BG1 does keep things from getting rediculous.

However, BG2 is quite different in that anything that wasn't a "big bad looting hoarding....... ummmm.......... baddie" that guards the hammer of ultimate head smashy + 5 or something similar (except for the mind flayers and the beholders), the PC could clear out area after area and not break a sweat. If you can imagine a pack of Russian hunters clearing out areas of baby seals, you get the picture. If you are going to play BG2 after BG1, just letting you know to expect that. You might still enjoy BG2 but BG2 is mostly about finding the bigger sword to whack the single big bad or clear areas of nameless mooks, it is a lot more outlandish than BG1 :P