After finally deciding to join up with GoG a few hours ago, I'm stuck choosing whether to buy Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights or Icewind Dale. If my bank wasn't so slow, I would have taken all of them, but I can only choose one for now. Any suggestions?

I would recommend BG, because that's where it all began. However, if you prefer a bit more hack-n-slash in your RPG, I've heard Icewind Dale is a more oriented towards that.

Icewind Dale is also MUCH harder than the other two.

I had a harder time with Baldur's Gate back in the day, but then I played it first of all the Infinity Engine games. So I already had a lot of experience with the combat system when I started Icewind Dale. Both games are quite hard for a beginner. Still, I wouldn't recommend playing them on easy, since that means you're getting less XP. Highly debatable if that makes the games any easier at all.

Anyway, I recommend the Baldur's Gate series. These are my favourite games of all time, great combat, great story, great everything. Icewind Dale is very good too, but much more combat oriented. It's a classic dungeon crawl, but still very atmospheric and the story isn't half bad.

I never warmed up to Neverwinter Nights. The original campaign is a bore. The expansions are supposed to be better though, and there's tons of user generated stuff.

But yeah. Get the Baldur's Gate games first, then Planescape: Torment and, if you enjoyed the combat system of Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale.

If you had started with Icewind Dale I'm sure you'll find it much more difficult. Making up to 6 party members all in one go, then having to work with all of them straight out of the gate, with little to no help makes the learning curve very steep if you haven't played other Infinity Engine games before. At least BG eases you in with a tutorial area and the fact that party members are slowly integrated, so it's easier to see what skills each member add to the party.

I'd agree with BG then BG2.

If you like the story of games more than the combat side then I'd say planescape. It is a wonderful story that more than makes up for a weaker combat side.

Prince Albert....definitely get the Prince Albert.

Oh wait, I probably should have read more than just the topic heading. Nevermind, my mind was elsewhere. :-D

Try Baldur's Gate, preferably modded. See the BG forum for mod suggestions.

i would recommend neverwinter nights i have played the bg seires they are great but the graphics kind of limits the fun but its a great story, neverwinter nights has nice graphics and the cool Dungeons & Dragons rules, the story in the main game is bit less interesting but the expansions are great.

I'd recommend Baldur's Gate, but I can't say if it's out of nostalgia or objective appreciation...
Neverwinter Nights is nice too, but if you want something that really feels D&D, go for BG.

Out of those three I'd say Planescape: Torment!

Okay, seriously, and fanboyism aside, BG is your best bet UNLESS you think you will have a lot of fun playing user generated content and doing multiplay online, NWN really shines in this regard. Icewind Dale is solid, just probably not as good as the other two.

Baldur's Gate it is then!

You won't regret it.

Agreed.