This game was a modern spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate. It was one of the last CRPG's made by Bioware, and it might have stood a chance of knocking Baldur's Gate 2 off the top of my favorite games if EA had not forced Bioware to change it to single player only. Originally it was meant to be multiplayer in the same way as BG with friends able to join your party as companions. If this had not been removed I would have loved this game more than I did at release. This game is one of the first modern 'dark gritty RPG' when game developers started making worlds where elves and dwarves are racial stereotypes in the Jim Crow South. The first time I played the game, I thought poorly of it, especially hating the dwarven chapter. Additional playthroughs however have made me appreciate the detail in the world and made the dwarven chapter my favorite part of the entire game. If you are looking for a more approachable CRPG than the many 'greats' that new players struggle to get into, pick this game up. It is worth your time and money. Then if you are the kind of person who prefers the Hobbit to the LoTR (the books) then get Dragon Age 2 when GOG sells it. It is much more of an adventure where you try to get money rather than the fate of the world resting on your shoulders.
First off the TLDR review. If you enjoy Icewind Dale and Temple of Elemental Evil then you will like this game. I love both of them and my cleric shoots people with a blunderbuss so obviously this game is awesome. Okay let's talk about a few things. First off Baldur's Gate 2 is my favorite game of all time. This is not Baldur's Gate 2, but that is okay. Baldur's Gate 2 is the only Baldur's Gate 2 so if you can't come to terms with that then stop playing anything that isn't Baldur's Gate 2. That being said, this game is great. You can create an entire party or use the NPC companions that the game has. The artistic style is beautiful and timeless. I do not need next gen graphics, I need graphics that are timeless. I know that when I play this game in 10 years (and I will), that the game will still look good. The focus on little details is what makes this game really work for me. I love how your secondary weapons show up on your back. I love that you can speed up the game when you are walking somewhere that you have been. I love that some fights are very difficult and you have to think about what you are going to do, or be prepared to come back later when you are tougher. I backed this game on Kickstarter years ago and forgot about it until it came out. I did not expect much, I just backed it because I like good companies to be able to create the games they want. This game is definitely worth the price. I have bought several copies for my friends since I started playing it and I enjoy it more and more each hour I spend. Get it. I can't imagine who would regret it.
I backed this game when it was on kickstarter because I enjoyed Divine Divinity and love playing Co-op with my brother. I waited for the full release of the game and I was not disappointed. This is the best RPG I have played in some time. I enjoy new and old RPGs and this the game is the best of both worlds. It is open and nonlinear with tons of choices while looking beautiful and running great. The turn based combat is masterfully done and reminds me of Temple of Elemental Evil. Spells react with one another. You can talk to sheep. This game is great. Buy it. Get your friends to buy it. Play it together. Be happy.
