What more proof of quality you want apart from statement that this is THE game, one of the very few I play over and over even there are newer games with better graphic and more emotional impact... yeah, they are, but that can't beat the ultimate cRPG of all times. When I started to play BG2 after playing it's direct predecessor Baldur's gate I, I didn't like the graphic so much and I still hate those hand-painted pictures of NPCs, but this can't beat all the good ingredients this game offers. Awesome story with interesting characters, fewer, but more complex hireable NPCs, each with it's own story and sub-quest (except for Minsc, but...), interactions between them and between the main character as well, including romances (though the female lead is stucked with the most annoying one, male can choose between three women), fantastic soundtrack that goes from the epic choirs to intimate pieces... ... and if this isn't enough, you can choose from variety of existing modes that can adjust rules, add new character, stories (that can vary from mild to very mature), quests or even totaly convert the entire game to other AD&D stories (too bad Dragonlance campaign was abandoned before finishing). I didn't enjoy the Throne of Bhaal that much, though, but it still makes the dignifying finale to the saga. Grab it while you can and show it to your significant one, maybe you could persuade them to join you in multiplayer:)
Baldur's gate was my very first RPG and it will always have special place in my heart. The title of the greatest cRPG of all time belongs to it's follower, Baldur's gate II, but here you can find lots of ingredients that makes the prequel worthy of playing (apart from the possibility to export the main character to the sequel). I always felt the stone-like interface is a bit spartan for my tastes, but clicking buttons make delicious sound. Sounds and soundtrack are still marvelous and even graphic and cutscenes are great. The party members react to each other ocasionaly, but it's only a glimpse of what will come in future. Thankfuly, the modding community prepared lots of additions to the original game, making it still enjoyable even after amazing sequel. The original saga edition contains also the aditional disc Tales of the Sword Coast that add few more locations, items, second weapon slot for the mage (I love the combo quarterstaff + sling) and most importantly raising the experience cap enough to allow characters to reach one more level (makes sense in long run but it always made me angry, as well as the initial impossibility to wear magic rings and magic armor at the same time... thankfully this could be fixed trough mods). There is only one thing I prefer in this game over the sequel - the realistic portraits. Overall, this game is fantastic and still playable and enjoyable classic and when you reach for some modders' work, it makes one of the best cRPGs ever.
