No this isn't the best RPG ever, if you are lucky enough to be over 30 and having played the various BGs, Fallouts, Torment etc when they came out... well this isn't as good as those (or is it just me getting old?) Still I've literally played no other RPG as good as this since the nienties. You like customization? you have it, you like an intresting setting? You have that too, you thought that Baldur's Gate weakness was the "pause" mechanic? Well this is Turn based and what an amazing turn-based combat it is. Do yourself a favor and buy it.
Someone said "It's not X-com", he's right this is not X-com, but of all the "X-com like" games I've tried (and I've tried many) is the one that comes closer. "Backed" it a couple of years ago on Desura the game is now ready to be played, and is damn fun at it. I'm not very good at reviews so I'll just add this, this game has a soul and it shows: the graphics, the setting, the music, the Xenopedia and the actual gameplay (Intercept mechanic, Geoscape gameplay, base building and tactical maps) all contribute to make you understand the passion behind this amazing game.
I started playing with C64 and i'm still playing games (PC more than console ones), and this is my fav game of'em all. Part of the reason is maybe that it came out in the only years in my life where i wasn't able to play P&P RPGs, but that's not the only reason. There are games with slightly better settings , slightly better stories, slightly better mechanics, better graphics (but who cares?), some are even better CRPGs, but none of them has the "full package"... The BG saga does and that's why it was, and still is, my fav computer game. "Let's give it a good shake and SEE WHAT FALLS OUT!"
the best fantasy CRPG ever? in my opinion yes is it perfect? of course not, has many flaws someone mentioned them already but still... I've never played and re-played a game that much as BG1+BG2 (and relative expansions) i've played bunch of CRPG, old and new, but again i find hard to play them more than one or in some cases 2 times. Played Fallout/FO2 bth 2 times played Torment: 2 times played Dragon age : both games just time played The witcher: 1 time (still finishing the 2nd) played_ daggerfall/morrowind 1 time and never actually finished Oblivion etc... I honestly can't remember how many times i played BG1 and of course BG2, must be around 6-7 times each. Is a good game for everyone? maybe not if you're looking for a more action oriented fantasy game (like diablo etc) the BG serie won't be for you the same if you don't like D&D (forgotten realms) settings. Of course if what you search in a game are ultra sophisticated 3d graphics..well maybe GOG is not the place for you, but for sure the BG saga , considering it's a 99/2000 set of games, won't be for you aswell. For everyone else,if you never tried it, give it a try you might discover a great game, beware it may cause heavy addiction :)
Have to admit i was a bit deluded by the 2nd witcher Game has great graphics, good storyline (even thou a bit rushy) and leaves a decent overall feeling, but.. 1- i don't like the changes they made in combat mechanics, expecially hate the "press this button or you die/loose" sequences, like the first time you meet the dragon but not only there 2- inventory is a mess, no way to actually organize it i spent about 30-35 hours on my first play, and 1/3 of the gametime was "eaten" by those 2 points 3- new potion system is imo wrong..ended up using very few of them. I see it like this: The witcher 2 < The witcher 1, exactly the same ways Dragon Age 2 is < Dragon Age 1... both got dumbed down a notch, while making them more easily "visually" appealing,and that's disappointing
