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Many of you probably played Baldur's Gate 3 and wonder about the two previous games. This review is for you.
Similar to BG3:
- Rich storytelling. I'd say it's even better than BG3 as it is a bit more personal on some levels, and also because there weren't many games like that before this one came out. There are great twists throughout. Your journey will make you travel across many different lands.
- Deep, complex companion characters with different opinions, motives and backgrounds. Sometimes the good answer isn't the good answer. Sometimes you may argue with your companions, you may have to shake them up a bit at times, maybe sometimes you may have to lie to them or be blunt and honest a few days later, sometimes you may have to be more gentle and understanding and sometimes not. Pay attention to their personalities and adapt your answers accordingly. You may have to deal with party conflicts or else they may harm each other!
- Fantastic romances with many layers. Some have a shell you need to crack open. Some hide their true nature for a long time before they trust you enough. This is the game that truly introduced the concept romances in RPG video games and it became a benchmark for the Dragon Age and Mass Effect franchises. Unfortunately the number of characters you can romance is small, especially for females ( there's only one guy you can romance ). However, there are mods that can remedy that of course!
- The DnD universe is the same, albeit slightly different since some character appearances and attributes may have changed over time. There are some races and classes that are missing, of course, because they hadn't been invented back then! But there is enough diversity within the game for you to forget about that.
- Challenging and fun dungeons and encounters. Great bosses. Classic dungeons and more ethereal ones are waiting for you.
- Breathtaking sceneries. Arguably, the game has aged, but visually it's a game that's very difficult to forget for those who are fans of isometric RPGs. There are many areas that have you stop and just look at them for a while and you admire the time spent to create them - both lore-wise and game development-wise. You will visit beaches, ruins, the underdark, mindflayer, dragon and beholder lairs and many more visually stimulating areas.
- Engaging and atmospheric music. BG2, just like BG3, has some of the catchiest battle music ever made. The music in this game is very visual - it accompanies the areas you visit really well. Some are more cinematic than others, depending on the setting.
- Top tier antagonists, I'd say iconic even for the DnD franchise. Irenicus is literally your party's Magneto and make BG1's Sarevok so unidimensional and simple in comparison. There are many other great evil characters for you to clash with. Dragon battles are super exciting and epic, clearly a high point in anyone's campaign when they are encountered. BG2 will unleash some of the most powerful foes the DnD universe has to offer.
- Choices matter. If you make a decision, it will have an impact on the area and may have an impact on your companions or even in the main quest. You can be good, neutral or evil when making decisions.
Not similar to BG3:
- Combat. Combat uses older DnD rules. Some aspects may feel familiar, other aspects may be totally alien to you. However, if you have moderate knowledge of the 5th edition, you are halfway there. Not gonna lie, learning how DnD works with this game with no prior knowledge of DnD is going to be difficult. It's not really turn-based although you can make it somewhat like that through settings and in the background the games does roll dice everytime you make actions. It's more chaotic, but in a good way I believe, and when it gets too chaotic you hit the pause button and reorganize your strategy. It's a lot of pause-and-play, but it gives you more control on the fight and also makes its pace faster than in BG3. You'll get used to it.
- Interactions. There are less things you can pick up, no candles to light, no crates you can destroy or move. However there are containers, secret areas and secret treasures, traps - including traps you can set yourself - and a few other things.
- No camp. In this game, if you want a party member to take some time away from your group, they will go to a given location. You will have to go and find them there if you want them back. Do not let them alone in the underdark or some other perilous area because you may never see them again! However, you will get a camp-like area in Throne of Bhaal, so there's that.
Overall this game is a cornerstone in the fantasy RPG genre. I highly recommend it, even if you haven't played the first Baldur's Gate - there is enough of it told to you for you to pick up right from the second installment and understand the entire story without playing the first game, and BG2 is by far the better of the two games.