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Baldur's Gate

92%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
92% User Score Based on 10,120 reviews

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About

Gather your party— the classic adventure returns!

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Baldur's Gate screenshot
Baldur's Gate screenshot
Baldur's Gate screenshot
Baldur's Gate screenshot
Baldur's Gate screenshot
Baldur's Gate screenshot
Baldur's Gate screenshot
Baldur's Gate screenshot
Baldur's Gate screenshot
Baldur's Gate screenshot
Baldur's Gate screenshot
+17

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 10,120 reviews
story1.2k positive mentions
stability106 negative mentions
  • The story is deeply engaging, filled with memorable characters and unexpected twists that enhance player immersion.
  • The gameplay captures the spirit of classic Dungeons & Dragons, offering rich strategic experiences and significant player freedom.
  • The game boasts exceptional replayability with diverse character classes and moral choices, ensuring unique playthrough experiences.
  • The graphics are dated and may deter newcomers accustomed to modern visuals, despite some nostalgic charm.
  • Many players find the gameplay mechanics convoluted and frustrating, particularly for newcomers to the genre.
  • The game suffers from persistent bugs and stability issues, especially in multiplayer modes, which can hinder enjoyment.
  • story
    3,115 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of Baldur's Gate is widely praised for its depth and engaging narrative, drawing players into a richly crafted world filled with memorable characters and intricate quests. While the main plot follows a classic "chosen one" trope, it unfolds with unexpected twists and meaningful choices that enhance player immersion. Despite some criticisms regarding pacing and the simplicity of certain side quests, the overall storytelling remains a highlight, making it a must-play for fans of narrative-driven RPGs.

    • “The story—while starting with the classic 'you are special and being hunted' trope—unfolds with twists and choices that genuinely feel impactful.”
    • “The story is fantastic, weaving a tale of betrayal, friendship, and the eternal struggle between good and evil.”
    • “The story is immersive and engaging, drawing heavily on classic tabletop RPG tropes, and creating a format that inspired countless later PC RPGs.”
    • “The story is… I guess there is a story, but it is hidden behind walls of text of exposition dumps and yapping.”
    • “The main story takes a while to get going, but it's also very well done, especially the city of Baldur's Gate itself is just incredible.”
    • “The story is mediocre by today's standards and the voice acting, while passable due to a few standouts, dances around the good and bad sides of mediocre.”
  • gameplay
    1,111 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Baldur's Gate is a blend of classic Dungeons & Dragons mechanics and real-time combat with pause functionality, offering a rich and strategic experience that can be both rewarding and challenging. While the game retains its charm and depth, many players find its mechanics, particularly the outdated AD&D 2nd edition rules, to be convoluted and difficult to grasp, especially for newcomers. Despite its dated graphics and some clunky elements, the game is praised for its engaging storytelling, character development, and the freedom it offers players in approaching quests and combat.

    • “The gameplay perfectly captures the spirit of classic Dungeons & Dragons.”
    • “There's a lot of player freedom to finding a solution to certain problems, and I really enjoyed playing around with all the mechanics and spells to find weird little strategies, such as turning a boss I was very underleveled for into a squirrel, or using the spider web spell to trap enemies.”
    • “The game really has it all: excellent story, solid mechanics, and tons of options to play through how you choose.”
    • “The main downside I can think of for this game is that both from a gameplay and narrative perspective it doesn't allow the player to play as an evil-aligned character as it doesn't make much sense to play as one without meta-gaming.”
    • “I expected creaky mechanics; I did not expect a complete lack of apparent choice.”
    • “The gameplay is outdated and tedious, often frustrating and annoying.”
  • graphics
    934 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its original 1998 release, yet many players appreciate the nostalgic charm of its isometric art style and hand-drawn backgrounds. While the enhanced edition offers some improvements, such as higher resolutions and minor graphical tweaks, it does not significantly modernize the visuals, which may deter newcomers accustomed to contemporary graphics. Overall, the game's storytelling and gameplay are often deemed more important than its visual presentation, making it a worthwhile experience for those who can overlook its graphical limitations.

    • “The art style is perfect, and each zone is interesting in its own way.”
    • “The updated graphics and character portraits enhance the immersion, while still preserving the nostalgic charm of the original game.”
    • “The enhanced graphics and new content breathe fresh life into this beloved classic, seamlessly integrating with the original’s depth and complexity.”
    • “The graphics are seriously outdated, but that does not detract from the fun for me.”
    • “The graphics are dated, and the gameplay is slow and clunky compared to modern RPGs.”
    • “The graphics might seem pixelated, but when you're playing, it seems almost like every map is a beautiful painting that you're trying to complete by exploring.”
  • music
    227 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth of the experience, with many praising Michael Hoenig's iconic soundtrack as timeless and memorable. While some tracks, particularly the tavern music, can become repetitive, the overall composition is considered a standout feature that immerses players in the game's world. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's orchestral quality and thematic consistency, making it a significant aspect of the game's enduring appeal.

    • “The music, the atmosphere, the writing — everything comes together in a way that few games ever achieve.”
    • “Michael Hoenig’s iconic soundtrack remains as captivating as ever, perfectly setting the tone for adventure.”
    • “The music helps with the emotional impact of the game; it is one of the best scores in the history of video games.”
    • “The soundtrack is pretty generic.”
    • “I'm surprised it's this bad when most of the other music in the game is fairly strong.”
    • “There's a limited number of songs, and at some point you get kinda tired of hearing the same three inn songs over and over.”
  • replayability
    187 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, with players highlighting the vast array of character classes, companion options, and moral choices that lead to diverse playthrough experiences. Many reviews emphasize the game's depth, rich storytelling, and the ability to uncover new secrets and strategies with each playthrough, making it a timeless classic for both new and returning players. The enhanced edition further enriches this aspect by adding new content and improving accessibility, ensuring that the replay value remains high even decades after its original release.

    • “The replayability is immense, with each playthrough revealing new secrets and strategies.”
    • “The game is simply a masterpiece, with tons of replayability and classes to choose from, all providing you with unique playstyles and ways of roleplaying your character.”
    • “The endless amount of ways a quest can turn out and the many ways you can play the game lead to Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition having a ton of replay value.”
    • “The replayability is virtually infinite for the amount of content in this game.”
    • “Replayability value is high; there are so many character variations and NPC companion choices that you can't experience it all in one playthrough.”
    • “With how many different builds, spells, things to unlock, and gear to use, I can see this game having virtually endless replayability as every team you form and character you add in can and will change how you tackle challenges fundamentally.”
  • stability
    126 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition is a mixed bag, with many players reporting persistent bugs, crashes, and glitches, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some users have experienced a relatively stable gameplay experience, others have faced significant issues that hinder enjoyment, including game-breaking freezes and unresponsive mechanics. Overall, despite some improvements from patches, the game remains notably buggy, especially for those seeking a smooth multiplayer experience.

    • “A classic of the RPG genre, Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition is remarkably stable, bug-free, and lots of fun!”
    • “Works 'straight out of the box' with no messing around and appears to be completely bug-free!”
    • “Fantastic and mostly bug-free recreation of the classic, plays so well after all these years!”
    • “Bought this to play through with a friend in multiplayer, which hangs, freezes, and disconnects 1 to 5 times every session.”
    • “This 'enhanced' version is extremely buggy and laggy to the point of being unplayable.”
    • “The game is very buggy and frequently freezes and crashes.”
  • humor
    116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing and ability to blend light-hearted moments with darker themes, reminiscent of classic tabletop RPG sessions. Players enjoy the witty dialogue, memorable character interactions, and unexpected comedic scenarios, such as wild magic mishaps and quirky NPC banter, which contribute to a fun and engaging experience. Overall, the humor is seen as a significant strength, enhancing the game's charm and replayability.

    • “It's also one of the very few games that are genuinely funny, with the mix of serious stories and funny one-off encounters mirroring a good tabletop session.”
    • “The writing in Baldur's Gate is excellent; while the plot is dark and often profound, there’s also humor and light-hearted moments that can bring a smile between the heavier beats.”
    • “The humor is also on-point: many of the dialogue options you can pick are downright sassy (but still perfectly medieval), and characters like Minsc add a lot of heart and levity to the game without ever ruining the mood.”
    • “It's not funny.”
    • “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
    • “I expected more clever humor, but it just didn't deliver.”
  • grinding
    112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews highlight that grinding in the game can be a tedious experience, often exacerbated by slow movement speeds, complex inventory management, and challenging combat mechanics. Players frequently express frustration with the need to grind for levels and resources, particularly in the early game, where encounters can feel repetitive and unbalanced. While some appreciate the depth and strategy involved, many find the overall pacing and necessity for grinding to detract from the enjoyment of the story and exploration.

    • “It can be a bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “It can be a bit grindy.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Slowly crawling through dungeons with a thief to find traps and running all the way back to the rest of the party when there's an enemy is very tedious.”
    • “The amount of grinding required to make your party strong enough to progress past the absolute first act of the plot is simply just not fun.”
    • “Combat encounters were boring and tedious.”
  • atmosphere
    71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, combining a classic soundtrack, rich lore, and well-developed characters to create a captivating experience. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a strong sense of place and mood, often comparing it favorably to other RPGs and noting its nostalgic appeal. Overall, the atmosphere is considered one of the game's standout features, enhancing both the storytelling and gameplay.

    • “The world, setting, lore, atmosphere, and characters are easily the best parts of this game, and that's what matters the most in CRPGs in my opinion.”
    • “I usually don't care about or even notice atmosphere in games, but this game did an incredible job with it; the ambient sounds, soundtrack, and overall look and feel of the world were oddly immersive.”
    • “The atmosphere is incredible.”
    • “Many developers have tried to match the atmosphere, but few have succeeded in creating characters and story depth that resonate as this game does.”
    • “The graphics are very outdated, but in my opinion, it adds to the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Yes, the game is dated and often feels clumsy, but I got sucked into the amazing story and atmosphere right from the very beginning.”
  • optimization
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback; while many players appreciate the smooth performance and improved graphics on modern systems, some still encounter issues such as stuttering and bugs. The enhanced edition has made significant strides in reducing loading times and enhancing accessibility, but there are still areas for improvement, particularly in character and inventory management. Players are generally advised to wait for sales before purchasing, as the game may not reach peak performance compared to contemporary titles.

    • “The game is well optimized.”
    • “Enhanced version delivered by Beamdog is an optimization and greatly improved coding masterpiece that delivers widescreen resolutions, better 2D sprites, reduces the colossally long loading times the original had, and fixes nearly all limitations and bugs the old engine had.”
    • “All in all, the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition is a worthy overhaul; it runs smoothly on new systems and still works fine.”
    • “Companions are bland, unoptimized, and boring.”
    • “If you don't have it optimized, you will not get far at all.”
    • “The graphics and overall performance is very sluggish.”
  • emotional
    35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke a wide range of feelings, from nostalgia and warmth to sadness and frustration. Players appreciate the iconic storyline and character depth, which create an immersive experience reminiscent of a fantasy novel, while the orchestral soundtrack enhances the emotional impact. Despite some criticisms regarding outdated mechanics and linearity, the game remains a beloved RPG that resonates deeply with fans, often leaving them with lasting emotional memories.

    • “If you just want to see the story, you can play story mode; if you want to cry, just pick Legacy of Bhaal.”
    • “The mechanics are just D&D 2nd edition, but the storyline is iconic and an emotional roller coaster.”
    • “The ending made me cry.”
  • character development
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in "Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition" is widely praised for its depth and intricacy, offering players a rich array of customization options and meaningful choices that significantly impact the narrative. The game is noted for its excellent writing and storytelling, which enhance the immersive experience, making character progression feel both strategic and rewarding. While some critiques mention the game's age and balance issues, the overall consensus is that it remains a benchmark for character development in RPGs, appealing to fans of the genre and Dungeons & Dragons mechanics.

    • “The story in 'Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition' is a testament to the art of storytelling in RPGs, featuring intricate character development, morally ambiguous choices, and a world steeped in history.”
    • “The character development is awesome, and if you find things in this that make you go 'oh this other game has that feature,' it's because Baldur's Gate is the grand-daddy of pretty much all the good ideas that are now found in modern RPGs.”
    • “Character development is very in-depth, and you will undoubtedly fall in love with them.”
    • “Definitely not for those who like character development or dialogue.”
    • “The main content of this game is combat and exploration focused with only rare dialogue and story sequences interspersed, and while the exploration offers a few hours of immersive fun, the combat quickly devolves into a necessary chore and the connection of the systems of combat and RPG character development is just badly done and horribly balanced.”
    • “A similar problem exists for weapons; without consulting guides, it is impossible to know which weapon classes actually have useful magical weapons for the end game, which means that you can basically waste precious character development resources on learning weapon classes that are effectively useless.”
  • monetization
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is praised for its absence of in-game purchases, subscriptions, or ads, reminiscent of classic gaming experiences. However, some users criticize the marketing approach, viewing it as a cash grab, particularly due to unclear compatibility information for modern systems. Overall, the game is appreciated for its straightforward pricing model and lack of intrusive monetization tactics.

    • “The hand-drawn backgrounds like the forests and towns are still lovely to look at, even by today's standards, and the game runs smoothly, with no in-game monetization or loading screens to contend with!”
    • “It is the old school format that we used to enjoy before the new multiplayer and in-app purchase, subscription, yadda yadda yadda.”
    • “This was just a pathetic cash grab.”
    • “The graphics might be a bit dated, but the enhanced edition adds new classes, while the story and gameplay remain the same.”
    • “Advertising presented by Steam and Valve doesn't tell you whether the game you are purchasing will or will not run on Windows 10.”

Buy Baldur's Gate

65h Median play time
90h Average play time
31-103h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 44 analyzed playthroughs

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