Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear

1. Jlaw1988

   Apr 3, 2016

   10

   Okay lets get the most positive aspects out the way first: Its an expansion to a 17 year old game, and fits in perfectly. So often I wasOkay lets get the most positive aspects out the way first: Its an expansion to a 17 year old game, and fits in perfectly. So often I was playing through this expansion with the exact same feeling as playing the originals all those years ago. The technical upgrades are self evident and dont need explaining, as after 17 years there was bound to be. There are some technical hiccups here and there but over the coming weeks and months I expect to see them stomped out. However I should point out that in about 30+ hours playing time I personally have yet to encounter anything game breaking or indeed little more series than a single crash to desktop.
   
   Beamdog have wrote a fun, engaging story and while its a little linear it IS an expansion pack, although with the amount of effort put in it sure as hell doesnt feel like it. Id most definitely put it up against Throne of Bhaal anyday to say the least and would go a step further in that in some areas it gives BG1 and Shadows of Amn a run for their money.
   
   Great to have so many old favourite characters back with their original voices.
   
   I just cant overstate how pleased I am with the work thats gone into this to make a worthy successor. I only hope Beamdog release some additional BG2 content. With the great improvements made and the fantastic job on the writing front it would be a travesty for them not to.
   
   Also finally Ill end on the biggest disappointment surrounding this game with sadly is of no fault of its own, It seems some people have taken offence to (no exaggeration) 30 seconds worth of content and decided to declare some kind of silly war on this game. I get annoyed by excessive "social justicey" nonsense as much as the next person but i can honestly say anyone who thinks this game is forcing such nonsense on anybody and is trying to attack it should seriously examine their priorities in life.
   
   If anyone thinks its worth trying to smear years of hard work thats gone into this game because they find the tiniest snippet not to their tastes - well I dont need to worry, Im sure real gamers out their know to discard their silly opinions.
   
   This is expansion is great and is Baldurs Gate in every sense of the word and as someone who started in 1998 I cant express how happy that makes me.… Expand

   • 86 of 309 users found this helpful
2. Mando81

   Apr 5, 2016

   10

   Sensational game worthy of Baldurs Gate legacy.
   The writing of the story and characters are excellent. Don't pay any attention to the bunchSensational game worthy of Baldurs Gate legacy.
   The writing of the story and characters are excellent. Don't pay any attention to the bunch of bigot trolls trying to bring this game down. Highly recommended.… Expand

   • 24 of 107 users found this helpful
4. PrinceCharming

   Apr 4, 2016

   9

   What a blast I've had, playing this through the weekend!!! What a sweet, beautiful tale I got to take a part in with this game.
   
   Well, thatWhat a blast I've had, playing this through the weekend!!! What a sweet, beautiful tale I got to take a part in with this game.
   
   Well, that is the short of it... In a way, it is difficult attributing a score to what is, by default and design, a game that cannot, and will not, compare to other present day titles in terms of graphics, presentation, and polish. But in the end, there is no better criterion than the fun I had playing this game, as a veteran of Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale from back in the day. The story is lovely; the new angles to this game not seen before in Infinity Engine games is refreshing, and the careful (mostly optional) changes to the UI are helpful.
   
   Some parts of the game remind me of aspects of Icewind Dale 2 in terms of scope and spectacle on screen, while the plot fits in seamlessly between Baldur's Gate 1 and 2. The new locales, the sheer number of NPCs, the new characters and the fleshing out of old characters make this a very colourful world and worthwhile addition indeed.
   
   One aspect which has received much attention here, as elsewhere, appears to be the not-merely-straight sexual identity/orientation of some of the new characters and the fleshing out of character relationships, which seems to infuriate a great many gamers. Indeed, the level of, for want of a better word, sheer hatred expressed in some comments is baffling. Now, I wonder who of those "critics" has actually played the game - if they had, they would recognise that this facet indeed is rather unobtrusive and minor. What's more, claims that this is breaking with the "spirit" of the original games apparently disregard the fact that a great level of diversity (for the time) has always a hallmark of the old Baldur's Gate games. (And if the "spirit" of the old games had truly been the embrace of a monoculture, of bigotry and of prejudice, would this really have been a spirit worth upholding?)
   
   There is a different, more nuanced level of criticism which I can at least somewhat relate to: In a fantasy world where there are so many options of altering one's physical form, a character with a sexual identity different from his physical body seems at least odd, and slightly in conflict with the game world's own logic. For this, and some other minor breaks of immersion, as well as for some bugs (none game stopping, in my experience) in the initial release, I am detracting a point from the score. But for the blast I am having (some 25 hours into the story), I can only recommend this wonderful new addition to the BG canon.… Expand

   • 46 of 155 users found this helpful
5. Copestetic85

   Apr 5, 2016

   2

   It plays like a Baldur's Gate game. That's about it. Story's kind of boring, and getting quite a few bugs; save often. There also seems to beIt plays like a Baldur's Gate game. That's about it. Story's kind of boring, and getting quite a few bugs; save often. There also seems to be some sort of political "agenda" being pushed. I don't care much about all that, though. Just kind of bad compared to the originals ( non-enhanced ).… Expand

   • 114 of 153 users found this helpful
6. traditionalrate

   Jul 13, 2020

   0

   It's depressing how low the user score for this game is. It's absolutely sensational.

   • 0 of 1 users found this helpful
7. coffeethrall

   Apr 6, 2016

   0

   When I learned there was going to be new content for Baldur’s Gate, I was excited and hopeful, as one might be seconds before tearing into aWhen I learned there was going to be new content for Baldur’s Gate, I was excited and hopeful, as one might be seconds before tearing into a beautifully-wrapped Christmas present. Then the wrapping paper came off and I saw the steaming pile of cow excrement inside, and felt utterly betrayed.
   
   Beamdog released a buggy mess of an expansion. It has broken quests. Dialogue trees with NPCs glitch and force reloads. It has a broken Multiplayer feature. It has writing which reads like middle school fanfiction. The graphics are somehow *worse* than the 1998 originals. The occasional crashes which occur almost feel like the computer itself fleeing from this accursed program.
   
   Given the hideous way Beamdog has treated its customers in the days since the release, I have no hope that these issues will be addressed. Give this one a pass.… Expand

   • 81 of 110 users found this helpful
8. peekay00

   Apr 4, 2016

   0

   I loved the original baldur's gate games. I played through them a ton. This game was a huge let-down. It's not fun, buggy, UI is bad, and theI loved the original baldur's gate games. I played through them a ton. This game was a huge let-down. It's not fun, buggy, UI is bad, and the writing is terrible. The role playing aspect of dialog forces you into stupid situations as well. Do not buy.… Expand

   • 107 of 161 users found this helpful

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