Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 (PS4)

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DaHeckIzDat
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Joined: April 9th, 2015, 1:41 pm

Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 (PS4)

Postby DaHeckIzDat » July 24th, 2022, 1:40 am

I've had this sitting in my digital library for a while and jusy decided to give it a try...and now I think I'm done giving it a try and will never touch it again.

Seriously, I know these games are relatively old and that our standards change with time. I know it's based directly off of Dungeons and Dragons and wants to copy the feeling of the tabletop game as possible. I know there are tons of people who consider these games some of the greatest ever made. But I just don't get it.

The combat is an absolute mess. It's an RPG, and supposedly a tactical one, but I don't see how you're supposed to strategize when the game plays itself for you. As soon as a fight starts, the entire party just does their own thing. Yes, you can take control of them to give them specific instructions, but they don't exactly seem hell bent on following orders. And the fighting itself is sloppy too, with everyone just waving their weapons around willy nilly. Most of the time when they attack, nothing happens. The enemy's HP won't go down, the narrator bar (or whatever it's called) won't give any details that something happened, and the enemy won't react to the hit.

Basically, I don't feel like I'm the one playing the game here. I feel like I'm just watching it do its own thing.

I had almost the exact same complaints when I tried out Dragon Age: Origins, but at least DA had decent graphics and could tell the story in an engaging way. BG never changes from its isometric top down look, and a lot of the time during cutscenes I had no idea what was happening.

It's pretty safe to say that this genre isn't for me, but I'm having a hard time imagining who it COULD be for. The gameplay is just flat out bad, but it's held up like it's the Citizen Cane of the rpg genre.

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Stalvern
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Re: Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 (PS4)

Postby Stalvern » July 24th, 2022, 4:01 am

If you don't understand the game and aren't interested in learning, that's fine, but it probably doesn't actually make the game bad.

DaHeckIzDat
Posts: 1997
Joined: April 9th, 2015, 1:41 pm

Re: Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 (PS4)

Postby DaHeckIzDat » July 24th, 2022, 5:29 am

Stalvern wrote:If you don't understand the game and aren't interested in learning, that's fine, but it probably doesn't actually make the game bad.

To quote Sherlock Holmes, "Thank you, we now have a firm grip on the obvious."


Really, am I able to make a thread without you playing the contrarian?

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Stalvern
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Re: Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 (PS4)

Postby Stalvern » July 24th, 2022, 6:37 am

I seldom post in your threads at all. The only time I've really been contrarian was in the one about endings, and I apologized and offered a detailed example of what you were asking for. I disagreed with you in the Elden Ring thread, which annoyed me for the same reason this one does, but disagreeing with you doesn't constitute contrarianism.

If what I said is so obvious, why does the OP end by calling the gameplay "just flat out bad" after you admit you don't really grasp what the gameplay even is? Despite the thousands of glowing Steam reviews, you can't imagine who the game is for? There's obviously something coherent to learn and understand, given that the vast majority of players do.

DaHeckIzDat
Posts: 1997
Joined: April 9th, 2015, 1:41 pm

Re: Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 (PS4)

Postby DaHeckIzDat » July 24th, 2022, 7:40 am

Stalvern wrote:If what I said is so obvious, why does the OP end by calling the gameplay "just flat out bad" after you admit you don't really grasp what the gameplay even is? Despite the thousands of glowing Steam reviews, you can't imagine who the game is for? There's obviously something coherent to learn and understand, given that the vast majority of players do.

Because your comment adds nothing to the conversation. You didn't offer any alternative opinions, you didn't offer any ideas on how to better enjoy the games. All you did was say "You're wrong" in a condescending way.

Gleebergloben123
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Joined: April 8th, 2015, 12:06 am

Re: Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 (PS4)

Postby Gleebergloben123 » July 24th, 2022, 8:23 am

I swear if you two don’t settle down right now, and I mean right now, I am turning this station wagon around and we are NOT going to Wally World! Capiche?!?

I had Baldur’s Gate 2 back in the day. I even bought the guide on how to beat it as I found the game insanely difficult (that, and I am absolutely stink at RPG’s on the PC.) The game is definitely plodding, I’ll give you that. Regarding the characters doing their own thing, that I don’t recall but I do know if they’re hit with a confusion spell or whatnot, they do run around aimlessly (kinda like me through life. Oh self-burn!)

I have the game on my iPad but I’ve yet to play it again. I was recently on a twelve hour flight, and I decided to be David Puddy and stare at the seat-back in front of me rather than play Baldur’s Gate 2, so there’s that.

Alucard1191
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Joined: November 16th, 2016, 12:55 pm

Re: Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 (PS4)

Postby Alucard1191 » July 24th, 2022, 1:05 pm

I'll make this a really simple comment. If Dragon Age Origins is too much for you in the tactical RPG world, than BG 1+2 will absolutely smash you.

Honestly, like you said in the last bit, just stay away from this genre in general.

Baldur's Gate 1+2 are absolutely some of the best games ever made, period. (I'll stand by that) But they are not for everyone. They're incredibly long, story driven, and you actually need to know how to play them. Or at least be willing to learn.

But yes, If DA:O is too complex in the rules/gameplay department, then yes, BG 1+2, the Icewind Dale series, or Planescape Torment will all be too much for you.

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DrLitch
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Re: Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 (PS4)

Postby DrLitch » July 26th, 2022, 11:19 am

DaHeckIzDat => Perhaps to get into these CRPG genres, ease yourself into it by finding a middle ground. That wont mean it will end up being your cup of tea but it is a culture shock going from traditional console action RPG's to CRPG territory us DOS and early 2000's PC gamer's grew up with. Give Grim Dawn a shot on Steam and see how you get on. That is roughly your middle ground. Divinity Original Sin 2 is another to try out. Then go back again. I notice you been playing some really rough and tough games lately like Darkest Dungeon. Eldin Ring not included - game is actually fair ;)

Alucard1191 wrote:BG 1+2, the Icewind Dale series, or Planescape Torment


You play well. What a terrific list of titles :D.


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