If you have ever asked yourself why there is a “3” in the title of one of the most popular video games in recent years, Baldur’s Gate 3, this is your chance to find out. The predecessors to Larian’s 2023 Game of the Year have landed on the Xbox Game Pass, and whether you have played the Nine Hells out of BG3 or not, you should absolutely check out these two RPG masterpieces from a bygone era.
At first glance, you may struggle to connect Baldur’s Gate 1 and Baldur’s Gate 2 with the most recent iteration of the franchise. After all, the first game came out in 1998, which, I’m sorry to remind those who were alive at the time, was 27 years ago. Baldur’s Gate 2 followed in 2000, making it a nice quarter of the century since one of the most popular sagas in RPG history ended, apparently for good. But all things come to those who wait, so sayeth the wise Alaundo. (Probably… he said a lot of things.)
BioWare, the developer you may know from Mass Effect and Dragon Age, had its first real hit with Baldur’s Gate, before moving on to author the Neverwinter Nights series, still set in the world of the Forgotten Realms but which used a different graphics engine — now fully 3D — and the most recent, at the time, set of rules for Dungeons & Dragons, the 3rd edition. It was truly a new age, one made of polygonal models and an ascending Armor Class system (more on that later), but somehow, the Baldur’s Gate games remained unparalleled in the hearts and minds of fans.
Was it just the nostalgia pull of a time when things seemed simpler and better? Maybe, but the games kept getting love and new players over the years, including a popular Enhanced Edition series published by Beamdog, which made them accessible to a whole new generation of players. They were so popular, in fact, that Larian pitched to Wizards of the Coast a sequel in 2014, while they were still working on Divinity: Original Sin 2. The reason is simple: the first two Baldur’s Gate games aren’t just popular, they’re actually really good.
Why you should play Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 on Game Pass
To modern players, these games will surely look far from today’s graphical standards. BioWare’s Infinity Engine was a 2D tool for games with an isometric perspective that created the illusion of 3D, far from BG3’s minutely rendered environments. The biggest obstacle, however, will probably be the gameplay. Apologies, fans of BG3, but you got it easy. The first two games were based on the rules for Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition, just as Baldur’s Gate 3 uses a version of the 5th edition rules. D&D’s 2nd edition, however, was notorious for being overcomplicated. Just figuring out if your Fighter is going to hit with his sword requires complex math, and a familiarity with the THAC0 system.
The class system is also a lot more rigid. Forget about the free mix-and-mash that BG3 allows (and don’t even think about respecs). To begin with, only certain races are allowed to multiclass, and you have to progress both classes evenly, taking a big XP hit. Also, contrary to modern-day rules, class limitations apply to multiclass too. For example, your Druid may be allowed to wear heavy armor if you multiclass with Fighter, but you will lose the latter’s ability to use any weapon or to specialize in them.
The biggest difference, however, is the combat system. Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 are not turn-based. They use a pausable real-time gameplay, meaning you can forget about Larian’s trademark tactics-heavy turn-based battles, planning every inch of movement or action for all your party. In BG1 and 2, every action, from attacks to spellcasting, requires a certain amount of in-game time, and that’s it. You can pause at any time to think or give instructions to your party, of course, but the feeling is very different: like in a real fight, anything can go wrong, and quickly.
Why should you play these games with antiquated graphics and complex rules, you might ask? For the same reasons why so many people love playing Baldur’s Gate 3: a rich, intriguing world, a compelling story, and an unforgettable cast of characters, each with their motivations and personal paths to follow, enhanced by a top-notch cast of voice actors. If you love Astarion, Edwin will drive you nuts. If you have a savior complex for Shadowheart, then you will reload as many times as it takes to get the Viconia romance right (yes, you can romance Shadowheart’s teacher in BG 2).
To me, despite hours and hours of potential gameplay, Baldur’s Gate 3’s story felt rushed at times. Some paths to take or dialogue choices were either forced or cliché, and some of the characters felt a little one-dimensional to me. There is no risk of this happening with BG1 and 2. The path of the Bhaalspawn, from humble beginnings running chores in Candlekeep to battling divine beings in the Throne of Bhaal expansion, ultimately boils down to one question: Are we just the pawns of destiny, pulled inevitably by our nature, or is free will what defines us?
To be fair, the gameplay is also pretty good, once you get over the initial barrier. Parsing through the ancient wikis and walkthroughs to understand some mechanics or find the best builds is a beautiful exercise in internet archeology that also rewards the effort. Oh, also, spells go up to level 9 in Baldur’s Gate 2 (BG3’s level cap means you can only get to 5), so you can literally stop time. While the turn-based system may be more tactical, the absurd number of spells in BG1 and BG2, along with the crazy effects some of them have, make battles very complex and entertaining.
Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 aren’t for everyone. But if you have Xbox Game Pass, you should definitely give them a chance. These games are so well-made, their worlds so detailed and complex, that people still have fun playing (or re-playing from the 20th time, in my case) them, and occasionally finding out new things too. If you played Baldur’s Gate 3, these games will give you the familiar feeling of a character-driven story where the choices you make impact your companions and the world around you.
Source：https://www.polygon.com/baldurs-gate/604108/baldurs-gate-1-2-xbox-game-pass
