A perfect resolution to an epic tale
Pros:
Challenging to characters that are already highly advanced
Cons:
Large amounts of animation may slow down machines
The Bottom Line:
An excellent conclusion to a fine tale. Highly recommended for fans of the Baldur's Gate series.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
As I have stated in other reviews, I'm a die-hard RPG fan, having played just about every major RPG out there. I have loved the Baldur's Gate series (and everything else based on the Infinity engine) and I knew that this purchase was a sound investment--and I was right. Throne of Bhaal isn't merely an expansion; it is a conclusion to an epic tale. Furthermore, it is challenging, innovative, entertaining, funny and wistful.
Your party of characters start out at around Level 21 or so (or you can import a saved game from BG2) and can progress from there up to level 40 for most characters. Also, after 21st level, your characters are allowed to choose High-Level Special Abilities at Level Up, including Whirlwind Attack, Dragon's Breath, Improved Alacrity, and many more. In other words, your characters are capable of reaching demigod status. This information may lead you to believe that you should be able to obliterate anything in your path.. not so!
Your adversaries are extremely powerful in this section, to balance the power inherent in a group of 20+ level adventurers. You face many more extraplanar adversaries and powerful NPC groups than in BG2 and many newer versions of other creatures. In fact, some of the battles are downright nasty and this is where my only 'con' comes in: in magic-intensive battles, the animation weighs heavily on processing speed. Even with my 1.2GHz Athlon and GeForce2 64MB display, I experienced significant slowdowns.
Romances continue in this expansion (if you started them in BG2) and interaction between the NPCs continues as well.
Also, many new magickal items are available and many more items may be forged as well. I could go on about the new goodies for a while but I do not like to give out too many details. One of the most joyful things in life is self-discovery and I would hate to get in the way of that!
In closing, this game comes with my wholehearted recommendation for those of you who have enjoyed the Baldur's Gate series. Note: You must already have Baldur's Gate 2 installed in order for the expansion to work.
