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The Final Chapter has arrived
Genre: RPG (Add-on for Baldur's Gate 2)
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: Black Isle, RPG division of Interplay
Some years ago, if a contact ad would read "Handsome man, 25 years
old, straight, likes candlelight dinners, loves D&D role playing
games", any girl would get a terrible mental image of a puking
25 year old zit-ridden nerd that would constantly say with a ridiculous
smooth voice: "Hey baby, want to check out my THAC0?"
In end 1998, BioWare tried to release a pc version of a Dungeon&Dragons
rpg. It was Baldur's Gate. The story from there is known to us all I'd
presume. Baldur's Gate itself became a very, even commercially, successful
game and spin-offs using its engine were equally famous: Icewind Dale,
Planescape Torment. Now, BioWare and Interplay's RPG division Black
Isle prepare for the next generation of the revamped rpg genre with
Torn and Neverwinter Nights. But first, the Baldur's Gate saga needs
closure.
Welcome Spawn of Bhaal, to Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal.
This add-on to Baldur's Gate 2 concludes the BG series. Here, the always
lingering fact of you being a child of the god of Murder, Bhaal, becomes
thé main plot element. In Throne of Bhaal (ToB) you will meet
other children of Bhaal, some weak, but others as legendary as yourself.
But next to this main plot line, there is one large subplot: Watcher's
Keep. Said to hold "the Imprisoned One", this dungeon is very
large and holds many surprises.
Starting a game of ToB, the game asks whether you'd like to continue
in Amn, with added the Watcher's Keep, or if you'd like to venture forth
onto the lands of Tethyr, where the BG saga ends. In Tethyy, the Watcher's
Keep will also be available. You can start a brand new character for
ToB who will have an extremely high level (2500000 EXP) or you can import
your character from BG2: Shadows of Amn, who is, at the end of BG2,
also equally impressive. I myself am a level 27 Paladin when I began
ToB. ToB allows players to rise to the incredibly high levels. The experience
cap is set to 8000000. For the AD&D universe this equals to virtual
godlike status. And indeed many high-level skills are available.
New to ToB is the manner how these high-level skills are implemented.
These are not just spells, but also combat abilities for fighters. This
system reminds me to Diablo 2-style skills where at level up you could
freely distribute skills and traits. In ToB, a high-level character
can choose from a range of skills, depending upon what "tree"
you are in (fighter, mage, thief/bard). These skills truely are unbelievably
powerful. Examples are the whirlwind attack for fighters, which increases
attack rate but also elevates THAC0, new summoning skills like devas,
elemental princes and planetars, and also spells like "Storm of
Vengeance" and "Aura of Flaming Death". Any AD&D
fan should get incredibly horny now.
As you might know, the BG2 Forgotton Realms universe is based upon 2nd
Edition AD&D rules. As opposed to 3rd Edition rules, in BG you still
have distinct rules and restrictions to classes. A Fighter is melee
brawler without brains and a Mage is feeble intellectual that cannot
lift a two-handed sword.
But call it a guy's intuition, but I see attempts of Bioware to implement
a "2,5" Edition ruleset. Thieves and Bards for example can
now, like Paladins, use lower level spells. but what's more ToB offers
bards and thieves the high-level ability to "Use any Item".
Above that, bards now even have more powerful enchanting bard songs.
So, you can create a bard or thief with fighter-like proficiencies (high
strength, dexterity and constitution yet lower intellengence and wisdom)
who will have access to spells, bards to bard songs, but also to fighter
equipment like full plate armor and heavy paladin-style swords like
the +5 Carsomyr Holy Avenger. Sounds fishy if you ask me...
Another thing that jumped out was that in ToB there are much more spoken
dialogues. New characters stop by with their cool pic and dito voice.
Even an old foe returns and even offers you his/her assistance...
Also, the interactions in your party are many. Some times, Minsc for
example will bring up his hometown and Boo, Jaheira will give her boring
lecture of nature to a (un)willing party member, Aerie will describe
how beautiful it was being avariel, Edwin sometimes murmures in his
self that he'll surely kill me, etc.
Talking about NPC's. You now will have access to a "Pocket Plane".
This is the planetary projection of the main character's tainted Bhaal
essence, the matter and reality created by the will of a Bhaalspawn's
blood. In short, it's a handy travelling inn to where you can teleport
at any time. There, you can summon NPC's from BG2: Shadows of Amn. Because
once you start your travels in the ToB world, you can't return to Amn.
A little imp called Caspenar can create powerful weaponry and items
out of your inventory items. These "Shiny Ones" are ranked
right up there wih items like the Equalizer long sword and the Wave
halberd.
Next to all the new things, ToB of course supports that good old BG
gamplay that most of us have grown to love. Although I paused and unpaused
more than I liked, this just goes naturally. What I found frustrating
though, as in all BG games, was that I had to re-equip a character everytime
he/she died. This is a real pain in the butt. A button labeled "Restore
equipment/inventory" would've been nice. Perhaps something for
BioWare's next projects? Luckily though, containers like the Bag of
Holding and scroll, gem and (newly added) potion containers ease the
inventory load. Don't you hate to drop/sell a +3 Bastard Sword for that
+3 Long Sword because the latter had just that +10 Fire Resistance?
EP sez:
Throne of Bhaal successfully concludes the legend of the Bhaalspawn.
Offering good value for an add-on with the involving storyline and Watcher's
Keep (about 30 hours of gameplay), for me ToB is much more of a must-buy
than that other big expansion pack this summer, Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction.
Coincidence or not, Bhaal seems to be thé deity lately :-)
© 2001 Erwin's Pages
Erwin "Reaper" Husin
Score
Gameplay: 9.5
Graphics: 8
Sound & Music: 9
Addictiviness: 9.5
Overall: 91.5%
Links:
> BG2 Review
> Official BG2 Site
> Bioware
>
Interplay/Black Isle
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