Baldur’s Gate 2 is not for me...

[Desolate Dancer]

Sort of astounded that this game gets so much love here. I don’t think it’s bad game but I don’t think it’s a great game either.

Heresy...

For instance, the amount of micromanaging involved in BGII is a huge turnoff for me.

How so? The vanilla game can be completed with "select all" + "attack" all the way thru. If you have mods AND higher difficulty, then you are asking for micromanagement.

There’s way too much loot in this game but collecting loot is sheer tedium.

It's not mandatory to pick up every single shit and then ferry them to the nearest merchant. The BG series has way more gold than you can ever possibly spend so it's not a must do activity. You take the most expensive ones and the unique magical items and that's all (and even the latter ones are sold in 80% of the cases since you cannot simultaneously use 40+ weapons and 16+ armors with just 6 chars).

And if this wasn’t bad enough, the combat was ALSO often an exercise in micromanagement thanks to RTWP.

You can CTRL+Y enemies if you aren't into combat. Other than that it is by far the best high fantasy RTwP combat game in the market. You might not like RTwP altogether, which is fine and just say it, but bashing BG for it is like criticizing fish for not having a proper breathing pattern.

Aerie is a insufferable child, Yoshimo is a boring stereotype, Jaheira is even worse than Hamlets mom, Minsc is absurdly stupid, Jan is insane in an annoying way, Imoen is emo and little else, Nadia is a hippie SJW wannabe. The ones I didn’t mention are either boring or merely unbelievable (except for Korgan). I wasn’t allowed full party creation for these clowns?

You know it's funny cause your entire claim in and of itself praises BG. How so? Well, if you wanna see shit companions and writing then check out Piltards of Reckdternity: there's literally no feelings, no names, no nothing I can recall from that travesty since everyone was a bland paperboard. The fact that you can NAME the BG characters and that you FEEL towards them is proof enough that they worked. Aerie is supposed to be a whining fragile little bitch, Nalia is supposed to be a leftist spoiled brat, Korgan is supposed to be a murdering asshole bro, Jaheira is the nagging wife INCARNATE. As for your wanting to create your own party: fine, you can do it for 20 years now you just need to start a multi-player game then import that party setup... though I never understood why'd someone want to skip the soul of BG (party interactions and dialogues) to have their own blank partymembers but to each their own...

And another thing, exploration is practically nonexistent save for the first city!

That's a somewhat legit claim, though you should appreciate the differences between the BG1 and BG2 environment, the relative levels of your party and the narrative. And then again, we are still talking about the biggest and longest high fantasy RPG to this date content wise. Asking for more and bigger is literally a financial impossibility. Also, I think that the fact that you can go to D'Arnise Hold, Druid Groove, Trademeet, Umar Hills, Windspear Hills and Temple Ruins not to mention the main city with its 8 different districts is huge enough, the game is literally brimming with quests and paths once you get out of Chateau Irenicus and you can just explore for at least 50% of the entire game (without ToB, which also gives you the amazing Watcher's Keep).

 

[Nines_Anarch]

I tried for the first time Baldur's Gate 2 after finishing Planescape Torment and since then I've been dropping the game many times because I get bored of it pretty quickly. The older I get the more tedious I find it.

It was great for its time I suppose but nowadays it feels like hard-work. On the contrary, Planescape Torment still is a solid masterpiece and holds up very well.

Honestly, I even had more fun with Dragon Age Origins than with BG2.
So yeah, to me Baldur's Gate 2 is insanely overrated.

 

[WilliamLarrySwirl]

Sort of astounded that this game gets so much love here. I don’t think it’s bad game but I don’t think it’s a great game either. There’s just so much about it that I find uninteresting and even downright annoying.
For instance, the amount of micromanaging involved in BGII is a huge turnoff for me. There’s way too much loot in this game but collecting loot is sheer tedium. Juggling 6 inventories really takes all of the inertia out of dungeon run and is hardly my idea of fun. I mean, 6 inventories is fine in some games (wizardry) but that’s only because there is waaaay less loot in those games. But to get back to this loot issue, I actually clocked the time it took me to sell and organize a full 6 inventories to a shopkeeper and it took 31 minutes. For this reason I avoided most loot, but it was still a pain because now every piece of loot became a decision: take it or leave it, take it or leave it, over and over. And if this wasn’t bad enough, the combat was ALSO often an exercise in micromanagement thanks to RTWP. Now, this in itself isn’t that bad, the combat was mostly good otherwise, but combined w the loot inventory micromanagement it really kind of killed the pace of the game.
All of those small incessant decisions drained me too—felt like work.
And then one of the things which is supposed to be good about this game is the companions, but my GOD what an annoying bunch. Aerie is a insufferable child, Yoshimo is a boring stereotype, Jaheira is even worse than Hamlets mom, Minsc is absurdly stupid, Jan is insane in an annoying way, Imoen is emo and little else, Nadia is a hippie SJW wannabe. The ones I didn’t mention are either boring or merely unbelievable (except for Korgan). I wasn’t allowed full party creation for these clowns?
And another thing, exploration is practically nonexistent save for the first city!
Anyhow, there are things I like about this game: combat (mostly), fort stuff, some quests; but, in the end these things are dragged down by micromanagement and childish companions. Honestly they ought to rebrand this as a single mother simulator.

What astounds me is when someone doesn't like a game then acts surprised that others do.

 

[YldriE]

You can't be serious, "how can people enjoy such a piece of shit" might as well be the Codex' motto.

 

[HarveyBirdman]

PS:T is the only truly great IE game.

 

[Ismaul]

You are not alone, citizen OP.

There was a time, in the beginning, when BG2 was ridiculed in these parts. But honestly the inventory bloat is the least of its issues.

 

[JDR13]

I tried for the first time Baldur's Gate 2 after finishing Planescape Torment and since then I've been dropping the game many times because I get bored of it pretty quickly. The older I get the more tedious I find it.

It was great for its time I suppose but nowadays it feels like hard-work. On the contrary, Planescape Torment still is a solid masterpiece and holds up very well.

Honestly, I even had more fun with Dragon Age Origins than with BG2.
So yeah, to me Baldur's Gate 2 is insanely overrated.

Translation = "Hi. I'm a storyfag."

 

[howlingFantods]

You are not alone, citizen OP.

There was a time, in the beginning, when BG2 was ridiculed in these parts. But honestly the inventory bloat is the least of its issues.

What was the most of its issues?

 

[mushaden]

I am in partial agreement with you OP. There are also far too many that see BG2 with major rose coloured glasses. I didn't like the first BG that much and had to slog through it in order to finish it. My current attempt at playing through BG2 (and there has been multiple attempts already over the years) has shown me that the game is overrated compared to other RPGs in the Codex top list.

In fact, let me outline how this game actually plays after getting out of the prison

Blahblahblah

So the game is not immersive because when you traipse about a large city chatting up random people they ask you, clearly a party of adventurers, to do things for them?

I don’t remember how long the timers are, but I think other posters are right when they say that they’re hardly restrictive. Even if they are, it sounds like you wanted to go exploring district to district when you had pressing things to do. If you had addressed the shit at hand, all the new stuff wouldn’t have started snowballing. Again, how is this breaking immersion? Seems like the opposite to me.

And you said something about being annoyed by how much interaction there is with companions? See: why people like BG2

 

[ShadowSpectre]

I am in partial agreement with you OP. There are also far too many that see BG2 with major rose coloured glasses. I didn't like the first BG that much and had to slog through it in order to finish it. My current attempt at playing through BG2 (and there has been multiple attempts already over the years) has shown me that the game is overrated compared to other RPGs in the Codex top list.

So the game is not immersive because when you traipse about a large city chatting up random people they ask you, clearly a party of adventurers, to do things for them?

I don’t remember how long the timers are, but I think other posters are right when they say that they’re hardly restrictive. Even if they are, it sounds like you wanted to go exploring district to district when you had pressing things to do. If you had addressed the shit at hand, all the new stuff wouldn’t have started snowballing. Again, how is this breaking immersion? Seems like the opposite to me.

And you said something about being annoyed by how much interaction there is with companions? See: why people like BG2

Wrong. I was trying to do something pressing (go to D'Arnise Keep). I hardly spoke to any NPCs. I did not pick up anymore companions. I kept getting interrupted by random enemies and companions within absurd amounts time. The immersion breaking portion is when you are constantly interrupted from what you are trying to do. BG2 is a game that pesters the player constantly.

Sorry, but some people just need to realize that other people find BG2 overrated or just plain dislike it. I am sure those in disagreement have the same opinion over other games. Like I said, I can see why OP takes issue with BG2. I do not think it's a terrible game; it's just a cloying annoyance to play.

 

[Ismaul]

You are not alone, citizen OP.

There was a time, in the beginning, when BG2 was ridiculed in these parts. But honestly the inventory bloat is the least of its issues.

What was the most of its issues?

I'm not going to enter in details here, but to put it succinctly:

• RTwP + party = clusterfuck combat; the rules were made for TB
  
• Infantile writing and insufferable companions, cutesy dialogue for shit n giggles
  
• "Plz fix my life problems oh chosen one that I never met before" drivel quest design
• Obnoxious lore & life-story dumps
• The bland setting of the Forgotten Realms

Its strong points were:

• Hard-counters combat
  
• The engine
• Some people like the villain and its continuous presence during the game

 

[Gibson]

You are not alone, citizen OP.

There was a time, in the beginning, when BG2 was ridiculed in these parts. But honestly the inventory bloat is the least of its issues.

What was the most of its issues?

It's a bad idea to go looking for issues before even properly going into the game, because you'll be predisposed to look for mentioned issues rather than making your own opinion about the game.

 

[howlingFantods]

I’ve already played about 50 hours of it so I’m good.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

IE game inventory is one of the worst parts of the games.

list of people who pretend to like shit features because they think it gives them cool points on the codex:
sorinmask
BING XI LAO
purpleblob
ItsChon
axx

Find me the AD&D 2E rule that says your inventory is limited to 16 items. I'll wait.

 

[The_Mask]

1. Release the prisoners.

2. Take the ship.

3. Go back and check his office.

Spoiler

Highest level spell (and arguably the best) is True Sight, don't flip any more pages if you get that one.

If you remember these things, you should be fine, regardless if your... "issues"

IE game inventory is one of the worst parts of the games.

list of people who pretend to like shit features because they think it gives them cool points on the codex:
sorinmask
BING XI LAO
purpleblob
ItsChon
axx

Find me the AD&D 2E rule that says your inventory is limited to 16 items. I'll wait.

Quoting yourself is proof of horrible lack of taste and manners. That's 1. And second, don't you ever dare take me off that list.

 

[mushaden]

Wrong. I was trying to do something pressing (go to D'Arnise Keep). I hardly spoke to any NPCs. I did not pick up anymore companions. I kept getting interrupted by random enemies and companions within absurd amounts time. The immersion breaking portion is when you are constantly interrupted from what you are trying to do. BG2 is a game that pesters the player constantly.

Sorry, but some people just need to realize that other people find BG2 overrated or just plain dislike it. I am sure those in disagreement have the same opinion over other games. Like I said, I can see why OP takes issue with BG2. I do not think it's a terrible game; it's just a cloying annoyance to play.

I'm beginning to remember now how that stuff goes, especially on your first playthrough. I don't know how far you've gotten, but I'm pretty sure there's never such a big "quest dump" again as when you begin, before you leave Athkatla. That Rylock quest is probably one of the worst. I'm sure they could have done the pacing and scripting of all the quests a lot more elegantly, but I don't think any other game has managed to have such an impressively vast and detailed main city. You will spend a big portion of the game away from it, unable to return, and they have to present you with all that content somehow. The random combat encounters while traveling are annoying, but less so when you're a bit higher level and better equipped.

I dunno, I say try to finish the game. It's one of the last non-shit AAA RPGs... and I'm definitely skewed by nostalgia but it's the most epic game I've played.

 

[Biscotti]

BG is an overrated series and any IE game is skippable tbh, I never understood why any criticism of these games is met with so much vitriol here. There are much better RPGs you could be spending your time on.

Spoiler

Please keep in mind overrated does not mean bad. I'm not denying they have their moments, but the way these games are put on a fucking pedestal on what should be the most prestigious RPG forum on the internet is honestly mind boggling.

 

[YldriE]

The thing is, inventory space is an issue only if you are overestimating how all of this bullshit is going to become useful some day. Hoarding makes sense only if you are massively underperforming and thus absolutely need the wands / scrolls / potions. That just doesn't happen on Normal, and if you clearly are not having fun with the combat there is no point playing on Hard.

If combat is a problem, let me still reiterate my advice from the other day: play with ranged attackers. Not only does this reduce combat micromanagement significantly (basically playing just like RTS skirmishes, just mass select and focus fire), but the micromanagement you will do might actually be enjoyable. Like Guild Wars with 4-5 physicals, the fun is coming up with stacks of buffs / debuffs, plus a few summons for bodyblocking, tanking 1-hit-KOs or setting traps. I'm sure veterans have parties that would shitstomp mine, but if the point is simply to breeze through the combat with little effort it's hard to beat.

I used to religiously pick up gems and magical items to sell them later, but you quickly realise you never need money for anything other than occasional upgrades and magical projectiles, i.e. a pitiful amount of money you don't need to farm... especially not at the cost of your patience or fun.

 

[Tigranes]

There's a lot of things to criticise or be meh about with regards to both BG1 and BG2. I personally think BG2 is a great "does everything" RPG, but that also means there's nothing about it that's particularly sacrosanct.

What is just weird is to scream about how its immersion breaking timed quests from needy NPCs is a deal-breaker, or something.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

I never understood why any criticism of these games is met with so much vitriol here.

Imagine someone shit-talking the one you had your first time with.

 

[hexer]

OP, BG2 was a product of its time and made for the RTS/ADnD/gamer audience back then.
We didn't know any better and for what it was, it was good enough and entertaining.
When it came out we compared it to other games of that period.. almost all of them running in ...gasp... DOS!
Trying to replicate that experience we had 20 years ago is impossible today.
Just let BG rest in its 90s Hall of Fame.

 

[howlingFantods]

OP, BG2 was a product of its time and made for the RTS/ADnD/gamer audience back then.
We didn't know any better and for what it was, it was good enough and entertaining.
When it came out we compared it to other games of that period.. almost all of them running in ...gasp... DOS!
Trying to replicate that experience we had 20 years ago is impossible today.
Just let BG rest in its 90s Hall of Fame.

Yeah but, I like certain old games. Might and magic, fallout, wizardry and (to my surprise [considering it’s real time]) dungeon master.

Also pretty sure baldur’s gate ii came out in 2000

 

[Falksi]

If BG's characters walked in a straight line where they were told to, I'd be playing it still right now. Again.

 

[ArchAngel]

I tried for the first time Baldur's Gate 2 after finishing Planescape Torment and since then I've been dropping the game many times because I get bored of it pretty quickly. The older I get the more tedious I find it.

It was great for its time I suppose but nowadays it feels like hard-work. On the contrary, Planescape Torment still is a solid masterpiece and holds up very well.

Honestly, I even had more fun with Dragon Age Origins than with BG2.
So yeah, to me Baldur's Gate 2 is insanely overrated.

It is not game's fault that your hands are old and your brain is half dead. Of course you prefer games that only need you to read and sometimes click or games that have full VO and fight for you while you just watch it.
Maybe you would have better time with a good book or a good movie?

 

[Nines_Anarch]

I tried for the first time Baldur's Gate 2 after finishing Planescape Torment and since then I've been dropping the game many times because I get bored of it pretty quickly. The older I get the more tedious I find it.

It was great for its time I suppose but nowadays it feels like hard-work. On the contrary, Planescape Torment still is a solid masterpiece and holds up very well.

Honestly, I even had more fun with Dragon Age Origins than with BG2.
So yeah, to me Baldur's Gate 2 is insanely overrated.

It is not game's fault that your hands are old and your brain is half dead. Of course you prefer games that only need you to read and sometimes click or games that have full VO and fight for you while you just watch it.
Maybe you would have better time with a good book or a good movie?

I am just a common Citizen.
All I need is some boobs to keep me focused. Morrigan in DAO had a nice cleaveage. That's enough for me to be satisfied.
Do you want to know why Planescape Torment will always be the best?
Not because of the story but because of this...

Spoiler

Boobs, boobs everywhere.

I miss the 90s...
I'm not asking for anything more. My brain knows what it wants. Give me some boobs or GTFO xD
Yeah, I am a very simple man.