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The multi award winning Baldur's Gate (BG) was hailed as the best RPG, and revolutionary of its time. It offered a huge range of side quests and sub plots, as well as giving a whole new take on NPC (non-player characters) interactivity. The complex relationships and developments in the game largely eliminated the linearity of previous D&D style (and indeed most genre) RPGs.

By today's standards however, the game is probably too dated for actual entertaining game play. For a more comprehensive and interesting storyline, you might do better with Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (BG2), which was the truly defining game of the series. Graphics are definitely a step up in BG2, which though also dated, are at least tolerable and decent. BG graphics just puts you to sleep.

For a look at my article of BG2 please refer:

http://www.helium.com/tm /372840/baldurs-released-highl y-anticipated

For a more in-depth introduction to BG, please follow the link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/w iki/Baldur%27s_Gate

BG is based on the D&D Forgotten Realms setting. You start the game with one main protagonist, fashioned as the child of Bhaal, God or Lord of Murder, who can be of any class, race or alignment. Though you can create a party of up to six original characters, the true attraction of the BG series lies in the interactivity between the protagonist and the NPCs he/she can recruit along the way. The game proceeds almost entirely based on the protagonist's viewpoint, so it is actually better to play as a single-player character.

As you make your way through the game, you will have the chance to meet and possibly recruit several NPCs. Each NPC will interact with the main character and even other NPCs differently; and different party combinations will provide completely different, and often hilarious (sometimes frustrating) group dynamics. Not only will you (as protagonist) be interacting with your party members, you will also see them squabble, joke and even fall out and kill each other.

The other key attraction of BG is the huge number of side quests available. Unlike most PC games that offer very linear storylines (Warcraft comes to mind), BG2 offers an astounding array of side quests, through which you can gain more powerful items and experience. Set in the city of Baldur's Gate and its surroundings, the entire landscape is riddled with playable side quests. Many of the NPCs will also command their own side quests.

The main storyline is classic of the D&D genre. The story goes that you (as

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