Is BG2 too difficult?

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I would like to ask for the expert advice of you BG2 players. I have not bought BG2 yet because I’m afraid it might be way over my head. I have never played AD&D or Baldur’s Gate. I have no idea what THACO means or the details of things like Alignment, and Lore.
I loved playing Arena, Daggerfall, and M&M6. Dark Stone (played demo) was too simplistic. Jagged Alliance was fun but combat could get a little tedious. Of course Fallout rocked but I do prefer a 1st person POV. Diablo was okay but I finally got bored with the repetitive hack & slash in diablo2 . . . I quit once I made it through normal setting. I want a game more challenging than Dark Stone and more complex than Diablo 2, but is BG2 TOO challenging and complex?
Should a total AD&D novice of average intelligence and limited background in this genre give this game a try? I just want the fun of totally escaping into a fantasy world sometimes . . . will I need to learn a new language to do so?
All input is welcome and will be greatly appreciated : )

 

I would say go for it, especially since you liked M&M 6 and Daggerfall (when is the sequel coming anyway?). Yes, BG2 is CHALlENGING, since it forces you to use tactics, instead of brain-dead tank rushes -RTS anyone?
However, you can always tone down the difficulty, if you find a battle is too hard to beat. And dont worry about the AD&D rules...the manual does a great job explaining them to the uninitiated.

Buy this thing...it will consume you.
(Damn, BG2 and DeusEx have ruined my life hehe)

 

Well, I found the first game pretty challenging, and there were some fights I didn't think I'd be able to win, but I always managed to find the right tactics. The second looks to be the same.

I'm not a huge D&D person, I like it and everything, but there is somewhat of a shortage of people to play with near me.
So I don't really pay that much attention to THAC0 and saving throws and all that stuff.

But I enjoy the combat in both games, the way it forces you to adjust tactics until you find that monster's weak spot or that spell that turns the tide. You don't have to be a D&D hardcore to love that! And the quests and story are pretty interesting, to say the least.
You want something more complex than point-and-kill, fetch-and-retrieve games like Darkstone and Might and Magic, this is it. It's not about throwing on better stuff and overpowering the enemy. It takes some thinkin' to beat this one.

So, my recommendation is: Pick it up, by all means! It's THE RPG experience! Baldur's Gate 2 is the best game I have ever played***!! And if you do get stuck, post on this board and you will be shown The Way.

*** Although Half-Life 2 and Team Fortress 2 are yet to come. I'm sure BG2 will remain firmly in the top three no matter what though.


[This message has been edited by Lord Balduran (edited October 05, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Lord Balduran (edited October 05, 2000).]

 

My thanks to you both for taking the time to respond with your encouraging words. I’m going to buy BG2 in the morning and get started. I just hope I don’t have a problem with my system –

Dell pen II XPS R450/ 160MB ram with the Invidia TNT2 M64 (32MB)

I’ve seen a few negative posts on different boards about Invidia cards. Apparently my card might cause some problems for BG2. Hopefully not . . . I won’t know ‘til I give it a try.

Thanks again )

 

You'll LOVE BG2. If it's an adventure you're looking for with excellent party dialog, NPC interaction and of course, a world that is so vibrant and living (with its limitations), then Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn is for you.

It's the type of game that flows smoothly, from one quest to the other while at the sametime, keeps you going on your main objective without making it seem like you are. The quests are an excellent mix, some might be old fashioned dungeon crawls, while others much more complex where searching for people in the shady districts of the city must be done at night or else they may never be found. Some quests are timed, so just because you have it, you may never get a chance to finish it if you take too long. The world doesn't sit around and wait for you, so be sharp!

You won't be disappointed.

Syl...

 

Thanks Taluntain. I imagine I'm somewhere in-between a 5 yr old and "no chance in hell".

 

In keeping with the other replies, I don't think anyone should be intimidated by it. AD&D is a complex system of rules, to be sure; but I think you'll start to pick up on the finer points as you play.

That said, do let me be arrogant enough to give you one piece of advice: make sure you understand the abilities of each class and kit before you start creating your character. The first time I played Baldur's Gate, it had been over 15 years since I'd last played pen-and-paper AD&D, and I didn't remember the importance of different ability scores to different classes. I ended up distributing my points so that my fighter had 14 in all categories...dumb dumb dumb. I had a bitch of a time just getting through the first two chapters.

I think Sylvus wrote a tactics page that gives some sound advice on character creation. If I recall, it's under the Icewind Dale section.

Another thing about the complexity of the game, always remember that that's what makes it so damn fun. Really dig into your characters' abilities. Experiment with spells. Figure out the benefits of a thief. Get to know what different weapons do to different monsters. (Sometimes, your +1 mace does a helluva lot more damage than your +3 long sword of badassness.)

And last of all, even though she takes a lot of crap, always remember that Jahiera is, in fact, a fighter/druid. If you can get her a shield and a decent scimitar (gauntlets of Ogre power wouldn't hurt), she makes one fine melee combatant.

[This message has been edited by sminnis (edited October 06, 2000).]