Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
Developer(s)	BioWare
Publisher(s)	Black Isle Studios
Designer(s)	James Ohlen (Director of Writing and Design / Lead Designer); Kevin Martens (Lead Designer), David Gaider, Brent Knowles, Lukas Kristjanson, and John Winski (Core Design Team)
Composer(s)	Michael Hoenig (Metamusic Productions)
Series	Baldur's Gate
Engine	Infinity
Version	23037
Platform(s)	Windows, Macintosh
Release date(s)	September 24, 2000 Windows NA September 24, 2000 PAL September 29, 2000 Macintosh NA September 2001
Genre(s)	Computer role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer
Rating(s)	ELSPA: 15+ ESRB: T OFLC: M
Media/distribution	4 CD-ROMs, download
System requirements 200 MHz CPU 32 MB RAM 4 MB video card 4X CD-ROM drive DirectX 7.0 800 MB available hard disk space Windows 95

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn is a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare and released on September 26, 2000. The game is the sequel to Baldur's Gate, and, opening only a few months after the events of the earlier game, continues the story of the player character, whose unique heritage has now gained him the attention of a new personage, Jon Irenicus. Like Baldur's Gate, the game is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting and is based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition ruleset. The game uses BioWare's Infinity Engine, used also in Baldur's Gate, Black Isle's Planescape: Torment, and Black Isle's Icewind Dale series. It received critical acclaim upon its release; and has sold over 2 million units.

An expansion pack for the game, entitled Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal, was released in 2001, and, being the final installment, concludes the Child of Bhaal history.

Baldur's Gate II has a large modding community that has created several large unofficial mods that extend the game in a major way with new items and quests.

Gameplay

An instance of dialogue in the game. The interface and isometric perspective are also seen.

Baldur's Gate II, like its predecessor, is played from an isometric perspective and uses pausable realtime gameplay. The game's mechanics do not, indeed, depart considerably or even much at all from those of Baldur's Gate, but they have been farther refined, and new features have been added. The game begins with character creation, where, through a series of configuration screens, the player creates a main character who will play the role of the protagonist. Once within the game world, he or she may recruit additional characters to travel with him or with her, though the total size of the party is limited to six. Each of these recruited NPCs has programmed behavior that can lead to cut-scene discussion with the main character or the other members of the party. Potential duels, bickering, romance, and quests can all result depending on who is allowed to join the party and who is turned away. The player interacts with the game world by clicking on characters and objects. There are shops from which items can be bought, and inns to rest in. The journal tracks important information, such as quests and the game's plot; the inventory page is used to manage and equip items; and the record screen to view information about, as well as level up, characters in the party. When one of these gains the necessary experience points, he or she may be levelled; these points are awarded when monsters or hostile persons are slain, when quests are completed, and at other times. The reputation of the party and its leader's charisma attribute affect how characters in the game world react to the player; reputation is affected by the player's moral actions. The characters in the party will also complain if the party's reputation conflicts with their alignment.

When at least one of the characters under the player's control is selected, and the player clicks on the ground, or on some part of an area to which characters may move, the selected character or selected characters will attempt to move to that spot. Most parts of areas are not revealed until characters explore there. At certain parts of areas are area exits: clicking on one may load a new area, or may bring up the World Map, from which an area to travel to may be selected. Travelling to an area some distance away takes some time in the game world, but this is abstracted; and when travelling between most outside areas, there is some chance the party may be ambushed.

Dialogue is an important element of the game; being started by NPCs at certain scripted times, or when the player clicks on non-hostile NPCs. Dialogue often has alternative responses, one of which the player must select. The recruited NPCs in the party often converse with the player or with one another, and at times interject into the player's conversations with others. Dialogue may lead to quests or important information.

Combat in Baldur's Gate II follows the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules; such things as THAC0, armour class, and simulated die rolls are used. Rather than a group-based turn, each character, being always in real-time mode, is on a personal initiative round. Spells (for mages, priests, and so on, but not sorcerers) must be memorised before they can be cast. Spellcasting takes time and may be disrupted. The game includes many character sub-classes, or kits, which have special advantages and, for most, disadvantages. A Cavalier, for instance, which is a sub-type of the paladin character class, has advantages against monsters such as dragons and demons, but cannot use missile weapons.

Rather than requiring an exclusive focus on combat, Shadows of Amn, much like the first installment, focuses on interaction with the world. Thus, at a point in the game, the player can acquire and "manage" a stronghold, the form of which depends on the selection of their character class at the beginning of the game. For example, as a fighter class, the player may successfully complete the quest at the de'Arnise Hold and begin to take over the stronghold. Similarly, a mage may take over a magical Planar Sphere, whereas a thief character may choose to manage the other branch of the thieves' guild in the Docks District. Nonetheless, a player may still choose to progress through the game mainly by combat.

Plot

Setting

The Forgotten Realms, the high fantasy campaign setting in which Baldur's Gate II is set, is a fictional world, perhaps similar to a medieval Earth, but having its own geography and history. In the Realms (as its inhabitants refer to it) fantastic creatures and mythical peoples are a not uncommon sight; and magic is an art practised by many. The gods of the Realms are, like those of ancient Greece, many and varied, though individuals tend to follow one deity or another; for instance, paladins may follow Tyr or Helm, whereas a mage, or wizard, may be a follower of Mystra.

Baldur's Gate II takes place mainly in Amn, a country on the subcontinent of Faerûn. This country, known commonly as the Merchant Kingdom, lies south of Baldur's Gate; and wealth being the chief concern of the region, trade and economy are the driving forces in it. The capital city of Athkatla, around which a fair portion of the game revolves, is the most important in Amn, and is ruled by the anonymous Council of Six, though the local thieves' guild, the Shadow Thieves, has also considerable power. The Shadow Thieves, though operating all along the Sword Coast, are based in Athkatla. Also deserving of a passing remark are the Cowled Wizards, another powerful organisation in Amn, and who regulate the use of magic in the region. Besides Athkatla, the player will travel through other locations, some of which are the town of Trademeet, the city of Suldanessellar, and the Underdark.

Of the game's context within the setting's fictional history, Baldur's Gate II is set not long after the Time of Troubles (1358 DR, or Dale-reckoning), when, the Tablets of Fate having been stolen, the gods walked the land as mortals. The game is set in the year 1369 DR.

Prominent characters

See also: List of Baldur's Gate characters

The game's protagonist is a child of the dead god of murder Bhaal. He grew up in the library fortress of Candlekeep, his guardian being the mage Gorion. Imoen was his childhood friend, and accompanied him on his adventure along the Sword Coast, where he learned of his heritage, and at length defeated his half-brother Sarevok, also a child of Bhaal.

In Baldur's Gate II, several characters from the first game make an appearance again, and some are NPCs who can join the player's party. These are Imoen, who has become dual classed to a Mage/Thief; Minsc, a warrior who carries with him a hamster named Boo; Jaheira, who, with her husband Khalid, was a friend of Gorion; Edwin, a Red Wizard of Thay; and Viconia, a dark elf cleric. According to the game, the party at the end of Baldur's Gate included the player character, Imoen, Minsc, Dynaheir, Jaheira, and Khalid. Of the hostile characters, Jon Irenicus and his sister Bodhi are the chief, Irenicus being the main antagonist. They were once elves of Suldanessellar but, attempting to become gods, endangered their fellow elves; their elfhood was taken from them, and they were exiled from the city. Another character of note, though she plays only a small part, is Queen Ellesime, the ruler of Suldanessellar.

Story

The player character awakens in a cage being experimented upon by an insidious mage, Jon Irenicus. Imprisoned in the same underground complex are Imoen, Minsc, and Jaheira from the original Baldur's Gate game. Upon escaping, they find themselves in the city of Athkatla, where they confront Irenicus. Several Cowled Wizards arrive to detain both Imoen and Irenicus for unlicensed use of magic, and the two are teleported away to be imprisoned.

The party meets Gaelan Bayle, who offers the help of a powerful thief guild based in Athkatla to rescue Imoen and pursue Irenicus, in exchange for a hefty payment. This sum is far above the party's current means at that point of the story, so the money must be raised by adventuring through Athkatla and the surrounding lands. Eventually, and depending on the protagonist's choices and circumstances, the party will receive an offer to side with a rival guild and receive their help to reach Imoen and Irenicus. Meanwhile, after being detained in a prison called Spellhold, Irenicus manages to escape captivity, killing his captors. Within his new base, he continues his experiments on Imoen.

With the help of captain Saemon Havarian, the party gains passage to the small island on which Spellhold is located, where they find a way to infiltrate the asylum. Once there however, the party is taken prisoner by Irenicus, who had been expecting them all along. During the next rest, another of a series of troubling dreams follows. This time, Imoen asks the player to summon and slay a demon, which appeared to be a personification of Bhaal. Upon defeating this demon, the main character finds his soul has been removed. Imoen has suffered a similar fate; their souls were claimed by Irenicus and a vampire called Bodhi, respectively.

The party is then released into a maze below Spellhold, to be hunted down by Bodhi. Because the protagonist's soul was lost, he or she would later undergo an involuntarily transformation into an avatar of Bhaal, the Slayer. In this form, the player becomes a mindless killer, scaring off Bodhi and killing several party members. However, he will later learn to control this form and, if he wishes, can use it to his advantage, though this comes at a moral price.

Upon returning to normal, the player joins Imoen to battle Irenicus until the wizard flees into the Underdark. The party follows, returning to the surface at a location where they encounter an army from the elven city of Suldanessellar. Jon Irenicus has managed to sneak into the city and magically seal the entrance. After obtaining a means to enter, the party finds Irenicus beginning a ritual intended to grant him immortality. They attempt to slay Irenicus but are dragged with him into hell. There they finally confront and defeat the elven mage.

Development

Baldur's Gate II was developed by BioWare, and published by Black Isle Studios, being released in September 2000.

The designers felt that, in Baldur's Gate, they did not achieve their design goals; in Baldur's Gate II, they determined the game should reach its full potential. They also acknowledged Planescape: Torment having "raised the bar," but wished not merely to meet, but to redefine it. Early in the game's development, two lists of features to be added to the game were made: an internal list, created by BioWare and Black Isle Studios, and a list of features the fans wanted to see, which list the fans themselves had already compiled. The designers at length created a major feature list. Deathmatch was a feature that was removed late in the project; non-pausing dialogue, which proved "the most problematic feature," was removed early on, but in early 2000 was reintroduced.

The developers created a set of guidelines, one for each department, the level design ones being the longest, that were to be followed, though these were a work-in-progress and evolved as the development progressed. Many design decisions were made that did not follow the guidelines, the latter not being in their final form until the end of the project. Chapter II is to be noted under this head. Constraints related to programming were also at times not respected by other departments, such as design and art, leading to performance problems that were difficult, or impossible, to fix.

The game's content creation process was essentially the same as that reached by the end of the development of Baldur's Gate and Tales of the Sword Coast. Still, there was sometimes communication problems between different departments, resulting in inconsistencies between their work. Ray Muzyka said, "We learned to make sure all elements of the team are talking to each other and working as a group, rather than as a bunch of individuals!" During the game's development, a quality assurance department was added to BioWare; and the game's publishers also lent their assistance in testing.

Some of the more unusual NPCs in the game were put in after winning a contest held during the development cycle. Habib, who attacks by throwing his scimitar and later throwing gold coins at the player, was the #1 winner.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	94.03%
Metacritic	95/100
Review scores
Publication	Score
Allgame
Eurogamer	9/10
GamePro
GameSpot	9.2/10
GameSpy	92/100
GameZone	9.5/10
IGN	9.4/10
PC Zone	8.5/10
FiringSquad	93%
Gameplanet	5/5
Just Adventure	A
RPGamer	9/10
Computer Gaming World
Awards Entity Award Eurogamer Best Game (2001) Eurogamer Best Male Supporting Character (2001) Eurogamer Best Art Direction (2001) GameSpot The Greatest Games of All Time GameSpot Role-Playing Game of the Year (2000) GameSpot Readers' Choice Game of the Year (2000) GameSpy RPG Game of the Year (2000) IGN RPG of 2000 Game Informer 88th in the Top 200 Games of All Time (2009)

Baldur's Gate II met with worldwide acclaim upon its release, with Metacritic listing it as the 6th highest scoring PC game on the site as of July 16, 2010. Computer Gaming World's reviewer said, "I think of this as Game Of The Year or even Hall Of Fame material [. . .] it certainly ranks up there with greats like Fallout, Planescape: Torment, and Betrayal At Krondor."

Baldur's Gate II's gameplay was called "addicting" by GamePro. RPGamer said that "the game plays pretty much the same [. . .] except for combat. Here we've taken a big step up from the frustrating ordeals in Baldur's Gate. The enemies are no longer quite so cheap, and more strategies are viable." Some reviewers, however, felt that the non-player characters in the game were not powerful enough in comparison to player-made characters. GameSpy said that the game is much more difficult than Baldur's Gate, and requires more strategy and planning than the original does. GameSpot felt that the opening level of the game "falls flat," but that it gets much better once the player reaches Athkatla.

The game's plot was met positively by reviewers, with GameSpy saying that "The plot can be summarized in one word: Epic. The developers bent over backwards to make you feel like you were making a difference in the game world, as well as provide some very 'awesome' enemies and quests."

GamePro praised the game's graphics, saying that "the backdrops are stunning and the spell effects are impressive with or without 3D acceleration." IGN echoed this statement by stating "The comparison between [the graphics of] Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II is astounding—like looking at a still oil painting, and then turning to see the scene in living motion on a big screen TV." FiringSquad said that the game's artwork surpassed that of Planescape: Torment, and called the background artwork "fantastic."

FiringSquad praised the voice acting of Baldur's Gate II, saying that "Characters sound alive and vivacious (or depressed, crazy - whatever suits them), bringing a whole new level of depth to game's immersion factor." Reviewers also generally found the game's music to be well-done.

Gameplanet criticized the game's poor support for online multiplayer, saying that it was "unstable and quite frustrating." Jakub Wojnarowicz of FiringSquad felt that the lack of communication between players in combat during online games was problematic, but that Local Area Network play would be "a lot more fun and less stressful." PC Zone said that "As in BG, multiplayer is a bit of a disappointment. [. . .] Come on guys, let's have some multiplayer maps or something."

Criticism was also directed at bugs in the game, such as frequent crashes when trying to access certain locations. According to Tim McConnaughy from GameSpy, Baldur's Gate II is "not 100% stable." GameSpot found that the game's loading times were a "bit long" and that the game crashes on occasion. Reviewers also felt that the small number of character portraits to choose from was a disappointment.

. . . the only reason [Baldur's Gate II] can't be called the best game in its class is because in a sense there's nothing available that compares to it.

—Greg Kasavin, GameSpot

Awards

Baldur's Gate II was inducted into GameSpot's "Greatest Games of All Time" list, and it also won their Readers' Choice Game of the Year award for 2000. It also received three "Gaming Globe" awards from Eurogamer in 2001: Best Game, Best Art Direction, and Best Male Supporting Character (for Minsc). GameSpy, GameSpot, and IGN all awarded Baldur's Gate II their "Role-Playing Game of the Year" awards in 2000. IGN also placed it at #25 on their 2005 "Top 100 Games of All Time" list.

In 2009, Game Informer put Baldur's Gate II in 88th place on their list of "The Top 200 Games of All Time," calling it "The Best Dungeons & Dragons game ever made."

In 2010, on IGN's Top 25 Modern PC Games, Baldur's Gate II was ranked 2nd, with Half-Life 2 being ranked first.

Editions and re-releases

Shadows of Amn also appeared in Collector's Edition format, with additional characters for those who preordered. Shadows of Amn was re-released along with its expansion as Baldur's Gate II: The Collection in 2002. In 2004 they were bundled with the original Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale in Black Isle Compilation Part Two. In 2006, they were re-released once again as Baldur's Gate: 4 in 1 Boxset.

In November 2010, Baldur's Gate II Complete was released in digital format (Windows only) on the classic games website Good Old Games, or gog.com, as part of a deal with Atari-Hasbro. This version of the game includes Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, and its expansion Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. Additional content is included in the purchase of the game, including PDF files of the game manuals, HD wallpapers, artwork, avatars, and the soundtracks of both the core game and the expansion.

Baldur's Gate II Redux has also been released as a fan-made standalone campaign mod for BioWare's Dragon Age: Origins. Initially, the only content to be released is that of Irenicus's Dungeon level, with more content in production.

Novelization

There are two novelizations based on the game and its expansion. The novels focus solely on Abdel, the last of the Bhaalspawn.

• Baldur's Gate 2: The Shadows of Amn by Philip Athans
• Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal by Drew Karpyshyn

See also

• Chronology of role-playing video games
• The Baldur's Gate series

External links

• Official site at BioWare
• Baldur's Gate II - Shadows of Amn at the Internet Movie Database