The Baldur's Gate Series is a popular series of computer role playing games. The PC games were developed by BioWare. The games take place in the Sword Coast area of the Forgotten Realms. The series includes the following games:

  • Baldur's Gate (1998) PC (5 CDs)
  • Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast (1999) (Expansion) PC (1 CD)
  • Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000) PC (4 CDs)
  • Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal (2001) (Expansion) PC (1 CD)

The console title Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance was developed by Snowblind and released in 2001 for Playstation 2, Gamecube, and XBox. Dark Alliance is often not regarded as a part of the Baldur's Gate series, as it was quite different, unrelated in plot, and was never released (as was the original series) for Windows and Macintosh.

Table of contents
1 Game summaries
2 External links

Game summaries

Warning: Wikipedia contains spoilers

Baldur's Gate

The western shore along the Sea of Swords contains a multitude of ecologies and terrain including mountains, forests, swamps, marshes, plains, cities, and ruins. Collectively called the Sword Coast, it attracts adventurers and evil alike, and provides the backdrop for this epic adventure. The region encompassed by this game is roughly bordered to the South by the Cloud Peaks, the East by the Wood of Sharp Teeth, the West by the Sea of Swords, and the North by Baldur's Gate (the largest and most affluent city in the region).

You are an orphan raised in Candlekeep, an ancient fortress turned library, south of Baldur's Gate and north of the kingdom Amn and its capital, Atkhatla, all on the Sword Coast. Your guardian is the mage Gorion, and Imoen is your inseparable childhood friend. Strange things are afoot on the Sword Coast: iron production has virtually halted, the metal already produced commonly turns into dust, and bandits scour the countryside for iron before any other treasure. Compelled by the mounting uncertainty, Gorion decides to remove you from Candlekeep and journey to another hiding place where he will "explain everything". As soon as you set out from Candlekeep, however, you are attacked, Gorion is killed, and you and Imoen are left on your own.

You travel the countryside, equipping yourself and forming your party as you explore the countless areas such as towns, dungeons, mines, forests, castle ruins, and the city of Baldur's Gate. The main quest line involves you finding out who stands behind the iron conspiracy and confronting them, as well as finding out what Gorion didn't tell you about your ancestry and history. The Iron Throne, masterminded by Sarevok, intends to control the Sword Coast by restricting the iron supply to its armies. As you seek to confront Sarevok, who in turn seeks to seize you for his purposes, you find out that you are half-brothers, sons of the god of death, Bhaal. Sarevok also turns out to have masterminded Gorion's murder. Your god-spawn ancestry explains much about your past and raises questions about your future. Thus, the Iron Throne is only a façade for Sarevok's real intentions, which are to perform a ritual which will make Sarevok the new god of death, start a war between Baldur's Gate and Amn, and bring destruction upon the Sword Coast. Numerous side quests allow you to explore the game areas and accumulate experience and items. Finally, you confront and vanquish Sarevok in the hidden city beneath Baldur's Gate, finishing the game.

The game is based upon a real-time modification of the AD&D (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons) ruleset. Your party consists of 1-6 members, either created by you according to the AD&D rules or NPCs recruited by you. Numerous side quests and plot twists are associated with particular NPCs and whether or not you have them in your party.

Through extensive, context-dependent dialogue, NPCs inside and outside your party are fleshed out as complex, interesting characters. Very good character and plot design and depth, excellent background art, and a well-made user interface provided by Bioware's Infinity Engine are the series' strong points.

Prominent NPCs

  • Imoen - Human, Thief, Neutral Good. Your childhood friend and party companion, if you allow her to be.
  • Minsc - Human, Ranger, Neutral Good. Minsc's companion Dynaheir was kidnapped by Gnolls and he wants your help in finding her. Minsc is somewhat mentally impaired, if good-natured, but he and his miniature giant space hamster Boo will provide you with endless entertainment. He is also a great fighter.
  • Jaheira and Khalid - Half-elf, Fighter/Druid, True Neutral; Half-elf, Fighter, Neutral Good. They were Gorion's good friends and were awaiting you when Gorion was killed.

Selected credits

  • Lead Design: James Ohlen
  • Design: Rob Bartel, Ross Gardner, Scott Greig, Matt Horvath, Lukas Kristjanson, Ray Muzyka, James Ohlen
  • Lead Programming: Scott Greig
  • Graphics/3D Programming: Gilles Beauparlant
  • Music/Sound Programming: John Winski
  • Writing/Dialogue/Story: Rob Bartel, Matt Horvath, Lukas Kristjanson, James Ohlen

Tales of the Sword Coast

Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast is an expansion pack for Baldur's Gate which adds three bonus areas to the existing Baldur's Gate game map: Ulgoth's Beard, a pirate island, and Durlag's Tower. These areas allow additional side quests and exploration within the main story line.

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

Baldur's Gate II: The Shadows of Amn takes place just a few months after the events of Baldur's Gate. You have been captured and placed in a cage. All your equipment and money is gone. Your companions have been scattered. Who is behind this? And more importantly... why?

Prominent new NPCs

In party
  • Yoshimo - Human, Bounty Hunter, True Neutral. Yoshimo has a complicated story which will gradually unravel before you.
  • Aerie - Elf, Cleric/Mage, Lawful Good. Aerie is a winged elf who was captured and mutilated by slave traders.
  • Jan Jansen - Gnome, Thief/Illusionist, Chaotic Neutral. Jan loves turnips. Like most gnomes he is very eccentric, and loves to ramble on with stories that never get to the points. He wants to steal Boo from Minsc, and if he ever succeeded, one would imagine he wouldn't live long after that.
  • Keldorn - Human, Paladin, Lawful Good. The only Paladin NPC in the game.
  • Korgan - Dwarf, Battlerager, Chaotic Evil. One of the best fighters in the game. Causes conflicts with Good-aligned party members.
  • Valygar - Human, Stalker, Neutral Good. Valygar's family has long lived in the shadow of magic. His own mother went mad with the power of it and was destroyed. Valygar wears his beliefs on the sleeve and always makes for interesting party interactions.
In game
  • Jon Irenicus
  • Bodhi

Selected credits

  • Division Director: Feargus Urquhart
  • Senior Producer: Chris Parker
  • Associate Producer: Douglas W. Avery
  • Production: Ray Muzyka (Exec. Producer), Andrew Nobbs (Line Producer), Nathan Plewes (Line Producer), Ben Smedstad (Producer), Greg Zeschuk (Exec. Producer)
  • Lead Designer: Kevin Martens, James Ohlen (Director of Writing and Design- BioWare)
  • Core Design Team: David Gaider, Brent Knowles, Lukas Kristjanson, John Winski
  • Lead Programming: Mark Darrah
  • Music: Michael Hoenig (Metamusic Productions)

Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal

Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal is an expansion pack for Baldur's Gate II which adds one large optional bonus area to the game, Watcher's Keep. It also extends the main plot line to an epic conclusion.

A war breaks out throughout Amn between the agitated Bhaalspawn who turn out to be numerous and fight each other for power. Defeating numerous other Bhaalspawn, you come a long way from your humble beginnings in Candlekeep. Ultimately, you vanquish all competitors and are presented with the choice of ascending the throne of Bhaal and becoming the new god of death, or destroying it and returning to peaceful life as a mortal.

External links