Baldur's Gate 2 Expansion: Throne of Bhaal
BioWare's Baldur's Gate II is the game that keeps on giving. Already one of the most massive role-playing games in memory--especially if you add the original Baldur's Gate and Tales of the Sword Coast expansion pack--the Baldur's Gate series has provided, easily, 300 hours of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Second Edition role-playing genius. Now, just when you've got your life back, and, maybe, finished BGII, the company goes and releases the new BGII expansion pack Throne of Bhaal.

BGII is already so huge one might wonder why you would need or want an expansion. Is it because there are hordes of additional monsters to fight, a couple new classes and kits to explore (the Wild Mage, for example), new treasures and artifacts, new quests and dungeons, and the ability to reach an unprecedented 40th level? Well, yes, those are pretty much the reasons why. Why wouldn't you want to meet strange new creatures, unleash strange new spells, and listen to even more bizarre voice acting from the lovable Minsc? But the real reason to get this one is to see the massive story finally reach a conclusion. There won't be a Baldur's Gate III folks, and Throne of Bhaal lets you see the fate of the character that debuted as Gorion's young ward so many years ago in the original Baldur's Gate.

This is an expansion, not a sequel, and thus the game mechanics and animation are pretty much the same as in Baldur's Gate II. With no new animation, save the new spells, and only a handful of new beasts, this game doesn't innovate--it adds to the overall experience. Naturally, it's fully playable in multiplayer mode, and you can start anew with one of the new classes or continue with your old character. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• More, more, more of the bestselling Baldur's Gate experience
• A fitting conclusion to the epic story line

• Same tried-and-true gameplay, which makes it feel dull at times
• After 200 hours of BGII, do we need more?

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Baldur's Gate Expansion: Tales of the Sword Coast (Mac)
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Baldur's Gate Expansion: Tales of the Sword Coast
Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast delivers what we've all been screaming for--more Baldur's Gate. Although it does not significantly extend the story line, it does provide enough new goodies to augment an already great game.

Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast provides four new areas for you to explore, all of which share the richness that made Baldur's Gate a groundbreaking masterpiece. Players are given the opportunity to explore a few new islands, visit a suburb of Baldur's Gate, and engage in a good old-fashioned dungeon crawl beneath Durlag's Tower. Players can also embark on a quest that will take them back into the city of Baldur's Gate itself. These new quests tend to be even more involved and challenging than those found in the initial game, as they gravitate more toward puzzle solving than pure combat.

The additional areas are at least as satisfying as any found in the original, featuring three new types of monsters as well as new magic items, enemies, and spells, all of which are woven seamlessly into the game play. Those who are already deeply involved in a campaign or have already completed the game need not start over to take advantage of the expansion. Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast raises the character experience cap by at least one level and can be integrated at any time during your campaign, easily providing an additional 20 hours of game play.

For a Baldur's Gate enthusiast, the four new areas alone make this expansion worth having. An added treat is the included software utility that allows players to speak to each other online via microphone, giving multiplayer games a live role-playing feel. Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast may tend to give you more of the same, but in this case, you wouldn't have it any other way. --Joshua B. Coombs

Pros:

• New areas just as good as first ones
• Powerful new magic items and increased experience cap
• Enables your BG characters to get tougher, ready for Baldur's Gate 2
• Free online speech software

• Doesn't significantly extend the story line

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