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Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000)

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000)

Role-playing (RPG) Bird view / Isometric
PC (Microsoft Windows) Mac Linux

BG2, Baldur's Gate II: Cienie Amn, Baldurs Gate 2, SoA, Baldur's Gate II: Schatten von Amn

Release Date: 2000, September 21
Alternative Titles: BG2, Baldur's Gate II: Cienie Amn, Baldurs Gate 2, SoA, Baldur's Gate II: Schatten von Amn
Countries: Canada, Canada, United States of America
Publishers: Interplay Entertainment, Black Isle Studios, MacPlay

Description:

Every World has conflict. Good and evil. Friend and foe. Safety and danger. In Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, you'll find yourself between these factions. This epic sequel to the Roleplaying Game of the Year will immerse you in a world of intrigue, adventure and fierce combat where your ability to discern the difference between these sides - with the assistance of steel and spell - determines your fate. Set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, Baldur's Gate II is the most stunning Advanced Dungeons and Dragons game to date.

Storyline:

Some time after the events described in Baldur's Gate, the protagonist and his friends Imoen, Minsc and Jaheira have been captured by an elven mage called Jon Irenicus. His intentions and connection to the heroes unknown, Irenicus conducts experiments on them, holding them in cages somewhere in his vast underground complex. During his absence, the heroes manage to escape, and soon find themselves in the city of Athkatla in the country of Amn, where they confront Irenicus. However, at that moment several wizards arrive and arrest both Irenicus and Imoen for unlicensed use of magic. The first task at hand is to raise the money needed to rescue Imoen, before facing Irenicus again and unraveling his true goals. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn is a party-based role-playing game using the AD&D rules. The basic gameplay is similar to that of its predecessor: the player navigates a party of up to six active combatants over isometric environments, conversing with non-playable characters using branching dialogue, and fighting enemies in real-time, free-movement combat that can be paused to issue specific orders to the characters. World traveling now occurs by selecting locations on a map rather than exploring wilderness areas to reach the destination. However, the game world is larger than in the previous game, with more individual locations to visit and side quests to perform. Being a direct sequel to Baldur's Gate, the game lets the player control stronger, higher-level characters from the onset. The main character can also be imported from the previous installment. Three new classes (sorcerer, monk, and barbarian) are available along with those that were present in the original game. Characters can also acquire specializations within most of the classes: a paladin, for instance, can become a dragon slayer or an inquisitor. Weapon proficiencies are more specific: for example, instead of just specializing in blades, the player can choose between proficiencies in long swords, two-handed swords, bastard swords, katanas and scimitars. There are many new types of weapons, armor, and magic spells in the sequel. Sixteen characters may join the party during the course of the story. Each of them has his or her own motivations, sometimes conflicting with those of other characters. Scripted events and interaction with playable as well as non-playable characters have been noticeably increased in the sequel. The main character can also romance some of the companions by choosing appropriate behavior and dialogue lines. The game allows the player to make many moral decisions and pursue character-specific side quests unrelated to the main story. Many of the companions bring their own quests, and unique tasks are available for the main character depending on his or her class.

Keywords:

dreams death day/night cycle digital distribution voice acting polygonal 3d bow and arrow melee difficulty level dual wielding potion theft pickpocketing magic betrayal non-player character quicksaving lock picking vampire turn-based summoning support elves hamster micromanagement traps stacking dialogue trees torture dwarves sword & sorcery trolls necromancy attributes customizable characters world map shopping loot gathering love triangle party system panther bards minotaurs save file unlockables character creation moral decisions side quests branching storyline recruitable characters based on - tabletop rpg commerce healer sleeping shape-shifting character import pausable real time combat fetch quests quest tracking mana book tie-in sex change scripted events random encounter paladins gnome barbarians status effects ghoul dark elves player created party pseudo non-linear dark second act conjuration comic relief illusion interactive achievement awards 2001