While role-playing games are extremely popular on console formats, those that involve heavy strategy elements are often restricted to home computers, perhaps due to their complexity and sheer size. One of those Advanced Dungeons and Dragons games, Baldur’s Gate is one of the biggest in the series of real-time/strategy/role-playing games.

After an epic introduction that sets the medieval theme of the game, your first task will be to create the character of your choice. Here, you can assign ... more >>

While role-playing games are extremely popular on console formats, those that involve heavy strategy elements are often restricted to home computers, perhaps due to their complexity and sheer size. One of those Advanced Dungeons and Dragons games, Baldur’s Gate is one of the biggest in the series of real-time/strategy/role-playing games.

After an epic introduction that sets the medieval theme of the game, your first task will be to create the character of your choice. Here, you can assign a seemingly infinite amount of unique attributes to your chosen character. You are able to specify character classes - there are 26 to choose from - as well as magic spells and aesthetic properties such as hair and skin colour.

Most interestingly, Baldur’s Gate is a non-linear adventure that spreads across an enormous 10,000 scrolling environments. Each of the environments consists of hundreds of landmark buildings, such as castles, arenas and brothels, and boast high levels of detail. Locations are all set in real-time, and feature superb weather conditions, such as heavy rain and snow. When playing through this enormous adventure you will acquire all kinds of magic and weapons that must be used wisely to make progress. Magic is expendable and weapons are not in abundance, so be careful.

Baldur’s Gate is an epic adventure that may well take you literally hundreds of hours to complete. There are five discs in this package, and they're all full! << less