Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal

It begins with a pronouncement of doom, talking stone heads that speak of armies marching, filled with bloodlust, the spawn of Bhaal destroying all that stands before them and the vacated throne of their father.

And guess what, you are also Bhaalspawn, and the throne may belong to you, if you are smart enough and can overcome the challenges that await you.

No sooner does the proclamation end, than another Bhaalspawn appears, her goal to destroy you. It is a tough battle, but survival means being whisked away to another plane, where the adventure really kicks into high gear.

Baldur’s Gate II: Throne of Bhaal is the expansion to the Shadows of Amn tale and wraps up this entire Sword Coast tale. Wonderfully scripted, it seems to distinguish itself from the BGII: Shadows program, at first, by the intricate unraveling of the game’s plot. A product of Black Isle Studios, Bioware and Interplay, it is rated Teen for blood, use of alcohol and violence. You will need Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn in order to play this title.

First, here’s what it brings to the original game: A new class called the wild mage, and a new dungeon – Watcher’s Keep. Wild mages specialize in wild magic, which are powerful eruptions with unpredictable results.

“The Wild Mages I have met exhibit a startling disregard for common sense, and are often meddling with powers far beyond their own control.” – Volo.

Watcher’s Keep is assessed in chapters 2, 3 and 6 of the Shadows of Amn game.

Throne of Bhaal can be played either by importing your party from Shadows, or beginning anew. Should you choose the latter, don’t worry, help is available, and you will have a party of experience warriors in no time. After your first battle, you will be transported to a plane, created by your own need, to meet Solar, a guide, and an old enemy – who will become an ally. You will be given the opportunity to fill out your party from those who have traveled the paths of the Sword Coast of Faerun before with you. Yes, even Minsc and Boo.

The game uses D&D rules, and even those unfamiliar with the workings of those games, will have little trouble figuring out just how they apply. However, as mentioned, this game won’t work without the original Shadow’s of Amn program. If you have that title, this is a great treat, and a nice wrap-up. If you don’t have that title, but are interested in jumping into this realm, to see what all the fuss has been about, then picking up both BGII: Shadows of Amn, and Throne of Bhaal will propel you into a world that has depth, character, a great storyline and solid graphical elements.

Throne of Bhaal contains new items, new spells and class abilities – all designed to enrich the original game, and draw users further into this world. Even if you choose to create a new character, and decide to make him or her a human, the game takes all that into consideration. There are even remarks about a human being the spawn of Bhaal, the Lord of Murder, and ascending to the throne. However, when they say that, they do so with reverence and a sense of fear. As you tackle each battle, you are given a sense that you are truly a legendary figure in this world.

The graphics have not changed much. The player interface is unmodified and the special graphical effects are still well done. The audio on this game absolutely soars. The voice acting is incredible. Cespenar is one of the creatures you encounter relatively early in the game (the former ‘butler’ of Bhaal), and is indicative of the type of voice acting in this game. It is an ugly little creature, and though your first thought may be to kill it, its’ voice shows how truly benign it is, and how it is willing to grovel and serve. You can’t help but chuckle.
This game’s writing is excellent. While you are forced to read a lot of text, it is worth it. Each piece advances the storyline, and gives the whole game a very rich feel.

This final chapter in the saga is full of adventure, action, intrigue and suspense. You will be required to use your brain, and your strategic fighting skills to survive the course before you. But it is quite an amazing and enjoyable venture.

Install: Easy
Add another 400 megs of hard-drive space to the 800 eaten up by Shadows of Amn. However, what Throne offers far exceeds the addition space required.

Gameplay: 8.5
This is a full-sized game, with huge maps to explore, and solid action throughout. There are puzzles to solve and cities to explore.

Graphics: 8.
Nothing much has changed from the Shadows’ title, but the effects, environments are truly terrific. You will actually feel that you are in a city under siege with the rumble and roar of catapults firing flaming masses into the city while you try to figure a way to end the torment (and kill another Bhaalspawn or two).

Sound: 9.
Absolutely wonderful, the voice acting, effects and music are a treat for the ears.

Difficulty: 9.5.
From novice to insane, this program is a challenge in any of the five levels you choose play it at. The battle is intense and you will find, if not careful, that an ally can be turned into an enemy with just the touch of a nasty little spell.

Concept: 8.5
This is the final chapter, and is written on a grand scale. You will hunger for more after playing this game.

Multiplayer: 8.
Like its predecessor, this game supports multiplayer gaming. You can form a party for venturing about, or you assign all the slots to yourself, and create your own specialized party.

Overall: 9.3
A wonderful ending to a terrific title, Throne of Bhaal has all the elements of a great RPG. The battle can be halted so you have time to think and coordinate attacks, or to drink a potion to heal, but that is to the player’s benefit. If not for that little bit of respite, you could be easily overwhelmed. This is a great sequel. It is too bad it is the final chapter, however, it does set the table for bigger and better things from Black Isle and Bioware.