Baldur's Gate 3 announced

[Zanza]

BG2 is much better than BG1. Definitely worth playing if you never played it.

Its not really a direct continuation as the segue between the two story lines is a bit far fetched and assumes a certain party setup in BG1.

[Valmy]

BG2 is much better than BG1. Definitely worth playing if you never played it.

They are very different despite being in a very similar engine. I strongly disagree BG2 is better.

Its not really a direct continuation as the segue between the two story lines is a bit far fetched and assumes a certain party setup in BG1.

Yes. Definitely an annoyance.

[Razgovory]

BG2 is much better than BG1. Definitely worth playing if you never played it.

Its not really a direct continuation as the segue between the two story lines is a bit far fetched and assumes a certain party setup in BG1.

I was surprised that the canon party was my party in BG 1.  Siege of Dragonspear is suppose to play out the segue between the two games.

[Zanza]

BG2 is much better than BG1. Definitely worth playing if you never played it.

They are very different despite being in a very similar engine. I strongly disagree BG2 is better.

Fair enough, it is a matter of taste. Anyway, if you like BG1, you should at least play BG2 once to see if you also like it.

[Tamas]

These isometric RPGs are something I have really wanted to like but always seem to burn out on them far before I can finish them. I wonder why that is.

[Valmy]

These isometric RPGs are something I have really wanted to like but always seem to burn out on them far before I can finish them. I wonder why that is.

A lot of them are really long since they are relatively simple to make content for. I would like to recommend the Heart of Winter expansion for IWD since it is such a short and exciting adventure...but it is also hard as shit so not really a good intro adventure.

BG2 is much better than BG1. Definitely worth playing if you never played it.

They are very different despite being in a very similar engine. I strongly disagree BG2 is better.

Fair enough, it is a matter of taste. Anyway, if you like BG1, you should at least play BG2 once to see if you also like it.

I agree. They are both really good but despite being in mostly the same engine with the same characters and the same rules they are very different.

I slightly prefer BG1 because holy shit BG2 is hard and has a very long (if exciting and cool) linear part in the middle of the game. And there is something almost evil about Throne of Bhaal (granted it literally takes place in the lower planes and all...) about how ruthlessly it stretches the AD&D 2nd Ed rules for a super highly level game.

[Zanza]

Yeah, if you want to do all optional quests in BG2, it will take a while. And yes, the middle chapter, as well as Throne of Bhaal, is fairly linear, but before and after that you can explore a very nice world.

[Josquius]

I just started Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition for my first playthrough of any of the games. It was that or Neverwinter Nights Enhanced Edition. So far BG1EE is... ok? Is it worth playing other than for nostalgia which I lack? Should I skip to 2? NWN? I made a half-orc full cleric of Tyr because... it seemed like a good idea at the time? 

Sophie!

For some reason I thought you left us.

BG1EE is a little unbalanced from using the the BG2 engine but otherwise still really great IMO. If you want the experience of exploring a world with a team of adventurers and don't mind not finding anything of interest a large amount of the time. And low level adventures have a certain charm BG2 doesn't have IMO.

But I also LOVED BG1 when it came out. I won it six times the first year I had it 

BG2 is a quite different than BG1 as there is less focus on exploration and just on lots of action all the time. Plus if there is a monster you like in Dungeons and Dragons 2nd edition it shows up in BG2 or BG2:ToB someplace. Even obscure Dark Sun and Planescape stuff.

My main annoyance with BG1 to BG2 is that BG2 just assumes you had a certain party of adventurers with you in BG1 and does weird things with the other BG1 companions.

Agreed.
BG1 is much better.
BG2 begins to lean a bit much into power gaming and combat. Which is not the strongest part of the game.

Though minsc, imoen, and jaheira were from my bg1 party. I guess they are the most typical straight forward good aligned party.
Kind of a shitty transition between the games though yes.
Surprised modders haven't done something with that (or maybe they have. I haven't checked)

[Razgovory]

There's a whole game that deals with the transition.

[Syt]

I've started BG2, about 12 hours in (yes, in Story Mode ... feeling lazy ). (No spoilers, pls!)

It indeed starts off a lot more in medias res than the 1st one. And it seems you can't walk five feet without running into a new quest. I feel every time I finish one quest, two new ones are added to the journal. The quests are fun, but I kinda miss the chill exploration of the first game. "Ok, let's finally deal with ... " - "Oh adventurer, I need your help!"

Still in Chapter 2. I haven't even been to all city districts yet, and only a few non-city locations.

Also, Minsc is getting a bit annoying with his enthusiasm. And that's me, playing lawful good.

Oh, and: David Warner.

[jimmy olsen]

No one talking about the bear here?

[Syt]

I mentioned it in the misc. thread, but not even Brain replied.

[The Minsky Moment]

I've been playing Solasta a bit, while this has been gestating, as the former was recently discounted.  Also uses the 5E ruleset although with its own custom subclasses.  Nice tactical feel and one of the first such games I've played where the "light" spell is essential.

[Valmy]

No one talking about the bear here?

Bear?

[garbon]

I mentioned it in the misc. thread, but not even Brain replied.

I feel like when a brand so wants to be edgy and the topic of conversation, I don't want to reward them.