Bah...I couldn't see all the replies to the BG vs W&W thread... I gather though that responses weren't all that positive so here's my attempt to defend those products...
Icewind Dale has gotta have one of the best soundtracks of any RPG and the portraits for your characters are some of the best IMO. I haven't actually played W&W yet so I can't say for sure, but I'd say Icewind Dale is pretty similar in a sense to W&W. You create your party of adventurers from scratch. If you're inclined you can customize your own biography for each character (a nice touch). At first they're inexperienced and under-equipped, but of course this changes by the end of the game. The game involves hacking and slashing your way through dungeons (plenty of variety) while gathering loot. There is some kind of randomly generated treasure system so a lot of times the rewards for killing the same big bad evil guy in a nother game won't net you the same loot all the time. The story does contain some interesting twists. The voice acting for the narrator which you hear during the cutscenes are great too. The biggest problem with this game is that it won't provide you with hours and hours of gameplay unless you decide to replay the game. And in case you care the characters have no personality (unless you give them one).
Baldurs Gate I wouldn't recommend simply because BG2 is better than it in so many ways. Class kits, the inclusion of weapon styles, more options for weapons to specialize in (they made it like the D&D books), and the chance to get a stronghold depending on your character class (adds to replayability a bit, but I've heard there are tricks to get multiple strongholds in multi-player) all make character creation a lot of fun. Dual-classing adds more ways to tinker with your character. The NPCs in BG2 that join your party are mostly interesting (they have personalities). Go for the eyes Boo...go for the eyes! RAAAARGH! (I cracked up the first time I heard Minsc say this...it does get a bit old, but I still love him and Boo) Each of them come with a few sidequests (my favorite has to be Edwins where he ahhh...well...undergoes quite an interesting 'change' in his appearance lets just say...not to mention his voice "I saw you looking!" *stab stab stab*). The main character and his/her closest friends friends also have to confront some rather dark realities. It's nice to see a Big Bad Evil Guy that is kinda in the grey area. You know the Guy's evil, yet you can't help yourself from wondering whether or not you'd have done the same thing in the Guy's position. It's nice to have a variety of options at your hand to resolve a situation (basically brute force vs brains, good vs evil). Combat is pretty hard at places (liches anyone?) and the spells that enemy mages cast at your party will cause you to hit the reload button many many times. The exp cap is NOT a problem (unless you're a multi-class fighter/mage/thief or something). The game provides you with plenty of weapons that outright unbalance the game (i.e. Holy Avenger, cloak that reflects ALL offensive spells, Crom Faeyr which sets your STR to 25!!, Vorpal sword). Also because of the way the D&D system works you don't have to reach such an insanely high level to slaughter anything that comes your way. I think waxing dragons, liches, and sorcerers that are throwing level 9 spells at you is a pretty good indication that you're strong enough.
Out of the D&D Interplay products though I'd have to recommend Planescape: Torment. If you hate (or at least dislike) games where everything is black (the enemy) and white (you) then this is the game for you. EVERY single character (actually one of them is an exception but he's a robot of sorts so...) has some kind of secret he/she/it is hiding from you (guilt regarding their past actions, conflicts with their duty, revenge, emotional problems, etc). Your character, The Nameless One doesn't even know who he is (or where) and piecing together the mystery of his past is part of the fun. Your character (and his past actions) isn't exactly one suited for the chivalrous, knight in shining armor, but that's what adds more depth to his character and makes him more human. IMO out of the D&D worlds Planescape has to be one of the more interesting ones (not everyone is your standard Elf, Dwarf, Human, Hobbit and not all settings are medieval castles). In Sigil there are enough factions (with very interesting and unique philosophies which you may want to think about in your spare time), so that at least some are bound to appeal to you. There are enough side-quests (interesting too, and some may even help figure out the mystery of your identity/past), and the main quest is long enough that you will get hours of gameplay out of Planescape. The game actively encourages you to use brains over brawn (by giving more exp that is). Those previously useless (for a fighter at least) stats such as CHA, INT, WIS actually matter because higher values in those attributes increase the number of dialogue options you can get. This is one of the games which makes me just wish I could forget the plot so that I could play it again...great great story.
Ack...I've spent way too much time typing this... Time to actually start working on my fun fun take-home final which is due tomorrow...
|