Baldur's Gate

For the fictional city from which the game is named, please see Baldur's Gate (city).

Baldur's Gate is a computer role-playing game in a high fantasy setting, developed by BioWare and released in 1998 by Interplay Entertainment. It was the first game in the Baldur's Gate series, which spawned a further three games before the story arc was concluded. It was immediately followed by the expansion pack Tales of the Sword Coast (1999), as well as the sequel Shadows of Amn (2000). A three CD version, Baldur's Gate: The Original Saga, which includes the original game and expansion, was released in 2002.

In the minds of many veteran role-playing gamers, Baldur's Gate stands among the true classics of the genre, alongside the likes of Betrayal at Krondor, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy VI and Ultima VII.

The story follows the player character as he grows up following the cataclysmic Time of Troubles, and it puts an emphasis on character development through dialogue and battle. The game rewards the player character according to its moral choices, good or evil, under influence of the game's opening quote, credited to Friedrich Nietzsche:

Overview

Gameplay

The game was programmed within the licensed ruleset of the Forgotten Realms role-playing setting, using the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition rules, though various elements from the ruleset were modified to allow the game to be executed in real-time. Each character is in constant action, while the game can be paused at any time, and with the use of various auto-pause options it is possible to simulate turn based gameplay. The game is separated into seven chapters intercut with interludes of spoken dialogue. Free exploration of the world map is allowed in every chapter, though some areas are not unlocked before the player character advances to a certain point in the game. The player begins as a weak character, poorly equipped and without allies. As they progress through the game, players will discover new and more powerful weapons, armor, and spells, and can form a party of up to six characters. Experience points, gained through completing quests and killing monsters, improves the abilities of the main character and other party members.

Setting

The western shore of Faerûn along the Sea of Swords contains a multitude of ecologies and terrain including mountains, forests, swamps, marshes, plains, cities, and ruins. Collectively called the Sword Coast, it attracts adventurers for good and evil alike, and provides the backdrop for this epic adventure. The region encompassed by this game is roughly bordered to the South by the Cloud Peaks, the East by the Wood of Sharp Teeth, the West by the Sea of Swords, and the North by Baldur's Gate (the largest and most affluent city in the region). The characters travel the countryside, exploring the countless areas such as towns, dungeons, mines, forests, castle ruins, and the city of Baldur's Gate. The main story involves the characters investigating a conspiracy, confronting the clandestine plots of organizations like the Zhentarim, Red Wizards of Thay, Iron Throne, Flaming Fist, The Chill, The Blacktalons, and the Harpers, as well as finding out the main character's own ancestry and history.

Characters

Name	Race	Class(es)	Alignment	Voice actor
Cadderly	Human	Priest of Deneir	Neutral Good	Hamilton Camp
Drizzt Do'Urden	Drow	Ranger	Chaotic Good	Jeff Bennett
Duke Eltan	Human	Fighter	Lawful Neutral	Frank Welker
Elminster	Human	Mage	Chaotic Good	Frank Welker
Kelddath Ormlyr	Human	Priest of Lathander	Neutral Good	?
Tethoril	Human	Priest of Mystra	Lawful Good	Hamilton Camp
Thalantyr	Human	Conjurer	Neutral Good	Earl Boen
Ulraunt	Human	Mage	Lawful Neutral	?
Volothamp	Human	Bard	Neutral Good	?
Biff the Understudy

Plot

The player character and their childhood friend Imoen, have grown up together since childhood, under the tutelage of their guardian, the mage Gorion. As orphans, they were raised in Candlekeep, an ancient fortress-turned-library in the rural Sword Coast region, which lies south of the city of Baldur's Gate. However, strange things are afoot on the Sword Coast: Iron production has virtually halted, metal already produced quickly crumbles, and bandits scour the countryside hunting iron over any other treasure. Strangest of all, even inside the secure walls of Candlekeep, there are mercenaries set out for the main character's life. Gorion knows what is going on, but will not tell the player character, and instead decides to leave Candlekeep and journey with the player character to another hiding place. They are ambushed by a mysterious "armored figure" who kills Gorion when he refuses to hand over the player character, who flees into the night. The main character soon runs into Imoen, who had been secretly following, after reading a note about the journey on Gorion's desk. She too saw Gorion's murder, and now insists on accompanying the character.

Re-entry fees into Candlekeep are excessive, and the city of Baldur's Gate is closed off to outsiders in fear of the bandit hordes. By either exploring idly or following the advice of the people encountered throughout the lands, the main character sets out to find the cause of the crumbling iron in the Nashkel mines, and in doing so begins to unearth a deeper conspiracy. Kobolds have been contaminating the iron in the mine, and documents at the Nashkel mine connects the mine operation with the bandits, and ultimately leads the main character to the secret campsite of the bandits, who appear to be mobilized mercenary companies employed by the Iron Throne, a merchant league from Baldur's Gate. The Iron Throne intends to control the Sword Coast by restricting the iron supply to its own armies only, stockpiling all plundered iron at the only working iron mine in the region, deep in the Cloakwood forest. As the main character sabotages the mercenary instalation in the Cloakwood mines, the pressure on Baldur's Gate is relieved enough for the city to be re-opened for outsiders, and the player character can confront the Iron Throne's head quarters.

At Baldur's Gate, the player character is engaged by the Flaming Fist city guard to investigate the Iron Throne, but as no damning evidence is to be found, the main character returns to Candlekeep to spy on a meeting of the Iron Throne leaders. Much has changed in Candlekeep, and when the player character is charged with the murder of the Iron Throne leaders, the only route of escape is through the catacombs below the monastery. As the player character returns to Baldur's Gate he or she is framed for the murder of a Flaming Fist officer and must stay hidden as they uncover the grand scheme masterminded by the "armored figure", Sarevok. Seeking to confront him, the characters find out that he is actually half-brother to the main character, both of whom are children of the dead god of murder, Bhaal. The main character's Bhaalspawn ancestry explains much about their past and raises questions about their future. Sarevok's plans turn out be much more sinister, as the Iron Throne is just a façade for his real intentions. Through manipulation of politics and resources, Sarevok plans to start a war between Baldur's Gate and the kingdom of Amn to the south, causing enough carnage to transform him into the new god of murder.

Selected credits

Producer: Ray Muzyka
Co-Exec Producers: Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk
Lead Designer: James Ohlen
Design: Rob Bartel, Ross Gardner, Scott Greig, Matt Horvath, Lukas Kristjanson, Ray Muzyka, James Ohlen
Lead Programming: Scott Greig
Graphics/3D Programming: Gilles Beauparlant
Music/Sound Programming: John Winski
Writing/Dialogue/Story: Rob Bartel, Matt Horvath, Lukas Kristjanson, James Ohlen

References

(1998) Baldur's Gate game manual

External links

Official site at BioWare
Sorcerer's Place (extensive coverage of all (A)D&D CRPGs)
GameRankings, various reviews.
The Baldur's Gate rant, a harsh but informed critique.
PlayStation Museum, advertisement of the cancelled PlayStation version.
Baldurs Gate PSX, Into footage of the cancelled Playstation version.
Baldurs Gate PSX, In-game footage of the cancelled Playstation version.

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