Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

 PC
User Score
9.2

Universal acclaim- based on 1654 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,520 out of 1654
  2. Mixed: 53 out of 1654
  3. Negative: 81 out of 1654
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  1. UrchinChieftain
    Aug 29, 2023
    9
    One of the best RPGs ever made, it was genre standard, with a great immersive world, interesting companions, and Quests.
  2. Melowyn
    Aug 24, 2023
    10
    Han pasado muchísimos años y todavía sigo pensando que es una obra maestra
  3. Keron_Heruman
    Aug 23, 2023
    10
    The best game of always. Superior in all aspects than the spectacular original BG.
    The characters are absolutely incredible, I'll always remember them.
  4. Rikoll
    Aug 21, 2023
    10
    A timeless RPG masterpiece, where captivating story meets deep gameplay. Characters you'll love, hate, be indifferent to, or find annoying, all with engaging dialogues that enrich your journey.
  5. nomysz
    Aug 20, 2023
    10
    Excellent! Completed numerous times and spent hours playing with different characters! Polish dubbing was perfect at that times and is known to current days!
  6. zexxx
    Aug 19, 2023
    9
    Personally, I liked BG1 :-) more than two but that is not to say BG2 isn't amazing as BG1.
    I really think that together they are an epic pair of games that are still unsurpassed in many ways.
    I liked the relatively straight-forward main story with the many supporting stories around it. I like how the world feels and behaves and how well grounded it is. you can get lost in it without    Personally, I liked BG1 :-) more than two but that is not to say BG2 isn't amazing as BG1.
    I really think that together they are an epic pair of games that are still unsurpassed in many ways.

    I liked the relatively straight-forward main story with the many supporting stories around it. I like how the world feels and behaves and how well grounded it is. you can get lost in it without being reminded you're playing a game (story-wise).

    The graphics and visual style of this game are very similar but improved over BG1. as with BG1 I think they hold up very well due to their design how they are presented. this true for sound as well.

    I love BG2 for all the reasons I loved BG1. it's a deep RPG with great mechanics and implementation. it's not held back by trying to say something about modern times or trying to echo present day issues in the game. the story and world takes priority and it shows. I love it.

    It's a legendary game any RP fan should play.
    *I use RP liberally as I like most RP games whether they are D&D based on things like Disco Elysium    … Expand
  7. PR9Gaming
    Aug 12, 2023
    9
    The only reason this doesn't get a 10 is having to deal with 2nd edition dnd's quirks in a high level campaign, so they get way more exaggerated than the first game. Still great as I did a playthrough in 2023 and had a ton of fun.
  8. Liquid_Cold
    Aug 1, 2023
    10
    Превосходное продолжение полюбившейся игры, ставшая классикой жанра.
  9. bskierys
    Jun 18, 2023
    9
    The sequel to the great game, that does better almost everything that made the first game so great. Your companions feel more alive, the story goes global into the heroic tones of fighting half-gods and saving the world.
    The combat mechanics are still a little enigmatic as there are a lot of dice rolling behind your back and stats are not helping if you are not familiar with AD&D system.    The sequel to the great game, that does better almost everything that made the first game so great. Your companions feel more alive, the story goes global into the heroic tones of fighting half-gods and saving the world.
    The combat mechanics are still a little enigmatic as there are a lot of dice rolling behind your back and stats are not helping if you are not familiar with AD&D system. This can get overwhelming especially when you need to level up your character.
    But the story and the atmosphere of classic dungeoning is what makes this game great. You will be visiting big cities, discover dark secrets and completing quests for characters that seem to fit just right into this world.
    There is a lot of reading and the combat is hard to figure out but it is worth it.

    Update after fresh playthrough in 2023: Still the great game but some solutions seems dated. I love the freedom of exploring the first 3 chapters, but the the quests are not connected to world or each other and are quite fetchquesty. With almost every of them, it looks like the designers had one solution in mind (combat usually). It is visible when we compare old quests to the ones added in enhanced edition, as they are usually better. What is more, after playing modern games like Divinity: Original Sin 2 or Solasta, the combat and leveling in BG2 is significantly worse. I quickly resorted to lower difficulty with auto combat. Also, managing equipment is a pain.    … Expand
  10. chosenam
    May 29, 2023
    10
    The sense of immersion in the game has increased sixfold by directly controlling a number of jobs, not playing one main character
  11. shkipermann
    Feb 25, 2023
    8
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  12. Slaran
    Jan 15, 2023
    10
    Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn is a masterpiece of a game and is the best RPG I have played so I give it a score of 10
  13. LuckyLuky
    Jan 10, 2023
    10
    One of the best RPGs of all time. Great story. Great combat. Finished the game with a Paladin, a Wizard and a Rogue. The combat changes a lot and its allways fresh. The complexity of the wizard character is amazing. Very weak and protected at the beginning and develops into the most powerfull character easily. Besides.. Go back to a era were adventuring were free of woke messagesm andOne of the best RPGs of all time. Great story. Great combat. Finished the game with a Paladin, a Wizard and a Rogue. The combat changes a lot and its allways fresh. The complexity of the wizard character is amazing. Very weak and protected at the beginning and develops into the most powerfull character easily. Besides.. Go back to a era were adventuring were free of woke messagesm and annatural genders, and racial psychosis. A must.… Expand
  14. Jattaman
    Aug 28, 2022
    10
    Grande classico dei GDR.
    Grafica efficace, con una comoda visuale dall'alto che permette una gestione efficace del party.
    Mondo di gioco vario e pieno di punti d'interesse e misteri da risolvere. Personaggi carismatici e dialoghi sempre vivi e interessanti. Buona varietà di armi, magie e strategie da usare in battaglia. Longevità molto elevata. Un'avventura da non perdere, che    Grande classico dei GDR.
    Grafica efficace, con una comoda visuale dall'alto che permette una gestione efficace del party.
    Mondo di gioco vario e pieno di punti d'interesse e misteri da risolvere.
    Personaggi carismatici e dialoghi sempre vivi e interessanti.
    Buona varietà di armi, magie e strategie da usare in battaglia.
    Longevità molto elevata.
    Un'avventura da non perdere, che rimarrà impressa per sempre.    … Expand
  15. Gazownik
    Jun 8, 2022
    9
    Really cool game because it was fun and the story was really interesting.
    Dialogues were in my native language so it was an amazing experience back when the game was released.
  16. Yaav13
    Apr 7, 2022
    9
    My truthful honorable incorruptible conclusive rating of this considered game: 9.
  17. Elf_7
    Mar 27, 2022
    10
    Baldur's Gate 2 will always be a masterpiece. It was the pinnacle of D&D Black Isle games, and a true adventure.

    A game I can't stop playing over the years because it is full of secrets, different ways of resolving a problem, a GOAT villain, a lot of quests, loads of spells with cool looking effects (outdated, but iconic), a very good plot with very charismatic characters and different    Baldur's Gate 2 will always be a masterpiece. It was the pinnacle of D&D Black Isle games, and a true adventure.

    A game I can't stop playing over the years because it is full of secrets, different ways of resolving a problem, a GOAT villain, a lot of quests, loads of spells with cool looking effects (outdated, but iconic), a very good plot with very charismatic characters and different classes to choose from. Replayability with this game is off the charts. Maybe you forgot to steal from that seemingly powerful mage and maybe he had a scroll you could use. Maybe you haven't explored under every rock where someone could have lost his ring. Or maybe this time you want to have an evil party. Or maybe you just want to try a new class, or kill that dragon.

    Baldur's Gate 2 will always be a classic. Maybe those who didn't play it back in the day or the new generations won't understand, but Baldur's Gate 2 is, and was a wonderful game that achieved everything you could ask for. A fantasy, pen and paper, D&D world where you can be whoever you want to be. The plot will do the rest.    … Expand
  18. bananabrainok
    Mar 20, 2022
    9
    Minx and boo.

    Loved this game. Best story telling and exploration at the time.

    Had so much fun building classes, DnD vibes are spot on.
  19. RRrpgManiax
    Mar 1, 2022
    10
    A quintessential gaming experience. This is one of the most definitive RPGs ever made. D&D come to life in a manner that simply hasn't been recreated all these years later. Buy a copy and let your dreams come true!
  20. Amorph0us
    Dec 9, 2021
    10
    By far the best rpg story-wise and for adnd (2n ed.). A legend for its genre and for pc gaming overall.
  21. DurandirX
    Jan 12, 2021
    10
    This is my favorite game of all times. An example how to make the perfect RPG.
    The Story is great, with tons of secondary and meaningful things to do. There are several characters that team up with you and their personalities and background stories are top notch.
    One of the things I love is that every time I played, my game was different. You have a real impact on the story and the    This is my favorite game of all times. An example how to make the perfect RPG.
    The Story is great, with tons of secondary and meaningful things to do. There are several characters that team up with you and their personalities and background stories are top notch.

    One of the things I love is that every time I played, my game was different. You have a real impact on the story and the world. The relationships in the party feel real, your group is not there to cheer you, they have their own thoughts and feelings, they would even disagree with each other.    … Expand
  22. yasinahmetakson
    Dec 31, 2020
    10
    It's best RPG for me. Unique quests, unique enemies, unique companions, every thing is unique in this beautiful game. Hard to play but, Baldur's Gate serie makes some good memories for me.

    Sorry for my English, i'm Turkish and its not my main language.
  23. Kekkone
    Dec 11, 2020
    10
    Hands down the best computer RPG game ever created if you like the AD&D. I got this game when it was released and I have played this through at least once a year since then.
  24. koferi777
    Dec 7, 2020
    10
    A Fabulous Role playing game, I love everything about it. And The Humor and story. It was one of my first crpg's and I love it to this day.
    A masterpiece of storytelling, wit, challenge, balance. Possibly the best RPG of all time. I played it to completion when first released and I've replayed it many years later with the same joy and immersion. THX.
  25. mr8kc
    Sep 9, 2020
    0
    I can think of no finer way to waste your days than sidequesting your way through the Forgotten Realms. This game is immense, and doesn't punish you for doing it your way. Incredible.
  26. OUTC45T
    Aug 7, 2020
    10
    I just can't find anything bad about that game. Everything is great: the storyline, the lore, the characters who have their own feelings and ways to grasp the world they're living in (they're not just bland npcs who will blindly follow you, far from it...) , the incredibly deep gameplay mechanics, the side quests that are not just a list of ridiculous and repetitive tasks to complete likeI just can't find anything bad about that game. Everything is great: the storyline, the lore, the characters who have their own feelings and ways to grasp the world they're living in (they're not just bland npcs who will blindly follow you, far from it...) , the incredibly deep gameplay mechanics, the side quests that are not just a list of ridiculous and repetitive tasks to complete like in most RPGs, but actual stories which enhance the whole experience and even, sometimes, make you forget about the main plot (this litterally blew my mind)... The replayability is insane, because the developpers flawlessly transcribe the original D&D II core mechanics, with every single spell and ability (which means... a lot). The amount of work they put in that game is truly insane ( I genuinely can't find a better word ). And I'm not even talking about the art and graphics, at the time of release (still great today, and even better with the Enhanced Edition!)... This game is not only a game: it's an experience, it's a journey. And I urge anyone who haven't experienced it to do so.
    The only negative: you will find most RPG really dull, after playing this one... And I have the sad feeling this will still be true in 10 years, or maybe more... And yes, I've played both Pillars of Eternity and Divinity, which are great, but still can't compete. Also played Planescape (impressive story, but almost no replayability), and the Icewind Dale Saga (very poor, in comparison, this one...). Not to mention The Elder Scrolls, from Arena to Skyrim from a different point of view, though, centered to the player only. No, really... I'm still waiting for the student who will surpass the master.    … Expand
  27. Antli
    Jul 26, 2020
    10
    Story, companions, fights.. the world of game feels alive. Best games every made.
  28. Stryker_777
    Jun 23, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've grown so frustrated with how new games are made. They all seem to follow a formulaic, linear formula with too many cutscenes that take away control from the player, and brain-dead easy gameplay.
    Baldur's Gate II is more engrossing than many newer titles. It feels ahead of its time. It reminds me of the Witcher 3: an open-world game with intricately crafted content, unique encounters, and consequences to your choices.
    These type of RPGs are the hardest to make but they are the best ones. The amount of programming required to give the player so many options and choices is staggering. Its why they don't endeavor to make these type of games anymore.
    The spell system is one of the best things about this game. There are SO many spells, too many spells really, but it allows for endless creativity in battle encounters. I highly recommend playing on Insane difficulty as your characters become more powerful. Some battles will be so difficult until you realize the perfect combination of spells. The combat is more intellectual and strategic than twitchy. If you get used to the pausing you'll become really quick with it like playing an RTS. If you invest time into learning all the spells and powers the combat encounters will always be fun and rewarding.

    The writing is fantastic for an RPG and doesn't take itself too seriously. It draws from so many elements of the D&D universe to create a rich tapestry of adventures, always throwing a suprising and fresh new species, location, or encounter at you. IIts great to read writing from the 90s before everything became tainted by SJW nonsense. The writing is interesting, the stories are strong, and everything's to the point. It doesn't get carried away throwing endless walls of text at you (like PoE which I never liked). The balance between violence and alternate solutions is done very well. There's always an option to just kill everyone but the consequences will mess up your game. Still, its so important that the player CAN do these things. Even if its an illusion of control, its what makes RPGs so immersive.
    They still attempt to make true RPGs like this one with Kickstarter releases and whatnot, but this game is a treasure, this type of effort will never be reproduced. Every moment in Baldur's Gate II is intriguing and interesting and the game never feels generic or shallow, which is so hard to achieve in an open world RPG but this is what they've done here. This game RESPECTS the player and you never see that anymore. Now we're just treated like 8 year olds, given on the rails brain-dead easy gameplay with glowing markers and yellow exclamation points constantly telling you where to go and that to do. And so I have to search the 90s for old games that give me that unfettered feeling I require to enjoy a game.    … Expand
  29. Addposer
    Jun 23, 2020
    10
    This game... come on. Its not hard, but it is envolving, i guess not for the kids these days, reading more than 5 words is too complicated and this game have a LOT of dialog and if you dont pay any attention to it you will screw big time.
  30. Sourvinakos
    Jun 20, 2020
    10
    One of the best games every made. Not many RPG's have gotten anywhere near this level. Great characters a good plot and an enormous amount of side quests.
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PC Game of 2000
3
#3 Most Discussed PC Game of 2000
1
#1 Most Shared PC Game of 2000

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
95

Universal acclaim - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. Antagonist
    98
    I'd like my life back, Black Isle.
  2. Electric Playground
    95
    For the first time in a single player game, I truly felt I was playing my way through a pen and paper fantasy campaign.
    Read full review
  3. GamePower
    100
    It's not just vast, but flooded with quests and side adventures. There is always something to do in this game and, after that, there's always something more.
See all critic reviews »