Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear

 PC
  • Publisher: Beamdog
  • Release Date: Mar 31, 2016
User Score
3.8

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 577 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 194 out of 577
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 577
  3. Negative: 353 out of 577

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  1. jrgl
    Apr 6, 2016
    5
    I don't much care for the politics of either 'side' of the whole SJW argument (though I'll try to present a neutral explanation of that in the third paragraph) but the writing in this expansion is very poor particularly in comparison to the original game. There's also bugs out the ass and I'm not willing to forgive that just because it's new. Do note also that the accompanying update toI don't much care for the politics of either 'side' of the whole SJW argument (though I'll try to present a neutral explanation of that in the third paragraph) but the writing in this expansion is very poor particularly in comparison to the original game. There's also bugs out the ass and I'm not willing to forgive that just because it's new. Do note also that the accompanying update to the base game breaks a lot of mods and **** with the UI turning it into something reminiscent of a tablet game. Finally the ending was rail-roaded to all **** I understand it has to try and match up with the existing canon but it could have been done in a better way.

    On the positive side they got many of the original VAs to reprise their roles and that was a nice surprise to me after not following the development too closely. The attempt to link the two games, however poorly executed it might have been, is also praiseworthy.

    Now onto the topic of the political war that seems to have appeared over this expansion. Feel free to skip this part if you only care about the broad picture of the expansion's quality I've given above as it really just comes down to 'poor writing'.

    The character at the centre of the controversy really doesn't fit into the setting. Their views are that of our modern day in a setting where the same issues would just not appear to create those problems that generate such views. You might think of it as someone spouting Marxist terminology in a setting which has not been through the industrial revolution. It's hardly the main problem but it does rather damage suspension of disbelief when it shows up. The changes to existing characters based on one writer's political beliefs are unwelcome also. Regardless of the motive for changing them it just snaps me right out of the game when their personality has completely changed with no explanation. Similarly the overt reference to GG (again something I couldn't care about either way) goes beyond humour and will, I suspect, be more of an annoyance a few years down the line when this has all faded into the background. Direct references to current events never age particularly well. I was rather annoyed by the developer stepping in and demanding positive reviews which, frankly, is the reason I've felt the need to give my view when I'd normally stay silent. Additionally rumours of metacritic itself deleting negative reviews are rather worrying. Surely if anyone deserves that it's the reviews the developer has tried to influence? I am as suspicious of the 9s and 10s as I am of the 1s and 2s for an expansion that is frankly average at best.    … Expand
  2. SpittlePig
    Apr 5, 2016
    5
    I found the modern vocabulary and lame humor taking me out of the game. Could not really connect with the game because of this. There is a 80's surfer dude fully voiced, people with southern accents and other very modern words and terms. They did a bad job on Safana, could not relate to her. The game was too dark and found myself having to hunt for party members. The main story was greatI found the modern vocabulary and lame humor taking me out of the game. Could not really connect with the game because of this. There is a 80's surfer dude fully voiced, people with southern accents and other very modern words and terms. They did a bad job on Safana, could not relate to her. The game was too dark and found myself having to hunt for party members. The main story was great and near the end when they got serious it felt more like a Baldur's Gate. The new U.I. looks bad and was frustrating. The bugs were not too bad. I don't know if it was me or the bugs that kept me from finishing many side quests. Near the end I gave up on them. Khalid was missing, guess it was a bug. Some real innovations using the Infinity engine for effects and quests. Over all I feel as a Baldur's Gate fan a little hurt by not trying to make it not feel like Baldur's Gate. Really could have been a great game if done with a little care for the cannon that was already in stone. The whole GamerGate thing is so crazy, all the hate being thrown out there by homophobic, racist and misogynistic people really put a damper on my enjoyment as well. Minsc, Viconia and Irenicus were well done and voiced beautifully. I think someone not well versed in the early games could enjoy it, for me it felt like not everyone working on this game were on the same page.… Expand
  3. jeremyalexander
    Apr 3, 2016
    7
    This is a great and seamless expansion that fits perfectly in between these classic games. Its score is brought down due to a very buggy release that did the company a disservice as they are gaining a reputation of buggy releases at a time when they are asking for the honor of doing a Baldur's Gate 3. This is unacceptable and they need to hone their programming chops to be taken seriously.This is a great and seamless expansion that fits perfectly in between these classic games. Its score is brought down due to a very buggy release that did the company a disservice as they are gaining a reputation of buggy releases at a time when they are asking for the honor of doing a Baldur's Gate 3. This is unacceptable and they need to hone their programming chops to be taken seriously. However, as I stated, it is impressive to just go in and meld a new experience to a game nearly 2 decades old and have it feel like it belonged there all along. Also, ignore the low score from the Gamer's Gate trolls that keep whining that the company has an agenda. The only agenda is from the loony fringe of the Gamer's Gate that thinks anything that isn't white and male is something to attack. I would also ignore the fanboy's giving this 10's. It is a very good expansion that I cannot recommend until they have shown the commitment to fix it's technical state. Once that aspect is under control, I can say that if you enjoyed this classic series this will feel both new and familiar in a positive way.… Expand
  4. ZeshinX
    Apr 4, 2016
    7
    I enjoyed Siege of Dragonspear. It was an enjoyable adventure that did a fairly decent enough job filling in the gap between BG1 and BG2.

    I found the writing a little weak and the plot/story was rather weak, but I suspect that'll happen when you try and squeeze an original story in the middle of a very well established plot line. In that regard, Beamdog did a pretty decent job. Not    I enjoyed Siege of Dragonspear. It was an enjoyable adventure that did a fairly decent enough job filling in the gap between BG1 and BG2.

    I found the writing a little weak and the plot/story was rather weak, but I suspect that'll happen when you try and squeeze an original story in the middle of a very well established plot line. In that regard, Beamdog did a pretty decent job. Not good, not bad. I would very much like to see what they can do when the "shackles" are off and tell a story all their own.

    I found nothing remarkable about the new joinable NPCs, as I avoided them almost completely except for Corwin (I needed a ranged warrior, and she fit the bill). I wasn't a fan of the new NPCs in the Enhanced Editions, so I just avoided them altogether in SoD (the returning and the new to SoD ones).

    The Shaman class addition is welcome (as are any character options), but one I will never use. Considering the class' main feature (summoning spirits) is not guaranteed to work right away...any shaman in the party will likely spend most of the game standing around (since they can't move when using this ability) crossing their fingers hoping they can contribute (before it's too late). Welcome, but not very useful.

    The UI. I don't mind the layout, though it needs some serious touching up (and frankly, the original layout is still better). The colour of it is horrid though. Just horrid. Devs, wherever your fetish for varying shades of black comes from, please stop. Return this UI to the blue stone/gold GUI we saw in patch 1.3 and I'd honestly have nothing to complain about (or an option to use either would be great).

    As for all the furor over purported gender/sexual identity agendas and political correcting of things....I don't really care. The day a video game can influence my own personal views about life, I have larger issues than what a video game (or its devs) believe.

    Overall, I very much enjoyed myself. I'm eager to see what Beamdog can come up with as a wholly original offering, without any particular constraints to an existing story. I'd still like to see Beamdog create some more (Enhanced) Infinity Engine D&D games, and they'll get my dollars for them.

    With the recent disaster that was Sword Coast Legends, Beamdog looks to be THE place to scratch the CRPG D&D itch for me.    … Expand
  5. Folsomdsf
    Apr 4, 2016
    7
    Great encounter Design, decent main storyline. Some strong character, some weak(Safana rewrite was god awful). It's much worse in a story way than bg 1/2 and even ignores some of the longstanding canon to pander to the egos of the writers and what they think is right. It's a little disappointing but the game is still good fun and the 2.0 update is welcome.

    Some of the sidequests are    Great encounter Design, decent main storyline. Some strong character, some weak(Safana rewrite was god awful). It's much worse in a story way than bg 1/2 and even ignores some of the longstanding canon to pander to the egos of the writers and what they think is right. It's a little disappointing but the game is still good fun and the 2.0 update is welcome.

    Some of the sidequests are outright garbage btw, especially things like the 'vision quest' that looks better on **** than it would in a baldur's gate game. The game has a few bugs in singleplayer and the multiplayer has multiple and numerous crippling bugs.

    If I wasn't such a huge fan of baldur's gate and more fixated on the encounter I'd probably rate it lower. For me though, it's a solid 7 and enjoyable.    … Expand
  6. psudonym55
    Apr 5, 2016
    7
    The game has some technical issues that certainly need fixing as soon as possible and the new UI was a really bad idea and could really use with some adjustment. The writing in Baldurs Gate 1 really wasn't all that special or fantastic to begin with compared to Baldurs gate 2 and I think this expansion at least matches the quality of the previous work. People complain that it breaks theThe game has some technical issues that certainly need fixing as soon as possible and the new UI was a really bad idea and could really use with some adjustment. The writing in Baldurs Gate 1 really wasn't all that special or fantastic to begin with compared to Baldurs gate 2 and I think this expansion at least matches the quality of the previous work. People complain that it breaks the fourth wall and ruins their immersion but Baldurs Gate 1 did that all the time anyway. At least half of Tiax's dialogue are quotes from the Simpsons and there are several encounters that are just references to the pop culture of the time. Some people have complained that a trans character doesn't fit the lore of the setting but there have been trans characters in the Forgotten Realms long before this expansion was released eg in faiths and pantheons and Elminster was turned into a woman several times also. The expansion has some issues but I don't think it's the train wreck that many others seem to have decided it is.… Expand
  7. masi
    Nov 5, 2016
    6
    Okay, just finished playing the Siege. My thoughts:

    1) The combat part wasn't bad. The enhanced AI now allows enemy troops to drink potions and target the weakest members of the party first. It was actually my first Infinity Engine experience (played 'em all except IWD2) where Insane difficulty DID feel insane (as for the new "legacy of Bhaal", i gave up on it after being pwned by a    Okay, just finished playing the Siege. My thoughts:

    1) The combat part wasn't bad. The enhanced AI now allows enemy troops to drink potions and target the weakest members of the party first. It was actually my first Infinity Engine experience (played 'em all except IWD2) where Insane difficulty DID feel insane (as for the new "legacy of Bhaal", i gave up on it after being pwned by a pack of rats in BG1 prologue). However, I wouldn't say that combat was awesome either, because all the enemy encounters felt more or less the same and for the most part combat tactics I could use were reduced to entangling the hordes of enemies and fireballing them to death. It got boring by the end.

    2) The riddles were nice. There weren't many of them around but I did enjoy them.

    3) The Baldur's Gate city decorations were very-very good, despite the city being reduced to only 3 or 4 buildings. I was thoroughly impressed with how they managed to create the illusion of life with those outdated isometric sprites. It was very cool. Sadly, after you get out of the city, the illusion vanishes.

    That's about all i did like about the game. now let's move on to the things I didn't.

    4) The bugs. Many complained about the came being cartoonish, however I didn't find it much of an issue. The thick outlines and heath bars they added are extremely ugly but thankfully you have the option to turn them off. However, it doesn't change the fact that the UI is buggy as hell. The map, for instance, is now unusable half the time (at nighttime it goes black, footnotes at the bottom of the map go off the screen). Screen scrolling is somewhat slow. The game crashed a few times. From time to time I experienced some weird bugs like the game screen starting to shiver or two NPCs/enemies getting stuck in exact same point, unable to move. Deciding to kick someone out of the party and stopping halfway results in the "reform party" screen popping up next time you load the game... The bugs are just too many.

    5) The party AI. Like I said, the enemies' AI improved a great deal, but the party AI, however degraded somewhat. During enemy encounters your companions just love to occasionally stand still doing nothing instead of using ranged weapons like they are supposed to according to the AI you set for them. That means more micromanagement and is very irritating. The pathfinding degraded from running all over the map instead of going in straight line to going in straight line and stopping in front of the first horse's ass that happens on the way, without any effort to go around it. Nah, I liked the old pathfinding better, despite its obvious faults.

    6) The writing. I am not a native English speaker, so I believe myself to be somewhat lenient in this respect. But even so, I felt how horrible the writing was. Because (SPOILERS):

    a) The story. The main antagonist is that kind of weird special snowflake that is very powerful and charismatic and is able to assemble a huge crusade force because of being so great and powerful and charismatic and yet she is utterly stupid to and not willing to listen what her opponent has to say - totally not the kind people would generally follow and worship, IMHO

    b) the characters and dialogue. After seeing for myself, I can say all that fuss about a certain Tempus cleric was too overblown. Oh well, she perceives herself as woman, whatever, I don't care. You can ignore her for most part. I do, however, have issues with another "diverse" character that can be taken into your party. That particular npc is actually relatively well-written, compared to the most Siege companions I tried taking into my party. I found his banter rather amusing... up to the point he all of a sudden decided to kiss me without me NOT having an option to say smth like "errr... sorry you are a nice guy and all but you are not exactly my type, me being a straight elf and you a gay gnome, you know". In this particular case I did feel the LGBT being FORCED upon me without an option to refuse and it felt pretty awful. Was it done on purpose? I don't think so. The writer(s?) just made a very sloppy job of transitioning a bromance into a romance, and that being a touchy subject, created a **** Another SoD romance (straight) that I tried didn't feel any better than that: "How is the weather? - "No time for idle talk, we have a mission" - "what do you think about XXX?" - "No time for idle talk, we have a mission" - "what do you think about YYY?" - "No time for idle talk, we have a mission"" - "Oh, Corwin, I'm so attracted to you..." SRSly? what is there to be attracted to?

    One of the saddest things about writing is that they somehow managed to destroy what Bioware had already made. Edwin has been the love of my life ever since I first played BG2. The SoD Edwin has the same voice actor, but his dialogue was so pathetic and non-Edwin-like, that I kicked him out and took Baeloth instead. Minsc wasn't any better. Didn't try out the others though.    … Expand
  8. tyr8338
    Oct 20, 2022
    7
    It`s a descent enough expansion to beloved game series but it isn`t nowhere as good as main entries in the series.

    +nice graphics +good voiceacting +good amout of conent at very low price +pretty epic at times with big battles -story while beign pretty interesting at its core gets trivialized quite often by bad,ifantile dialogue writing (more then once I felt writing was out of    It`s a descent enough expansion to beloved game series but it isn`t nowhere as good as main entries in the series.

    +nice graphics
    +good voiceacting
    +good amout of conent at very low price
    +pretty epic at times with big battles

    -story while beign pretty interesting at its core gets trivialized quite often by bad,ifantile dialogue writing (more then once I felt writing was out of character and didnt fit in baldurs gate game).    … Expand
  9. mokaloka
    Oct 2, 2017
    7
    I enjoyed my time with this game, but it certainly has it flaws. The sterotypical stoner type with the magic mirror was a bitt over the top, as well as some voice acting not being of a very high standard.

    You don't relly get that "Baldurs Gate-feeling" the two originals had, but nonetheless, it is not a waste of time if you liked them.
  10. DAOuser
    Nov 5, 2016
    7
    Como expansión funciona bastante bien, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta que se sitúa entre BG1 y BG2 y que originalmente no se suponía que fuera a haber una trama que tuviera lugar entre ambos juegos y que sirviera de transición.

    No obstante tampoco carece de defectos y errores, tanto a nivel de programación como en el desarrollo de la historia. Hay elementos, situaciones y personajes que    Como expansión funciona bastante bien, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta que se sitúa entre BG1 y BG2 y que originalmente no se suponía que fuera a haber una trama que tuviera lugar entre ambos juegos y que sirviera de transición.

    No obstante tampoco carece de defectos y errores, tanto a nivel de programación como en el desarrollo de la historia. Hay elementos, situaciones y personajes que parecen demasiado forzados y que afectan al ritmo del juego e impiden que se disfrute al máximo.    … Expand
  11. QweSteR
    Nov 13, 2017
    7
    [7.9] Siege of Dragonspear связующее сюжетное звено между Baldurs Gate 1 и 2. Дополнение позволяет лучше раскрыть характер главного героя и завязку сюжета Baldurs Gate 2. Из достоинств самое лучшее визуальное оформление и самые масштабные бои в истории серии. Вариативность решений сопоставимо с оригинальной игрой, существенных недостатков нет.[7.9] Siege of Dragonspear связующее сюжетное звено между Baldurs Gate 1 и 2. Дополнение позволяет лучше раскрыть характер главного героя и завязку сюжета Baldurs Gate 2. Из достоинств самое лучшее визуальное оформление и самые масштабные бои в истории серии. Вариативность решений сопоставимо с оригинальной игрой, существенных недостатков нет.
  12. Wizeroy
    Jan 2, 2018
    7
    Beamdog, creators of this expansion have compared it to Throne of Bhaal.
    Also I have to consider fact, that both beginning and ending of the game are pretty well defined by original games.
    Having that in mind I installed the game expecting a solid chunk of linear story with some interesting characters along the way. ...I got exactly that. Story: It's good, sometimes fantastic, but    Beamdog, creators of this expansion have compared it to Throne of Bhaal.
    Also I have to consider fact, that both beginning and ending of the game are pretty well defined by original games.
    Having that in mind I installed the game expecting a solid chunk of linear story with some interesting characters along the way.
    ...I got exactly that.

    Story: It's good, sometimes fantastic, but sadly not very replayable. It's a single ride thing that should give you a good time while it lasts. Dialog choices are much more Mass Effect than Baldur's Gate to be honest (be a saint/jerk or make a joke) and they don't affect the plot in any meaningful way. I found myself always looking for more informative options for often interesting background. Also sidequests... not a lot of them, mostly good, couple ok'ish.

    Characters: I found Shining Lady to be an interesting and charismatic adversary. She brought certain moral dilemma with her that I won't spoil... suffice to say, it works.
    Supporting cast sadly is a mixed bag, especially your old time crew mates. Writing for some of them seems inconsistent compared to what we know and love about them. It's worst for Viconia and Edwin which feel completely misinterpreted. On the bright side, all NPCs have much more voiced dialog, often voice their opinions and have small side quests to pick your interest. Some of the new additions are also a welcomed sight. On technical level gathering strong party isn't hard.
    The controversial background character many people focus on in their critique is absolutely ignorable.

    Gameplay/Combat: Ah yes... this feels much more like Ice Wind Dale than Baldur's Gate. Often huge amounts of trash monsters will force you to use your AoE spells. Some of them have an interesting behavior and AI seems better than in old titles. It keeps you on your toes especially on higher difficulty settings.
    The UI changes are great. Every page seems clear and more informative. Key Bindings for camera movement is something we've been waiting for ages and completely changes the way you do micromanagement (good key binding makes everything faster). The UI color palette could be better, but it didn't detract from my experience.

    Graphics: Remembering new maps from BG:EE 1 and 2 I had big concerns about the look of the game. Fortunately here, the maps are absolutely stunning. Well done for art director. Quite often I stopped to look at things in awe. They really pushed the infinity engine to its limits. Many locations can easily rival and beat Black Isle creations. The resolution could be better, but then again, it keeps things running on my aged potatoe laptop.

    Music: It's great, it fits, it has everything it needs. Sounds like old but new Baldur's Gate, recorded on fresh equipment which gives it this clear feel (yeah, music from BG 1 and 2 is kinda rusty).

    Mods: not many of them, some work, some have no reason to work. I suggest checking out Big World Setup for easier time.

    I wish Siege of Dragonspear had bigger impact on story and characters in BG:EE2 (it has none because you know... reasons) but I guess we have to leave it to modders.

    So, coming from someone who goes through whole Baldur's Gate once a year for nostalgia (every time with different mods) I give it solid 7/10. Good time, flawed but definitely not wasted.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
79
#79 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. CD-Action
    Jun 29, 2016
    75
    Living up to such legacy seemed impossible but Beamdog understands Baldur’s Gate and created a game true to the original. Unfortunately along with the party you need to gather a band of patches, because bugs are crawling all over the place. [06/2016, p.40]
  2. Games.cz
    May 18, 2016
    70
    Decent expansion to the classic RPG, which -in addition to the inevitable technical limitations- suffers mainly due to the uneven quality of the script. All in all, it is a very good excuse to once again venture into the world of Faerûn.
    Read full review
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    May 9, 2016
    80
    Beamdog’s expansion embraces both the past and the present. The adventure is inconsistent, ragged and the script could be a lot better, but at its best Siege of Dragonspear captures the essence of Baldur’s Gate - even if fleetingly. [May 2016]
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