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. Amsheagar
    Nov 27, 2021
    8
    Much as good as the original. I liked the story. The graphichs more upgraded but it doesnt hit from the old one. I will just start baldur's gate 2.
  2. chosen0ne
    Oct 7, 2021
    9
    It's a fun game that doesn't reach the highs of its predecessors. Don't go in expecting it to be as good as BG1 or 2 and you'll still have fun! It has some decent mechanics and fun maps to explore. I bought it in a bundle with the 2 enhanced editions and was happy with that purchase. It's been the subject of unfair review-bombing, so I wouldn't pay much mind to the user score. MassesIt's a fun game that doesn't reach the highs of its predecessors. Don't go in expecting it to be as good as BG1 or 2 and you'll still have fun! It has some decent mechanics and fun maps to explore. I bought it in a bundle with the 2 enhanced editions and was happy with that purchase. It's been the subject of unfair review-bombing, so I wouldn't pay much mind to the user score. Masses of people scoring it a "0" have an axe to grind.

    Overall, it's fun, classic gameplay in an already-established world. I loved the final levels and the artwork was great.    … Expand
  3. Method__Man
    Aug 6, 2021
    9
    Ignore the haters. The game is incredible. I have loved the series for over 20 years, this game is VERY true to them
  4. velsubek
    May 19, 2020
    10
    Although this game has poor writing, I must say it has the spirit of Baldur's Gate and tries its best at being an interlude between the two classics. When I treat it as a big modification to Baldur's Gate it is just fine, but when I think how much it costed on launch, it just makes me sad.
  5. hazsch
    Apr 8, 2020
    8
    Beamdog's 2016 DLC to a 1999 game is... surprisingly good. Most if not all of the bugs that were present at launch have been patched, too.

    I adore the Baldur's Gate series. I'm a total shill. So when I first heard they were making a 30 hours expansion to the original game, I was so hyped for it. When I finally played it when it released, I was pleasantly surprised. There are all new    Beamdog's 2016 DLC to a 1999 game is... surprisingly good. Most if not all of the bugs that were present at launch have been patched, too.

    I adore the Baldur's Gate series. I'm a total shill. So when I first heard they were making a 30 hours expansion to the original game, I was so hyped for it. When I finally played it when it released, I was pleasantly surprised. There are all new characters, with returning characters from the originals and the Enhanced Editions. Some stand outs for me were...

    - Corwin. A Flaming Fist archer who accompanies you on your journey. The first female bisexual character in the series. Her character is very grounded, and she's featured heavily in the game. I would adore her in BG2.
    - M'Khiin. This goblin showcases the new class Beamdog introduced with this DLC: the Shaman. It's really fun, and it's quite like a druid with the spell memorisation system of a sorcerer. She's a really solid character, and I'd love to see her return in some BG2 DLC.
    - Viconia, Edwin and Khalid. Yeah, you read that right. These returning characters from the originals have their original voice actors and they put on a fantastic show. Khalid actually sells us his character and makes him likeable, which only serves to depress us further when he dies at the beginning of the second game... thank you for making me hurt, Beamdog.
    - The hooded man. Oh yes, quite like "The Armoured Figure" in BG1, we have "The Hooded Man" in SoD. Hearing David Warner speak in character again after all these years gave me chills. I love it.

    The expansion itself is sizeable, but is VERY linear in comparison to the base game. For the 10 or so areas there are, there is a lot of content to enjoy in each one, but not so much that it feels unnatural. Not to mention, Siege pushes the Infinity Plus Engine to its limits with the amount of characters on screen at one time reaching heights we've never seen in an IE game, not to mention the graphics in general are just beautiful.

    I recommend Siege of Dragonspear to new players and returning ones.    … Expand
  6. Yury_Vashurin
    Nov 7, 2019
    9
    I played this expansion right after having completed BG1 for the first time and completely unaware of any scandals regarding it. And I found Siege of Dragonspear really satisfying. Perhaps some old fans of BG1 will consider my words blasphemous but I really like SoD more than the original game (but of course BG2 is much better, that's for sure). The story is decent, I don't have nothingI played this expansion right after having completed BG1 for the first time and completely unaware of any scandals regarding it. And I found Siege of Dragonspear really satisfying. Perhaps some old fans of BG1 will consider my words blasphemous but I really like SoD more than the original game (but of course BG2 is much better, that's for sure). The story is decent, I don't have nothing against this expansion to be linear (it's nothing bad when a sequel is more linear, just remember Ultima 7 with its Part Two being significantly more linear than Part One and still retaining its high quality), and the SJW thematics don't strike the eye at all comparing to ME: Andromeda, for example. I wouldn't call this expansion a masterpiece but it doesn't deserve at all to be rated so low.
    P.S. I imagine the situation if one of my childhood game would get an expansion nowadays - that would be excellent, marvelous, astonishing and I would be pretty forgiving towards its possible shortfalls. What's wrong with you, dear BG fans? Why are you so excessively critical?    … Expand
  7. 7vtw8axu5do4
    Dec 13, 2018
    9
    I really like this game but then again im quite familiar with Baldurs Gate so its great for me. Playing it on my iPhone, really small UI is the issue but otherwise great.
  8. Arkhan
    Sep 9, 2017
    8
    This game is a worth expansion for the original Baldur's Gate, which was not an easy thing to do. I can say its not as good as the original because there are some issues, but overall its very solid.
    The storyline is very good and very well placed and coherent with both BG1 and BG2 and the setting itself.
    The best thing of this game is the care they took to represent the environment, it    This game is a worth expansion for the original Baldur's Gate, which was not an easy thing to do. I can say its not as good as the original because there are some issues, but overall its very solid.
    The storyline is very good and very well placed and coherent with both BG1 and BG2 and the setting itself.
    The best thing of this game is the care they took to represent the environment, it is really coherent and feels alive, its full of great details and descriptions. And a good work has been done to relate places and history of faerun with what is going on in the personal story of the character.
    You can see there are very good ppl who has been involved into this, who really care about both the settings and the overall feeling of the game. There are even references to something you find in R.A. Salvatore novels of drizzt.

    I didnt like the high rate of combat in the central part of the game, especially on one map it was unrealistic to have so many fights one so near to the next.
    Same thing about some encounters: too many "important" encounters within a too short period of time (its not always like this, only in the central part). This is the only narrative flaw i can find here, they should give the right pace to important things to appreciate them, this is very important in an rpg. The rhythm in an rpg is not the rhythm of other types of games, which is the one most ppl are used to.

    Dialogs are ok, and the npc's have a good characterization. Voices are great for the most part, there are even old voice actors of the original series, except for one voice at the end which doesnt fit at all.....

    I didnt encounter any major bugs playing the entire game in these months (from may to september 2017).

    I have to spend some words about the drama of the "social justice" theme in this game, since it seems im one of the few that is reviewing the game having actually played it before writing.
    There are 2 lines of text of a minor npc, one among hundreds of npc, which is spoken only if u actively ask the npc to talk about her, and she will tell you she is transgender. Plus another 2-3 lines of dialogs that could be intepreted as "educational" or "social" if u really want to see it that way.
    For example, someone says that they dont trust orc allies because of their race, and a possibile answer is that you judge people for their action and not their race. That's a perfectly acceptable dialog and fits in the events that were happening in that moment.
    Another famously incriminated line: "Dont worry, mama can take care of herself". This is spoken by someone who was going to war, saying the last words to its child.
    Of course i hate the attitude to throw politically correct or forced educational concept in an rpg,
    but i also hate the attitude and need of some guys to criticize, and jump on the bashwagon just because they feel superior this way. And i think this last one is by far the major problem here, and its the general problem of my generation of the 30ties and even of younger people to find the pleasure in hating and seeing faults in others. I dont want to digress on this, you can make up your mind by playing the game and judge yourself.
    Having that said, developers should always remember not to throw social opinions or problems in games, especially games like this, but still i dont feel there shouldnt be a drama for this particular game and those lines, especially in the context they were used.    … Expand
  9. Verthiss
    Jan 16, 2017
    8
    Just finished it and I have to admit, it liked it very much. There are a lot of minor improvements to the game which make the game more enjoyable. NPCs are awesome and well written (especially Voghiln and Mkhiin), there are a lot of interesting quests, new class (shaman) is amazing, all that good stuff. Main story isn't anything mind blowing, but it's good enough. I'm not sure if I wouldJust finished it and I have to admit, it liked it very much. There are a lot of minor improvements to the game which make the game more enjoyable. NPCs are awesome and well written (especially Voghiln and Mkhiin), there are a lot of interesting quests, new class (shaman) is amazing, all that good stuff. Main story isn't anything mind blowing, but it's good enough. I'm not sure if I would recommend the game to somebody who never played original games (some systems in the game aged poorly and the character models are as ugly as they always were in the series), but I will definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the series.… Expand
  10. glenp5
    Aug 5, 2016
    8
    I finished this portion of the game and I completely enjoyed it. I did not encounter any of the game breaking bugs I had read about, even in the 2.0 phase. While the new UI is different it grows on you and is an improvement overall. Now I am just waiting on the iOS version for my second run thru.
  11. SpectralTime
    Jun 2, 2016
    10
    I am gonna level with you. I'm still playing through the "Baldur's Gate" portion of the game, with a new character, and I can review that part. It's pretty good. I like the new UI, for the most part, and the new options. Baldur's Gate will always be inferior to its sequel, but it's a good, technically-proficient translation.

    But it's not a ten. That ten's there out of spite, for    I am gonna level with you. I'm still playing through the "Baldur's Gate" portion of the game, with a new character, and I can review that part. It's pretty good. I like the new UI, for the most part, and the new options. Baldur's Gate will always be inferior to its sequel, but it's a good, technically-proficient translation.

    But it's not a ten. That ten's there out of spite, for all the people making this game the next battlefield in their pointless little war.

    Screw all of you.    … Expand
  12. TurnipKnight
    Jun 2, 2016
    8
    Here's an attempt at a balanced review, intended for those familiar with Baldur's Gate I and II:

    PROS --the Siege of Dragonspear expansion begins immediately after BG I and ultimately sets up BG II in a way that is, I think, logical and pretty cool. --the settings, particularly once the group is on the road, are classic AD&D. I liked the opponents--trolls and bugbears, displacer    Here's an attempt at a balanced review, intended for those familiar with Baldur's Gate I and II:

    PROS
    --the Siege of Dragonspear expansion begins immediately after BG I and ultimately sets up BG II in a way that is, I think, logical and pretty cool.
    --the settings, particularly once the group is on the road, are classic AD&D. I liked the opponents--trolls and bugbears, displacer beasts, etc.--that brought me back to my table gaming days.
    --the new items are imaginative and tend to reward unconventional class and race choices (bards, monks, stalkers, dwarves, gnomes, etc.).
    --the new shaman class works well, and my favorite new NPC is definitely the goblin shaman.
    --the game is an enjoyable return to Faerun (the Forgotten Realms setting) and the Sword Coast.

    CONS
    --as many have pointed out, the game is too linear. Let me join the Crusade if I want! Why not?
    --after an interesting opening dungeon, the encounters in the city of Baldur's Gate a pretty lame: NPCs that act strangely and won't join my party, simplistic side quests, etc. The game gets going, though, once the team is finally on the road.
    --there's some definite personality retrofitting of classic BG NPCs that is kind of distracting (what's up with Coran? and Skie?).
    --the new sprite outlines are indeed ugly (but can be disabled) and so is the shift to grayscale on pause (which also can be disabled).
    --the game can be glitchy, though I assume the programmers are working on that.

    All in all, the game is a solid addition to the Baldur's Gate saga. I highly recommend starting with BG I and moving into Siege immediately after. You can then continue with the mind-blowingly expansive BG II. It's classic RPG action--with the rudimentary graphics associated with a nearly twenty-year-old game engine. Immersion is everything in these games. If you let them, they'll fire your imagination and consume many, many hours of your life.

    One last word, on the "SJW" controversy and nasty review-bombing: yes, there is one explicitly transgender character, a very minor NPC. There is also a prominent bisexual NPC. Such people exist in our own world and have always been a part of Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur's Gate. This is truly no big deal.

    I'm inclined to give the game a 7 owing to current glitches, but I'll bump it to an 8 with the hope and expectation that these will be addressed and fixed in forthcoming versions. I'm certainly grateful to the creators for their incredibly hard work on this and am very frustrated by the unkind and unfair responses.    … Expand
  13. masterfox3000
    May 18, 2016
    10
    Loved the inclusion of a transgender character, especially considering Black Isle always did have progressive writing especially being known to have the fallout series with a lot of gay characters.
  14. Calisthenicz
    May 11, 2016
    10
    I've played the original Baldur's Gate 1 & 2 since release almost 20 years ago, and Siege of Dragonspear is an excellent addition.

    Great atmosphere, story and gameplay. Definitely something I recommend if you enjoy crpg/rpg or adventure type games. User interface is greatly improved and I have still not experienced any bugs. All the negative aspects discussed regarding "Social    I've played the original Baldur's Gate 1 & 2 since release almost 20 years ago, and Siege of Dragonspear is an excellent addition.

    Great atmosphere, story and gameplay. Definitely something I recommend if you enjoy crpg/rpg or adventure type games. User interface is greatly improved and I have still not experienced any bugs.

    All the negative aspects discussed regarding "Social Justice Warrior" theme and other "controversial" characters are just bullcrap. The only way to notice these things is because you want them to be there, not necessarily because they are there.    … Expand
  15. Snorc
    May 8, 2016
    10
    This is really good and fit perfectly between BG1 and 2. I absolutely recommend it. Please do not listen for haters that gave a 0 to this game. Because it justs reflect of 3 lines of dialogue that offended their extremely straight point of view. This game is a gem. The more I know Beamdog, the more I love them. They just manage to keep real rpg alive.
  16. eldergnome
    Apr 25, 2016
    10
    A really solid game and a very enjoyable experience if you enjoyed previous Baldur's Gate games. I found this to be a great effort from Beamdog and I hope they continue adding to the BG series, one of my favorite game series ever. I've been playing the games since they came out originally from Bioware and all I can say is that Beamdog holds fairly well to the spirit of what was trying toA really solid game and a very enjoyable experience if you enjoyed previous Baldur's Gate games. I found this to be a great effort from Beamdog and I hope they continue adding to the BG series, one of my favorite game series ever. I've been playing the games since they came out originally from Bioware and all I can say is that Beamdog holds fairly well to the spirit of what was trying to be accomplished - an isometric AD&D ruleset based CRPG adventure game. If you like "old school" games and have faith that Beamdog will be fixing the few (non-game breaking bugs) then I guess you'll have a lot of fun with this title.

    I assume most of the negative reviews come from people concerned about supposed "controversy" in the game, which is laughable and a nonissue to most gamers, and/or younger gamers that really didn't know what they were getting into with the Baldur's Gate series in the first place. I mean, if you dislike the UI here then you probably never liked the Baldur's Gate UI to begin with - there aren't that many significant changes, etc.

    Overall - solid effort from Beamdog and a game I'm happy to add to my Baldur's Gate library. Here's to them being allowed to do BG3 and continue the story!    … Expand
  17. brotherTherm
    Apr 20, 2016
    9
    Despite a few stumbles I've found this expansion to be thoroughly enjoyable. I'm not going to touch on any of the Gamergate debacle (because every time I do my review gets deleted), but to say things have been blown out of all proportion is the understatement of the century.

    First off I'll address the negatives. Beamdog's intention is for SoD to act as a bridge between the first and    Despite a few stumbles I've found this expansion to be thoroughly enjoyable. I'm not going to touch on any of the Gamergate debacle (because every time I do my review gets deleted), but to say things have been blown out of all proportion is the understatement of the century.

    First off I'll address the negatives. Beamdog's intention is for SoD to act as a bridge between the first and second games. In the main they've done a pretty good job at this and it certainly addresses the abrupt jump between the two but I think they could have spent a little more time on the transition from BG1 to SoD. Imoen in particular is handled poorly in my opinion. Regardless of whether you dual classed her during the first game and had her casting level 5 spells by the end, she'll start SoD as an apprentice mage to one of the Dukes. It's nice that they offer an explanation as to why she was dual classed at the start of the second game if you kept her as a pure theif in the first, but it really breaks the immersion if you already dualled her. Considering that she isn't a party joinable NPC in SoD this may not be a big deal for people, but for me I think some extra work could have been done to consider player choice and consequence.

    Another gripe was with some of the writing. While the plot was enjoyable for the most part (if a little predicable), I often felt CHARNAME was constrained in their available dialogue choices. For instance, despite uncovering various plot twists during the course of the adventure, for some reason I couldn't alert any of the main NPCs to them. In one encounter I was practically shouting at my monitor "THAT GUY IS A TRAITOR DUDE, SOMEONE DO SOMETHING" but it seemed I and everyone in my party had selective amnesia.

    One last minor complaint was the overplaying of the Irenicus foreshadowing. One of the things I liked most about the opening to BG2 was the not knowing what was going on. Who is this guy, what does he want, and where am I. This is diluted quite heavily by the events in SoD with a robed Irenicus popping up all over the place, and while he never explicitly tells you who he is or what is motives are, if I was playing the series for the first time I'd have a pretty good idea who my captor is at the start of BG2. It was good hearing David Warner's distinctive delivery however so w/e.

    Finally, on a technical level there were also some annoying bugs although nothing game breaking on my run through. They're all being looked at by the devs but intermittently being unable remove more than one arrow at a time from a container was frustrating. Multiplayer was also a bit of a mess I hear although a patch has since been released that apparently fixes the issues.

    Now, the positives. They really have pushed the Infinity Engine to its limits. Not to spoiler it too much but you travel north at the head of a Flaming Fist company, and it really feels like you have a company of soldiers at your back. There are several big set piece battles; lifting a siege at a river crossing, a camp defence, and the assault on Dragonspear itself and they all feel appropriately weighty, especially that final battle. It was definitely a memorable experience leading the charge through the shattered gate into a sea of bads and you're going to have a lot of fun re-playing it a couple of times.

    Also of note were the level designs and artwork. The dungeon maps weren't as broad or deep as SoA, more akin to the ToB designs, but this was fine for what they needed to be, momentary diversions from the main path, not huge multi level affairs like Durlag's or Watchers. All the areas were beautifully rendered though and BD introduced some very nice new effects for some areas that really added to the ambience. All in all some top notch work and I'm looking forward to hopefully some more ambitious designs in the future.

    To finish with I also wanted to touch on some of the minor improvements that make a difference. First off is being able to switch between sword and shield and two handed load-outs without having to mess about in your inventory. My dual wielding F/M can now whip his crossbow out with a single button press and this really is the best thing ever. Then there are things like being able to talk to people without them then turning to face you all the time for 5/10 seconds after, the introduction of loot spots that only appear when certain conditions are met (rather than being able to find all the things because you're constantly mashing tab), and the new map and the silky smooth transition to and from it. These are just a few examples that come to mind now, but throughout I was constantly finding these little improvements and smiling. This is definitely a team that have actively played the series and understand all its quirks and know what needs looking at.

    So in conclusion I can honesty say I've enjoyed the experience and anyone not picking up a copy because of "politics" is missing out on a great addition to the series.    … Expand
  18. Marchel
    Apr 18, 2016
    9
    Having read the 'reviews' here by other users - I'm kinda in hysterics. The original Baldurs Gate was by no means Shakespeare, so lets not kid ourselves here and the story for Siege Of Dragonspear is certainly better than Throne of Bhaal and retains a lot of the humor from the original games. The voice-acting is again - no worse or better than the original series either.

    I played    Having read the 'reviews' here by other users - I'm kinda in hysterics. The original Baldurs Gate was by no means Shakespeare, so lets not kid ourselves here and the story for Siege Of Dragonspear is certainly better than Throne of Bhaal and retains a lot of the humor from the original games. The voice-acting is again - no worse or better than the original series either.

    I played Baldurs Gate when it originally came out - complete with massive bugs that were never going to be fixed in the "good old days" of CD-gaming and I played both games through often, up until the Expanded Edition release, which was a very welcome change, including the new UI, which wasn't very user friendly if you weren't a D&D 2nd Ed player.

    Scoring 9 because thats what I'd have rated the original, too.    … Expand
  19. greywolf00
    Apr 18, 2016
    8
    TL;DR - Will buy another Beamdog developed RPG.

    Obviously this is a bridge between BG1 and BG2. Beamdog made some changes including increased size of enemy parties which definitely necessitates a more tank heavy approach. My PC was a fighter/thief, and I had to pair him up with Dorn and Viconia in melee in a fair amount of battles to keep the back line safe. There are some things    TL;DR - Will buy another Beamdog developed RPG.

    Obviously this is a bridge between BG1 and BG2. Beamdog made some changes including increased size of enemy parties which definitely necessitates a more tank heavy approach. My PC was a fighter/thief, and I had to pair him up with Dorn and Viconia in melee in a fair amount of battles to keep the back line safe.

    There are some things that SoD does better than the base game. I really liked the way they changed random ambushes with unique maps. The areas are larger, you can actually position your party, and most of the time there was a small bonus cave/reward. The number of enemies is much larger than the base game in several areas, and I really liked some of the new enemy additions. The maps are much more saturated with content than the original series. They added a lot of magic items to better round out offerings.

    I only played with two of their created characters through BG:EE and SoD, but they were both pretty good. Baeloth is a really useful mage addition, though I found his personality and dialogue in SoD fairly annoying. That was not an issue in BG:EE. Dorn is both a useful character and a really well written companion. Great addition to any evil party.

    A found a lot of the banter for SoD to be really well written. Edwin hitting on Viconia was great.

    As for the story, I thought it was really solid, until the very end. Had they finished the writing right after the close of the crusade, I think there’d be far less complaints. Even then, my complaint stems from it just not fitting the lore well rather than poor writing.

    The only UI change I really hated was the journal. Mixing completed quests and in progress quests together randomly just creates way too much clutter. If there's one thing they need to patch, this is it.

    I was not sold on Beamdog as a developer from their EE games. After playing SoD, I'll gladly buy another RPG they develop.    … Expand
  20. EarX
    Apr 17, 2016
    10
    It's an expansion I never thought would have happened until I stumbled upon it a couple of weeks ago, and before trying it I wasn't even sure it would be a good thing. Sometimes old classics are best left in the past. Lucky thing that's not the case here. Clunky UI and dated sprite renders aside, Beamdog has done a great job with this, not least in subtly modernizing the experience for aIt's an expansion I never thought would have happened until I stumbled upon it a couple of weeks ago, and before trying it I wasn't even sure it would be a good thing. Sometimes old classics are best left in the past. Lucky thing that's not the case here. Clunky UI and dated sprite renders aside, Beamdog has done a great job with this, not least in subtly modernizing the experience for a modern audience.

    The game flows well and has good pacing, at the price of being somewhat linear. Though not as linear as you might fear, there is still an assortment of optional sub-quests and areas to explore within each chapter. More streamlined than the originals in other words, for good or ill. The writing, perhaps more important than anything else in any Baldur's Gate game, is very good and fits seamlessly with the originals. I was particularly impressed by how well they managed to flesh out the bare-bones NPC's from vanilla BG1, being both consistent and toning down some annoying aspects. I no longer feel the urge to send Dynaheir and Khalid to horrible deaths first chance I get, but they don't feel at odds with their original portrayals either. Very nice.

    So that's it for the game itself, well worth the money if you like Baldur's Gate or just enjoy quality D&D RPG's in general. There's this controversy going on about SJW and GG and such. I'll just point out that there's very little of any kind of social agenda in the game itself, at least that I could see. About 30 seconds of dialogue that I would have missed entirely if I hadn't been aware of it beforehand. If that's enough to ruin the *more than 30 hours of fun* that is the rest of the game for you then... steer clear I guess? You'll be missing out big-time though, just saying...    … Expand
  21. oh_brother
    Apr 10, 2016
    9
    A great game that bridges a gap between BG1 and 2. You get another adventure with your Bhaalspawn...what's not to like? The characters are well written and it's great to interact with them (for me, including the ones that I had not spent much time with in the original) hear some of the old voices again, while the story is nicely focused.

    Unless you have an unusual passion for the    A great game that bridges a gap between BG1 and 2. You get another adventure with your Bhaalspawn...what's not to like? The characters are well written and it's great to interact with them (for me, including the ones that I had not spent much time with in the original) hear some of the old voices again, while the story is nicely focused.

    Unless you have an unusual passion for the immutability of gender you can safely ignore a lot of the anger on here. It was one line, in a minor PC that was optional and that in any case would not offend 99.9% of people. I don't say this to discredit valid criticisms people may have (some bugs, etc.), but I will say that most of the tone and intensity of criticism is focused through that prism. Very odd.

    All in all, you will know what to expect and you won't be disappointed. As some else mentioned here, if you want to get a feel for what the game does or doesn't do, go watch a video of someone plating it. That will probably tell you more than the reviews on here.    … Expand
  22. Dodkong
    Apr 10, 2016
    10
    I finished the game yesterday and i was very happy about the job beamdog did porting the old infinity engine to 2016. The game looks really good, the old game- and battle mechanics are challenging as always, and it's certainly a "true" ad&d-game in terms of storytelling and balancing. I'm very saddened about all those negative views that have nothing to do with the game, so go and checkI finished the game yesterday and i was very happy about the job beamdog did porting the old infinity engine to 2016. The game looks really good, the old game- and battle mechanics are challenging as always, and it's certainly a "true" ad&d-game in terms of storytelling and balancing. I'm very saddened about all those negative views that have nothing to do with the game, so go and check SoD yourself and give it a fair chance… Expand
  23. DeathPhoenix
    Apr 7, 2016
    10
    Great work done on a 2 decade old engine. It takes a lot of courage. I want Beamdog to keep up on providing content for my favorite game ever... Of course I'd like them to fire the women that definitely have a feminist agenda and tries to teach you about racism. The problem is mostly that, ok, one character can talk about it, but not 100% of the text! It's breaking immersion. Also, theGreat work done on a 2 decade old engine. It takes a lot of courage. I want Beamdog to keep up on providing content for my favorite game ever... Of course I'd like them to fire the women that definitely have a feminist agenda and tries to teach you about racism. The problem is mostly that, ok, one character can talk about it, but not 100% of the text! It's breaking immersion. Also, the writting is not fantastic. But the game doesn't really completely on it, besides, they agreed to change some of it. Let's hope they rewrite some of it to enhance the enhancements...

    Setting 0 to this game because of the text is completely unfair. Is multiplayer really the main feature? I hope it will be fixed for all of us really soon, but let's be realistic, I don't think Beamdog want to leave you with a Multiplayer that is completely broken...

    Note: Socially conscious isn't supposed to mean that you have to do social teaching. They should have avoided social uncouscious content instead of trying to discuss it in the game (extremely intemporal and not the goal of Baldur's Gate... There is forums for that) ;) hahaha It's a bad, imo noob call from the main writer...    … Expand
  24. TheSnarkyShaman
    Apr 7, 2016
    10
    So I'm about ten hours in and I'm pleasantly surprised. A LARGE portion of the original voice cast are back in enriched roles that, for the most part, are true to character or expand on a one dimensional concept from Baldurs Gate 1. The world has gotten an ambience upgrade. The main antagonist is nuanced and convincing. Generally, I feel like it flows naturally as part of the Baldurs GateSo I'm about ten hours in and I'm pleasantly surprised. A LARGE portion of the original voice cast are back in enriched roles that, for the most part, are true to character or expand on a one dimensional concept from Baldurs Gate 1. The world has gotten an ambience upgrade. The main antagonist is nuanced and convincing. Generally, I feel like it flows naturally as part of the Baldurs Gate games and is a nice bridge. Combat is the same as the old games but with some extra bits thrown in (see again the bigger fights, more enemies on screen) and some new abilities to play with. Anyone who enjoyed the originals should enjoy this.

    It would be remiss of me not to mention the current drama, so let me be clear. There is a minor side character who, after TWO OPTIONAL dialogue prompts by the player, will tell you she is trans. The backlash is, as usual, about 'gamergate' types taking umbrage at that and (at this point) realising that the general populace don't support that and so shifting their criticisms to 'bad writing' (again, it's one optional line of dialogue).

    But don't take my word for it. Don't take their word for it. If you consider yourself a reasonable and autonomously thinking individual, gauge whether you can handle such an assault of 'SJW' values and just try the game yourself. If you're a fan of old school isometric RPG's and Baldurs Gate in particular, chances are you'll get some enjoyment out of this, or an integral new part of an old series at best. As it stands, I'm having a great time with it.    … Expand
  25. avelayne
    Apr 7, 2016
    10
    I really liked the game. Have the same feelings as about 15 years ago, when i was playing in both original ones. It's like a returning home after a long long absence.
    Hope that's not the last expansion. Would be nice to have actual BG3, with modern graphics
  26. PacoRossi
    Apr 7, 2016
    8
    This is a solid addition to the series. The only significant downside I experienced were some bugs. If that's going to bother you a lot, wait a few months, and then the game will merit a 9-10 rating, on par with the original installments in the franchise.

    Many have argued that the writing is bad, which I disagree with strongly. The broader story arc is quite interesting with some    This is a solid addition to the series. The only significant downside I experienced were some bugs. If that's going to bother you a lot, wait a few months, and then the game will merit a 9-10 rating, on par with the original installments in the franchise.

    Many have argued that the writing is bad, which I disagree with strongly. The broader story arc is quite interesting with some surprises, and it is peppered with fun references to the original series and the lore of the Forgotten Realms.

    Most complaints seems to revolve around the character Mizhena, a very minor non-companion NPC who reveals that she is transgender if you ask her about her unusual name. It is true that she is not very well written, but I didn't find it remarkably bad, and she is not representative of quality of writing in the game more broadly. In general, the dialog is great. Many conversations involve a variety of legitimately different ways that the conversation can be resolved, and there are many more delightfully sarcastic dialog options than in the original series.

    Furthermore, the existence of one or some small number of poorly written small characters or dialogs hardly ruins the game. You might remember many poorly written characters and events in the original series, for instance:
    - Remember how evil companions got mad at you each time your reputation increased, even when you completed quests that promised powerful rewards and your behavior could be rationalized through self-interest and/or the pursuit of greater power? Remeber how "evil" in the original Baldur's Gate series was almost synonymous with "idiotic and masochistic."
    - Remember how Keldorn kind of wants to give up adventuring forever to be with his family but is willing to compromise and follow you indefinitely as long as you give him one full day off?
    - Remember when the Harpers chose to deal with Xzar the Zhentarim spy with an incredibly convoluted scheme that was intricately planned but somehow ready to set into motion when you randomly stumbled across an injured Harper in an alleyway?

    Just as these instances of poor writing did not ruin the original series, Mizhena does not ruin Siege of Dragonspear. In fact, Mizhena's dialog is much less blatant and easier to avoid than the above examples. If you loved the original series, you will probably enjoy Siege of Dragonspear very much, regardless of your political views.    … Expand
  27. aguyuno
    Apr 6, 2016
    10
    There are some glitches I will admit, and hopefully patches will fix them. But otherwise it's so fun and totally worth your money! I hope this group works on more projects in the future; they're clearly a great team.
  28. Mercator360
    Apr 6, 2016
    10
    Let me begin by saying that this a good game, in fact it is a very good game. Beamdog deserves a lot of praise for bringing a welcome addition to the Baldurs Gate Lore. The game does have some bugs but the company's track records indicate that they will be fixed in due time.

    Unfortunately a lot of reviewers are giving this game low scores because they disagree with the inclusion of a    Let me begin by saying that this a good game, in fact it is a very good game. Beamdog deserves a lot of praise for bringing a welcome addition to the Baldurs Gate Lore. The game does have some bugs but the company's track records indicate that they will be fixed in due time.

    Unfortunately a lot of reviewers are giving this game low scores because they disagree with the inclusion of a trans-gendered character and an emphasis on social justice in the story and dialog. Why is this bad or perceived as such? I believe you have a lot of people that consider the exercise of free expression by others an imposition on their way of life. But this is a game and an art-form designed to tackle modern problems and current issues as part of the overall story and lore of the game. Bioware itself was a leader in creating characters that were outside the mainstream at the time the game was made. This is in part what made them legendary developers. Unfortunately we have an active group of people who decry what they see as political correctness in the game media, what they in fact decry and can not stand is a society that embraces all. As I read their reviews I think to myself who can be against social justice? These reviewers scream about their freedom being infringed by having to deal with subjects and characters that challenge their world view. They in fact want to pigeonhole storytellers and developers, that is in itself a form of the same political correctness this gamer's decry . That is not what game developing as an art form should strive to be or be intimidated into becoming. The whole point of this art form is to open the world to all points or view, to create characters and worlds that challenge us and our imaginations. It should not bow down to those who want to restrict storytelling to the four corners of their small worlds. If you can not handle a character in an RPG do not talk to them or include them in your party, move on, enjoy the rest of the story. If your sensibilities are so assaulted try another game. I hope that the developers do not bow down to these internet bullies and produce the story and the game they want to create. I hope that the market will reward their courage and creativity.

    To most gamer's reading this review this is a game that deserves your support. It is a welcome addition to the Baldurs Gate saga. It has some bugs but the developer has a track record of fixing those. This game is worth your time and money.    … Expand
  29. Pilgrimzero
    Apr 6, 2016
    10
    A great addition to Baldurs Gate. The writing is fantastic and the game is just plain fun. If your a fan of the series and the type of gameplay you owe it to yourself to play this. It's rare to get a good game set in the Forgotten Realms now-a-days. don't miss out on this one.
  30. dave_wright
    Apr 6, 2016
    9
    Baldur's Gate and its sequel are two of the greatest role playing experiences imaginable. This expansion is a good cross in styles with returning friends and foes, a new intriguing story and an updated engine for a game that is nearly 18 years old. It was so exciting to hear the original narrator set the stage for what was to come, and it got better from there. I have a few niggles when aBaldur's Gate and its sequel are two of the greatest role playing experiences imaginable. This expansion is a good cross in styles with returning friends and foes, a new intriguing story and an updated engine for a game that is nearly 18 years old. It was so exciting to hear the original narrator set the stage for what was to come, and it got better from there. I have a few niggles when a quest didn't quite hang together or a character said something that caught me off guard but all in all it feels like a Baldur's Gate game. I think it would have been a 10/10 but for the fact its a little too linear and sometimes throws enemies at you the I feel were better saved until you truly felt like you had earned the right to take on properly (though the two instances I'm thinking of are optional and one comes with a plot item to help you through it). Having said that I haven't enjoyed something so simply old school in a long time, its full of fun ideas and puzzles and winks to what is to come, I couldn't recommend it higher to people that love these games.
    P.S. I tried to avoid the current controversy but just want to say to people who won't consider trying this game because of it that I didn't even think twice about the trans character, its a fantasy game and any one can be anything. It didn't even register to me until I saw all this nonsense about it, it is literally two lines in thousands that are optional. Please don't let peoples prejudices or stances sway you from a game that is well worth your time.    … Expand
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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.
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  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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