Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 are two new masterpieces of the Xbox Game Pass

If you've ever wondered why “3” is in the title of Baldur's Gate 3, one of the most popular video games in recent years, then this is your chance to know. Larian's 2023 Game of the Year predecessor has arrived at the Xbox Game Pass. Whether you've played nine Hells from BG3 or not, you should definitely check out these two RPG masterpieces at a glance first. After all, the first game was announced in 1998. I'm sorry to remind you that the person who was alive at the time was 27 years ago. Baldur's Gate 2 has been a great quarter of the century since it was clearly forever since it ended in 2000, as one of the most popular Sagas in RPG history has ended. But say wise Aland, as everything comes to those who wait. (Maybe… he said a lot.) Image: MicrosoftBioware, a developer known from MicrosoftBioware, Mass Effect and Dragon Age, won the first real hit at Baldur's gate, and then wrote the World of Forgotten Area, which is set in the World of Forgotten Area, but is now fully in 3D. It was truly a new era, made with polygonal models and rising armor class systems (more on more in detail later), but somehow, Baldur's gate game remained unparalleled in the hearts and minds of fans. Maybe, but the game continued to gain love and new players over the years. This is now accessible to a whole new generation of players, including the popular, enhanced edition series released by BeamDog. In fact, they were so popular that Larian pitched the sequel to the Wizard of the Coast in 2014. Bioware's Infinity Engine was a 2D tool for games with an isometric perspective that created the illusion of 3D far from the finely rendered environment of BG3. But the biggest obstacle is probably gameplay. Apologies, I'm a BG3 fan, but it was easy to understand. The first two games are based on the rules of Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition, as Baldur's Gate 3 uses the version of the 5th edition rules. However, the second edition of D&D was notoriously complicated. To figure out whether a fighter will hit with his sword, you need to be familiar with complex mathematics and the THAC0 system. The class system is also much more strict. Forget the free mix and mash that BG3 allows (and don't even think about the response). To begin with, only certain races are allowed to multiclass, and you need to advance both classes equally and get big XP hits. And contrary to modern rules, class restrictions also apply to multiclasses. For example, in fighter jets and multi-class, druids can wear heavy armor, but lose the ability to use or specialize in the latter weapon. However, the biggest difference is the combat system. Baldur's gates 1 and 2 are not turn-based. They use pausable real-time gameplay. That means you can forget about turn-based battles that are a lot of Larian's trademark tactics, and plan every inch of movement and action for every party. In BG1 and 2, all actions from attack to spellcasting require a certain amount of in-game time. Of course, you can always pause to think or give the party anytime, but the emotions are very different. Just like a real fight, anything can be wrong. For the same reason that many love to play the gates of Baldur, they have a rich and intriguing world, a compelling story and an unforgettable cast of characters, each with a motive and personal path enhanced by a top-notch voice actor. If you love Astalion, Edwin will drive your nuts. If you have the Shadowheart Saviour Complex, reload the few times you need to get Viconia Romance right (yes, Shadowheart teachers can romance in BG 2). Some paths to take or interacting are either forced or cliched, and some characters felt a bit one-dimensional for me. There is no risk in BG1 and 2. The path of Baal Spawn finally boils down to one question, from a humble beginning running through candle keeps, to a humble beginning fighting the existence of God on the throne of Barr's expansion. Analyzing ancient wikis and walkthroughs to understand some of the mechanisms and find the best builds is a beautiful exercise in Internet archaeology and rewarding its efforts too. Oh, and also the spell goes up to level 9 in gate 2 in Baldur (which means that the level cap in BG3 can only reach 5). Turn-based systems may be more tactical, but the absurd numbers of spells in BG1 and BG2, and the crazy effects that some of them have, can be very complicated and entertaining. However, if you have an Xbox Game Pass, you definitely need to give them a chance. These games are very well made and their world is so detailed and complicated that people still enjoy playing and having fun (or in my case I'll replay it from the 20th). If you play Baldur's Gate 3, these games give you a familiar sense of character-driven stories where the choices you make affect your peers and the world around you.