izigame.me

Foreword:
I have a strong positive bias in favor of all the Infinity Engine games (except Siege of Dragonspear). I have played Baldur's Gate in 1999 from CD, I have played it on the Beamdog Client and I have played it on Steam. The game is more than 20 years old but still has a lot to offer.
Aesthetics:
The game begins in the safety of Candlekeep, but you are soon forced to leave with your father Gorion. You are ambushed (I won't go much into the story) and from then on you have total freedom to explore the Sword Coast (some areas might be too hard and will require you to explore on a later date). The story is amazing, a story of growth from a young naïve adventurer to a major player in the region.
The list of possible members of your party is huge, just on the first map you have the option of joining up with two evil and one good character. However do not assume you can add whomever you want to the party without consequences, some hate each other and after a while will end up killing each other or leaving.
The Enhanced Edition offers new stories and characters developed by Beamdog, they are ok. It also has an arena mode where you fight with a party in pre-set battles.
The graphics are good even by today's standards, the character sprites are unique, and the Infinity Engine is robust and does its job well. Candlekeep and The Friendly Arms Inn are imposing fortresses. As you leave the small communities of Beregost and Nashkel and pass the great bridge to Baldur's Gate you know you have entered something grand. Visually the game still delivers.
Sound-wise the game is fantastic, the character voices are great and the music is amazing (the menu theme is my favorite video game theme to this day).
Functionality:
It is a thrilling adventure set in Forgotten Realms, using the AD&D Second Edition system, Baldur's Gate set the standard for all Infinity Engine games that followed. This system is a bit hard to learn at first but it does its job well. It offers an abundant amount of tactical options.
There are many races and classes to play, the Enhanced Edition includes the classes from Baldur's Gate II, which gives even more options.
The difficulty modes are fit for every taste. If you just want to see the story you can play Story Mode, if you want to cry just pick Legacy of Bhaal. What could go wrong?
I have not encountered any game-breaking bugs, crashes to the desktop, or any major spelling mistakes. The game is well optimized.
Multiplayer was unplayable in the past but now works well (thank you Othragan for playing with me).
Enjoyment:
I love Isometric RPGs, I love Infinity Engine games and I love Baldur's Gate. I have had a blast playing a Fighter\Mage in 1999 and I had a blast playing a modded, heavily cheated, and overpowered Kensai\Mage\Thief. Each playthrough was unique and very fun.
Conclusion:
Baldur's Gate is a must-play game. I said it. The price is reasonable even at full price for what it offers and it goes on sale quite often enough. Give it a try, if you like RPGs and good stories in video games you can't go wrong.
Other Notes:
None at the moment.