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Replayability - The mark of quality
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Just about any bunch of loons can get together and program something vaguely resembling a game these days, but if there isn't any real quality in their work, they won't be taken seriously. One sign of quality in a game is replay value. I played through Baldur's Gate 1.89 times before getting burnt out on it, and it was a very long game also, so an extra .89 times through is quite a few hours of play. After playing it that much I realized BioWare was a real contender in the developing world, and I considered sending them e-mails like, "I love you" and "Please marry me" or "I like sand," but decided against it after the alcohol wore off. Nevertheless, I was set on finding out just how replayable Baldur's Gate 2 was going to be, and so I included it in my interview with Smedstad.
If you've read any of my previews, you know I'm far too lazy to reword a well crafted response from an interview when I have nifty features such as cut and paste at my fingertips, so here's Smedstad's response in all its glory:
"The replayability of BG2 has been kept in mind since the very first design stages. Everything from the 8 class specific quests to the totally re-designed multiplayer dialogue really make the replayability of BG2 not only possible, but a worthwhile experience. Also, the critical path branches now, so there are parts of the game that some people will never even see the first time through. I really do think that BG2 will be more and more fun each time you play through because of all the new things you will discover."
The critical path is the main story line for the game, and not (as one might think) a three-toed hermaphrodite sloth. Ok, so no one probably thought that, but I have to fill my status quo of cheap humor attempts in this article, so I'll take what I can get.
I'm truly excited about Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn. I know I say that about most games I preview, because games always sound good before you test them. But BG2 is one of those that just has that special something, and I'm dying to play the game. If it looks like a mere expansion pack to you, just look at all the work that's being put in the game: over 20 new character classes and kits, over 300 spells, over 130 unique types of monsters, an all new plot, and even a revised multiplayer system that should keep you questing with buddies far into the night. The multiplayer in the original Baldur's Gate crashed frequently when my friends and I would play, but we would always go back for more… a true testament to how fun it was.
BioWare has what it takes to make this sequel one of the rare and shining examples of how to improve a series, instead of using a name to make a quick buck. If Baldur's Gate 2 is a big hit, you can bet BioWare's quality standards will be proven to rival even the mighty Blizzard Entertainment. I've yet to play a disappointing BioWare game, and Baldur's Gate 2 is on the very top of my list of games to get.
(Note: The full interview text between Ben Smedstad and myself, Eric Rasmussen, can be read here. Yeah, I know that was just a cheap way of saying my name, but sometimes I, Eric Rasmussen, like to say my own name, which is Eric… oh forget it, you get the idea, just go read the interview already.)
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