Release and Reception
| Reception | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Aggregator | Score |
| GameRankings | 92% |
| Metacritic | 91% |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| GameSpot | 9.2 out of 10 |
| IGN | 9.4 out of 10 |
| Maximum PC | 9 out of 10 |
| PC Gamer US | 94/100 |
| Computer Gaming World | 4 out of 5 |
| Computer Games Magazine | 5 out of 5 |
| The Electric Playground | 9 out of 10 |
Baldur's Gate was released on 30 November 1998. The game was published by Black Isle Studios, an internal division of Interplay.
Baldur's Gate received positive reviews from virtually every major computer gaming publication that reviewed it. At the time of the game's release, PC Gamer US said Baldur's Gate "reigns supreme over every RPG currently available, and sets new standards for those to come." Computer Shopper called it "clearly the best Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) game ever to grace a PC screen".
Maximum PC magazine compared the gameplay to Diablo, but noted its more extensive selection of features and options. The pixel-based characters were panned, but the reviewer stated that "the gloriously rendered backgrounds make up for that shortcoming." The main criticism was of the problems with the path finding algorithm for non-player characters. Despite this, the game was deemed an "instant classic" because of the amount of customization allowed, the "fluid story lines," and the replayability.
According to IGN, Baldur's Gate did much to revive the role-playing video game genre. John Harris of Gamasutra wrote that it "rescued computer D&D from the wastebasket."
The game was a financial success, selling over two million copies worldwide. According to GameSpy, "Baldur's Gate was a triumph the single-handedly revived the CRPG and almost made gamers forgive Interplay for Descent to Undermountain".
Read more about this topic: Baldur's Gate
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