The game delivers a 100% on gameplay, no matter what flaws you can think of.
The graphics are good enough to generate the atmosphere that Baldur's Gate (the city), the woods and the dungeon's need to breath to make game's like this work. The sound is good, can't say special, but it delivers that punch when you need it: creepy music while exploring dungeons, up swept exciting scores when fighting level bosses . So basically, not perfect, not state of the art, just "good". The game play is easy. The controls are easily mastered, the major flaw: It's still hack and slash. Good hack 'n slash fun. Balanced, unlike Diablo. I know there are a lot of fans out there that loved that game. It didn't do it for me. All I remember is having a numb index finger thanks you constantly clicking the mouse while being attacked by hordes of skeletons.
This game is more balanced. It allows you to change tactics. I'm playing with the warrior monk, and I still have time to select an alternative move (like the "round-house-sweep" if I'm fighting with a staff, or the "armour piercing punch" if I'm using my hand-to-hand combat skills)
I love the character configurability, the RPG element. This isn't intensively present at the beginning, the character creation, as with a hardcore RPG's, but becomes more present playing the game as you collect experience points as you go along. The downside of the level-up method the creators chose for this game, is that it's all manual configuration. The player chooses. Something to be said for, but (e.g.) fighting only hand-to-hand (fighter-monk class) doesn't improve your skill in hand-to-hand combat: you still have to configure that yourself, unlike a true RPG, when you can level up. But as most said, it balances quite well between a mindless hack'n slash and the complex RPG's, making it easier to get into if you're not the die-hard-RPG-player-type, so what am I complaining about?
There is a fun feature to upgrade weapons and armour at the merchants workshop. Downside is, once upgraded you cannot upgrade the weapon or armour. This has to be done via a rune stone. Once upgraded with this rune stone you can't upgrade the weapon again by adding another rune stone, should you find one. So far I haven't found that much to make it very interesting, then again, I'm halfway through the game so far. There may yet be more in store. You can also add gems, but this cannot be done separately from the rune stone. Darn!
Difficulty is OK, I played easy so far, no complaints here. But there are some ways of getting around the difficult bits. Your character as a certain level of regeneration (can be levelled up with the character configuration), so almost out of health, don't use the health potions: find a quiet spot on the map and leave your character threatening various forms of death concerning the controller cord and strangling (quit funny actually) whist getting a cup of coffee. When you return your health bar is at a 100%
At one point I was trapped with only one health potion, so I warped out (a transportation spell) bought a zillion health packs and warped back into the fray. Then again. It doesn't kill the game play and it prevents me having to play a large amount of the game again, because I made a bad judgement call somewhere along the way.
And, since I played the monk, I have sister in dire need of money [if you know anything about Menzoberranzan, you're house has fallen (as so many before) through treachery (as so many before) and you have some avenging to do. This scheming costs money]. By helping you're sister to this money you gain experience points. I've acquired a lot of wealth during the first act, so these were easy experience points. Haven't tried this with the other classes, nor on other difficulty levels. Then again: THIS DOENS'T SPOIL THE FUN. These are things that could have made it a better game. Like why not 4 player co-ops or 4 player Xbox live co-ops?
Then again, I can also comment that there are parts of a Ferrari Superamerica I would have done differently. It still is a beautiful car. Kind-of like saying, wouldn't Scarlet Johanssen be more beautiful with hazel eyes. Besides the personal taste thing, point is: we're splitting hairs here.
The game delivers a 100% on game play, no matter what flaws you can think of.
Do you really think I go "ow that water could have been done better nowadays" or "it's still is hack'n slash" or "to bad the character doesn't level up in the feats I use most automatically", whilst fighting my way in and out of dungeons? No way.
The game's atmosphere (we covered that earlier) sucks you in, making you want to play on compulsively long after the sun has gone down and come up again. It makes you forget you're dealing with a hack'n slash game with a lot of RPG elements, it makes you forget everything and just want to play the game. Like that Harley Davidson. 1930's technology, debatable riding characteristics, vibes all over. It's not the smooth ride a beamer will give you. I can think of a whole lists of things,and I can think of a whole lists of bikes that are technological more advanced, superior if you will, but the minute you flip the ignition switch and the characteristic booms roll out of the exhaust and the engine comes alive, who cares? Live to ride, ride to live. This is similar to this game. Once the disk is in the drive and you loaded your save game, who cares about the flaws, LET'S PLAY!!