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Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows Of Amn (Mac) | 
 enlarge | From: MacPlay
Category: Video Games
Buy New: $89.95
New (1) Used (2) from $79.83
Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 7715
Format: Cd-rom
Platform: Mac Os X
Genre: role_playing_games
ESRB: Teen
Media: CD-ROM
Edition: Standard
Age: 12 - 20 years
Operating System: Macintosh
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5.4 x 1.2
Model: 150
UPC: 811930001506
EAN: 0811930001506
ASIN: B00005AG2L
Release Date: October 25, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
It's not easy being a child of a god. Your character quickly comes to this conclusion after being imprisoned and tortured by a wizard with an unhealthy interest in your parentage. So begins Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, an ambitious role-playing game based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game. Shadows of Amn is not really a sequel to Baldur's Gate. Instead, Baldur's Gate was merely a prelude to Shadows of Amn. Shadows of Amn develops the plot lines, characters, and events introduced in the first game into a mature, genuinely interesting fantasy tale. Players who thought the original game shallow will be pleasantly surprised by Shadows of Amn's bold story arcs. Major events are afoot, and the characters' choices have a real impact on the Forgotten Realms. In the same way, Baldur's Gate served as a proving ground for the refined game mechanics evident in Shadows of Amn. The game's artificial intelligence has been vastly improved, and players have many more choices for NPC AI scripts and party communication. Keeping with Shadows of Amn's more mature theme, the party interaction even includes possible love interests for your character. Those who played through the original Baldur's Gate can import their character into Shadows of Amn, or can choose to create a new character. Character kits such as the Mageslayer and Swashbuckler add variety, and the game even includes the Monk, Sorcerer, Barbarian, and Half-Orc options from the new Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition rules. Whether you import an old character or create a new one, you'll begin the game as a fairly advanced character--unlike most RPGs, you won't have to spend hours slaying puny critters and instead are plunged into a high-stakes plot against powerful foes. A strong plot backed by strong technology makes Shadows of Amn stand out as one of the best RPGs we've ever played. Fans of AD&D will love the classic AD&D feel, and fans of the popular Forgotten Realms setting will delight in the people, places, and politics found in Shadows of Amn. --Michael Fehlauer Pros: - High-level power gaming
- Quality voice work
- Improves the already great Baldur's Gate interface
- Character kits and D&D 3rd Edition races and classes add variety
- Advances the plot begun in Baldur's Gate
Cons: - Based on obsolete AD&D 2nd Edition rules
- Character animations are stiff
- Player's character starts out less powerful than other party members
Amazon.com Product Description
In Baldur's Gate 2: Shadow of Amn, you face an uncertain future, with a lineage that tempts the unscrupulous to use you and the ignorant to fear you. You will face a foe that views you as no more than chattel and that toys with you at every turn; a villain whose goals go beyond a quest for power and who threatens to use a lost companion as a tool for unparalleled destruction. The choices to be made will not be easy, and you may have to align with the lesser of evils, even though all evils cannot help but seem equal. In the end you will have mourned lost loves, celebrated new ones, and had adventures that profoundly shaped the Realms.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 Good Fun February 7, 2007
D. Phelps (New York State)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Everything about this game is polished and thoughtful. While the graphics would probably now be considered a bit dated and are not 3-D, I find the artwork beautifully done and interesting to look at. The sounds mesh realistically with the environments, music is good, and the voice-acting superb. I particularly like the NPC (non-player character) Minsc, and his hamster Boo. While the story is "serious" there are quite a few comic moments sprinkled throughout, making for some humorous turns.
This is not a game that can be easily picked up, however, and I would really hesitate before getting for a young child, particularly if they were not familiar with D&D (Dungeons and Dragons) or RPG's in general. (Plus, some of the humor is skewed a little bit more towards adults.) The game has a bit of a learning curve as you familiarize yourself with the skills of your character, spells, enemies and so forth. If you don't apply yourself to learning the mechanics of it I could see it being quite frustrating as you will die at every turn. If, like me, you are not already familiar with the genre you may want to take a look around the web for tips on creating characters, learning spells, fighting, etc. There are also a number of walkthroughs available online in case you really get stuck. I print them out and keep them handy, but try not to look at them too much. Much of the fun is in the discovery.
As far as how well it works on the Mac, I've had no trouble whatsoever, and the fact that the game is a bit old at this point just means you don't need the latest and greatest hardware to run it. Load times for the different areas can be a bit long at times, though.
To sum up, the game is HUGE and has an interesting story, along with more quests than you would ever want, so if you are into RPG's, or think you might want to give one a try, I wholeheartedly recommend this one.
Also sold on Amazon With another name November 7, 2005
Walter Treadwell
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This game can be found for sale on amazon by typeing the game name in and adding macplay to the front of the name ! why I don't know. but they have four buyers waiting here for it and it is available under the other name? Who knows?
Oh my God, the king of all games! October 20, 2004
Rob (Vaughan, Ontario Canada)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is my undisputed favorite game ever. A little frustrating at the beginning. However, once you get out of the initial dungeon, the fun begins. You play in a vast city where you are able to do what you want when you want. There is absolutely no order that you must quest in. You go from district to district picking up different quests and growing levels as you gain new powers. What you do effects your future in the game and each class has his or her own spicific questline. For example, if you are a rogue, you can join the ranks of the crime organization known as the shadow thieves and eventually become the leader of the chapter. If you are a wizard or sorcerer, you can take work in the wizard's guild and go on to own your own lab. If you are a cleric, you can join your church and become a minister. The list goes on and on. Although the game does eventually end, you can start the game over again with your same character at the same level so you can progress to yout max power. Greatest game ever.
 Very addictive October 16, 2004
Glynn Clapsaddle (San Diego, CA United States)
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
I originally bought this game for my PC. Then, when I converted, I looked at all the games on the Mac. Dungeon Siege didn't have the same type of game play, and Icewindale was just too outdated. However, I loved Baldur's Gate so much...that I bought it again, only the Mac version. The graphics are not the latest and greatest compared to what is out now, but they are very attractive. The big thing for me is the gameplay. The newer games are designed around the user playing only one character. In BG2, I had more fun creating different parties and combinations on my own. The only complaint I had, really, was that this has an experience point cap, so you can't get all the highest level spells and abilities. But, if you buy the BG2, Throne of Baal, it removes that cap and adds even more spells. I recommend this to anyone who loves the original feel of the D&D game.
This game is amazing May 4, 2004
A Dungeons a Dragons Fanatic (Milton, Ontario Canada)
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
This rpg is based on Dungeons and Dragons. Though D&D requires alot of books and time. This game, which is based on d&d, has it all. The gameplay is indefinite, your options are unlimited, it is complicated, but you get used to it. The gameplay is overall amazing.
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