It seems almost redundant to write a review for a game that was released in 2000 as I'm sure it will make no difference whatsoever to the current sales and it must therefore be concluded that whoever would do such a thing is doing it mainly for themselves. As is the case with me. I have spent countless hours playing and replaying this game from every conceivable angle (and there are quite a few) to achieve the maximum payoff from the game.
Usually when a games game-play is confusing I quickly lose patience and simply stop playing (the original Fallout games are a good example). The gameplay is anything but simple in both the original BG and it didn't become much simpler in BGII but for some reason this fact only made me want to play the game even more (maybe I sensed that the game I was playing had the makings of greatness... or maybe I just had too much spare time on my hands). In any event I kept playing and now more than a decade since I first played it, I still find myself revisiting Minsc, Jaheira, Irenicus and all the other memorable characters fairly regularly.
Well, now that my geekiness has been firmly established, perhaps I should get on with the actual review.
The game starts off with a beautifully animated intro sequence that briefly and quite superficially outlines the events leading up to the start of the game after which you have to either import a character from BGI or simply create a new one. If you choose to create a new character you are lead through 8 or 9 steps ending with choosing a name for the character. This section can be surprisingly drawn out when it comes to your character's stats because the randomly selected ones might not suit your class' specific needs. As a result you will have to reroll quite a few times until you reach the desired result and while this might initially scare off the casual player, it is surprisingly fulfilling once you finally do get the right amount of strength or dexterity (also it proves once again that I have too much time on my hands, maybe I should get a job). You can manually rearrange your stat points but you don't get the same amount every time, so get ready to punch the "reroll" button a few times.
Once this is over you finally get started with the actual game. The intro sequence has an, as of yet, unnamed wizard torture your character while talking at great length about your potential. Once he leaves you are freed by a familiar (if you played the first game) face, Imoen. What happens next is your escape from Irenicus' (as the wizard's name turns out to be) dungeon and at the same time hook up with some old friends. This part of the game is fairly straightforward and doesn't require much in terms of skill so even if you have never played a RPG before, you shouldn't have too much trouble.
However, it isn't until you escape the dungeon and find yourself in Athkatla (the capitol of the country Amn) that the game really starts to shine. It is here that the game's possibilities really throws you for a loop because the amount of secondary missions is staggering. It ranges everywhere in between returning a teddy bear to a little boy's ghost to hunting down a Shade Lord and fighting the odd dragon. The range is incredible and on the first play through you will inevitably miss a mission or two and there are even hidden missions that require you to cast a particular spell at a particular location to activate it or explore almost every single house in Athkatla. The range in variety and difficulty really helps shape the universe into something that is both comprehensible and believable. Once you are done exploring and are getting ready to proceed towards the finale the game becomes quite linear but this doesn't detract from the game in any way because Bioware knows how to save the best for last and the missions you undertake in the final stages of the game are undoubtedly also the most compelling. This includes fighting in a gauntlet for a deranged vampire and working undercover as a Drow in the Drow capitol (drow is the term for a dark elf in the Forgotten Realms universe) and finally a massive blowout with the central villain.
When shaping the universe it really helps to have good voice acting. Many games have substandard voice acting and it is always a turnoff because if you can hear that the person delivering the lines doesn't care, why should you. This is really not a problem in Bioware games as they have an amazing team of voice actors who really deliver. It isn't every line in the game that is read aloud but it is enough of a percentage to make a difference. Minsc is hilarious, as is the Red Wizard Edwin and this is in equal part due to great writing and incredible comedic timing from the voice actors. A special note should be made in this regard for David Warner who provides the voice for Irenicus. He manages to turn a slightly dull character (on paper) into one of the most memorable villains in gaming history. And all with the delectible tones of his voice (yes, I have a man-crush on David Warner's voice).
In terms of action and fighting the game is superb. It uses a complicated system of rolls vs. your characters stats and level and don't be scared because this is done real-time so the action is never drawn out, what you have to do is simply make sure that your character has the right equipment and the right skills and then the system will take care of the rest. BGI and II both use a pause button to great effect. You can at any time pause the action and rethink your strategy and make sure your wizard targets the right opponent with his next spell. So it does take a little getting used to if you're used to Diablo for example because there is nothing hack & slash about BG but it is intensely rewarding to watch your group take down a dragon because you've cast the right protective spells or given your lead character the right sword with bonus towards dragons.
The spell system can be a little confusing at first but once you understand it your wizard or cleric will become a force to reckon with. The wizards have access to the most destructive spells while clerics focus mainly on defensive spells. Both are good to have in your party as a wizard of a significant level can kill opponents with a single spell and clerics can bring you back from the brink of death or even death itself.
You can finish the game as both a force of righteousness or a force of pure evil but it is clear that most of the effort has been placed on the good guy aspect and while this is frustrating if you want to be the ultimate badass it was never really an issue for me as I am usually the good guy in any game where this choice is possible. Bioware has since perfected this with KotOR and Mass Effect but it doesn't really make much of a difference in this game as the emphasis is clearly on being a good guy but if you want to knit-pick then yes there should probably have been placed a little more focus on the evil side when the makers present you with the choice.
A special mention should be made for the Infinity Engine which powers the graphics. By todays standards the graphics are utterly outdated. It isn't even 3D. However, that may also prove to be the graphic's greatest asset. The Infinity Engine gives life to the in game characters, which are 2D animated sprites, but they are also strangely timeless. Because the effects are what they are, they can't be measured by todays standards. A game that looks fantastic today will look obsolete in two years because of the advancements in 3D graphics but 2D graphics will either look good when they come out or they won't. The Lion King was supremely well animated and it still is. Baldur's Gate II are the same.
Where Shadows of Amn truly shines is in its universe depiction. You can explore the universe left to right and still manage to find something new every time you play the game. It helps of course that the game is superbly well written and that the voice acting is supremely well done. Because of this what few flaws like reuse of dungeon layout or lacking evil side quests, seem negligible because you buy into the universe almost immediately.
All in all BGII is still the benchmark for RPGs and I predict it will continue to be in many years to come.
10/10