This was the final hurrah for the old style of video game RPGs, to the extent that most people would probably classify it as a 90s RPG that just happened to come out on the wrong side of the millennium. Made by Bioware, Shadows of Amn is the best title in one of the most important RPG series of all time, helping to transition the hitherto table-top genre to video games. Set in the D&D world of the Forgotten Realms, it followed many of the same rules as the board game, such as the AD&D combat system that was familiar to tabletop players, but inscrutable for video gamers. Those who took the time to learn Baldur's Gates tactics-heavy combat system would be rewarded however, with one of the greatest story-driven RPGs of all time. The game's pre-rendered visuals are timeless, as is the excellent script and rich, lore-filled world. While Shadows of Amn marked the end of an RPG era, the recently-released Enhanced Edition is a testament to its enduring popularity, and the recent resurgence in isometric RPGs (check out the brilliant Pillars of Eternity) shows that there will always a lot of love for this kind of RPG.
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
