which game is better Baldur's Gate 1 or 2

[yawa ka wang]

i thought about buying the collection but i thought to myself wish game is better

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Depends on what you would like more. First part: XP cap at 161,000. With DLC 500,000 XP. In BG2EE you can reach epic levels and get high level abilities. It's longer and more complex, but you don't start at level 1, and the "world" is less of a pseudo-open world as in BGEE.

Be sure to review the manuals, especially those about the lore/story:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/49871/get-your-siege-of-dragonspear-manuals-here

[Armanz]

BG1 hasn't aged very well so just the visual style might repel you from playing it. BG2 is more complex, more epic (not only in a positive way, mind you; part 1 has this peaceful, open world-ish feel to it and a sense of genuine more realistic adventure), visually more sleek and up-to-date. I myself started with part 2 since I couldn't get into part 1 and have played part 1 afterwards, but prefer part 2 by miles. I't s a very, very difficult choice to make, since they are of that type of game that is incredible for the first time and you will never experience it like that again, despite the insane replayability (it really is insane). Starting with part 1 would make more sense storywise (obviously) and is a better introduction into the franchise itself, *but* it might be to off for you and feel to dated for your tastes. BG2 switches from roaming around the vast countryside and fighting wolves to exploring epic dungeons, fighting the most powerful creatures imaginable and saving the world (last one is a slight exaggaration, but it certainly feels like that).
As I stated before it dated way better and is more epic, but also way more complex and you will miss out on the story from part 1 and won't feel the growth of your character from a nobody to a seasoned warrior as which you start part 2.

[yawa ka wang]

Originally posted by Armanz:

BG1 hasn't aged very well so just the visual style might repel you from playing it. BG2 is more complex, more epic (not only in a positive way, mind you; part 1 has this peaceful, open world-ish feel to it and a sense of genuine more realistic adventure), visually more sleek and up-to-date. I myself started with part 2 since I couldn't get into part 1 and have played part 1 afterwards, but prefer part 2 by miles. I't s a very, very difficult choice to make, since they are of that type of game that is incredible for the first time and you will never experience it like that again, despite the insane replayability (it really is insane). Starting with part 1 would make more sense storywise (obviously) and is a better introduction into the franchise itself, *but* it might be to off for you and feel to dated for your tastes. BG2 switches from roaming around the vast countryside and fighting wolves to exploring epic dungeons, fighting the most powerful creatures imaginable and saving the world (last one is a slight exaggaration, but it certainly feels like that).
As I stated before it dated way better and is more epic, but also way more complex and you will miss out on the story from part 1.

so it's like the Half Life series where the first game aged terribly while the second one still holds up by todays standards

[Valthejean]

Mechanically speaking, 2 improved everything and then some. Character interactions, Strongholds, battle design, all those things were vastly improved.
However, 1 does have the charm of rags to riches. You start off as a nobody and work your way up from the bottom of the pecking order. It doesn't hold your hand either, if you want to explore you can, but if you are unprepared for what you find you will die.
If you care solely about story, then 2 is definitely the way to go because it improved GREATLY, and it will catch you up on most of the information you need from the first. It's not to say that 1 was bad, at all, but 2 has solid strongpoints.

[Zenith]

Visually I think both games look about the same with the EE. It's not really which is objectively better, rather personal preference as they are quite different. I prefer BG1 because I enjoyed the low level D&D where magical items were rare, you had to spend time saving gold to even buy regular equipment like the best armor and more wilderness area to explore. It felt more chill but others would find this boring.

BG2 felt too epic. You start out at level 6 or something and you're swimming in magical equipment and spells. The city where you start is a major quest hub and to me it was complete quest overload, I felt like I couldn't walk more than a few feet wihout being bombarded with another quest giver. I loved BG1 but always stop playing BG2 really early because it just turns me off. But most people seem to regarded it as better.

[Hamtata]

you guys need to recall the first time you touched this game. I didn't play BG1, but when I first started BG2, the immediate exit from jailbreak is overwhelming! There's lots of things you can do - buy scrolls, cast spells, visit markets, find vendors, I didn't know what NPCS were there so I grab anyone that comes along. During my time, gamefaqs wasn't that established yet, nothing much to google (yahoo was more popular that time). You really had to explore everything based on your guts. That was fun.
Today is much much different, even if you played the first time, you can achieve a 100% playthrough via google or game guides like gamefaqs, gamebanshee etc. Plenty of resources available.

[yawa ka wang]

Originally posted by Pukka:

you guys need to recall the first time you touched this game. I didn't play BG1, but when I first started BG2, the immediate exit from jailbreak is overwhelming! There's lots of things you can do - buy scrolls, cast spells, visit markets, find vendors, I didn't know what NPCS were there so I grab anyone that comes along. During my time, gamefaqs wasn't that established yet, nothing much to google (yahoo was more popular that time). You really had to explore everything based on your guts. That was fun.
Today is much much different, even if you played the first time, you can achieve a 100% playthrough via google or game guides like gamefaqs, gamebanshee etc. Plenty of resources available.

So the first game is better

[Hamtata]

Originally posted by TigerBloodMF:

Originally posted by Pukka:

you guys need to recall the first time you touched this game. I didn't play BG1, but when I first started BG2, the immediate exit from jailbreak is overwhelming! There's lots of things you can do - buy scrolls, cast spells, visit markets, find vendors, I didn't know what NPCS were there so I grab anyone that comes along. During my time, gamefaqs wasn't that established yet, nothing much to google (yahoo was more popular that time). You really had to explore everything based on your guts. That was fun.
Today is much much different, even if you played the first time, you can achieve a 100% playthrough via google or game guides like gamefaqs, gamebanshee etc. Plenty of resources available.

So the first game is better

yah but it's debatable, reason being most of you folks have a fuller experience playing both Bg1 & 2. for me it's just BG2 & personally I feel it's good enough, no desire for now to play BG1

[La_Anarquista]

What about BG1:EE vs IWD:EE?

[yawa ka wang]

Originally posted by La_Anarquista:

What about BG1:EE vs IWD:EE?

What??

[La_Anarquista]

I think BG2 is just BG1 but better. I've only played a little bit of Icewind Dale but it seemed like a more difficult question.

[Ookami]

If u dont have BG1 then u dont need BG2 this is RPG 1rst plan is story,
playing roles! It's like reading a book. You are reading a book from 1 volume, not from 2
Same here in Baldurs Gate sage.

[DongFang]

BG1 is what started it all, so of course it will slightly top BG2 in a way, at least for the player base that played the original game back in 1998. (I still remember my older siblings playing it back in the day) Going off of what Okami said, "It's like reading a book." You have to read the 1st volume to get the 2nd, etc.

[bise241]

Baldurs Gate 2 is much, much better, and has stood the test of time much better than the first. That said, I still love the first one. I just wouldnt recommend it to someone who has never played an old school rpg. You need to have an idea of why the first one was so special at the time to appreciate it. With Baldurs gate 2, I believe anyone who enjoyed Biowares later classics- Kotor, Dragon age 1, mass effect, will enjoy it.

[Hamtata]

if you missed the backstory...there's something called google....its replacing dog's best friend according to the legends....
when you start with BG2....and yes they are right, you'll wonder who this Khalid is....why is ur bro such a bad@ss....why is a krazy krazy with a cute furry friend following you around....why is this pink hair girl portrait doesn't match her in-game sprite following you.....But that's about it, the rest are new.

I must say the new foe is spectacular, you'll forever remember the line - "Die! ever pathetic ever fools!"