Difficulty:

Hard

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Solid"

Despite being an expansion which most would thought to be mere 10 hour fillers, Throne of Bhaal proves to be a power-packed game that can go up to 40-50 hours (if you include Watcher's Keep). With an 8 million exp cap and featuring high level spells and abilities above level 20 of a class, this expansion is up to every BGII fan's expectations.

To strike a nice balance between game engagement and long level up gaps, combat is heavier and more epic here compared to the original game and simple actions give ridiculous amounts of exp. So, even if you start without playing the original, you can still experience a medium-fast pace of action and character development, of course with slightly increased difficulty curve for beginners.

There's only one new team-mate, a great fighter, though for fans, I'm sure you'll miss the old characters and see how the romance factor will continue. Again, there are numerous plot twists and turns comparable to an Academy Award movie, and it's great entertainment to watch them unfold the way your decisions dictate.

Despite retro graphics and sound, two thumbs up still for this timeless game and since it's released in bulk with the original in a budget price, true RPG fans should try it out.

KingLim