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Best game to get into BioWare world?

Silvard

Member
Baldur's Gate 2 is the best Bioware game ever. It's actually best computer RPG, best western RPG, best RPG and best game ever too. But it's not as easy to get into these days as KoTOR (their second best), so I'd recommend that.
 

Giolon

Member
Sorry but I don't want to spend hours learning how THAC0 works

You don't have to. All you have to know is lower armor is better. That's it.

Anyway OP, their all time magnum opus is Baldur's Gate 2, unlikely to ever be topped by them again.

If you want a similar type of experience without having to deal with all the old school trappings (though Baldur's Gate 2 Enhanced Edition makes the game run nicely on modern hardware), check out Dragon Age Origins. It's not as good, but still faithful to the spirit of their old games.

Mass Effect 1 is great on story and world building, but the gameplay is clunky.

KOTOR is another good choice, but it's dated.
 

jdstorm

Banned
KoTOR (Play as a female MC if you can. It makes the story significantly better/more neuanced)

Mass Effect 1 (you can skip the rest.)

BG2 (always seems to have great word of mouth.)

Then if you want a classic Bioware experience play Xenoblade Chronicles by Monolith Soft (Wii)
 
250px-The_Dark_Brotherhood.jpg


It's probably the worst Sonic game made in the past decade

That's quite the accomplishment, now I'm curios.

I love Dragon Age Origins and the Mass Effect trilogy (except the ending...).
 

DevilDog

Member
Ignore people here saying KOTOR. It's aged horribly.

Go for Mass Effect 1-3.

Dragon age origins is great as well. Played it for the first time a few months ago.
 

Solid Raiden

Neo Member
If you want world, Character and story go Baulder's Gate 2.
If you're a big Star Wars geek like me then start with Knight's of the Old Republic.
If you prefer modern games go with the Mass Effect trilogy.
 
Dragon Age 2!

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Mass Effect 1-3 is a great starter. I started with ME2, fell in love with the universe, and went back and played ME1.
 

bati

Member
Start with Mass Effect 1-3, seriously amazing trilogy. Then you can move on to KOTOR and finally to Baldur's Gate 2.
 

pswii60

Member
KOTOR, Mass Effect 2.

Both games have a universe you'll get utterly entranced by and immersed in. Even if you're not a Star Wars fan you'll still enjoy KOTOR.

Mass Effect 2 is one of my favourite games of all time. Such memories, I feel like I actually did it in real life. Can't believe it's been 7 years.
 

Nielm

Member
Ignore people here saying KOTOR. It's aged horribly.

Go for Mass Effect 1-3.

Dragon age origins is great as well. Played it for the first time a few months ago.

Mass Effect 1 has aged horribly, I would take KOTOR's combat over Mass Effect 1's.
 

El Topo

Member
Don't listen to anyone who doesn't tell you Baldur's Gate 2.

Well, I would argue one *might* start with Baldur's Gate. It's a lot rougher and not nearly as enjoyable, nor does it have some of the elements Bioware is famous for (e.g. romance), but it is nonetheless a good introduction.
Baldur's Gate 2 is the clear pinnacle though. I'm replaying it again, this time with an item randomiser mod - still incredibly enjoyable.
 

vocab

Member
Bioware has distanced themselves so much from what made them famous. BG series is probably their best work with dao, me1, and kotor being their last decent rpgs. Im not a nwn fan at all, so I wouldnt recommend it. Jade empire is crap.
 

Mephala

Member
Which game is the ONE?
As a note, I'm more of a jrpg player than wrpg.

The transition from typical JRPG to modern Bioware is pretty straight forward. Removal of anime aesthetic for questionable 3D models and animations. Alight tropes and stereotypes to more western cultures and finally add in some waifu/husbando stuff with a pinch of action and QTE.

Jade Empire
Jade Empire uses action combat and has some nice chinese mythological setting. It is also fairly short so pretty great to get your feet wet in experience a bit of the Bioware writing, dialogue wheel and such. Dirty cheap and standalone but also pretty unique in its own gameplay.

Dragon Age
Can't speak for inquisition but I thoroughly enjoyed both Origins and DA2. Origins feels more like an old school RPG which I love. The choices and characters were also more to my liking. I enjoyed the change in locals and many other aspects.
DA2
I'm not quite sure what it is that I enjoyed about the game. I can point out flaws for days but ultimately the game did have its own charm. The world and characters were mostly good or great. The gameplay took a bit of a back seat for more action and the map took a big hit.
Either is fine to start with, I think DA2 is a little more modern but it is worth starting from DAO if only to enjoy references and cameos of returning characters.
"We now have a dog and Alistair is still the dumbest one in this party." - Morrigan

Edit.
I hate to do this but if you want writing, characters and story telling in a more modern RPG package that is similar to the older Bioware in quality I suggest Shadowrun Dragonfall.
 

Octavia

Unconfirmed Member
OP, just play Mass Effect 2. It is structured more like a JRPG in that it's pretty linear, but you get the choices and decision making that makes these games unique with some light RPG elements and picking a party. It's less WRPG and more action shooter with a huge focus on story/characters.

If you get the Mass Effect: Genesis freebee comic downloaded, it will give you a recap at the start of ME2 that lets you make all the major choices of that game with a nice animated story summary so you don't feel lost or your character doesn't do something you wouldn't have. Easier to roleplay your shepard better.

ME1 was an ambitious and experimental thing when it came out, but it's really clunky and I found it boring when I played it. It has repetition problems.

ME2 is a very tight and cohesive experience, it felt very polished and well made for a PS3/360 game. It's even a little dated now, but it still holds up as a cinematic movie like game.

As for their other games, I'd vote nay personally with the exception of Boulder Gate 2 but you have to be into really old PC games for that to be viable. I know I couldn't handle it, too dated.

Dragon Age Origins was decent when it was released but I don't think I could play it after playing modern games. Similar to ME1, it's experiment and very clunky in some not so flattering ways (repetition problems). It has some really good tracks on the OST though, like amazingly good.
 

Miletius

Member
It's all been downhill since BG2, so you should just play BG2 and call it a day. the Enhanced Editions are a good jumping into point, as they have been reasonably polished and ready to go on modern systems. No DLC nessecary for the EE's.

If you really don't want to do BG, then the 2nd best is KOTOR, as others have mentioned. KOTOR works, and then there's a great sequel afterwards (not Bioware, but builds on the themes in the first one).

I would personally avoid Neverwinter Nights -- unless you want to play the 2nd expansion pack: Hordes of the Underdark. Vanilla Neverwinter had a pretty terrible story. Hordes, on the other hand, still didn't have the greatest story but had a lot of really fun encounters, and kinda got better the further you went down.

I also don't mind Jade Empire, although it's short and the combat is...really hard to play nowadays. Still, kind of fun and kind of a unique game in their wheelhouse.
 
Idk if I'd feel comfortable recommending BG2. It's not a game made by the Bioware we know of today, so I feel like it's a bad representation for someone that wants to get into "Bioware World".
Of Biowares current formula, Kotor is when they nailed it the most imo.
 

HK-47

Oh, bitch bitch bitch.
If you are coming from JRPGs, I'd recommend KotOR or ME1 over their other stuff then DAO. The BGs are more complex and harder to wrap your heads around compared to any of those games.
 

MikeyB

Member
Baldur's Gate 2. It is possibly the best game I have ever played.

The combat is tough and complex compared to most modern games. That's what makes it a blast after all this time. A few tips:

Turn on auto-pause upon sighting enemy at first. Consider it a turn based RPG (which it sorta is) where you have to make the turns distinct with the pause key.

Positioning is key and use the map layout to your advantage.

Make sure you use detect traps in dungeons and have your thief play scout. Getting a spring on enemies will give you a significant advantage in most encounters.

People say that THAC0 is a pain, but it is really the sheer variety of counterspells. Learn them. You will need them.

Negative plane protection, cloud kill, and lesser restoration are useful.

Cheesing tough encounters when you are under levelled is a legit way to play.

Jan Jansen seems like the worst, but he is the best. He ate Biffle Chump, after all.
 

StereoVsn

Member
Baldur's Gate 2

Dragon Age Origins

Mass Effect Trilogy

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic.

I would say:

- BG2
- KOTOR
- ME1
- DAO
- KOTOR2 (technically it's Obsidian, but whatever, only recommend Steam version on PC though)

and then come back to finish off ME2 and 3. That way OP gets to play a great diverse range of RPGs and starts off with top 5 RPGs (of any kind) ever made.

Edit:
I'd actually say go back to BG 1 and then simply play them all. They've all been worth playing, even Jade Empire.

I dunno, getting used to low level D&D (2nd edition to boot) is kind of a tough thing for a lot of people. Also, BG2 is quite a bit better then BG1 any way you look at it. I'd say check out the story for BG1 on youtube/summary sites and then go play BG2 for anyone not used to older CRPGs.
 
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