Baldur's Gate

Okay, I did like this game. I played it a lot. I yelled at it when party members died, insulted it when I (shh) did something stupid, and cheered when my party emerged intact from deadly situations. But I went into the game with a good idea of what was important in life, and I feel confident that I emerged with that same grip. My husband, I'm afraid, has not been so lucky. In fact, I fear he's left his brain at the Firewine Bridge. He eats, drinks, and breathes Baldur's Gate. He shouts party member names in his sleep. He chases our toddler around, imitating attacking ogres. In other words, he's lost it. I suppose that, if I had to lose him to a game, this one's a good choice. It's detailed, interesting, exciting, and a lot of fun to play. It requires thinking, planning, attention to detail, and a fair head for strategy. Your main character is "rolled," just like a D&D character, and there are many classes and alignments to choose from. Party members are not "set"--the opportunity to pick up new party members (or ditch old ones you're unhappy with) is a real bonus. Best of all, it takes some time to finish--nothing worse than a great game that only takes 4 days to master.

The game comes on five disks, and comes with rule book, game book, installation instructions, and a large map.

I've only found one drawback to this game--it seems to glitch a bit on certain map grids. Not sure if that's a software problem, or a problem with my computer. The glitches usually resolve themselves without any help from me.

So, while I do regret that the cost of this game was so dear (a husband), I do recommend it to any gamers looking for a long term commitment.