Dungeons & Dragons 30th Anniversary, Day Four
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Graphics? Check. Gameplay? Check. Hot license? Check. You'd think that at that point BioWare could just walk into a hit game with their eyes closed, but they didn't. Baldur's Gate contained some of the best writing and storytelling of the genre. Characters would speak in character, complete with inter-party rivalries, fights, or romances. The story unfolded gradually, like a mystery, starting with the in-game death of your mentor after an hour or so of play. Not only did players get immersed in the action, but most of us actually began to care for our characters and their companions: that's a triumph of storytelling in any medium.
A great example is Minsc, the barbarian who perhaps had taken a few too many blows to the head. One of the most memorable game characters of all time (he scored high in our listing of the top 10 videogame sidekicks ever), Minsc carried around -- and spoke to -- a "miniature giant space hamster" named Boo. Boo said very little. But he squeaked if you clicked on him in Minsc's inventory. The character was so great that GameSpy once posted a full-blown interview with him that's easily as funny as any of the game content. BioWare's commitment to storytelling is a cornerstone of the company and it shows in every product.
