Baldur's Gate 1 versus Baldur's Gate 2: Reflections

BG1 vs. BG2: Reflections

Back in 2020 the cRPG Blog inflicted blunt-force trauma on Baldur's Gate 2's undeserved critical and community acclaim with its now-famous BG1 versus BG2 article.

The shock-waves primarily impacted sensitive subreddits and a few fake cRPG communities, but my seismic instrumentation continues to detect aftershocks throughout the greater Baldur's Gate community, even four years subsequent.

The article has been influential not just in terms of content but also in its form: the language employed by the article influenced the Baldur's Gate community; added to its literacy.

Thus did the article serve its purpose -- to instruct.

However, it seems that some in the Baldur's Gate community are of opinion that such an article should not have been written; that its conclusions are "wrong" or "bad".

But can I just say: BG1 versus BG2 is an opinion-piece, an informed and well-argued opinion-piece. 

Newsflash: People can write opinion-pieces! Who would have thought that possible?

To hold a view, to express that view via argument, to publish an opinion-piece -- wow. Such a novel concept, call the press.

"Extra! Extra! Read all about it! People can not only hold views, they can actually argue them!"

Who would have thunk it.

All cRPG versus cRPG articles are opinion-pieces. One could argue that a bad game is a good game and that a good game is a bad game. As long as one makes a convincing or at least plausible argument, who cares.

Just as the journey is more instructive than the destination, so too is the argument more instructive than the conclusion.

For me, computer-game comparisons are naught but stimulus for critical commentary that appeals to epic-level neck-bearded grognards.

However, everything I write about the Baldur's Gate games is 100% factual. I challenge readers to cite a single factual error on BG1 or BG2 in that article: readers can learn a lot about both BG1 and BG2 by reading that article even if they don't agree with the conclusions drawn by the article (due to their bad taste).

I have written more on Baldur's Gate than anyone in the game's 25-year history; that is, ¼ of a century. And the cRPG Blog is proof of that: 400k wordcount on Baldur's Gate, in length the equivalent to several novels, more than anyone else on the planet.

Thank you to the millions of readers that have read my Baldur's Gate commentary over the past decade.

Then, as often happens in human endeavors, the wild-eyed hack comes along to snatch a piece of the pie. In the name of the quick buck and click the hack cares not for the endeavor, the creative process or genre legacy, but only of shortcuts, leeching and leveling down to the lowest common denominator.

cf.:

• Computer Game Language of the cRPG Blog by Lilura1
• Computer Game Infographics of the cRPG Blog by Lilura1
• BG1 versus BG2
• Baldur's Gate's Place in 1990s Computer Game History
• Rock-bottom Low-brow Dragging-of-the-knuckles Gaming
• A part of: History of 1990s Computer Games
• A Thorough Rubbishing of Computer Game Journalism
• Return to: cRPG Blog (Master Index)