I would even go so far as to call this the best video game ever.  Computer, console, you name it.  Shadows of Amn takes the already high standard set by the original Baldur's Gate and brings it up to a level of near-perfection.  Sure, the graphics are dated and probably were when the game came out.  But as entries in the Final Fantasy series have so expertly demonstrated, great graphics do not a great game make.

What makes BG, and particularly SoA, so good is the gameplay, which I find to be the most important aspect of a game--followed closely by character and storyline.  All three of which are handled wonderfully in this game and interwoven to a degree that one can't help but be drawn in by all three.

Previous experience in any of the D&D universe I believe to be completely unncessary; before I played BG, all I knew vaguely was that it had been a popular board game at one time.  Sure, I don't understand all the statistics that go into combat and the armor and weapons and the like, but the computer works in figuring all that out.  And I wouldn't consider having played the original BG necessary--anyone with an interest could get into a game like SoA.  However, I find it preferable to have played BG first--not only did it give me greater appreciation for the continutation of the story of your main character, but it also helped me in starting out with the gameplay and the controls and so forth--combat in particular was unlike anything I had previously encountered and took a while for me to get a hang of; plus the magic system in this game expands to one so complex and with such potential, I am more than certain I have yet to fully utilize it.  I think the person who complained that this particular item does not come with a manual has a fair point; I remember being disappointed when I originally opened the package to find only the disks and an advertisement for Dark Alliance.  But all in all, it's not too hard to figure out if it's your first time; and there are multitude of helpful guides, FAQs and walkthroughs that can be found online.

One of the many things that makes SoA so great is the way it feels like the creators tried to weed out the dozen or so minor annoyances of the original BG; annoyances I didn't even consider to be real flaws until I played SoA.  For example, while level progression takes forever on account of the experience point distribution system (divided equally among your party members), experience points come more frequently in this game, and in larger portions (you can receive them for doing anything from having you thief successfully disarm a trap or pick or lock, to having your mage successfully learn a new spell).  Plus, BG only allowed no higher than level 7, whereas SoA has a cap off at about level 20 or so.  I also spent frustrating amounts of time in the inns recovering from battle, and appreciated the ability to set my party members to sleep until they've all recovered.  And these are just to name a few.

As has been stated by so many, graphics aren't the greatest--but you've got to appreciate what's there.  There are some truly gorgeous backgrounds--the elven city and parts of the Amnish city Athkatla (in which the game is centered) like the Temple District, in particular, contain some real eye candy.  Sure, it's not 3D--but 3D graphics don't guarantee a game as great as this one.

Sound and music are top notch--the background noise in particular helping to create the excellent atmosphere.  If there's one thing BG does well, it's creating a genuine atmosphere--including some that were intense and enveloped me in the world like no other game I've ever played.  Whether it's nighttime in the docks district hearing the courtesans or daytime in the bridge district and the call of the merchants--or walking through a forest wondering whether or not something big and scary is going to attack at an inopportune moment.  And music, like most entries in the series, is used sparsely--but the tunes are excellent.  Most are very area specific, probably no more than a minute or so, very appropriately composed to fit that area, and only playing occasionally as you explore a given area.  Some are so good, I would pause the game just to let it finish before I walked into a building or went on to a new area.  And the opening title music for both SoA and Throne of Bhaal are among my absolute favorites.

Voice work is the best I've ever heard, wonderfully helping to develop the already strong characters.  It also helps tie into the game's appealing and unexepected and appropriately integrated sense of humor--which comes about with such particular characters like Minsc and Jan.  (One must play the game through at least one time with Minsc in your party.)  The absolute best comes from the villain, Irenicus, who comes across as a genuinely creepy and fascinating character.  And the storyline and gameplay are so wonderfully integrated into the way you develop through the game, learning both more about yourself, but also about Irenicus, and how he came to be so interested in your character as a Child of Bhaal.

Also as others have stated, replay is the best I've ever seen; not just with the new class choices, but also in the wide option of characters you can pick from to make up your party--which in turn also determines some of the sub-plots that are presented and how they play out.  I have yet to discover all the different directions--minor or otherwise--in which the game can go according to my decisions.  And while I did enjoy the second chapter--in which, should you choose, you can spend most of it building up experience in the dozen or so sub-plots presented to you--it was actually in the linearity of the later chapters when I really got hooked.  But that can also be attributed to the undeniably fantastic storyline.

SoA is the very best that the series gets, in every way.  Sadly, I can't quite say the same for ToB.  I enjoyed it at the start, and was glad to have it to keep going with the story after the end of SoA, but not very long into the game, I felt like it had dissolved into combat combat combat.  It definitely helped me to realize that, while combat is a large aspect of what I enjoy about BG, it's not the *only* thing that makes the game as good as it is.

It does introduce some fun and interesting new progressions--like the special abilities you can pick for each party member every time they up a level.  There are also sneaky new things like your enemies sometimes being able to see you before you see them; and the fact that the game no longer automatically pauses when you view your map.  Both of which foul up more than one strategy.  Plus, you have the ability to transport your entire party to a pocket plane reality at almost any point in the game, where you can rest and recover, and also switch around your party members--with the option of bringing in literally every NPC from SoA.  You also have the ability to bring Sarevok (the villain from the original BG) into your party, which is practically a must.

The overall impression I get from this game is that the creators read all the complaints regarding the experience point cap with the original BG, and decided to compensate by making a game that was entirely about gaining experience points through combat, and progressing as high as they could make it (your characters can reach all the way up to level 40.)  It really makes me wish they had decided to make ToB as a sequel, rather than an expansion--it would've given it more time to develop as a story as well, rather than just a long series of fights.

Despite that, I would still recommend buying this particular product--to just about anyone who has ever considered themselves a fan of video and computer games.  It's worth it alone just for Shadows of Amn, and Throne of Bhaal brings a nice end to it all.  And all of it ultimately demonstrates why nothing could ever be as great as Baldur's Gate in its prime.
I would even go so far as to call this the best video game ever. Computer, console, you name it. Shadows of Amn takes the already high standard set by the original Baldur's Gate and brings it up to a level of near-perfection. Sure, the graphics are dated and probably were when the game came out. But as entries in the Final Fantasy series have so expertly demonstrated, great graphics do not a great game make. What makes BG, and particularly SoA, so good is the gameplay, which I find to be the most important aspect of a game--followed closely by character and storyline. All three of which are handled wonderfully in this game and interwoven to a degree that one can't help but be drawn in by all three. Previous experience in any of the D&D universe I believe to be completely unncessary; before I played BG, all I knew vaguely was that it had been a popular board game at one time. Sure, I don't understand all the statistics that go into combat and the armor and weapons and the like, but the computer works in figuring all that out. And I wouldn't consider having played the original BG necessary--anyone with an interest could get into a game like SoA. However, I find it preferable to have played BG first--not only did it give me greater appreciation for the continutation of the story of your main character, but it also helped me in starting out with the gameplay and the controls and so forth--combat in particular was unlike anything I had previously encountered and took a while for me to get a hang of; plus the magic system in this game expands to one so complex and with such potential, I am more than certain I have yet to fully utilize it. I think the person who complained that this particular item does not come with a manual has a fair point; I remember being disappointed when I originally opened the package to find only the disks and an advertisement for Dark Alliance. But all in all, it's not too hard to figure out if it's your first time; and there are multitude of helpful guides, FAQs and walkthroughs that can be found online. One of the many things that makes SoA so great is the way it feels like the creators tried to weed out the dozen or so minor annoyances of the original BG; annoyances I didn't even consider to be real flaws until I played SoA. For example, while level progression takes forever on account of the experience point distribution system (divided equally among your party members), experience points come more frequently in this game, and in larger portions (you can receive them for doing anything from having you thief successfully disarm a trap or pick or lock, to having your mage successfully learn a new spell). Plus, BG only allowed no higher than level 7, whereas SoA has a cap off at about level 20 or so. I also spent frustrating amounts of time in the inns recovering from battle, and appreciated the ability to set my party members to sleep until they've all recovered. And these are just to name a few. As has been stated by so many, graphics aren't the greatest--but you've got to appreciate what's there. There are some truly gorgeous backgrounds--the elven city and parts of the Amnish city Athkatla (in which the game is centered) like the Temple District, in particular, contain some real eye candy. Sure, it's not 3D--but 3D graphics don't guarantee a game as great as this one. Sound and music are top notch--the background noise in particular helping to create the excellent atmosphere. If there's one thing BG does well, it's creating a genuine atmosphere--including some that were intense and enveloped me in the world like no other game I've ever played. Whether it's nighttime in the docks district hearing the courtesans or daytime in the bridge district and the call of the merchants--or walking through a forest wondering whether or not something big and scary is going to attack at an inopportune moment. And music, like most entries in the series, is used sparsely--but the tunes are excellent. Most are very area specific, probably no more than a minute or so, very appropriately composed to fit that area, and only playing occasionally as you explore a given area. Some are so good, I would pause the game just to let it finish before I walked into a building or went on to a new area. And the opening title music for both SoA and Throne of Bhaal are among my absolute favorites. Voice work is the best I've ever heard, wonderfully helping to develop the already strong characters. It also helps tie into the game's appealing and unexepected and appropriately integrated sense of humor--which comes about with such particular characters like Minsc and Jan. (One must play the game through at least one time with Minsc in your party. )  The absolute best comes from the villain, Irenicus, who comes across as a genuinely creepy and fascinating character. And the storyline and gameplay are so wonderfully integrated into the way you develop through the game, learning both more about yourself, but also about Irenicus, and how he came to be so interested in your character as a Child of Bhaal. Also as others have stated, replay is the best I've ever seen; not just with the new class choices, but also in the wide option of characters you can pick from to make up your party--which in turn also determines some of the sub-plots that are presented and how they play out. I have yet to discover all the different directions--minor or otherwise--in which the game can go according to my decisions. And while I did enjoy the second chapter--in which, should you choose, you can spend most of it building up experience in the dozen or so sub-plots presented to you--it was actually in the linearity of the later chapters when I really got hooked. But that can also be attributed to the undeniably fantastic storyline. SoA is the very best that the series gets, in every way. Sadly, I can't quite say the same for ToB. I enjoyed it at the start, and was glad to have it to keep going with the story after the end of SoA, but not very long into the game, I felt like it had dissolved into combat combat combat. It definitely helped me to realize that, while combat is a large aspect of what I enjoy about BG, it's not the *only* thing that makes the game as good as it is. It does introduce some fun and interesting new progressions--like the special abilities you can pick for each party member every time they up a level. There are also sneaky new things like your enemies sometimes being able to see you before you see them; and the fact that the game no longer automatically pauses when you view your map. Both of which foul up more than one strategy. Plus, you have the ability to transport your entire party to a pocket plane reality at almost any point in the game, where you can rest and recover, and also switch around your party members--with the option of bringing in literally every NPC from SoA. You also have the ability to bring Sarevok (the villain from the original BG) into your party, which is practically a must. The overall impression I get from this game is that the creators read all the complaints regarding the experience point cap with the original BG, and decided to compensate by making a game that was entirely about gaining experience points through combat, and progressing as high as they could make it (your characters can reach all the way up to level 40. )  It really makes me wish they had decided to make ToB as a sequel, rather than an expansion--it would've given it more time to develop as a story as well, rather than just a long series of fights. Despite that, I would still recommend buying this particular product--to just about anyone who has ever considered themselves a fan of video and computer games. It's worth it alone just for Shadows of Amn, and Throne of Bhaal brings a nice end to it all. And all of it ultimately demonstrates why nothing could ever be as great as Baldur's Gate in its prime.