BALDUR'S GATE II -- YET ANOTHER TIME CONSUMER...

Yeah, we all spent way too much time playing the first Baldur's Gate. So Interplay and BioWare decided that we needed to waste another month or so of our lives with epic adventuring. Hence, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. Continuing the plotline of the original Baldur's Gate, the game will be set in the merchant kingdom of Amn. They allude to adventures in places from the Cloudpeak Mountains to Drow conclaves in the Underdark. Fifteen NPCs are available to join your party, tons of new creatures will make an appearance, and 130 new spells (!!) are promised as well. Since Shadows of Amn is going to take players to higher experience levels, the proficiency systems will get a lot of use. 20 kits and classes have been added since the first Baldur's Gate. The engine itself is a souped-up version of the one used in the first game, supporting 800x600 resolution, OpenGL 3D acceleration, and the ability to toss the UI in favor of full-screen action. This game promises to be just as enthralling and time-consuming as the first game. Watch out.