Baldur’s Gate

Baldur's Gate is a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Black Isle Studios in 1998. Set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons universe, it uses the 2nd Edition AD&D ruleset. Players create a character and embark on an epic quest along the Sword Coast, starting in the library-fortress of Candlekeep after a mysterious armored figure attacks the protagonist's foster father. The game blends a rich, branching storyline with real-time with pause tactical combat, a party of up to six companions, and a massive world to explore. Baldur's Gate was acclaimed for its deep character customization, the ability to import custom portraits and sounds, and its faithful adaptation of AD&D mechanics. It shipped on five CD-ROMs and included a detailed 150-page manual, a quick-reference card, and Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate. The game's success revitalized the computer RPG genre and led to an expansion, Tales of the Sword Coast, and a sequel, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn.