More on Dialogue and Strongholds

Chattier neighbors

The increased dialogue won't be limited to your own characters. The NPCs like townspeople will have much more lively and varied speech than before. Talking with more townspeople will become more worthwhile because their responses will seem more genuine and less generic. They'll even remember you and apply what's going on in the world next time you meet up with them. Do an honorable deed for one town, and expect the folk in the neighboring town to welcome you back as a hero.

Otyughs are dangerous!

A big melee

What's the point?

So what's the upshot of all this added story and dialogue? Well according to James Ohlen, one of BG2's designers, the ultimate goal is that Baldur's Gate 2's "characters will be more akin to those in the Final Fantasy series." The increased and more complex interactions will make them a lot more memorable than characters you're used to seeing in Western RPGs. Sounds like a winning combination to me! You'll get the more personal and in depth story of Final Fantasy mixed with the combat engine and setting of Dungeons and Dragons!

A man's home is his castle

Another big addition to the Baldur's Gate world is the presence of strongholds. Unlike BG1, characters in BG2 can advance all the way up to 20th level. While this obviously allows you access to high level weapons, armor, and spells, you'll also have the privilege of earning a class specific stronghold. By completing certain tasks, a Fighter can actually earn the use of a Keep and rule a small fiefdom. Strongholds like the Keep give the player more responsibility. If you take over a keep you'll need to attend to the happiness of the surrounding peasants, their well being, and mete out justice when necessary. Succeed in your rule and you'll be rewarded with money and treasure and other goodies - fail, and you could have a rebellion on your hands and lose your keep.

Check out the reflections

Taking a stroll

Of course, a Keep isn't an appropriate home for other classes, so every class will get its own specialized "home." Thieves can rule over their own Guild, Druids become the Grand Druid over the local forest, Mages get a mysterious Mage Stronghold (filled with powerful secrets that keep revealing themselves through the end of the game), and Clerics get their own Temple, complete with a congregation and special powers from their god. These are all obvious fixtures to a fantasy game - what intrigued me was the stronghold of the bards. Competent Bards will have control over their own Playhouse, and their ultimate goal is to put on a fantastic play. However you'll need to get feuding divas to work with one another - not an easy task.