I've been playing BG on XB and posted this on my other forum:
Thankfully it rained a lot yesterday so making it easy to spin up BG. Bear in mind I've played this in a variety of formats:
- the original 4/5 cd version on PC, buggy as that version was;
- the ee version on iPad from day one v1.0 (3 hours to download it over some shitty cafe wifi) (probably the most experience with this one and certainly the most recent);
- the ee version on steam.
Compared to the above, the console version feels a little old fashioned, not necessarily in a bad way. The iOS version is incredibly fast and flashy on a suitable screen but can be a little tricky at times with entrances and with differentiating between taps and longer holds.
With this you forgo quick saves and only have 10 save slots (sounds fine unless you have multiple characters on the go), plus one auto save at the edge of an area.
Control is pretty easy and just takes a little time to get acquainted:
- Pause is the menu button on the XB controller, and this allows you to give individual instructions in combat as for other versions;
- Selecting any of the UI items from the left hand side of the screen (inventory, spell book etc) is via the right trigger and the right bumper moves between the characters;
- inventory management is pretty easy since characters who can use an item are highlighted, the impact on THACO and AC is identified immediately, and again you use the right bumper to transfer things - opening bags of holding and splitting stacks are handled with the y button;
- Re-arranging your party or creating sub groups is possible via the left trigger but that action will be used more frequently to toggle AI on or off;
- Display and other options seem very similar or maybe identical to the IoS version - you can select when the game auto pauses, whether to have different coloured circles around your team members (I really like this) etc etc;
- Finding the tiny "hidden" items and navigating doors and stairs is extremely easy - just use the left stick to identify what you want to action;
- Font size is absolutely fine even without increasing it to the max -> lying on the couch playing this is totally feasible
- For many menus when finished you click the right stick and confirm rather than having to negotiate all around them.
I think the old fashioned aspects come from the heavy grey stone feel to the UI, the rumble as you land a critical hit, the appearance of the spell book... just various things. It also feels a bit "sticky" at places and actually froze once which isn't good.
Regardless, I rolled an assassin, a palladin and an illusionist and took the last all the way down to the entrance of the Nashkel mines yesterday. Not sure whether to rock on there or make my way back to High Hedge for some shopping first.
Still finding bits and pieces in this I've not encountered before e.g if you protect Prism so that he completes his master work and it happens to be night you see exactly what he did....
Also that is just one quest where there are a number of ways of completing it.
Finally (for now). Who nowadays would be batshit crazy enough to still introduce new companions after dozens of hours of play?
