Do you guys enjoy Siege of Dragonspear?

[Morgoth]

I'm really curious of the ideas around. I'm playing it and I'm conflicted. I don't find it gamebreaking, but I don't find it that bad as well.

I feel like it's a 6, for now, but I've just began chapter 10. I will make a more thoughtful review when I've finished it.

Edited January 11 by Morgoth

[jastey]

I enjoyed it tremendously for about 5/6 of the story. Then came The End, and left me in shocked silence because I think it is So Bad.

[Connelly]

Perfectly fine for a 2 decades later mini expansion, not as good as it could have been, far *far* better that what people tend to say. me likes

[moggadeet]

I did not like my vanilla run, with the exception of some pretty area art and dungeon design that I enjoyed. For reasons that are not entirely beamdog's fault, it wasn't what I wanted. With the various mods to improve it, there are parts that I liked. It's absurd that Imoen wasn't planned as a companion - finally, a chance to flesh her out into more than a last-minute addition and they completely dropped the ball! Really, any way to keep her present in the story would have been an improvement, because that was one area where SoD could have improved on BG2. I'm not one of the people who just rabidly hates it; mostly I was really disappointed. I play BG for the story, and SoD is both a weird diversion from the parts of the overarching plot that I care about and an odd fit continuity-wise. Playing with Imoen forever + road to discovery + boareskyr bridge scene + another fine hell was a vast improvement, though.

Still, I'm sympathetic to the challenges involved. Making new BG content after all this time was always going to entail trying to please different contradictory groups (particularly given the year it came out - the review-bombing was completely unwarranted). And I would agree that it's better than some of the vitriol out there makes it sound. Still, it could have been better, and it feels like a sadly squandered opportunity. Ah well.

[Guest the_sextein]

I liked it.  Games had not delivered an experience like Baldur's Gate in a very long time.  SOD showed that alot of people were interested and helped bring back the genre back in 2016.  For me, I was just happy to be adventuring again in new maps with new tactical encounters and my old crew.  I knew the game would bridge BG1& 2 and the idea behind the main story was fine with me.  My problem with SOD is how it was written and the way Imoen was handled in the first dungeon.  The end was disappointing for obvious reasons but Mods have pretty much fixed the issues I have with the game other than the fact that Duke Silvershield was brought back to life.  That cheapened the story telling of the first game and wasn't necessary at all.  His voice actor was bad as well.  I was pleased with the gameplay.  It's similar to SCS without needing to be modded and the icewind dale sized mobs were something that hadn't really been a part of the BG series before and added a little more game play variety and  tactics into the mix.  The bulk of the writing problems have been fixed and loose ends have been tied up enough to make me happy with it as a whole.  I still play it every year when I make my run through the whole series.

[Granger77]

I love SoD. It has some really great moments that have stuck with me since I first played.

I think someone on Reddit said that it felt too much like the climax of the saga, which...I can kind of agree with. At times it feels a bit TOO epic and grand. But, it's a game about a war, so that's understandable I think.

Overall, I tend to like it more than SoA (I know, I know).

[Delior]

I second what Moggadeet said.  Beamdog gave themselves a very difficult task with SoD.  They were creating a game using an ancient engine even by 2016 standards.  They also had to create a midquel to a beloved series that had to try to stay faithful enough to fit in the saga and please fans of the OG games, as well create something "epic" enough to stand out on its own to create buzz and sales.  

I love the music, the environmental artwork, and most of the new NPCs.  Some of the encounters are a lot of fun tactically as well.  I do, however, believe that Beamdog made several unforced errors with the overall plot, especially the ending.  Jastey has done a lot of work to ameliorate some of those errors, thankfully.  

[Angel]

It has some issues, but overall I'm fairly fond of it, and the Underground River is one of my favorite dungeons in the series.  I'm only disappointed that there was no effort done to make the SoD events canon in BG2EE.

[Thacobell]

For an interquel expansion I think its very good. Its certainly not perfect, but it gave us goblin grandma.

2 hours ago, Angel said:

It has some issues, but overall I'm fairly fond of it, and the Underground River is one of my favorite dungeons in the series.  I'm only disappointed that there was no effort done to make the SoD events canon in BG2EE.

Yeah, this one you can lay at WotC's feet. There were plans to expand on SoD in BG2, but after SoD's review bombing, WotC got cold feet and altered the license so that BD couldn't add new content.

[Telcontar]

I did. I am not saying it is better than the original game, and original expansions, but it is not bad, gives you a few hours of fun gameplay time and some interesting story. It is not perfect by any means, and they could have done some things a little bit better, but overall, for me it falls on the more positive side.

[Felipe]

I liked a few things (if you think about the game as an expansion): Unlike Throne of Bhaal the game has a better developed story.

Also, i liked the graphics. The intro's music from Sam Hulick RULES!

The bad: The maps are too small and the game is too short. Also, BG 1 (and BG 2, IWD 1 and IW 2) makes the long sword the best weapon in-game. There arent many long swords like this on Dragonspear.

[jastey]

55 minutes ago, Felipe said:

The bad: The maps are too small and the game is too short.

I second this wholeheartedly.

[subtledoctor]

I think everything about it is great except the pacing is crazy. From the moment you leave for the grove/basement until the very end of the Avernus excursion, there is no time to take a long rest that isn't completely at odds with what is happening in the story. That includes four separate maps full of enemies, plus five increasingly large set-piece group battles, plus one tough Charname duel, plus a trip to hell going through a couple dozen fiends, plus the final battle which is extremely long and involved and for which you are pretty underleveled (but overequipped).

More than anything else, I would like to see a mod add some reasonable breaks in the action 1) between the basement mission and the final Coalition Camp encounters; 2) between the Coalition Camp and the Siege of Dragonspear Castle; and 3) between entry to the castle and the entry to Avernus.

[Thacobell]

Underlevelled and over equipped is the perfect explanation. Thanks for the lol.

[WanderingScholar]

2 hours ago, subtledoctor said:

plus a trip to hell going through a couple dozen fiends

I always thought this was a poor choice by Beamdog. This is supposed to be the big finale in SOA.

IMO what the series should have gotten was a good prequal, following the adventures of Gorion and his harper allies, culminating in their discovery of the Temple of Bhaal. This would give more meaning and context to the start of your adventure in BG1. 

Personally, I've never been a big fan of SoD. It was a one and done for me, and I prefer BioWare's intended vision. I still play the originals as a result. Among other reasons. 

Edited January 26 by WanderingScholar