Siege of Dragonspear is technically just a big X-pac for Baldur's Gate 1 which I finished on the Switch earlier this year - however it is QUITE big and if we're going to include Throne of Bhaal in the reviews (and you bet your butt we are), then Siege gets its day in the limelight as well... though I'm not sure that is much in its favor to be reviewed on its own, rather than merely a part of BG1...
Dragonspear was made 15 years after BG1 and is made by a different developer (Beamdog, made up of a lot of ex-BioWare folks in fairness) but tries to make the feel as close to the original series as possible in spirit, though it does its best to serve as a bridge between BG1 and 2 in pretty much every way.
Like 2, Dragonspear's characters are much more fleshed out and talkative about their opinions and quests. Many of the characters from 1 return, especially if they will be back in a bigger way in 2 or if we never hear from them in 2 - Dragonspear tries to 'close the loop' as it were on what their characters were up to while the Bhaalspawn was hoofing it around Atkathla. Overall the characters in Dragonspear are quite good - Jaheira and Khalid actually show affection for each other, Safana gets a bit of cleverness and wit added to her usual schtick of "I use my sexuality 100% of the time" and we even see Imoen training as a mage! Pretty cool actually. I do have a beef though - this would be a great time to flesh out Imoen even more as a character but instead the game goes in the complete opposite direction, making her not a party member for essentially the entire game! Kinda bullshit, makes it harder to care about her in BG2 if you didn't already...? Like what even is the point of going to get her if you barely know her? I'm sure they had their reasons but it just doesn't sit too well with me..
Combat-wise Dragonspear uses the development of computer tech in the past decade+ to great effect. There are SEVERAL enormous battles that take place in this, including two full-on siege battles if you so choose that are epic as hell to look at, if not a complete clusterfuck.. The switch version can BARELY handle these by the way, hahaha... Also there are two sections in Baldur's Gate where it actually FEELS like you're in a GIANT ASS CITY, which is a great feeling that many RPGs fall flat on. Getting to see the throngs of people squished into the city due to the actions of Caelar's crusade is a fantastic touch.
Speaking of the story - it is... pretty good? Not superb, but good. Caelar Argent is an Aasimar knight and she is on a MISSION: to invade the nine hells and get back lost souls! Pretty righteous and awesome right? Now of course you might think "why would anyone want to stop this? She's automatically the good guy!", well, you are given several good lines at calling this out - invading hell is straight up insane, there are TONS of devils and you're fighting them on your home turf. Sure you might save a few, but how many more would you lose? It's madness to try, and that's why you need to stop her! Of course the game gives you a better reason - she attacks you and Imoen in the middle of the night and makes it personal! We later learn she was not trying to kill you but rather capture you for your blood, but still it is damn stupid to pick a fight with you. Don't worry though, we've got a whole other 2 games of people trying... Anyway - you later learn that Caelar is actually only in this for one man: her uncle, who took her place in the hells after she accidentally got herself locked up as an arrogant child. A pretty touching story honestly, and gives her some nicely needed depth as an antagonist though I do wish you could do a little more with it, the game ends like 10 minutes after this revelation...After this, Irenicus frames you for murder and you beat feet out of Baldur's Gate to... BG2!!
Overall I do think Siege of Dragonspear is a pretty solid addition to the BG saga, albeit not really a necessary one. The combat sections are pretty solid, the characters are decent enough, and the story is good for what it is, but it doesn't really feel complete as a whole. The story beats are pretty short, and the areas you wander and explore are quite limited past their immediate quest functions. It all LOOKS great and sounds great but feels, ultimately, just a bit hollow. Probably why Beamdog never got another shot at the series.
Dragonspear was made 15 years after BG1 and is made by a different developer (Beamdog, made up of a lot of ex-BioWare folks in fairness) but tries to make the feel as close to the original series as possible in spirit, though it does its best to serve as a bridge between BG1 and 2 in pretty much every way.
Like 2, Dragonspear's characters are much more fleshed out and talkative about their opinions and quests. Many of the characters from 1 return, especially if they will be back in a bigger way in 2 or if we never hear from them in 2 - Dragonspear tries to 'close the loop' as it were on what their characters were up to while the Bhaalspawn was hoofing it around Atkathla. Overall the characters in Dragonspear are quite good - Jaheira and Khalid actually show affection for each other, Safana gets a bit of cleverness and wit added to her usual schtick of "I use my sexuality 100% of the time" and we even see Imoen training as a mage! Pretty cool actually. I do have a beef though - this would be a great time to flesh out Imoen even more as a character but instead the game goes in the complete opposite direction, making her not a party member for essentially the entire game! Kinda bullshit, makes it harder to care about her in BG2 if you didn't already...? Like what even is the point of going to get her if you barely know her? I'm sure they had their reasons but it just doesn't sit too well with me..
Combat-wise Dragonspear uses the development of computer tech in the past decade+ to great effect. There are SEVERAL enormous battles that take place in this, including two full-on siege battles if you so choose that are epic as hell to look at, if not a complete clusterfuck.. The switch version can BARELY handle these by the way, hahaha... Also there are two sections in Baldur's Gate where it actually FEELS like you're in a GIANT ASS CITY, which is a great feeling that many RPGs fall flat on. Getting to see the throngs of people squished into the city due to the actions of Caelar's crusade is a fantastic touch.
Speaking of the story - it is... pretty good? Not superb, but good. Caelar Argent is an Aasimar knight and she is on a MISSION: to invade the nine hells and get back lost souls! Pretty righteous and awesome right? Now of course you might think "why would anyone want to stop this? She's automatically the good guy!", well, you are given several good lines at calling this out - invading hell is straight up insane, there are TONS of devils and you're fighting them on your home turf. Sure you might save a few, but how many more would you lose? It's madness to try, and that's why you need to stop her! Of course the game gives you a better reason - she attacks you and Imoen in the middle of the night and makes it personal! We later learn she was not trying to kill you but rather capture you for your blood, but still it is damn stupid to pick a fight with you. Don't worry though, we've got a whole other 2 games of people trying... Anyway - you later learn that Caelar is actually only in this for one man: her uncle, who took her place in the hells after she accidentally got herself locked up as an arrogant child. A pretty touching story honestly, and gives her some nicely needed depth as an antagonist though I do wish you could do a little more with it, the game ends like 10 minutes after this revelation...After this, Irenicus frames you for murder and you beat feet out of Baldur's Gate to... BG2!!
Overall I do think Siege of Dragonspear is a pretty solid addition to the BG saga, albeit not really a necessary one. The combat sections are pretty solid, the characters are decent enough, and the story is good for what it is, but it doesn't really feel complete as a whole. The story beats are pretty short, and the areas you wander and explore are quite limited past their immediate quest functions. It all LOOKS great and sounds great but feels, ultimately, just a bit hollow. Probably why Beamdog never got another shot at the series.