Destructoid reviews Siege of Dragonspear and doesn't see much of an issue with the characters, nor with the writing, but notes it is a rather linear game with some serious bugs, awarding it with a 7/10.
Matthew Hopkins News scores it 33%:
And then there are 2 less positive reviews.There's a ton of content here, though it's much more linear than what Baldur's Gate fans are used to. Don't take this, however, as a downside. Personally, I enjoyed the structure. There are still areas to explore and plenty of secrets to find, but the core plot has a stricter path. It makes sense, since they have a definitive starting and ending point, and allowed for some tighter writing overall. Plus, if you want some more open story lines, you can always enjoy the originals!
Chances are, if you're curious about Siege of Dragonspear, there is one question you need answered: how is the writing? The short answer is that it is good. There are some high points and certainly some low points, but overall it's just fine. If you are going to spend your days analyzing and cross-referencing it then you will likely find more things to hate than me. But as a long-time fan who has fond memories of spending afternoons with the spiral-bound manual of Baldur's Gate 2, it's an enjoyable romp.
It's a different sort of game when compared to its brothers, but it works very well in the space it occupies. It's unfortunate that there are quite a handful of technical issues, because otherwise this is a great excuse to head back to the Sword Coast.
Matthew Hopkins News scores it 33%:
And Quad Nine, 4.5/10Siege of Dragonspear goes on. An on. And on. With every linearly presented area one expects an array of clumsy stereotypes and leaden writing. Some dwarves are in a nearby cave. They are unable to deal with an infestation of undead themselves so the player character has to do it for them. We meet a hill giant called Semahl. A ‘gentle giant’, remarks Viconia, with uncharacteristic kindness. By uncharacteristic, your author means that Viconia is a drow cleric of Shar!
More information.Dragonspear felt like someone tried to make a new Baldur’s Gate game without ever bothering to play the old games. Between the confusing and boring writing, bland and generic locations, and myriad of bugs there’s no way any fan of the original games should play this when so many better options exist. Beamdog have said they want to make a third Baldur’s Gate game in the future, and if Dragonspear is what they do when given creative license, then perhaps it’s best the series remains dormant.
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