It’s hard to imagine what a game-changer this concept would have been in BioWare’s game if it had been implemented.

Baldur’s Gate 2 took us on numerous detours. We had to run a theater, infiltrate the Underdark while disguised as a drow, and get stranded in a magic-transformed circus tent. However, we missed out on perhaps the boldest detour of all: one that would have involved time travel, parallel dimensions, and the return of the villain from the first game, Sarevok. James Ohlen was the man behind the mission that never came to fruition. The co-lead designer of Baldur’s Gate 2 is currently taking a break from game development to recover from burnout. His desire is understandable. He wanted a time-travel plot.

In the story, someone uses the Planar Sphere to travel back in time and help Sarevok win. Sarevok then becomes the dictator of the Sword Coast. Sarevok is the protagonist’s half-brother, as well as a Bhaalspawn. He was the original antagonist of Baldur’s Gate, but became an ally in the excellent Throne of Bhaal expansion for Baldur’s Gate 2. Although this sounds complicated, Ohlen didn’t expand the scope too much and told his colleagues it wouldn’t be as big as they thought. It’s just the Market District, and they would change everything there.

The Waukeen Promenade is the marketplace in Athkatla – the first place we arrive after escaping the twisted laboratory at the beginning of Baldur’s Gate II. It’s a large area, so it’s conceivable that a lot had to be added, removed, and modified to fit a future version where the entire region is ruled by the mad child of a dead god. However, it’s worth noting that this isn’t the region in which Baldur’s Gate 2 takes place. Ohlen drew inspiration from a story in the DC series Legion of Super-Heroes, in which characters realize the current timeline is incorrect, remember the original timeline, and must figure out how to return to it.

Unfortunately, that’s not how it turned out. Kevin Martens, the co-lead designer, told Ohlen that it was time to stop. The designs were ready, but no dialogue had been written yet. It’s hard not to feel like we missed out on something, but every great RPG has unfinished ideas that get left behind.

Source: PCGamer