Baldurs Gate II: Enhanced Edition

As much as I've gotten used to modern, hold-your-hand RPGs like Mass Effect 3, there is something to be said for this take-no-prisoners blast from the past, especially if you love old-timey D&D as much as I do. And even if you don't have this particular predilection, you should check the game out...

Whatever your choice, you're likely to lose whole weeks inching your way through dungeons in the dark, lost in a game with few frills from an era where the dialogue mattered much more than seeing every conversation carefully animated. Just be prepared for it to be difficult, dangerous, deadly - a relic of a less forgiving age.

The new content is fun and adds to the experience, but let's not forget that we're talking about Baldur's Gate II here. While balls-hard and requiring a lot of patience if you're prepared to take it on you'll discover what is arguably the best and...

The occasional new character aside, it’s largely as you remember it, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but a crisper resolution and a handful of new faces is far from what I’d call “enhanced”. This might be a great way to get younger or newer gamers involved in a true classic...

What content is added is enjoyable, and the game runs without a problem on a modern machine. If you’re looking for a reason to revisit the RPG classic, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition is a well made, if slightly expensive option.

Old fans of the game have good reason to come back, and new players may find themselves overwhelmed at first, but taking the time to learn the ins and outs of this classic CRPG will pay dividends.

The enhancements aren't quite ready for prime-time, but Baldur's Gate II remains one of the greatest RPGs of all time and an unsurpassed D&D experience. The improvements to the interface are fantastic, and if the new content gets the final wax-and-polish it deserves, it will be too.

If you have not played this before, perhaps you should check out the first one. Maybe importing a character and knowing the rules and world a bit would have alleviated many of my frustrations, but as it stands, I don’t see the appeal.