Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition Reviews

Now that Overhaul Games’ Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition has had some time to seep its way into our pores, it comes as no surprise that a relatively large batch of reviews have been posted to the ‘net.

The Escapist gives it a 3.5/5:

RPG fans who missed it the first time around would do very well with it, and it’s a convenient modernization for oldsters looking for a jolt of nostalgia without having to dick around with patches and mods and the aggravation they entail. Die-hard fans of the franchise who have been playing around with it since the original release, on the other hand, may find that the new content and upgrades it offers don’t quite make it a mandatory addition to their collections.

StickSkills gives it an 8.5/10:

Baldur’s Gate II, hell, the Baldur’s Gate series in general remains one of the classics of western RPGs. Everything about the game stands the test of time; the plot, the writing, the combat. The only real gripe one could have with the latest Enhanced Edition is the price, and that becomes a mater of personal preference. 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.

The Quest Gaming Network gives it an 8.5/10:

In the end, the Baldur’s Gate series has always been about the story and the characters driving that story. The superb story line that defined the original version is as compelling today as it was thirteen years ago. Gamers new and old will find themselves lost in the world of Faerûn, battling scores of enemies, uncovering the mystery of Jon Irenicus, and busting out in laughter at the banter between Minsc and the Miniature Giant Space Hamster Boo. Overall, the enhancements do just that: they (enhance) the original experience without taking away from what made the game great to begin with. Supplement the original with the additions of Neera, Dorn, Rassad and now Hexxat, Baldur’s Gate 2 Enhanced Edition will give you hours of enjoyment, on top of the amazing content that was present in Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal. Add in The Black Pits addition and you’ve got a package that, in my opinion, is worth every penny.

The Controller Online gives it an 8/10:

Overhaul Games have smoothed out their process from their initial effort and have delivered a solid effort with Baldur’s Gate 2 Enhanced Edition. All of the elements that made the game great the first time around remain intact, with a few modern conveniences added. A must have for fans of the original and for newcomers who want to know how games used to be played.

OmniGamer gives it a 3/5:

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, but only the most hardcore Baldur’s Gate fans are going to see any value in shelling out $25 for a prettier picture.

GameZebo gives it a 4.5/5:

Those encountering the game for the first time might find the dizzying scale of content and obtuse underlying systems off-putting. But I would encourage them to persevere. By building on top of the colossal edifice of the tabletop RPG, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition achieves a depth of setting and tactical play matched by few other computer role playing games, even over a decade after its original release.

Corrupted Cartridge gives it a 3.9/5:

With that said, if you have never played Baldurs Gate II, and wants to see what it is all about Baldurs Gate II: Enhanced Edition is the version of the game to get. It works perfectly, while it has some nice additions that was not present in the original. If you are a returning fan of the game, it will not bring as many surprises, but still give a nice trip down memory lane. And if you get hooked to it, you will find that it sports many hundred hours of gameplay giving great value for your bucks. It is not perfect, but it is a nice piece of history.

Hardcore Gamer gives it a 4.5/5:

Baldur’s Gate II is not a game to be missed. With an epic story, memorable characters, hundreds of hours of dungeon crawling, questing and adventuring, Baldur’s Gate stands tall among the classics. The Enhanced Edition takes all that (and then some) and wraps it in a much more visually pleasing package that will be more acceptable to modern gamers. 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.

And Twinfinite gives it a 2/5 to go along with their controversial conclusion:

I know that Baldur’s Gate 2 is an incredibly well-loved game. I get that. I love the original X-Com, but I understand that if some walked into that these days (even an updated version that was cleaned up) it would be very hard to enjoy. This is more of a warning to people that have no experience with Baldur’s Gate 2. 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.