Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition Review

The folks at RPGFan have reviewed the iPad version of Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition. They award it a 69%, and seem generally displeased with the execution of the title’s transition to the Apple platform. Here’s a snip:

But here’s the thing. Baldur’s Gate is a wonderful game. Nothing can ever change that. The fact that it is on the same device I’m using to type this review while in the freaking sky is nothing short of remarkable. But… I feel it must be evaluated not on the merits of its past, but what it is now. When you label something an “Enhanced Edition,” it must be improved in some way. Enhanced, if you will. Is it?

I don’t feel that it is. Sure, the game is still fun to me. But it is also frustrating. Nostalgia pulls me through the frustration of trying to find the exact pixel to touch to get through an open door. Knowing that the next plot twist coming up means I better save before dialogue starts doesn’t change the fact that trying to actually select dialogue options is extremely difficult due to the size of the targets. Trying to operate combat without a space bar in this game is at times brutal. Why couldn’t there have been some kind of swipe that paused to simulate that same feeling of control? And even with the ability to zoom in and out, battlefield control is a headache compared to the PC. You think you’ve clicked on the enemy you want to attack, only to discover that your warrior has run up next to that orc and is standing there taking hits because you missed your touch by a pixel.