I've owned both Baldur's Gates in disc form, digitally via GOG and the Enhanced Edition (via Beamdog) and am super excited to see the enhanced editions here on GOG! (I just wish we got a key to add it to our library here if we'd already purchased it!) The Enhanced Editions add a lot of fixes to the game. Many are available in the form of mods for the originals, but some things couldn't be fixed by modders. Its nice to be able to play it without spending an hour modding the game (and making sure everything is done in the right order!) My favorite fix is that the GUI scales with the resolution. No more running at 1080p and barely being able to see the GUI! Additionally, the load times, both for save games and areas, are virtually instant (compared to the original where the farther you went into the game, the longer both seemed to take). Many of the mods have been updated to work with EE as well (though you certainly want to check before using them). I haven't found the new content and NPC's added to be outstanding, but it is nice to have. As others have pointed out, there are still some bugs and a major patch is expected to be released before year end. So is the EE for you? Well that probably depends. For me, my time is precious and as I get older, my vision gets worse! So being able to play it without mods and without squinting too much is great! I've also found that the interface works much better on touchscreens than the original did (though they have a bit of an issue with Microsoft Surface Pros, to which I hope they fix soon. The 1.2 patch of BGEE had it running fine, but the 1.3 patch made it near impossible to launch. Its been reported and they are working on it).
Where to being with Ultima IX? The problems with the game, from its glitchyness to its disregard of the Ultima history are well documented. The community patch and dialogue patch fix a lot of things, but fundamentally the game still doesn't really 'feel' like an Ultima. The world still feels empty, a haunting image of the Britannia we left at the end of the Black Gate. Some say that if it wasn't an Ultima, it'd be considered a good, even great game (technical problems aside). I don't know about that. So why play it? Well for one thing, to this day I have never seen sky rendered so beautifully. The sunsets are GORGEOUS. Certain parts of the country side still look amazing, despite the relatively primitive polygons used. And finally closure. You've journeyed as the Avatar for up to 13 previous games (depending on your view of the canon!). How does it end? I will say that the ending wasn't satisfying to me, but in the end I was glad to have finished it and the series.
While certain aspects of Ultima VII have not aged well (the animation on the NPC's comes to mind), this game was a monumental achievement of its time and overall is still a masterpiece. You will never find a more thought out, full world than the world of Britannia in The Black Gate. I still marvel every time I enter Britain!
After playing BG1, I was hooked on the series and eagerly anticipated the sequel. While BG2 has less freedom of movement than its predecessor, it makes up for it with a massive and intricate world. The party banter really brings your party members to life. I've played this game a dozen times and I still can't NOT have Aerie in my party no matter how hard I try! Its got great tactical combat and an engaging and well thought out story. Any RPG fan MUST play this game!
Prior to Baldur's Gate, I had never played an AD&D game, CRPG or P&P. I probably would have skipped this game had Ultima IX been released on time, but it wasn't and I needed something to tide myself over. I could not have realized how quickly BG1 would be come one of my favorite games ever! Despite the complexities of the AD&D system, I found it pretty easy to work my way through (especially with the detailed manual). The world is brightly colored (something lacking in most RPG's I'm afraid) and much like the old Ultima's, you can just set out in a direction and start exploring. I loved this game so much, I played it through 3 straight times!
