First of all - I'm a Linux user. Took me a few Mesa/Wine-Tkg builds to get the game running perfectly fine with some audio issues, which seem to be a problem for the windows version as well. The game: I knew a very different experience was to be expected, compared to previous CDPR titles and this is perfectly OK. However I did not expect yet another GTA clone. This is fine as well, but lowered my enthusiasm. On my first play-through I was constantly building up ideas in my head like having new/mixed/altered skills and perks, because of the new traveler in your head. Switching between V and Johnny in mid-fight, something... nope - did not happen (besides a few story moments). It was disappointing that instead of having fun with Jackie for 6 months and actually getting to know some of the main characters, you get a 2 min "flash-forward" movie. I have a strong suspicion that this part of the game will be released as additional content at some point. Skills, perks - more or less useless. I did 3 play-troughs on normal, hard and very-hard with different builds and generally different approaches to any of the challenges the game has to offer. The fun part of the game is super deeply hidden and for all the hours invested, the ONLY challenging section on any difficulty was between level 9 and 14. After this is just smooth sailing. Night city is somewhat impressive, but if you take out the side and main missions out you just get a driving sim and boring brawls with the same 3 types of enemies. There no deeper involvement with any of the fixers, besides the ones required for the main mission. The main story is pretty cool at the beginning, but it becomes rather anticlimactic when you suddenly reach the "point of no return". This is not how RPGs work. Being forced into abstract choices between bad and very bad is not really a choice. The build-up to get there is not really satisfying. All i can do is to hope for the full game content to be released at some point.
I do not own this mod. In the past 6-7 years the standard has become to build over an existing title or create the next retarded zombie/survival/space anything. Creating an EE version of a game is one thing, but building over BG is atrocity (heroes 3 hd, anyone?). Marketing this as a new game is probably a good thing, but building on the shoulders of BG is plain wrong. On top of all the price is outrageous. SquareEnix broke the Thief franchise and the Tomb Raider series, now BG had to be butchered, what's next - the Discworld series?
I've been playing this game since 1999 and still continue to play it in 2013. Great campaigns in single player, great multilayer and the best of all - the random map generator and the map editor. The game becomes even GREATER with the free "In the Wake of Gods" or WoG. Then this excellent game becomes the most addictive thing you can think of. Even better - extend the game with graphic packs, backgrounds, sounds, HELL - there's a launcher that lets you play in any resolution in a window (HOMM3 HD+). This is a must for anyone that can play either 10 minutes or 4 hours - there's always something new to discover, even after 14 years of awesomeness later.
