Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition

Removal of original games to increase their "enhanced" edition sales is a shitty move by Beamdog.

So, as per GOG's new guidelines, I'm supposed to let this game "stand on its own merits." Fair enough. However, I feel obligated to point out that if Beamdog themselves really thought their *own* products could stand on their own merits, they wouldn't have felt the need to *remove* the classic BG1, BG2 and Icewind Dale from sale altogether, opting instead to include the classic games as "extras" with these much pricier Enhanced Edition releases. They wouldn't have felt the need to deprive buyers of the option to buy the classics *without* fronting the cash to *also* buy a version of the game they may not necessarily want. I'm willing to let this game stand on its own merits. I wonder... is the *developer* willing to do the same?

Beamdog has shown clear intent to butcher this beloved intellectual property with the updates related to the Siege of Dragonspear expansion, and of course with the expansion itself. I recommend sticking with the original, but at the very least, do due diligence with researching Beamdog's "creative direction" for the series, lest you end up regretting your purchase as I now do.

I already own the GOG versions of the original editions of BG, BG2, and ID, and they are beloved classics of the RPG genre. Unfortunately, I rushed out and bought the "enhanced" versions of these same games without doing my due diligence, and so I refuse to believe that that 4 star rating is an actual representation of player satisfaction with the "enhanced" version of the games. "Enhanced" -- it turns out -- doesn't mean "patched to fix bugs" or "updated to run on modern machines" -- it also apparently means "bland graphics and shoe-horning in characters and writing that never existed in the original games and were never meant tod". Couple that with the fact that you must now buy the bundle just to get the original, and the whole thing is a deal breaker for me. Look for the original games on other stores if they're available, or find a CD version on eBay or at the flea market, but don't buy it here if you can avoid it. If you're playing the original game, then you might enjoy the experience of playing it on the original hardware and media, too. Plus the physical box and manuals were cool to have. I wish I still had mine.

This version has replaced the classic game - courtesy of Beamdog not wanting any competition for their EE version. I would have been kind of ok with it if the EE version had been any good. Sadly it isn't. Horrible cartoony sprites, a myriad of bugs, and some really intrusive and obnoxious new NPCs added to the game. I know the sprite outline can be switched off, but the alternative sprites still look worse than in the original. The UI has been remade into something barely resembling BG at all, as well. Thanks, Beamdog.