Wizeroy

Keyboard and mouse gameplay is just bad. Game must have been written by 10 year olds with overbearing mother behind their back. Combat gets repetative after just couple encounters. Nice hair though.

Beamdog, creators of this expansion have compared it to Throne of Bhaal. Also I have to consider fact, that both beginning and ending of the game are pretty well defined by original games. Having that in mind I installed the game expecting a solid chunk of linear story with some interesting characters along the way. ...I got exactly that. Story: It's good, sometimes fantastic, but sadly not very replayable. It's a single ride thing that should give you a good time while it lasts. Dialog choices are much more Mass Effect than Baldur's Gate to be honest (be a saint/jerk or make a joke) and they don't affect the plot in any meaningful way. I found myself always looking for more informative options for often interesting background. Also sidequests... not a lot of them, mostly good, couple ok'ish. Characters: I found Shining Lady to be an interesting and charismatic adversary. She brought certain moral dilemma with her that I won't spoil... suffice to say, it works. Supporting cast sadly is a mixed bag, especially your old time crew mates. Writing for some of them seems inconsistent compared to what we know and love about them. It's worst for Viconia and Edwin which feel completely misinterpreted. On the bright side, all NPCs have much more voiced dialog, often voice their opinions and have small side quests to pick your interest. Some of the new additions are also a welcomed sight. On technical level gathering strong party isn't hard. The controversial background character many people focus on in their critique is absolutely ignorable. Gameplay/Combat: Ah yes... this feels much more like Ice Wind Dale than Baldur's Gate. Often huge amounts of trash monsters will force you to use your AoE spells. Some of them have an interesting behavior and AI seems better than in old titles. It keeps you on your toes especially on higher difficulty settings. The UI changes are great. Every page seems clear and more informative. Key Bindings for camera movement is something we've been waiting for ages and completely changes the way you do micromanagement (good key binding makes everything faster). The UI color palette could be better, but it didn't detract from my experience. Graphics: Remembering new maps from BG:EE 1 and 2 I had big concerns about the look of the game. Fortunately here, the maps are absolutely stunning. Well done for art director. Quite often I stopped to look at things in awe. They really pushed the infinity engine to its limits. Many locations can easily rival and beat Black Isle creations. The resolution could be better, but then again, it keeps things running on my aged potatoe laptop. Music: It's great, it fits, it has everything it needs. Sounds like old but new Baldur's Gate, recorded on fresh equipment which gives it this clear feel (yeah, music from BG 1 and 2 is kinda rusty). Mods: not many of them, some work, some have no reason to work. I suggest checking out Big World Setup for easier time. I wish Siege of Dragonspear had bigger impact on story and characters in BG:EE2 (it has none because you know... reasons) but I guess we have to leave it to modders. So, coming from someone who goes through whole Baldur's Gate once a year for nostalgia (every time with different mods) I give it solid 7/10. Good time, flawed but definitely not wasted.