Baldur’s Gate I & II Enhanced Editions | PS4 Review

January 11, 2020 Bob Villareal

Baldur’s Gate I & II were released in 1998 and 2000 respectively (Icewind Dale was also released in 2000), giving RPG fans like myself literally hundreds of hours of adventure and fun. The graphics weren’t as amazing compared to today’s PCs, but with the remastered version of these games now available for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the question is: does the game hold up? It was worth your time and effort in the late 90s, but is it the same today?

Murder Was the Case That They Gave Me

The game begins with a cut scene of your foster parent being killed and what seems like a quest to find said killer. As you begin, it takes a little getting used to, and a lot of the HUD and actions are pretty antiquated. But overall I was sucked back in because of all the aspects I did enjoy about a Dungeons and Dragons game: the soundtrack, the massive story, and often difficult combat (it’s role-based, but like the standard D&D board game). The campaign alone make’s this game worth every penny.

I’ll Be There for You

One of the best aspects of this game is your companions. You meet new people while wandering the world in search of adventure and your foster father’s killer. There are all sorts of races (like elves) and abilities to use. Additionally, you’ll also have the choice of either naturally being a do-gooder or in other cases harnessing that inner darkness.

Some have basic skills, and others more special, differing on the character, current roll of the dice, or even the region you’re in (battlefield, at the inn, etc.). As well, differing on the game mode you’re playing, some could die (there is no resurrection), while others may leave your party just because they disagree with how you react to different stimuli. There is an abundance of companions in the world though as there are times when you’re party is full but you’re still forced go choose between a new associate and a seasoned front line warrior or mage.

Fight for Your Life

Different difficulty levels can help in your quest, though, as “story mode” won’t allow your party members to die. This can be very helpful for those new to Baldur’s Gate, because fights are about as random as you could expect. You may be fighting wolves or dragons, and just as quickly head back to the inn for a quick nap and have to fight a local drunk just to get to your room. Not to mention the random side mission of saving a town from a beast or a local murderer.

Baldur’s Gate I & II Enhanced Edition Final Thoughts

Overall Baldur’s Gate I & II Enhanced Edition is a fun, nostalgic blast from the past. This was one of the favorite RPGs from my teenage years. Playing this newly enhanced version is a fantastic opportunity to see what all of the Dungeons & Dragons fuss was about so many decades ago.

This review is based on a copy of Baldur’s Gate I & II Enhanced Edition provided by Sandbox Strategies for coverage purposes. It’s also available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Android iOS, Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS.