Everything you wanted to know about Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
I have no doubt that all fans of one of the best role-playing games in history are well aware of the upcoming release of the 'modernized' version of Bioware's creation - Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition. However, after the loud announcement, information on the website has appeared in very sparse portions, so you might have missed the detailed description of the contents of the new edition. If that's the case - you're in the right place; I will try to tell you in detail everything that will be in BG: EE and even about what will not be there, unfortunately.
So, what awaits us in Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition?
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New Adventure: The Black Pits
“Hey you, filthy layabouts! Stand up and welcome your new master – Baeloth!”
Powerful and influential people from various kingdoms were delivered sealed scrolls by magic. Upon opening them, the recipients saw that they were among the few chosen invited to a unique show:
“Come one, come all! Master Baeloth cordially invites you to a grand spectacle that you won’t see in any of the kingdoms. You will witness fierce battles for survival and spectacular magical spells, and over all this splendor will hover death. All this and much more only in the Black Pits!”
In the eerie depths of the Underdark, where even the most daring dare not descend, the mad drow Baeloth used his sophisticated magic to turn a duergar settlement into a kind of entertainment complex. He invited guests from all corners of Faerûn, from Maztica to Menzoberranzan, and they gladly accepted his invitation, knowing that Baeloth is an unrivaled showman.
The Black Pits is one of the most extensive expansions included in Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition. In this expansion, you will gather a party of companions and together face fifteen fierce battles, with your life at stake. In the darkness of the Underdark, a real challenge awaits you!
- A separate adventure set in the Underdark
- Fifteen levels of arena challenges
- Full control over a party of up to 6 characters
- Over 6 hours of gameplay
The Black Pits is your new home… Try to enjoy these moments of your life, as they may be your last!
Monastic Rashad in Bashir
“In the face of lies, we speak the truth. In the face of hatred, we show compassion.”
For his young age, Rashad in Bashir radiates an astonishing aura of calmness and wisdom. After a failed mission at the monastery of Athkatla, he wanders the Sword Coast in search of enlightenment.
As orphans, Rashad and his brother Gamaz barely survived on the streets of Calimport, often relying on begging and thievery. One day they were caught by a monk from the Order of the Sun Soul, but instead of severe punishment, they received their first instruction. Very soon the brothers excelled in the physical and spiritual practices of the order dedicated to the moon goddess Selûne.
After the death of his brother, Rashad left the order and set out to find his calling. If during his search he encounters those in need of help, well, all the better, he is always ready to assist them.
Rashad is a Calishite monk demonstrating his skills to the residents of Nashkel. His story will lead you to the highest peak of the Cloud Peaks, where Rashad will have to face an unexpected enemy. This is the first of three new characters in Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition that you can recruit.
- New hero – monk Rashad in Bashir
- New quest related to the monk
- New location – the Cloud Peaks
Rashad's adventure includes around four additional hours of gameplay.
Wild Mage Nira
“Using wild magic is like playing a flute. If I miss even one note, that flute will start to rain fire on everyone nearby.”
After a horrific surge of wild magic that harmed her students, Nira fled to the High Forest, but even there, her unruly spells became a threat, not for people, but for the trees. As a result, the mighty treant Turlang expelled Nira from his domain, and the girl was forced to continue her wanderings. Soon, what was inevitable happened – she stumbled upon the Red Wizards.
In Nira, her quirky humor and the guilt she feels for all the trouble she has caused in the past clash. She tries to learn to control her wild magic, although she experiences a certain pleasure from the surprises that her spells sometimes deliver.
Fleeing from the Red Wizards and trying to come to terms with herself, Nira hopes to find friends who will help her deal with her pursuers and her own magic.
Nira is a half-elf with tremendous magical potential. She is the second of the three new characters in Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition that you can recruit.
- New hero – wild mage Nira
- Exciting romantic adventure
- Up to four additional hours of gameplay
- New location – a secluded hideout northeast of Durlag's Tower
Nira simultaneously experiences both delight and horror as she escapes from the ruthless Red Wizards and the mistakes she made in the past.
Blackguard Dorn Il-Khan
“Don't bore me with your primitive moral convictions.”
Dorn Il-Khan was born on the Spine of the World but was forced to flee to Luskan with his human mother after a hostile tribe wiped out his father's clan. In this northern city, Dorn quickly gained a sinister reputation due to his monstrous strength and attracted the attention of mercenaries of all kinds. After some time, Dorn was captured by the city authorities and betrayed by his companions, resulting in him being charged with the crimes of an entire gang. Faced with death, Dorn struck a deal with a demon, who granted the half-orc not only greater strength but also the chance for revenge.
The silent blackguard is eager to join Gorion's ward to carve his path along the Sword Coast with his massive two-handed sword, leaving a trail of corpses behind him if it ultimately allows him to catch up with the traitors he swore to punish.
Dorn is a blackguard half-orc whose demonic patron grants him terrifying power in the form of a black sword and dark spells. This is the last of the three new characters in Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition that you can recruit.
- New hero – blackguard Dorn Il-Khan
- Up to four additional hours of gameplay
- Blackguard kit, allowing you to create your own warrior of evil
Betrayed by his former comrades, the half-orc Dorn is equally thirsty for revenge and glory.
Improvements
In Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition, players will find more than 400 improvements compared to the original game. These include:
Redesigned Interface
Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition supports high resolutions and widescreen displays. The iPad and Android versions feature some interface changes specific to those platforms.
Multiplayer Support
Multiplayer supports matchmaking (auto-game search). Furthermore, owners of the game on different platforms (PC, Mac, iPad, Android) can play together!
Improvements to the Original Game
The original game's code has been partially rewritten and cleaned up, improving its performance and ensuring support for modern configurations. More than 400 inaccuracies in Baldur’s Gate have been found and fixed.
Features from Baldur’s Gate II
All improvements and innovations from Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn are included in Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition. This allows you to utilize character kits, as well as new subraces and classes that were previously unavailable.
New Cutscenes
All original cutscenes from Baldur’s Gate are replaced with new hand-painted cutscenes created under the supervision of renowned artist Nat Jones, who, by the way, is the Art Director of Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition.
Ongoing Game Support
Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition will receive support even after the game’s release, including support for the modding community, which has allowed the game to remain popular for so long.
F.A.Q.
Q: What languages will the game be available in?
A: At the time of release, English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish languages will be available (all included in one version of the game). As for support for other languages, including Russian, there is currently no exact information, although judging by **this** post on the official forum, work on other localizations is indeed underway.
Q: On which platforms will the game be released?
A: The game will be released on PC, Mac, iPad, and Android. A significant point is that saves from different versions of the game will be compatible with each other.
Q: What will definitely NOT be in the game?
A: The game will definitely not include:
• New art for items, monsters, and characters. The original artwork for BG and BG II is lost, so replacing the old versions with HD is impossible. The same applies to new animations.
• New dialogues for old characters. Developers are not allowed to change dialogues; only the most minor changes are permitted. So, for instance, we will not see improvements in romantic relationships with any already existing characters in the game.
• The use of any assets from Icewind Dale and Planescape: Torment. Contracts for re-releasing these games have not been made, so using any content from them is impossible.
Q: What rules are used in Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition?
A: The game uses the second edition of Dungeons & Dragons rules.
Q: What are the game's system requirements?
A: 512 MB of RAM, a video card not lower than GeForce 2, and a processor with a clock speed of at least 1 GHz.
Q: Is an internet connection required to play?
A: No, Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition does not require an internet connection.
Q: When will the game be released?
A: The game is slated to be released on PC September 18, 2012. Releases for Mac and iPad are also planned for September. The release date for the Android version is still unknown.
Q: How much will the game cost?
A: The PC and Mac versions will be 0 (pre-ordering will get you the game for 10**.
Q: Will Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition appear on Steam?
A: Currently, Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition is exclusively sold on the **Beamdog** website. There is no information about Steam yet, but it can be assumed that sooner or later the game will appear there.
I personally want to add that the improved version of the game looks quite appealing, although I would like more significant changes, such as a re-release in HD. But in any case, Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition is an opportunity to touch a live classic of the RPG genre, so if for some reason you missed the original version, BG:EE will help you correct that unfortunate oversight. I myself replayed the first part of the game just six months ago, but I will definitely buy the enhanced version :)