After a very long testing phase, the much-expected patch 2.6 for Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate II, Siege of Dragonspear and Icewind Dale Enhanced Editions has been released by Beamdog:

Patch 2.6

We are launching Patch 2.6 for Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate II, Siege of Dragonspear and Icewind Dale Enhanced Editions on Steam, GOG, the mac App Store and the Beamdog Store (tablet/mobile updates coming soon).

This massive patch upgrades the games to 64-bit systems, fixes hundreds of bugs, and adds brand new portraits & voice sets to customize your heroes— including two sets from the legendary Mark Meer (voice of Commander Shepherd in Mass Effect)!

Huge thanks to our heroic community for their tireless adventuring in beta builds for this mammoth patch. Thank You!

Note: Patch 2.6 won't fix every issue in the games, but don't worry— we're still working on future updates!

Patch Highlights

• Upgrade to 64-Bit | A much needed upgrade for modern machines— this improves system compatibility
• 7 New Character Voice Sets | New player voice sets, including two from the legendary Mark Meer reprising his roles as Alveus Malcanter and Baeloth Barrityl
• 11 New Character Portraits | New character portraits to customize your hero’s look
• Hundreds of Bug Fixes | Includes scores of fixes to spells and hero abilities
• Improved Pathfinding | Smoother party movement and navigation

New Localizations

• Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition | Added French text localization (beta)
• Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear | Added French (beta), Italian, German, Ukrainian and Polish text localizations
• Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition | Added Brazilian Portuguese and Chinese (Simplified) text localizations

[...]

Thanks Redglyph!

PC Gamer reports that the next big patch 2.6 for the Enhanced Editions of Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale is coming:

A major update for the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale enhanced editions is in beta

Beamdog wants your help testing 2.6.

It's been years since Beamdog released their enhanced editions of the original Baldur's Gate games and Icewind Dale, but the studio has announced it is planning to update them, with a "BIG 2.6 Patch" for Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition in the works. The patch notes include plenty of fixes for the sequel, and Icewind Dale as well.

The highlights of version 2.6 will be a shift to 64-bit executables, "hundreds of bug fixes including many spell fixes", improvements to pathfinding and multiplayer stability, the addition of the Adventurers of Neverwinter portraits to all three games, and French text localization for Baldur's Gate 2.

[...]

Thanks Zloth!

The Beamblog announces that Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition has been patched to version 2.5.

Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition 2.5 Patch

The 2.5 update for Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition is finally here!
We've made over 500 fixes and features throughout the 2.5 Infinity Engine updates and now this much-anticipated update for Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition is coming to Beamdog, Steam, GoG, Google Play, and the App Store!
Stay tuned for more information about the Mac App Store release.
If you don't see the BGII:EE 2.5 update, please be patient as some platforms are slower to update than others.
New Localization:

• Simplified Chinese

• Korean

• Russian

• Polish

New V/O:

• German

• Italian

• Polish

Top features:

• Road to 2.0 community portraits added
• Tablet dialogue buttons added
• Added the Priest of Tempus kit
• "Take All" button added to containers
• Improved multiplayer stability
• Hexxat is now able to survive the final Throne of Bhaal encounter
• Importing a ranger allows the selection of a Racial Enemy
• Tenser's Transformation no longer disables innate spells

There is now an OHFIXTTYR player AI script that can be used by players to fix their existing BG:EE/SoD Priest of Tyr characters to the new kit value. Existing priests of Tyr can continue through the game without issue; when they're ready to export their character they can simply assign this script and press 'D'. A 'Priest of Tyr' bit of floating text should pop up and they'll be granted some special abilities (Chaos of Battle and Holy Power).
Unfortunately, it's not a 'clean' fix. Despite being the correct kit value, their class in BG:EE/SoD will be listed as 'cleric' instead of 'Priest of Tyr', hence why we recommend doing this only before export.
Occasionally updates can take a while to distribute, especially on Google Play and the App Store. We appreciate your patience as the update populates throughout.
Watch out for more news on our social channels about 2.5 updates to Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear.
Here's the full list of bug fixes and features (please, note that this list does not cover the general Infinity Engine tickets, these will be published when the 2.5 patch series is completed)!
Localization

• [German] Sounds and movies from vanilla BG2 should not be missing (10731)
• [German] Irenicus's opening voice-over should not be incomplete (36796)
• Include Italian VO (35459)
• [Italian] Certain audio tracks should not mismatch their text or be missing (37746)
• Include Polish text & VO (35457)
• BG2 Russian Language in 2.5 (31221)
• Include Korean text (35458)
• Include Simplified Chinese text (35473)

Features

• Allow players to use the Priest of Tempus kit (34940)
• Add "Take All" button to containers (29868)
• Bring over PST dialogue selection button (34131)
• Restore several party banters (32059)
• Make 3 new portraits from "The Road to v2.0 Reward" official to the base game of BG2:EE (31485)
• All language names should be displayed alphabetically in English (12399)
• Support iOS 11 In app purchase (32122)
• Priests of Tempus should get a holy symbol at level 25 (35225)
• The game should not have two different Stoneskin scrolls in the same store (3209)
• Make Cromwell's forging cutscene skippable (31637)
• Cutscenes should consistently restore UI elements (37671)
• Branding - Replace old sword and shield logo (31722)
• Check dmgtypes.2da in bg2ee (33023)
• Saemon should have a better reply in Spellhold (33985)
• Aran should have an additional line about Bodhi (33984)
• Prophet should actually answer your question (33929)
• Militia Captain should have more exposition (33892)
• Cernd should respond to Jaheira's interjection (33890)
• Mazzy should have more exposition if help refused the first time (33887)

[...]

The soundtracks of Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition and Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition are now available on Steam.

Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition Soundtrack Available

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – The Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition soundtrack is now available on Steam for the first time. The digital package contains the original soundtracks for Baldur’s Gate II and Throne of Bhaal, composed by Jeremy Soule, Inon Zur, and Howard Drossin.

“This soundtrack is fantastic,” says Cameron Tofer, COO of Beamdog. “I listen to it at max volume when I’m speeding around town. Somehow my gas gauge never drops while it’s playing. Scientists hate me!”

The Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition Soundtrack also contains 15 new tracks by Sam Hulick, composed for the enhanced edition of the game, making 81 tracks in all. This includes 34 previously unreleased tracks, now available for the first time.

The Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition Soundtrack is available on Steam for $9.99 USD beginning on June 23, 2016. All tracks come in both MP3 (320kbit) and lossless FLAC format.

and

Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition Soundtrack Available

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – Beamdog, the company behind Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition, has released the official Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition Soundtrack on Steam. The digital package contains the original soundtrack for the Icewind Dale video game, composed by Jeremy Soule.

“Icewind Dale was our best release ever,” says Alex Tomovic, project manager for Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition. “Probably because I was in charge. The music definitely helped, though.”

The Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition Soundtrack is available on Steam for $9.99 USD beginning on June 23, 2016. All tracks come in both MP3 (320kbit) and lossless FLAC format.

We have received three keys to celebrate the BGII:EE patch that was recently released. Not wanting to keep them for ourselves so we will give them to you, our visitors. All you need to do is reply to this news post and mention why you should have it. Anything will do, so be inventive.

The minimum requirements are that you have at least 50 posts and are a member for at least 3 months.

After the weekend (so before Christmas) we will select the lucky three winners.

Update: Here are the winners.

1. Brumbek
2. Dajjer
3. Bargeral

You should get a PM in your inbox with the key.

Beamdog has released a new patch for Baldur's Gate 2: EE.

After many months of development, we are proud to bring you the 1.3 release for Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition. This update brings official support for Mac and Linux, as well as more than five-hundred bug fixes and dozens of gameplay enhancements. You can read our full 37-page release notes document on the official website, or download it directly here: Download Now!

Linux, iOS, and Android users will have access to BGII:EE on December 16.

Thanks, m00n1ight.

Yes, you can play it on your phone.

Included are hundreds of bug fixes, better pathfinding and stabilised multiplayer. There are German and Spanish text translations and the very-handy-for-a-phone option of increasing font size.

It's a whopping £10.49 for iPad at the moment, but there's no word how much it will cost for phones. Baldur's Gate [1]: Enhanced Edition costs £6.99 on iOS.

More information.

Alexander Saeedy has written a new article on Kill Screen were he gives his confession on why he quit playing Baldur's Gate 2. I foresee many comments so keep it civil.

The dungeons of Baldur's Gate 2 have yet to be plundered. Inside its halls, goblins await  a band of heroes. The keys to the library sit in the second sewer tunnel, directly behind a black cauldron. An NPC Golem sits inside of a laboratory, not yet fooled into leading me inside his master’s crypt. And in the middle of all this, I pray for vindication and satisfaction. Because this has been a pretty damn dull experience.

I felt one thing within the ten hours that I played of Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition: frustration. Bitter, difficult, and unrelenting frustration. I'm a huge fan of getting nostalgic, especially when it comes to videogames. Sixty hours of turn-based combat in Fire Emblem? No problem. But to really enjoy a game, you need more than passive, inanimate respect for structure and mechanics. It requires a certain nameless excitement. Sometimes, we call it “fun.” But as I sat playing Baldur's Gate 2 on a borrowed PC from my university's library, I couldn’t grasp any sort of joy, ecstasy, or insight. Everything felt … outdated. Unprovocative.

Kotaku has a new Q&A with Trent Oster about Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition.

Schreier: How are sales so far, for both games? Out of curiosity, do they sell better on PC or iOS?

Oster: Sales are great; we recently made it into the top 10 on iPad with a $14.99 game. There was only on other title over $0.99 in that group and it was Minecraft. We're ecstatic about the success and jazzed at the number of people who are coming out to play one of the greatest western RPGs of all time. As the PC version has been out longer and Baldur's Gate comes from a PC base, we've seen more success so far on that platform, but the Apple sales are building quickly, so it could be a tight race. From our side, we are in this for the long haul; we're working with a great franchise and a strong fan community, so we're looking at this from a long-term viewpoint and we're confident sales will still be strong years down the road.

Schreier: Last we spoke, you expressed interest in working on a Baldur's Gate 3 if everything worked out with 1 and 2. Is that still possible? What sort of legal hurdles would be involved there?

Oster: We're definitely interested in working on Baldur's Gate 3. We've put a ton of work into the franchise and I think the reviews of our new content speak to how well we understand the games. Most reviews say how seamlessly our content fits into the original games. From a legal-hurdles standpoint, we need to get all the right people together in one spot and hammer out an agreement we can all succeed in. We're very happy with our working relationship with Wizards of the Coast and we want to keep that relationship going for a long time into the future. 

Overhaul Games sent out a press release that announces the iPad version of Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition is now available.

Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition Out Now for iPad

Finally you can take one of the greatest role-playing games of all time with you wherever you go. Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition is out now on iPad for $14.99, with additional party members and portrait packs available via in-app purchases.

“He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster... When you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you...”

Kidnapped. Imprisoned. Tortured. The wizard Irenicus holds you captive in his stronghold, attempting to strip you of the powers that are your birthright.
Can you resist the evil within you, forge a legend of heroic proportions, and ultimately destroy the dark essence that haunts your dreams? Or will you embrace your monstrous nature, carve a swath of destruction across the realms, and ascend to godhood as the new Lord of Murder?

Softpedia has a new review for Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition.

While Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition still has the same award-winning content, even adding a little bit of extra stuff, the game is unfortunately still outmatched in today's arena.

The many bug fixes and the visual overhaul are not enough to compete with today's role-playing games, even with the addition of (buggy) online multiplayer with cross-platform support. The unappealing graphics and the clunkiness of the user interface, combined with the steep learning curve, will surely turn away many new players

Destructoid reviews the enhanced Edition of Baldur's Gate II, and gives the game a final score of 8.5/10.

The best way to describe Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition is that it’s very convenient and nice. It’s convenient and nice to not have to install a handful of mods on the original version in order to get it to look not terrible. It’s convenient and nice to have small quality-of-life things added that new players won’t even notice while Baldur's Gate veterans will likely welcome them with open arms.

All the convenient and nice additions in the world wouldn’t matter though if the core game wasn’t so damn brilliant, which it still is. Baldur’s Gate II lives up to its reputation as one of the all-time best RPGs, and if you’re looking for a no-fuss way to play it, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition is exactly that.

ZTGD reviews the Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition and awards it with a 6.5/10.

Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition is a game with a very specific audience – those who are familiar with the inner workings of D&D and/or played the game when it first came out. It’s not that newcomers can’t enjoy it, but the game almost deliberately stacks the deck against them. As a piece of RPG history, it holds up reasonably well, and gives players another opportunity to enjoy this deep game. However, those experiencing it for the first time will be well served to do some research before diving in.

The Gaming Nexus posted a new review for Baldurs Gate II: Enhanced-Edition, and awarded the game with a final score of 8.8/10.

In summary, “Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition” is pretty much just the original game running on a new engine with some minor extras. The original game is a classic - every serious RPG fan has either played it or should. The Enhanced Edition wraps the original and its expansion into a convenient package and adds some nice additional material.

Gizorama reviews the Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition, and awards the game with a final score of 4/5.

Despite a few issues here and there, BeamDog’s Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition is every bit as good as the original and more. The new content shines enough to warrant the purchase for veterans without upsetting the games original form and also culminates in sizable value for money for newcomers. The tweaks are all more than welcome  and only serve to Enhance (pun intended) the experience and the HD resolution updates without robbing the franchise of its charm. If there’s one drawback here it’s that those who didn’t like the franchise before won’t be converted however it is clear that this was never the intention. And for those who look back on it fondly or just missed the opportunity 13 years ago, the time to dive in is definitely now.

GameTactics reviews Baldur's Gate 2: EE, and awards the game with a sore of 8/10.

Despite the lack of a significant overhauling, the core game is still a very solid experience. You can expect a significantly lengthy quest, with the main quest being as little as 10 hours. But of course that makes the game much harder, so having many side quests to do and make that clock go up into the 100 hour range, and that’s not even counting the expansion or the Black Pits II. Voice-acting brings the charms of characters like Minsc to life, and you can also expect a great story to unfold. The game may be a bit pricey for what is more of a re-release than a remake, but it’s ultimately up players if they want mods, or a version for the iPad, or just accessibility and streamlining. Either way you can’t go wrong.

The Armchair Empire has a new review for the Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition, and awards the game a final score of 6/10.

I said it before on the first game and I'll say it again here.  There is nothing to recommend this version of Baldur's Gate II over the original version available on GOG.com.  High resolution textures and widescreen monitor support can be added in with a little work and a lot less hassle to play the game.  We don't need another damn login screen.  If Overhaul Games wants to be putting out mods for the Baldur's Gate series, great, but they can't expect people to pay an inflated price for them.

Eurogamer has posted a new review for Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition, and they give the game a final score of 8/10.

Playing Baldur's Gate 2 once again, it's not difficult to see why this love endures. The game is just so big, so full, and this effort to add even more to it feels like another layer of icing on a luxurious cake, even if it's not the tastiest ingredient in the mix. It's possible to lose a whole weekend and see only a fraction of what this game has to offer. It's a game to gorge yourself on.

So, if you don't want to get your hands dirty and mod Baldur's Gate 2, but you've always wanted a version of the game that looks and plays better than the 13-year-old original, this is for you. If you're a die-hard fan, a completist who absolutely must try new companions and quests you won't find anywhere else, this is also for you. Otherwise, all those mods are worth serious consideration and a heavily modded version of Baldur's Gate 2 is probably going to be as stable as the Enhanced Edition is.

Whatever your choice, you're likely to lose whole weeks inching your way through dungeons in the dark, lost in a game with few frills from an era where the dialogue mattered much more than seeing every conversation carefully animated. Just be prepared for it to be difficult, dangerous, deadly - a relic of a less forgiving age.

It's hard, it's obtuse. It's big, it's beautiful. It's cruel, it's arbitrary. It's an adventure.

Capsule Computers reviews Baldur's Gate 2: EE, and awards the game with a 8.5/10.

Whether you are craving the nostalgia from the original series or a new face to the revived titles, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition has the content for gamers to delve hours upon hours into. While some may argue that mods along with the previous version will suit your needs at a cheaper price, the continual updates and additions are worth the price. Begin your journey as the the child of Bhaal and forge your own destiny!

IGN reviews Baldur's Gate 2: EE and awards the game with a score of 8.3/10.

Whether it's chitchatting with a talking sword, solving murders, or escaping grim dungeons, Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition captures the essence of what makes fantasy RPGs so beloved. Short of a full-blown remake (which I, for one, would love to see), this is the best way for a new generation to experience that greatness for themselves. Even revisiting it after all this time, I laughed, I faced daunting challenges, and I wanted to play it again when I was done. The visual and technical improvements may not be extensive enough to entice you if you’ve played heavily modded versions of the original, but for newcomers, this is the definitive experience. Just save before embarking on the new adventures.

Strategy Informer reviewed the recentely released Baldur's Gate 2: EE, and awarded the game with a final score of 8/10.

The new content is fun and adds to the experience, but let’s not forget that we’re talking about Baldur’s Gate II here. While balls-hard and requiring a lot of patience if you’re prepared to take it on you’ll discover what is arguably the best and deepest RPG of all time, that many people believe represents Bioware at their peak. That there’s a version updated for modern systems with excellent widescreen support (without having to fuss about with mods), improved UI, new characters, new quests and an additional expansion, not to mention being available on Steam, should be all you need: buy it. However at £18.99/$24.99 and with a fair few bugs I advise waiting until a delicious sale and a decent patch comes along. Which shouldn’t be too long – winter is coming, after all. Yes, I know that’s a different fantasy franchise.

Here are three more reviews for Baldur's Gate 2: EE in roundup number four.

Invision Game Community - 4/5

Sure the game can feel quite impenetrable and draining at times but like master of the mighty eating crisps with your toes technique once you’ve got it all you have to do is find the sauce… err, I mean the most confortable way for you to play the game and truly make it your epic adventure. I would discourage people who aren’t up for investing time in the game as it isn’t a short game.

Worldsfactory - 84/100

The aptly name Overhaul Games, a division of digital distributor Beamdog, did an okay job with Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition last year. My overall opinion was that while the tweaks were appropriate, it wasn’t enough to justify a purchase – free mods created by the community years ago achieved a similar result.

Perhaps I enjoyed the Enhanced Edition of Baldur’s Gate II more because it’s simply a better, more robust game than the first Baldur’s Gate, but I believe this Enhanced Edition offers the easiest, most accessible version a classic role-playing game.

The Koalition -  80/100

If you already own the original BG II, then there really isn't much point in buying the enhanced edition. While it's true that this version includes many new fixes and enhancements, the gameplay is relatively the exact same thing and the changes aren't really that big of a deal. The original BG II has a dedicated modding community and they've made mods which provide just as many improvements and new content as the new version, so if you're already using those mods for the original, then you're not really missing much.

GameBanshee has a new three page review for the recently released Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition. As usual I'll post the conclusion, but make sure to read the rest.

Closing Thoughts

Unlike the original Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, I am much more willing to recommend Beamdog's new Baldur's Gate II re-release to players. While there are some bugs and the new content still does not quite match what BioWare was producing in its prime, it's a much more solid package overall. After playing for a couple of weeks, I'm having trouble going back to the original, if nothing else for the technical features like the quick loot UI, the super-quick saving/loading, and the ability to play in windowed mode without requiring any third-party programs.  But at the same time, is the new content excellent and must-play for most people?  Probably not.

There's one more thing to consider - at $25 USD, Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition is now more than twice the price of the complete edition of the original release commonly available at web sites like GOG and GamersGate. At $20, that price seems pretty fair, but $25, while realistically not that much more money, still feels a bit hard to justify, especially if you have already played Baldur's Gate II before.  There are plenty of excellent new RPGs out today that can easily be had for that price or even less, as well.

So, with all that said, my conclusions about Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition are probably not that surprising: the original game's still as good as ever, the new content is nice to have but isn't really necessary, the fixes and improvements are offset by the new bugs and crashes, and the price hard to justify paying for those who already own the game and are comfortable installing a few mods. Beamdog have won back some of my lost faith by bringing out a much more polished and higher-quality product this time around, but I still have my doubts whether the studio has it in itself to produce a game of its own at this rate, as seems to be the logical trajectory the studio's headed in. I suppose we'll find out in the coming months whether the team is content to keep re-releasing old Infinity Engine games, or ends up doing something new.

Leviathyn posted a new hour long video of Baldur's Gate 2: EE. Now I don't have a short transcript so only watch it if you have time to spare.

Andrew shows Eric the magic of Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition for the first time!

Overhaul Games has news on the Baldur's Gate 2: EE forums that a new patch is avaiable. Here are the details.

There's an update for Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition for Windows and Mac. As with any update, expect the download speed to be a little slow for a bit while it uploads to our servers.

The big "headliners" here are the memory leaks people reported that caused corruption of saved games, and creature spawns being lost during reload. A full list is below:

Patch 1.2.2030

Performance Improvements

#7036: Memory leaks with ground piles no longer an issue
#6994: Saving the game from the “Quit Game” menu now generates a proper screenshot and portraits for the Load Game screen
#6902: The game UI no longer flashes on screen before starting the game (Black Pits II).
#7047: Pressing the up or down arrows on the Record screen no longer crashes the game.

General Enhancements

#7010: Action icons are now much more clearly active or inactive (active buttons are no longer gray-scaled).
#7011: Multi-class kit names now display correctly in the statistics panel of the Record screen (Jaheira’s classes, for example, now list “Fighter” and “Druid” instead of “Fighter/Druid” and “Fighter/Druid”).
#4605: Creature spawns no longer disappear when loading a saved game.
#6942: Speaking characters now display the white feedback circle under their avatars regardless of the setting in Options > Gameplay > Feedback.
#6991: The Options screen from the main menu now displays the game logo correctly.
#7026: Neera now waits near the entrance to the Hidden Refuge if you refuse to let her join the party in the Wild Forest.
#7032: Neera's "Wooden Horse Necklace" is now properly treated as a magical protection item.
#7048: The blindness effect during the Blinding Sun trial now correctly offers a saving throw.
#7040: The collarbell's deafness effect now wears off properly after resting.
#7046: NPC dialogue loop with Hexxat, Dorn, and Rasaad closed in the Underdark.
#7014: Timmoth's dialogue no longer forms an infinite loop (Black Pits II).
#6955: Bards with the Set Spiked Trap high-level ability may now correctly set the trap. (Requires a new game to take effect if your bard is already at least level 24.)
#7008: Timmoth's dialogue no longer displays "no valid replies or links" after talking about a confrontation with the Winged (Black Pits II)
#7027: Hexxat no longer talks to herself while talking to Haer'Dalis.
#7053: Dorn's patron is no longer mentioned during Bodhi's scene if Dorn has no patron at that point.
#7059: Hexxat no longer teleports away during the Bodhi "kidnapping" sequence.
#7061: Dragomir no longer disappears after resting in another area.
#7062: Dorn no longer repeats his post-sparring romance talk after the player rejects his advances.
#7068: Stannel no longer gives away the ending like a jerk (Black Pits II).
#7071: Hexxat no longer bugs the player to hurry up and get to Dragomir's Tomb...if the player is already there.
#7072: The new (EE) NPCs no longer appear as options in Phaere's dialogue if they are not currently in the party.
#7087: WIlson's claws are now flagged as magical weapons.
#7088: Dennaton no longer transports into the arena by the effects of Striv's Wrangler (Black Pits II).
#6165: Slings and throwing daggers no longer grant a THAC0 bonus from Strength.
#7076: Weapon Mastery (as well as High Mastery and Grand Mastery) now grants the correct (as advertised) bonuses to THAC0, Damage, and APR.
#7097: Fallen Rangers and Dragon Disciples now list their correct class names on the Record screen and in their Kit Descriptions.

I have a few more reviews for Baldur's Gate 2: EE so here is the third roundup.

StickSkills -  8.5/10

I do not wish to deride the game itself. Baldur’s Gate II, hell, the Baldur’s Gate series in general remains one of the classics of western RPGs. Everything about the game stands the test of time; the plot, the writing, the combat. The only real gripe one could have with the latest Enhanced Edition is the price, and that becomes a mater of personal preference. What content is added is enjoyable, and the game runs without a problem on a modern machine. If you’re looking for a reason to revisit the RPG classic, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition is a well made, if slightly expensive option.

TerminalGamer - 6/10

There are all new characters, new story modes, new music, bug fixes, an improved multiplayer interface, and much much more. The graphics really didn’t change a whole lot and it still looks like a ten year old Dungeons and Dragons game, but if a journey to the past and a bowl full of Nostalgia is what you are looking for, then this is the game for you.

QuestGaming -  8.5/10

In the end, the Baldur’s Gate series has always been about the story and the characters driving that story. The superb story line that defined the original version is as compelling today as it was thirteen years ago. Gamers new and old will find themselves lost in the world of Faerûn, battling scores of enemies, uncovering the mystery of Jon Irenicus, and busting out in laughter at the banter between Minsc and the Miniature Giant Space Hamster Boo. Overall, the enhancements do just that: they “enhance” the original experience without taking away from what made the game great to begin with. Supplement the original with the additions of Neera, Dorn, Rassad and now Hexxat, Baldur’s Gate 2 Enhanced Edition will give you hours of enjoyment, on top of the amazing content that was present in Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal.

I have found a few more reviews of Baldur's Gate 2: EE  for the next roundup.

Twinfinite -  2/5

I know that Baldur’s Gate 2 is an incredibly well-loved game. I get that. I love the original X-Com, but I understand that if some walked into that these days (even an updated version that was cleaned up) it would be very hard to enjoy. This is more of a warning to people that have no experience with Baldur’s Gate 2. If you have not played this before, perhaps you should check out the first one. Maybe importing a character and knowing the rules and world a bit would have alleviated many of my frustrations, but as it stands, I don’t see the appeal.

OmniGamer -  3/5

The occasional new character aside, it’s largely as you remember it, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but a crisper resolution and a handful of new faces is far from what I’d call “enhanced”.  This might be a great way to get younger or newer gamers involved in a true classic, but only the most hardcore Baldur’s Gate fans are going to see any value in shelling out $25 for a prettier picture.

Hardcore Gamer - 4.5/5

Baldur’s Gate II is not a game to be missed. With an epic story, memorable characters, hundreds of hours of dungeon crawling, questing and adventuring, Baldur’s Gate stands tall among the classics. The Enhanced Edition takes all that (and then some) and wraps it in a much more visually pleasing package that will be more acceptable to modern gamers. Old fans of the game have good reason to come back, and new players may find themselves overwhelmed at first, but taking the time to learn the ins and outs of this classic CRPG will pay dividends.

I managed to roundup three reviews for the recently released Baldur's Gate 2: EE.

Escapist Magazine - 3.5/5

Bottom Line: The enhancements aren't quite ready for prime-time, but Baldur's Gate II remains one of the greatest RPGs of all time and an unsurpassed D&D experience. The improvements to the interface are fantastic, and if the new content gets the final wax-and-polish it deserves, it will be too.

TheControllerOnline - 8/10

Overhaul Games have smoothed out their process from their initial effort and have delivered a solid effort with Baldur’s Gate 2 Enhanced Edition. All of the elements that made the game great the first time around remain intact, with a few modern conveniences added. A must have for fans of the original and for newcomers who want to know how games used to be played.

Corrupted Cartridge - 4/5

If you have never played Baldurs Gate II, and wants to see what it is all about – Baldurs Gate II: Enhanced Edition is the version of the game to get. It works perfectly, while it has some nice additions that was not present in the original. If you are a returning fan of the game, it will not bring as many surprises, but still give a nice trip down memory lane. And if you get hooked to it, you will find that it sports many hundred hours of gameplay giving great value for your bucks. It is not perfect, but it is a nice piece of history.

Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition is now available. You can buy the game from Beamdog or Steam. It's your choice as both sell the game for the same price.

About the Game

Kidnapped. Imprisoned. Tortured. The wizard Irenicus holds you captive in his stronghold, attempting to strip you of the powers that are your birthright.

Can you resist the evil within you, forge a legend of heroic proportions, and ultimately destroy the dark essence that haunts your dreams? Or will you embrace your monstrous nature, carve a swath of destruction across the realms, and ascend to godhood as the new Lord of Murder?

Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition brings this critically acclaimed role-playing experience to back to life.

Features

• The Final Chapter - Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition includes Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn and Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal, the epic conclusion of the Bhaalspawn saga.
• Four New Party Members - Bundled with Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition are four new characters that can join you on your journey.
• The Black Pits 2: Gladiators of Thay - Explore the tactical depth of high-level Dungeons & Dragons combat. Undermine your captors and prey upon their weaknesses while you dodge traps and battle for your life against Demi-Liches, Mind Flayers, and Githyanki.
• Easy Multiplayer - Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition makes it easy to find, list, and join multiplayer games, even while behind a firewall.
• Widescreen and More - Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition features full widescreen support, remastered area artwork from original renders, and a host of other interface and gameplay improvements.

Beambog sent word in this new press release that you can now pre-load your copy of Baldur's Gate 2: EE. A Launch trailer was also included with the news.

Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition begins pre-loading for PC. Also... launch trailer!

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - Beamdog is pleased to announce that pre-loading for Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition for PC has begun ahead of its release on November 15th, 2013.

The original Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn launched in September 2000, quickly becoming the most celebrated Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying video game of its time. On November 15th, gamers new and old can experience the epic continuation and conclusion of the Bhaalspawn Saga, with full high resolution support and area art remastered from the original renders.

Set in Wizards of the Coast’s iconic Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms universe, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition includes the adventures Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal. In addition to improved graphics and gameplay, the Enhanced Edition bundles four new allies for your party, each with unique quest storylines. Also bundled in the Enhanced Edition: The Black Pits 2: Gladiators of Thay, an arena challenge that puts players’ tactical skills to the ultimate test.

Visit www.BaldursGateII.com to learn more.

Overhaul Games released a few new screenshots comparing the original Baldur's Gate II with Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition.  I uploaded all six images to our site if you are  curious.

Game Dynamo has posted a new preview of Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition.

Baldurs Gate II: Enhanced Edition, of course, will include all the expected mechanical updates, as well – the graphics and interface will be receiving a visual upgrade, while the game's controls will be tweaked and optimized to work on mobile platforms. Even better, the PC and Mac versions of the game will come bundled with The Black Pits 2: Gladiators of Thay, a high-level, intensely tactical dungeon that will test the mental limits of even the most hardcore D&D players. This additional dungeon – along with the new characters and the new set of quests – Will be available as DLC for the mobile versions.

Last, but certainly not least, Beamdog will be incorporating multiplayer alongside everything else. That might not sound like much by today's standards, until you recall that the original Baldur's Gate II doesn't really offer support for multiplayer without the use of third-party software.

This November, those of you who've not gotten the chance, will be able to experience one of the greatest RPGs of all time, the game that effectively put BioWare on the map. What's more, with updated graphics, a better interface, and hours upon hours of new content, Baldurs Gate II: Enhanced Edition will be a steal at any price.

Beamdog announces that more concept art, screenshots, and three new music samples have been released on the games webpage.

New Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition Character Artwork, Screenshots, and Music Now Available

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - Prior to Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition’s release on November 15th, Beamdog announces concept art for new playable NPC “Hexxat”, as well as 12 new screenshots and three new music samples from the game, have been released on www.BaldursGateII.com/media.html

The original Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn, launched in September 2000, quickly becoming the most celebrated Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying video game of its time. On November 15th, 2013, gamers new and old can experience the epic continuation and conclusion of the Bhaalspawn Saga, with full HD resolution support and area art remastered from the original renders.

Set in Wizards of the Coast’s iconic Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms universe, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition includes the adventures Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal. In addition to improved graphics and gameplay, the Enhanced Edition bundles four new allies, including Hexxat, for your party, each with their own unique quest storylines. Also bundled in the Enhanced Edition: The Black Pits 2: Gladiators of Thay, an arena challenge that puts players’ tactical skills to the ultimate test.

Visit www.BaldursGateII.com for more information.

Overhaul has a few more media updates available on the games webpage that includes new screenshots, music samples, wallpapers, and concept art. Also just a quick reminder you can pre-order the game for release on November 15th.

RPGamer interviews Trent Oster of Overhaul Games on various topics about the soon to be released Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition.

JS: What lessons were learned from the first title that will be applied to Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition?

TO: We learned a number of lessons during the development of Baldurs Gate: Enhanced Edition. The major lessons were around the complexity of the code and how even minor changes can be a huge challenge.

We've since grown to understand the entire codebase in a much deeper manner, and have understood a number of the underlying tech decisions made by the original developers which do not work well in the computing environments of today. At the time they made sense, but modern computing has changed drastically from the late 90s.

One of the biggest changes going forward is the addition of a group of highly talented and highly experienced members of the Baldur's Gate modding community to our team. These experienced modders have become a core part of our team and allowed us to accomplish much more than we previously could.

We've also become much more diligent about testing. Our practices for testing, reporting, fixing, and regressing bugs has drastically improved, and has almost reached military-level precision. Alex, one of our lead testers, has started saluting me. A one hand raised salute, but a salute nonetheless.

JS: While the Enhanced Editions are generally well regarded amongst fans, there are some critics. One criticism is that since Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition was upgraded with the Baldur's Gate II engine, what is the benefit or point of Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition over the original? Similarly, what sets Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition apart from the original game with mods and patches applied?

TO: With Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition the volume of new features and improvements is almost endless. To put it simply, you cannot reach the level of the polish, functionality, and amazing new story additions through any other means.

If you were a fan of the original game or you've heard about Baldur's Gate II, but never played it, you need to get the Enhanced Edition. We've taken a great game, added a ton of new, interesting content, bundled in the Throne of Bhaal expansion and added a ton of new features, including a new full screen display mode, which lets you see all the glory of the re-mastered area artwork we've managed to put together.

The user interface has been cleaned up and vastly improved, we have multiplayer matching that actually works, and you'll be able to play with friends on iPad or Android while you're on your PC or Mac, and vice-versa. And when you get the game, you can start playing it immediately because there's no need to mess around with fix-packs or other mods before it's "ready" to play.

Beamdog announces that you can now pre-purchase Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition in this new press release.

Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition available now for pre-purchase, goes live on November 15th, 2013

EDMONTON, ALBERTA -- Beamdog, Atari, and Overhaul Games announce pre-purchasing for Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition on Mac and PC has begun, in preparation for release on November 15th, 2013.

The original Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn, launched in September 2000, and became the most celebrated Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying video game of its time. On November 15th, gamers new and old can experience the epic continuation and conclusion of the Bhaalspawn Saga with full HD resolution support and area art remastered from the original renders.

Set in the iconic Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms universe from Wizards of the Coast, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition includes the adventures Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal. In addition to the improved graphics and gameplay, the Enhanced Edition bundles four new allies for your party, each with their own unique quests. Also bundled in the Enhanced Edition is The Black Pits 2: Gladiators of Thay, an arena challenge that puts players’ tactical skills to the ultimate test.

“We are thrilled that our partners at Beamdog have confirmed a date for the rerelease of what many people consider one of the greatest RPGs ever on PC, (Baldur’s Gate II),” said Nathan Stewart, Brand Director for D&D at Wizards of the Coast. “As we continue to expand our world-class storytelling on digital platforms, it is great to bring this classic to new devices and share the rich fantasy of D&D with new fans.”

Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition for PC and Mac can be pre-loaded through either the Beamdog client or an upcoming stand-alone installer. Pre-loading the game allows players to access Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition immediately after its release on November 15th, 2013.

Following the games announcement from yesterday Beambog has released a new gameplay trailer.

Overhaul Games has launched the website for Baldur's Gate II the Enhanced Edition. You can pre-order the game on Beambog for $24.95 for PC and Mac. The game will be released on November 15th.

Kidnapped. Imprisoned. Tortured. The wizard Irenicus holds you captive in his stronghold, attempting to strip you of the powers that are your birthright.

Can you resist the evil within you, forge a legend of heroic proportions, and ultimately destroy the dark essence that haunts your dreams? Or will you embrace your monstrous nature, carve a swath of destruction across the realms, and ascend to godhood as the new Lord of Murder?

Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition brings this critically acclaimed role-playing experience to PC, Mac, iPad, and Android.

• The Final Chapter - Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition includes Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn and Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal, the epic conclusion of the Bhaalspawn saga.
• Four New Party Members - Bundled with the PC and Mac versions and available as DLC for iPad and Android, four new characters can join you on your journey. At the behest of his dark patron, Dorn Il-Khan plunders and defiles the Sword Coast. Hunted by Red Wizards, Neera the Wild Mage evades and disrupts the Thayans at every turn. Exercising his growing combat mastery, the monk Rasaad yn Bashir leaves his former allies to hunt the dark figure that corrupted his brother. A mysterious thief in service to mysterious master seeks powerful artifacts from across the globe. Recruit them, use their powers, and uncover over 30 new locations.
• The Black Pits 2: Gladiators of Thay - Explore the tactical depth of high-level Dungeons & Dragons combat. Undermine your captors and prey upon their weaknesses while you dodge traps and battle for your life against Demi-Liches, Mind Flayers, and Githyanki.
• Easy Multiplayer - Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition makes it easy to find, list, and join multiplayer games, even while behind a firewall.
• Widescreen and More - Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition features full widescreen support, remastered area artwork from original renders, and a host of other interface and gameplay improvements.

You can visit the link here for screenshots, and more info.