BALDUR'S GATE: ENHANCED EDITION COMING SUMMER 2012

"Shadowy Figure- Raise Dead: Infinity Engine.

For years, I clung to the memory of it. Then the memory of the memory.

And then... it returned. Better than it was before.

Pore over the tapestries and works of art hanging from our walls if you wish, Child of Bhaal... perhaps you will find a clue. But patience, ah... patience would reveal it all.

As the silver moon waxes and wanes, so too does life.

Take heart fellow adventurers, for you have curried the favor of Boo, the only miniature giant space hamster in the Realm!"

This short little poem was found, hidden in the source code of BaldursGate.com, and heralded the announcement of the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition. Exactly what that is ... beats me. Reports from Beamdog state that they are including new original content, and that "It's being lovingly crafted in the spirit of the original with the help of some of the original developers," according to a Beamdog rep. It is to be released at some point this summer.

... So far so good, but I'm retaining a healthy dose of skepticism.

Now for anyone unfamiliar with the game, Baldur's Gate was a High Fantasy RPG set in the D&D Universe  released in 1998. That's right, I said D&D (code red nerd alert!). It used the Infinity Engine, which was later used on Planescape Torment and Icewind Dale, and, along with the game Diablo, is credited with revitalizing the computer role playing game genre. It is also the spiritual predecessor to the massively popular Dragon Age series. 

It was also awesome. Just throwing that out there.

Between it and its sequels, I cannot honestly think of a game that captured the party dynamics better, and I mean that from a narrative standpoint. There was nary a character I didn't want in my party, for each of them offered a unique and engaging, if not downright hilarious view of the world. Baldur's Gate got the party right. 

Okay, so these character portraits are from BGII, sue me.

As a longtime fan of the series, I have high hopes that the work that Beamdog is doing will not disappoint, but I am bracing myself for Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition to flop ... hard. Cross your fingers fellow adventurers.

~ Godzello