My biggest complaint with the game was the interface. While certainly no fault of Overhaul Games (the team behind the Enhanced Edition), the system of using spells and attacking feels very outdated. And after 14 years, it’s no wonder. There are no real hotkeys for skills, so every character must be targeted and then their spells list must be opened, and then from there a spell can be cast. Some non-spell skills (like hide in shadows) are placed on the main bar, so those can be clicked, and one can quickslot a couple of spells (but only a couple), but it’s a bit of frustrating menu navigation that modern games have done away with for a more fluid experience. It’s really just a small thing, though - mostly an annoyance.
In sum, BG:EE is a great RPG experience if you can forgive some small annoyances due to age, like the interface. It’s very different than modern RPGs, in that it’s a tactical game, so it’s not going to be for everyone. A great amount of patience and planning will be required of most players. The co-op experience is solid, as it offers all the perks of the the full game, but with friends. The additions they’ve made to the original game are also solid, and clearly haven’t just been tacked on. The Black Pits provides a nice setting for players who might not be able to dedicate very much time to their gaming sessions as well as an opportunity for new players to adjust to the gameplay. There’s a good amount of replayability as well for new and old players alike, as you can always go back and try a new party. It’s a solid purchase for old school RPG fans, but definitely don’t go in expecting anything resembling a modern RPG or you’ll only be frustrated with what you find.
The Co-Optimus co-op review of Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition is based on the PC version of the game. A copy of the game was provided by the publisher.
Verdict
Co-Op Score
Overall
The Co-Op Experience: Team up with five friends online to play through the entire campaign. Each player is assigned control of a character by the host, and all progress is saved to the host only. Cross-platform play is supported between the PC, Mac, iPad, and Android versions of the game.
Co-Optimus game reviews focus on the cooperative experience of a game, our final score graphic represents this experience along with an average score for the game overall. For an explanation of our scores please check our Review Score Explanation Guide.