Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II Enhanced Editions Interview

Those of you following my bullet-point coverage in the original Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition announcement post will most likely already be familiar with everything that's discussed in GameSpy's brief interview with Overhaul Games' Trent Oster and Cameron Tofer, but it's always nice to get some additional reinforcement to our ever-increasing expectations. New stories, stories to tie things together, unfinished stories, and new abilities? Yes:
"I think the new RPGs are great, but I don't think they should be a replacement for classic strategic in-depth RPGs like Baldur's Gate," Tofer said. "I think that's what makes Enhanced so relevant: Baldur's Gate hasn't been replaced."

"I would have to say the characters are what makes Baldur's Gate stay in people's hearts," he continued. "Those characters have so much history, passion and caring behind them. I remember D&D sessions with those characters years before we were even game developers. We had so much personal ownership in them."

"I truly believe that the story and the characters behind are timeless and will have no problem reaching a new generation. Technology will be the access barrier that we're hoping to eliminate."

The Enhanced Editions, however, are being billed as "more than mere remakes." So -- beyond visuals that won't send modern gamers fleeing for their snazzy CryEngines that apparently run on electric power instead of hamsters -- what's new?

"We've been adding side stories, stories to tie things together, unfinished stories," Tofer said. "As far as new types of abilities, we have more announcements coming."

Which is, of course, great news, but it's only the beginning. No, Baldur's Gate 3 isn't A Thing just yet, but if Overhaul has its way, it'll only be a matter of time. Tofer explained:

"Baldur's Gate 3 has been our long term goal. We have a lot of things to put in place before such a project can be launched. So currently there is no such project but that's the one we want to do. Our thoughts have been that Enhanced Edition for BG 1 and 2 just make sense before there's any Baldur's Gate 3."

"We're totally thinking Kickstarter. It just makes so much sense and solves so many problems. I think what Brian [Fargo] is doing with Wasteland is very interesting."
Present me with a new Baldur's Gate title that doesn't mess with the satisfying conclusion of the Bhaalspawn storyline and features all of the gameplay elements that made the originals so fantastic, and I'll just transfer my bank account over to Kickstarter.