"Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II Enhanced Edition" Review

It's said that "Dungeons & Dragons" inspired just about every video game that hit the market, role-playing games in particular. The seminal "Baldur's Gate" titles were some of the truest synthesizers of the "D&D" aesthetic, rivaling "Final Fantasy" for the mindshare of a generation of RPG enthusiasts.

Originally released in 1998 and 2000, the RPGs paved the way for the likes of "Dragon Age" and "Elder Scrolls." The series may have fallen by the wayside, but its influence continues to reign.

Skybound Games took great care in translating the aesthetics to modern sensibilities, giving the visuals HD enhancements while staying true to the original look. Measures were also taken to bring the sound design, animations and save systems up to modern standards.

Rereleased on PC in 2012 in their current enhanced editions, the games now make their debuts on consoles, opening up their riches to a vast new segment of modern gamers.

Still, the "Baldur's Gate" games look and play very much as you remember two decades ago. What was cutting-edge technology and storytelling at the time now seems rustic and antiquated. Still, there are some fantastic adventures to be had, and you can find yourself sinking dozens of hours into upgrading your characters and venturing off on a multitude of quests.

It's hard to fire the old games up and keep a wide, dopey grin off your face. The "Baldur's Gate" games wear their geekiness proudly on their sleeves. You feel as though you have torn open a portal to the past.

Publisher provided review code.