I've noted a couple of interesting tidbits today that have made a very very excited Runz and this is one of them.  Apparently back in March of this year Overhaul games announced that they were going to 'remake' Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn - labelling them 'Enhanced Editions'.  Overhaul Games have already stated that they intend to stick to true to the original, and they have the original source code to prove it, but they will be bringing the graphics and music up to modern standards (the orginal Baldur's Gate is some 14 years old now... my god that is a depressing thought about how old I am now) as well as adding some new content to extend the experience, as well as raising the level cap to help accomodate the new experiences.  Overhaul have also announced plans to release all new DLC, including getting some of the original voice actors back to perform new and extended dialogue.  Although it has not been specifically mentioned, I believe it is fairly safe to assume that the original expansions for Baldur's Gate I & II, Tales of the Sword Coast and Throne of Bhaal, will be included.

To me, the Baldur's Gate games were THE defining RPG experience of my youth and even the highly acclaimed Neverwinter Nights which followed did not match the depth and feel of Bioware's D&D classic.  It was, in my mind, the game that set Bioware's reputation for producing truly outstanding RPG games.  It was cleverly written with just the right amount of humour from memorable characters such as Edwin and Minsc which didn't detract from what was ultimately a very engaging storyline - mixed in with enough sidequests to keep you hunting for dungeons for hours.

So dust off your Broadsword +3, remind yourself of the correct finger movements for Magic Missiles, pull on your Golden Pantaloons and remember to aim your minature giant space hamster straight for the eyes because this summer, it's butt kicking for goodness time!