<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Shadows	I-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
is	O
a	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
BioWare	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Interplay	O
Entertainment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
(	O
1998	O
)	O
and	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
in	O
September	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
takes	O
place	O
in	O
the	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Realms	I-Application
—	O
a	O
fantasy	O
campaign	O
setting	O
—	O
and	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
Advanced	O
Dungeons	O
&	O
Dragons	O
2nd	O
edition	O
rules	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Powered	O
by	O
BioWare	O
's	O
Infinity	O
Engine	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
uses	O
an	O
isometric	B-Application
perspective	I-Application
and	O
pausable	O
real-time	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Set	O
in	O
the	O
fictional	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Realms	I-Application
,	O
much	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
in	O
and	O
around	O
Athkatla	O
,	O
a	O
city	O
in	O
the	O
country	O
of	O
Amn	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Opening	O
shortly	O
after	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
continues	O
the	O
story	O
of	O
the	O
protagonist	O
,	O
Gorion	O
's	O
Ward	O
,	O
whose	O
unique	O
heritage	O
has	O
now	O
drawn	O
the	O
attention	O
of	O
Jon	O
Irenicus	O
,	O
a	O
powerful	O
and	O
sinister	O
mage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
BioWare	O
set	O
out	O
to	O
improve	O
upon	O
the	O
first	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
in	O
every	O
way	O
possible	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
engine	O
and	O
content	O
were	O
being	O
developed	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
;	O
whereas	O
in	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
the	O
engine	O
was	O
running	O
from	O
the	O
start	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
received	O
critical	O
acclaim	O
,	O
being	O
praised	O
for	O
its	O
gameplay	O
,	O
artwork	O
,	O
and	O
voice	O
acting	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
often	O
regarded	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
video	O
games	O
ever	O
made	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
expansion	O
pack	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Throne	I-Application
of	I-Application
Bhaal	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
and	O
Throne	B-Application
of	I-Application
Bhaal	I-Application
have	O
also	O
been	O
included	O
together	O
in	O
various	O
compilations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2013	O
,	O
an	O
enhanced	O
version	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
released	O
,	O
bearing	O
the	O
title	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Enhanced	I-Application
Edition	I-Application
and	O
using	O
an	O
updated	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
Infinity	O
Engine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
III	I-Application
is	O
in	O
development	O
by	O
Larian	O
Studios	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Shadows	I-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
is	O
an	O
Advanced	O
Dungeons	O
&	O
Dragons	O
2nd	O
edition	O
computer	O
role-playing	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Alternatively	O
,	O
an	O
existing	O
character	O
from	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
or	O
its	O
expansion	O
Tales	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Sword	I-Application
Coast	I-Application
can	O
be	O
imported	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
played	O
from	O
an	O
isometric	B-Application
perspective	I-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
screen	O
,	O
which	O
does	O
not	O
need	O
to	O
remain	O
centered	O
on	O
the	O
protagonist	O
,	O
can	O
be	O
scrolled	O
with	O
the	O
mouse	O
or	O
keyboard	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
some	O
point	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
may	O
join	O
or	O
take	O
over	O
a	O
stronghold	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
type	O
of	O
stronghold	B-Application
is	O
determined	O
by	O
the	O
protagonist	O
's	O
class	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Realms	I-Application
,	O
the	O
high	O
fantasy	O
campaign	O
setting	O
in	O
which	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
set	O
,	O
is	O
a	O
fictional	O
world	O
similar	O
to	O
a	O
medieval	O
Earth	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
its	O
own	O
peoples	O
,	O
geography	O
,	O
and	O
history	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
mainly	O
in	O
Amn	O
,	O
a	O
country	O
on	O
the	O
subcontinent	O
of	O
Faerûn	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
country	O
,	O
known	O
commonly	O
as	O
the	O
Merchant	O
Kingdom	O
,	O
lies	O
south	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
;	O
wealth	O
and	O
trade	O
are	O
the	O
chief	O
concerns	O
of	O
the	O
region	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
year	O
1369	O
DR	O
(	O
Dale	O
Reckoning	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
thus	O
takes	O
place	O
not	O
long	O
after	O
the	O
Time	O
of	O
Troubles	O
(	O
1358	O
DR	O
)	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
Tablets	O
of	O
Fate	O
,	O
powerful	O
magic	O
items	O
which	O
maintain	O
a	O
balance	O
between	O
good	O
and	O
evil	O
,	O
were	O
stolen	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
character	O
grew	O
up	O
in	O
the	O
library	O
fortress	O
of	O
Candlekeep	B-Application
,	O
watched	O
over	O
by	O
the	O
mage	O
Gorion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
followed	O
their	O
adventure	O
along	O
the	O
Sword	O
Coast	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
hero	O
learned	O
of	O
their	O
heritage	O
and	O
defeated	O
their	O
half-brother	O
Sarevok	O
,	O
a	O
fellow	O
child	O
of	O
Bhaal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
notable	O
characters	O
in	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
include	O
:	O
Gaelan	O
Bayle	O
,	O
who	O
offers	O
the	O
party	O
the	O
help	O
of	O
the	O
Shadow	O
Thieves	O
;	O
Aran	O
Linvail	O
,	O
the	O
leader	O
of	O
the	O
Shadow	O
Thieves	O
;	O
Saemon	O
Havarian	O
,	O
who	O
sails	O
the	O
party	O
to	O
an	O
island	O
;	O
Adalon	O
,	O
a	O
silver	O
dragon	O
whose	O
eggs	O
have	O
been	O
stolen	O
and	O
given	O
to	O
drow	O
;	O
Elhan	O
;	O
and	O
Queen	O
Ellesime	O
,	O
the	O
ruler	O
of	O
Suldanessellar	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Celebrated	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Realms	I-Application
character	O
Drizzt	O
Do'Urden	O
also	O
makes	O
an	O
appearance	O
;	O
and	O
if	O
the	O
player	O
solicits	O
his	O
aid	O
,	O
he	O
and	O
his	O
companions	O
will	O
later	O
help	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
several	O
characters	O
from	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
reappear	O
,	O
of	O
which	O
the	O
following	O
can	O
join	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
party	O
:	O
Imoen	O
,	O
who	O
grew	O
up	O
with	O
the	O
protagonist	O
in	O
Candlekeep	B-Application
;	O
Jaheira	O
,	O
who	O
,	O
with	O
her	O
husband	O
Khalid	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
friend	O
of	O
Gorion	O
's	O
;	O
Minsc	O
,	O
a	O
warrior	O
who	O
carries	O
with	O
him	O
a	O
hamster	O
named	O
Boo	O
;	O
Edwin	O
,	O
a	O
Red	O
Wizard	O
of	O
Thay	O
;	O
and	O
Viconia	O
,	O
a	O
dark	O
elf	O
cleric	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
after	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
the	O
hero	O
and	O
companions	O
are	O
overcome	O
and	O
taken	O
captive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
they	O
face	O
her	O
,	O
the	O
now	O
soulless	O
protagonist	O
loses	O
control	O
and	O
transforms	O
into	O
a	O
creature	O
called	O
the	O
Slayer	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
avatar	B-Application
forms	O
of	O
Bhaal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
BioWare	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Black	O
Isle	O
Studios	O
,	O
a	O
division	O
of	O
Interplay	O
Entertainment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
uses	O
the	O
same	O
Infinity	O
Engine	O
as	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
(	O
1998	O
)	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
many	O
improvements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
games	O
that	O
used	O
this	O
engine	O
were	O
Black	O
Isle	O
Studios	O
 '	O
Planescape	B-Application
:	I-Application
Torment	I-Application
(	O
1999	O
)	O
and	O
Icewind	B-Application
Dale	I-Application
(	O
2000	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
BioWare	O
dedicated	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
to	O
Daniel	O
Walker	O
,	O
who	O
died	O
in	O
1999	O
and	O
was	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
second	O
employee	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
a	O
success	O
,	O
both	O
commercially	O
and	O
critically	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
was	O
the	O
first	O
role-playing	O
game	O
designed	O
by	O
BioWare	O
,	O
and	O
they	O
applied	O
what	O
they	O
learned	O
in	O
the	O
process	O
to	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
it	O
was	O
determined	O
that	O
the	O
designers	O
should	O
be	O
allowed	O
"	O
adequate	O
time	O
"	O
so	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
might	O
"	O
reach	O
its	O
full	O
potential	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Throughout	O
its	O
development	O
,	O
BioWare	O
focused	O
"	O
on	O
ensuring	O
that	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
significantly	O
better	O
than	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
in	O
every	O
way	O
possible	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
make	O
it	O
appeal	O
not	O
only	O
to	O
fans	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
but	O
also	O
to	O
make	O
it	O
accessible	O
to	O
new	O
fans	O
who	O
never	O
played	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
began	O
in	O
January	O
1999	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
the	O
suggestions	O
of	O
fans	O
on	O
message	O
boards	O
and	O
newsgroups	O
,	O
reviews	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
and	O
internal	O
suggestions	O
,	O
a	O
list	O
of	O
constructive	O
criticism	O
was	O
compiled	O
;	O
from	O
this	O
list	O
,	O
a	O
slightly	O
shorter	O
one	O
of	O
features	O
to	O
be	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
made	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
reused	O
the	O
Infinity	O
Engine	O
,	O
which	O
had	O
powered	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
but	O
the	O
engine	O
was	O
improved	O
in	O
many	O
ways	O
since	O
development	O
on	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
began	O
:	O
optional	O
800	O
x	O
600	O
resolution	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
old	O
640	O
x	O
480	O
resolution	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pathfinding	O
had	O
been	O
improved	O
in	O
Tales	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Sword	I-Application
Coast	I-Application
(	O
the	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
expansion	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
improved	O
further	O
in	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
through	O
a	O
feature	O
called	O
"	O
bumping	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
allowed	O
a	O
character	O
to	O
move	O
another	O
one	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
way	O
if	O
the	O
path	O
was	O
blocked	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
avoid	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
design	O
mistakes	O
made	O
in	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
guidelines	O
were	O
drawn	O
up	O
for	O
each	O
department	O
;	O
the	O
level	O
designers	O
had	O
the	O
longest	O
set	O
of	O
guidelines	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Marcia	O
Tofer	O
,	O
Art	O
Director	O
for	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
,	O
worked	O
with	O
a	O
team	O
of	O
8	O
to	O
12	O
people	O
to	O
create	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
artwork	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
backgrounds	O
,	O
monsters	O
,	O
etc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tofer	O
observed	O
that	O
the	O
city	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
had	O
been	O
their	O
first	O
attempt	O
at	O
city	O
building	O
and	O
what	O
they	O
learned	O
there	O
served	O
to	O
make	O
Athkatla	O
"	O
far	O
more	O
diverse	O
and	O
interesting	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Games	O
are	O
a	O
visual	O
medium	O
,	O
wrote	O
Luke	O
Kristjanson	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
writers	O
and	O
designers	O
on	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
,	O
but	O
they	O
are	O
unlike	O
the	O
traditional	O
ones	O
of	O
film	O
and	O
television	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
the	O
developers	O
knew	O
what	O
would	O
be	O
seen	O
on	O
the	O
critical	O
path	O
,	O
but	O
not	O
when	O
players	O
would	O
see	O
it	O
,	O
or	O
whether	O
the	O
right	O
amount	O
of	O
significance	O
would	O
be	O
placed	O
upon	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
,	O
several	O
tools	O
were	O
used	O
to	O
remedy	O
these	O
shortcomings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cutscenes	O
had	O
been	O
used	O
in	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
but	O
were	O
employed	O
"	O
more	O
effectively	O
"	O
in	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
technique	O
was	O
to	O
increase	O
,	O
to	O
a	O
greater	O
degree	O
than	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
the	O
interactivity	O
of	O
the	O
characters	O
that	O
travel	O
with	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
characters	O
in	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
possessed	O
"	O
banter	O
"	O
,	O
there	O
was	O
a	O
very	O
great	O
increase	O
of	O
this	O
in	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
July	O
2000	O
,	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
had	O
entered	O
its	O
second	O
phase	O
of	O
crunch	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
hours	O
ran	O
from	O
9	O
a.m.	O
to	O
9	O
p.m.	O
Mondays	O
to	O
Fridays	O
,	O
and	O
from	O
9	O
a.m.	O
to	O
6	O
p.m.	O
on	O
Saturdays	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Muzyka	O
wrote	O
that	O
"	O
because	O
of	O
its	O
immense	O
size	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
a	O
tester	O
's	O
nightmare	O
-	O
this	O
was	O
compounded	O
by	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
we	O
did	O
n't	O
do	O
enough	O
testing	O
as	O
areas	O
were	O
being	O
developed	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
final	O
days	O
of	O
working	O
on	O
BG2	B-Application
there	O
was	O
a	O
strangely	O
serene	O
feeling	O
in	O
the	O
office	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
also	O
composed	O
the	O
music	O
for	O
the	O
first	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
announced	O
in	O
November	O
1999	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Macintosh	B-Device
version	O
was	O
ported	O
by	O
MumboJumbo	O
and	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
15	O
,	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Throne	I-Application
of	I-Application
Bhaal	I-Application
,	O
an	O
expansion	O
pack	O
for	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
,	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
BioWare	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Black	O
Isle	O
Studios	O
,	O
and	O
released	O
in	O
June	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Throne	B-Application
of	I-Application
Bhaal	I-Application
takes	O
the	O
protagonist	O
's	O
history	O
further	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
being	O
the	O
final	O
chapter	O
,	O
concludes	O
the	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
saga	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
added	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
features	O
to	O
the	O
base	O
game	O
:	O
a	O
new	O
dungeon	O
called	O
Watcher	O
's	O
Keep	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
accessed	O
from	O
both	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
and	O
Throne	B-Application
of	I-Application
Bhaal	I-Application
;	O
new	O
features	O
and	O
enhancements	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
high-level	O
class	O
abilities	O
,	O
a	O
higher	O
experience	O
point	O
cap	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Wild	O
Mage	O
character	O
class	O
;	O
and	O
new	O
items	O
and	O
spells	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Throne	B-Application
of	I-Application
Bhaal	I-Application
was	O
well	O
received	O
:	O
it	O
holds	O
a	O
Metacritic	O
score	O
of	O
88	O
and	O
a	O
GameRankings	O
score	O
of	O
88.73	O
,	O
and	O
won	O
the	O
"	O
PC	O
Role-Playing	O
"	O
award	O
at	O
the	O
2002	O
Interactive	O
Achievement	O
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
generally	O
praised	O
Throne	B-Application
of	I-Application
Bhaal	I-Application
and	O
thought	O
it	O
a	O
spectacular	O
conclusion	O
to	O
the	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
saga	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
was	O
re-released	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
its	O
expansion	O
,	O
Throne	B-Application
of	I-Application
Bhaal	I-Application
,	O
as	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	O
The	O
Collection	O
in	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2004	O
,	O
they	O
were	O
bundled	O
with	O
the	O
original	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
and	O
Icewind	B-Application
Dale	I-Application
as	O
Black	O
Isle	O
Compilation	O
Part	O
Two	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2006	O
,	O
they	O
were	O
re-released	O
with	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
and	O
Tales	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Sword	I-Application
Coast	I-Application
as	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
:	O
4	O
in	O
1	O
Boxset	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
were	O
also	O
included	O
in	O
The	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Realms	I-Application
Deluxe	O
Edition	O
,	O
Ultimate	O
Dungeons	O
&	O
Dragons	O
,	O
and	O
Dungeons	O
&	O
Dragons	O
Anthology	O
:	O
The	O
Master	O
Collection	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2010	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
Complete	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
digital	O
format	O
on	O
GOG.com	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
version	O
includes	O
both	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
and	O
Throne	B-Application
of	I-Application
Bhaal	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bundled	O
with	O
it	O
are	O
the	O
game	O
manuals	O
in	O
PDF	O
format	O
,	O
high-definition	O
wallpapers	O
,	O
artwork	O
,	O
avatars	B-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
and	O
Throne	B-Application
of	I-Application
Bhaal	I-Application
soundtracks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Enhanced	I-Application
Edition	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
November	O
15	O
,	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Developed	O
by	O
Overhaul	O
Games	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
an	O
enhanced	O
version	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
and	O
uses	O
an	O
updated	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
Infinity	O
Engine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
entered	O
PC	O
Data	O
's	O
computer	O
game	O
sales	O
charts	O
at	O
#5	O
during	O
the	O
September	O
17	O
–	O
23	O
period	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
rose	O
to	O
second	O
place	O
the	O
following	O
week	O
,	O
behind	O
The	B-Application
Sims	I-Application
:	I-Application
Livin	I-Application
 '	I-Application
Large	I-Application
,	O
while	O
its	O
Collector	O
's	O
Edition	O
captured	O
the	O
seventh	O
position	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
its	O
first	O
14	O
days	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
drew	O
in	O
revenues	O
of	O
$4	O
million	O
across	O
all	O
SKUs	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
a	O
sales	O
record	O
for	O
an	O
Interplay	O
computer	O
title	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PC	O
Data	O
reported	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
IIs	I-Application
sales	O
at	O
199,914	O
copies	O
and	O
its	O
revenues	O
at	O
$9.2	O
million	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
Media	O
Control	O
's	O
computer	O
game	O
sales	O
rankings	O
for	O
the	O
German	O
market	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
debuted	O
at	O
#3	O
in	O
October	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
claimed	O
#2	O
for	O
its	O
release	O
month	O
of	O
November	O
2000	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
Chart-Track	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
combined	O
global	O
sales	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
:	I-Application
Tales	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Sword	I-Application
Coast	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
surpassed	O
3.5	O
million	O
copies	O
by	O
March	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
alone	O
reached	O
almost	O
1.5	O
million	O
sales	O
by	O
December	O
2002	O
,	O
and	O
more	O
than	O
2	O
million	O
by	O
November	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
received	O
critical	O
acclaim	O
upon	O
its	O
release	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
listed	O
as	O
the	O
seventh	O
highest-scoring	O
PC	O
game	O
on	O
the	O
review	O
aggregator	O
Metacritic	O
(	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
extolling	O
the	O
game	O
immensely	O
and	O
finding	O
only	O
small	O
issues	O
,	O
Computer	O
Gaming	O
Worlds	O
reviewer	O
noted	O
that	O
he	O
would	O
not	O
trap	O
himself	O
with	O
the	O
"	O
best	O
RPG	O
ever	O
"	O
phrase	O
,	O
but	O
conceded	O
that	O
it	O
"	O
certainly	O
ranks	O
up	O
there	O
with	O
greats	O
like	O
Fallout	O
,	O
Planescape	B-Application
:	I-Application
Torment	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Betrayal	O
at	O
Krondor	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamer	O
lavished	O
much	O
praise	O
upon	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
and	O
noted	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
story	O
and	O
quests	O
are	O
captivating	O
,	O
the	O
gameplay	O
tried	O
and	O
tested	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
overall	O
feel	O
is	O
professional	O
and	O
entertaining	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
and	O
IGN	O
felt	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
superior	O
to	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Computer	O
Games	O
Magazine	O
and	O
Gameplanet	O
noted	O
that	O
it	O
improved	O
upon	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
in	O
almost	O
every	O
way	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
IIs	I-Application
gameplay	O
was	O
called	O
"	O
addicting	O
"	O
by	O
GamePro	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
RPGamer	O
said	O
that	O
while	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
generally	O
the	O
same	O
as	O
the	O
original	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
the	O
combat	O
was	O
much	O
improved	O
,	O
with	O
less	O
frustration	O
and	O
more	O
strategic	O
options	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpy	O
said	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
much	O
more	O
difficult	O
than	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
and	O
requires	O
more	O
strategy	O
and	O
planning	O
than	O
the	O
original	O
does	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
felt	O
the	O
story	O
was	O
somewhere	O
between	O
Planescape	B-Application
:	I-Application
Torment	I-Application
and	O
Icewind	B-Application
Dale	I-Application
in	O
terms	O
of	O
depth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
echoed	O
this	O
statement	O
,	O
calling	O
the	O
difference	O
between	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
and	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Amn	I-Application
"	O
like	O
looking	O
at	O
a	O
still	O
oil	O
painting	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
turning	O
to	O
see	O
the	O
scene	O
in	O
living	O
motion	O
on	O
a	O
big	O
screen	O
TV	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
FiringSquad	O
said	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
artwork	O
surpassed	O
that	O
of	O
Planescape	B-Application
:	I-Application
Torment	I-Application
,	O
and	O
called	O
the	O
background	O
artwork	O
"	O
fantastic	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
voice	O
acting	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
also	O
praised	O
by	O
FiringSquad	O
,	O
who	O
said	O
that	O
"	O
characters	O
sound	O
alive	O
and	O
vivacious	O
(	O
or	O
depressed	O
,	O
crazy	O
—	O
whatever	O
suits	O
them	O
)	O
"	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
quality	O
of	O
the	O
voices	O
drew	O
the	O
player	O
more	O
deeply	O
into	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
FiringSquad	O
felt	O
that	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
communication	O
between	O
players	O
in	O
combat	O
during	O
online	O
games	O
was	O
problematic	O
,	O
but	O
that	O
local	B-General_Concept
area	I-General_Concept
network	I-General_Concept
play	O
would	O
be	O
more	O
satisfying	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
GameSpy	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
"	O
not	O
100%	O
stable	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
David	O
Simkins	O
reviewed	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
Next	O
Generation	O
,	O
rating	O
it	O
five	O
stars	O
out	O
of	O
five	O
,	O
and	O
stated	O
that	O
"	O
make	O
no	O
mistake	O
–	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
raises	O
the	O
bar	O
for	O
PC	O
RPGs	O
,	O
elevating	O
the	O
genre	O
to	O
a	O
new	O
level	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
later	O
called	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
"	O
a	O
towering	O
achievement	O
in	O
the	O
history	O
of	O
role-playing	O
games	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
has	O
been	O
honored	O
many	O
times	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
inducted	O
into	O
GameSpot	O
's	O
"	O
Greatest	O
Games	O
of	O
All	O
Time	O
"	O
list	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2009	O
,	O
Game	O
Informer	O
placed	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
at	O
No	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
2009	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
though	O
not	O
quite	O
making	O
the	O
Top	O
12	O
list	O
,	O
received	O
an	O
honorable	O
mention	O
in	O
Gamasutra	O
's	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Decade	O
,	O
where	O
readers	O
voted	O
for	O
their	O
best	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
2000s	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2010	O
,	O
on	O
IGN	O
's	O
Top	O
25	O
Modern	O
PC	O
Games	O
,	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
clocked	O
in	O
at	O
No	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
ranked	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
No	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
ranked	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
II	I-Application
No	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
novel	O
is	O
the	O
second	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
;	O
the	O
first	O
,	O
also	O
by	O
Athans	O
,	O
is	O
a	O
novelization	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
third	O
,	O
by	O
Drew	O
Karpyshyn	O
,	O
of	O
the	O
Throne	O
of	O
Bhaal''	O
expansion	O
.	O
</s>
