The FOW is a good point; if they'd optionally include a WASD direct control for the over the shoulder camera I'd probably play exploration with that anyways (and switch to something more tactical for the combat, just like NWN 2).
That said contrary to yours, I didn't really enjoy DOS/1 overly much (thus so far never played the second part). It was overly goofy with no much compelling overarching plot, clearly designed for co-op above all else, the inventory system was the worst I've seen in ages, the maps were full of unavoidable and oft repeat combat in particular later on (endless waves of Orcs and stuff), and the looting and item system pretty bad (rarely a good idea to give items levels themselves -- everything turned to crap but a couple hours later). Speaking of which, the game was absurdly linear due to all that level gating in general despite pretending to be open. It's curious that it ever won accolades at the RPG Codex of all places to me, but then back then it sort of marked the return of TB combat, so there.
This, to me, shapes up to be on a completely different level though, luckily (inventory systems still don't seem Larian's forte though).. Some of that may be helped by D&D (no levels for items, hurray), but heh. The biggest inclines so far are that the game actually IS reasonably open rather than pretending to being so, that they take the narrative some more serious, that here and there there is some amazing environment interactions even of opposition and that the combat encounters overall seem more unique. Itemization/loot is also lots better, handplaced stuff that is reasonably rare, like in some Infinity Engine games. Don't think it will rival the memories I have in particular of playing BG1 in 1999 (still replay it from time to time), but it's overall coming along pretty nicely. Still not the biggest fan of Larian's corridor/theme park kind of compressed map design tho. You guys played and loved Ultima, didn't you?
