I started playing BG II again in 2020, thinking that the full release of BG III would be a matter of months. I wanted to get myself in the mood, and to remember all the little story nuances so I could look for connections and Easter eggs in BG III. But here we are in 2022 and I am still waiting, waiting, waiting ...
BG II Shadows of Amn and the Throne of Bhaal expansion still hold up. The area graphics are indeed beautiful, and the 2D animation is good enough where once you get playing, you don't care that it's not 3D. Many of the map areas are used by multiple quests, which gives a good sense of non-linear action and "life" in the world. Some of the dialogs and voicings are just awesome; I could listen to Renal Bloodscalp talk all day. And overall, it is a great story being told through a D&D experience.
