I personally like the approach where the game assumes that you are rested before each fight.
This makes it easier to adjust the difficulty of the fights and be sure that the player will be able to handle it.
I don't understand why the game shouldn't be dnd if it doesn't limit rest. I cannot recall any dnd game that actually has any limitation in resting.
In the case of BG 1 and 2, most often you did not even have to return to another area to rest, it was usually enough to move a bit to be away from the enemies.
At least it's not as annoying as pathfinder games where the "design" of the fights is to put too powerful enemies too early and ridiculous stat boosts.
Whoever tried to fight shadow demon votary in drezen on some higher difficulty level (core or higher) probably knows it.
It's because it makes no sense from an immersion standpoint. HP is like stamina. It's how much you can endure before you pass out. Resting is about recovering that stamina and repairing armor and mending injuries. Short rest is slapping on patches and band aids.
If you are fully rested between every fight, you destroy the entire system. The whole logic behind the mechanics is thrown out the window. Instead of being a slowly learning and advancing hero who gradually gets to the place where you can face intellect devourers, you begin as Rambo wiping out cambions at level 1, and a lot of it has to do with full restoration between every fight.
