So after reading this thread, and being constantly urged by a good friend I got 1 and 2. Injected oodles of mods and what not to it and wow. Once my eyes got used to the graphics I actually began enjoying them and the game much more. Toward the end of the 1st one I started going all meh with it, but still enjoyed the system. Picked up IWD2 which is all about stabbifying things with little no purpose. Did that for a bit because having a 100%custom party was pretty cool.
Again, at his urging, I went and finished BG1. (For the record he told me I could have skipped it, but I refused on the off chance I might have liked it. Good thing I did.) Once I got into BG2, the "hey this is what previously happened" cutscenes werent anywhere near the real thing(dur?). I was very glad I grinded through some parts of BG1. SoA is awesome!
I offered to multiplay with him but he refuses saying that you lose out on tons of story without the npcs arguing with eachother. I've learned so far, Paladins and Drow are not great friends. BG1 and 2... Don't do it. Also. Minsc. Minsc will never leave my party! Butt-kicking. For goodness!
Icewind Dale 2 however might be better for multiplay. The lacking npc interaction will quickly be replaced by your own chatter on ts / vent / mumble as you try to stay alive, especially on harder difficulties. The story is bleh, but there are A LOT of fights, and big ones. I read reviews and most said 90% is fighting, which is just about right. Definitely doable as a 2 play.
So just wanted to write about my experiences. I did not get enhanced edition because I had the regular installed before EE came out and was too lazy to reinstall. Also, Golden Pantaloons.
Edit: Began multiplayer Icewind Dale 1. After about 30 minutes of character creation and what not, we decided we needed money for equipment because you only start with a quarterstaff. The innkeeper where we started said she would give us 5 gold to kill rats in the cellar...
That bitch lied. We went downstairs and were HORRIBLY MURDERED by about 4 beetles. They didn't even aggro until we hit them, but when they did, the went around and 1 shotted each and every one of us. Goddamnit hard mode. (We hadnt saved)