For those of us for whom Betrayal at Krondor was the definitive CRPG experience, watching the development saga of its sequel generated equal parts excitement and trepidation. When Thief of Dreams fell through at Dynamix/Sierra and Ramond E. Feist took his toys home, it seemed like all hopes for a return to Midkemia were lost (and Betrayal in Antara, while interesting, was a pale imitation of BaK).
But PyroTechnix came through, and Return to Krondor was born. Given that it has a completely different engine and combat system (though battles are still turn-based, thankfully), RtK was always going to be a very different game. But the heavy involvement of REF in the story development and writing process was encouraging.
While this is not as good a game as BaK (name one that is!), it shares its predecessor's strengths. Story, setting, and characterization are the building blocks here, and on the level of dialogue (now fully voice-acted!) I actually think that RtK surpasses BaK. The combat system is very engaging, and the inventory (alchemy in particular) and magic systems are memorably complex. With 3D-rendered sprites on 2D painted backgrounds, the graphics, while a huge step up from BaK, do look dated. But they are stylish enough that they stick in the memory.
To me, the biggest misstep in this game is the amount of grinding you have to do in the first few chapters to get James and Jezhara to a usable level. I know Krondor is the home of the Upright Man and all, but how many thieves can there be in abandoned houses at night?? Answer: as many as you have the patience to kill.
That said, the story is interesting and engaging, the characters are well-rounded and memorable, and the setting is a classic. If you liked BaK, I highly recommend it.