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Adventure & RPG


Icewind Dale
Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 best

By Andrew S. Bub
(7/14/2000)

The good: Fast-paced and action packed; utilizes the strengths of the AD&D rules system; plenty of depth. 
The bad: Trite story; resolution-constrained graphics; bad pathfinding; slow performance; reactive AI. 
The bottom line: A tried-and-true mix of action and RPG. 
Multiplayer: Six players maximum  
ESRB rating: T (Teen)

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Icewind Dale is a game of pedigree. It draws from the fertile soil of TSR's AD&D rules and its Forgotten Realms game world, as well as R.A. Salvatore's Forgotten Realms and Icewind Dale books. The game also utilizes the same engine used for Baldur's Gate and Tales From the Sword Coast. Touted as an action/RPG, Icewind Dale is actually a far deeper game than most out there on the market. If Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment are full-fledged AD&D campaigns, Icewind Dale is an unabashed hack-'n'-slash adventure and a nice mix of style and substance. RPG Lite it is not.

Player's Handbook
Icewind Dale allows you the option to create up to six characters of your own, or you can use a few premade characters. Character generation is a laborious process that requires you to roll up your character several times and then redistribute points. Unfortunately, given the game's difficulty, settling for low scores now can result in frequent death later on. You must also decide on a character portrait and even a voice, and you have the option of writing a bio for the character.


 
Screen Shots
Click the captions for more game shots!

-Long live the mighty Dwarf
-Where do you roam?
-Snowy, snowy night
-Twisted caverns
-Psychedelic battle

The story line concerns trouble up north in Icewind Dale, a region of biting cold, snow, and jagged mountains known as "The Spine of the World." Monsters are growing more plentiful up there, barbarians are growing more bold, caravans and innocent townspeople are disappearing, and the weather is getting far worse than ever before. In true AD&D tradition, the best way to solve these problems is to send in a bunch of first-level newbie adventurers. There are only a few side quests and the majority of the game is very linear, consisting of a powerful guy sending you on recon-style missions. In a nostalgic sort of it way, it feels just like an AD&D module.

Monster Manual
You begin the tale with six level-one neophytes who eventually take on everything from goblins to frost giants and much worse. This showcases Icewind Dale's greatest strengths. The quests and monster experience point values allow the characters to grow at a nice, even rate. Unlike most AD&D games, there is no level cap here. You begin at first level, but by the end you'll have artifact-wielding 12th-level (and beyond) superheroes. In that way, the game is a kick, finally letting players fully exploit the upper end of the AD&D goodie bag, including cool spells and magic items.


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Icewind Dale




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