DavesGaming

Icewind Dale uses the same Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2E rule set as Baldur’s Gate and the same Infinity Engine. The two games are even in the same setting. Since the Enhanced Edition came out the two games are more alike than ever. So what makes Icewind Dale unique?

Apart from the obvious like a different story and a couple hundred years of game time, there are some pronounced differences in look, mood and gameplay. The first two are maybe the easiest to define. Because the game was by a different developer (Black Isle as opposed to Bioware) there is a different approach to things. The artwork affects everything from the game maps, to character portraits, to spellcasting animations. My impression is that a lot of this higher resolution? I’m not sure if that’s literally true, but a lot of the things that are different look sharper here.

Icewind Dale is a frozen, desolate land to the far north in the Forgotten Realms setting. And indeed the backgrounds often look bleak and uninviting. While a lot of interiors are colorful and warm. The contrast (both literal and figurative) is dramatic. I love the look of this land that I would truly not want to live in.

Of course to most of us the bottom line will be gameplay. The first obvious difference is you are creating a full party, with no recruitable NPCs. What you make is what you got. In some ways that reduces the personality or immersion aspect of the game. You will feel like you get to “know” far fewer people in the world. But for many of us, that ability to create our own party (up to six characters) is completely worth it. I’d say, I really appreciate this as a difference between the games. I like making all my own characters, and I’ve really come to love creating back stories for a whole team.
Icewind Dale is an old school dungeon crawl, a hack and slash sort of game. The story and characters take second place to the large battles waiting for you around almost every corner. If you’re looking for another epic saga like Baldur’s Gate you’ll be disappointed. But if you can enjoy a constant tactical simulation, you will love it!

For myself, I can honestly say I was disappointed on my first playthrough. Precisely because the game is lacking that big story. And I was much slower to get back to this game than I was with Baldur’s Gate. But in time, it seriously grew on me. I truly do love the IE combat, and I love developing characters and parties. So I suppose it was inevitable that I’d come to love this game. A few specific things; going back to that part where a lot of the art looks better. I’d also say, to a limited extent, this game replays very well. Sure I’ve gotten to know pretty well what battle is coming when, but a lot of treasure is random. Or at least more random than Baldur’s Gate. Not completely so, but many treasures pull from tables of 3 or 4 items. This can result in not just minor, but even some bigger magic items not being the same from game to game. So even if you know the game well you may end up with oddities like all your support characters having magic weapons before your main damage dealers do. I LOVE this part. It puts a twist on meta-gaming.

I also should mention that there actually is a story in this game. It is simpler than the epic, and its linear. So you only either complete the story, or fail to. But it is present, and if you follow along it is interesting and well written in spite of its limitations. Certainly the occasional comment I’ve seen that Icewind Dale “has no story” is nonsense. The story may not be what draws you back, but in every case your actions drive the story along.

As before, I’m running the EE version of the game. For mods, I have the “Tweaks Anthology” again. For ease of use type adjustments this is the most essential mod for all IE games. I also have the “Voices” mod again, another favorite for all the EE games. Currently I only have a couple other mods up, “The Rediscovery of Kuldahar” expands on what becomes your base city for most of the game. A lot of little extra adventures. All little stuff. Its well designed and colorful (!). I like the extra life and personality it brings. Its also a lot of less linear stuff added to the game. It let’s you break up the main adventure with some low stress social time.
The final mod I’m running is “Below and Below Inn“. This is the same sort of thing as the previous one (both are by the same modder, Lava). But I’d call this one less organic to the adventure. Some may find that a good thing. After three playthroughs with it I’m still not completely sold. It is well designed and low stress with little quests and adventures. But its next step weird in some ways. One of the things I like about Icewind Dale is its not as “High Fantasy” as Baldur’s Gate. A little grittier and realer. Below and Below Inn might fit better with Baldur’s Gate?

Overall, I currently like Icewind Dale fully equal with Baldur’s Gate. What it lacks in “epic” it makes up with pure replayability.