"The classic game, which was revised, has now been re-launched on Android. In order to work through the long story it is necessary to fight, negotiate and explore. An opulent game that not only provides fantastic entertainment, but also diversity. + Extensive content + Long story – Unfortunately, slightly expensive"
It's interesting: "Pathfinding, one of the biggest issues with the original release, has not been addressed sufficiently either. Too often we found ourselves wondering why we weren’t able to enter a tavern or leave an area, only to realise that our bard had gone on a detour and was stuck up a mountain, waiting for us to redirect her. "
Improved pathfinding is one of the features of IWDEE, and yet people find it unsatisfactory There're no limits to perfections, it seems!
Improved pathfinding is one of the features of IWDEE, and yet people find it unsatisfactory There're no limits to perfections, it seems!
No, I don't think this is what it meant. IWDEE uses an improved pathfinding over BG2EE. However, IWD1 the original game had a better pathfinding than BG2. I also discovered this to my dismay. IWDEE downgraded the IWD1. Party members getting stuck in walls, in opened doors and having troubles getting past fellow party members to reach the battle in front of the party. I doubt anyone who tried IWDEE has failed to see those issues. Those issues were not in the original game (I played that game for over 12 years), but they were in the BG1&2.
We have some additional improvements to pathfinding coming down the pike in future patches; you can look forward to some significant enhancements in this area.
We have some additional improvements to pathfinding coming down the pike in future patches; you can look forward to some significant enhancements in this area.
That's good to hear. My suggestion would be to also take a look on how pathfinding was dealt with in IWD2. That game had the best pathfinding of all IE games (even so, it still had issues especially in Ice Temple).
"The classic game, which was revised, has now been re-launched on Android. In order to work through the long story it is necessary to fight, negotiate and explore. An opulent game that not only provides fantastic entertainment, but also diversity. + Extensive content + Long story – Unfortunately, slightly expensive"
That's all...
Admittedly that one is a bit of a tease. For me (due probably to my screen size) it gave the impression of having more to it. In the 2 seconds it took to get to the bottom I was like "well played" (and it looks like this review size is typical for that particular website)
My favourite part about it has to be that the screenshot provided for the game is probably 4-5x the size of the text of the review
If you look closely you'll see that the Metacritic shows only a bunch of reviews, all of them are incorporated to the OP. Meanwhile, in this thread there're a lot more reviews than the Metacritic provides.
Moreover, the link to the Metacritic was already posted on the first page of this discussion:
This review is from Russia and too gives the game 8/10. It's interesting that the author gives his review for BGEE as well, right after the end of the IWDEE review, and gives it 9/10.
Here's my translation:
"Modern cRPGs are all about dynamical fights because it doesn't interest anyone to roll a dice. It was pleasant to go deep into the cold world of Icewind Dale where you can create a party for many hours and still die because of the first enemy. You can watch your fighter can't hit a wolf or you archer can't successfully target an enemy even from rather a close range.
Pros:
Full game with all expansions Big classical RPG on a mobile device Interesting plot and entertaining battle system
Cons: Bugs are still there after 14 years Russian localisation is needed"
This review is well written and analyzes each aspect of the game. The author tested the game using a Steam key that the developers gave him. This time I translated many parts of the article because they are very interesting.
"The developing team is always the same: Beamdog, captained by the valiant @TrentOster (Hi, Trent!), but IWDEE surprisingly came to the stores with a full localization for the Italian players thanks to The Merry Fools, the same team who translated BGEE but not BG2EE".
I appreciated that someone quoted us for our work. Many thanks to @Davide, @Sharsek, @Sophia, @Lisaralin, @Ivanhoe, @Akerhon, @Olorin, @Pibaro and @Metalloman for their hard work and to Beamdog for including the original Italian audio tracks. It is great playing a game with the audio in your own language
"Along the vanilla classes, we can count on a string of kits already seen in BGEE plus two new kits created just for this enhanced edition - Priest of Tyr and Priest of Tempus. [...] Generally speaking, IWDEE is a title enriched by kits and improvements".
"Beamdog backported all the improvements (from the other games, translator's note) in this enhanced edition, with widescreen support, UI scaling, font size and a simplified gameplay as the diary system, the quick loot bar and no loading screens".
You gave me a hard job @bengoshi , but i didn't spare my time and put it in the google translator
[spoiler]
Black Isle Studio's brilliant classic role-playing game returns in new, but still in patchiness shape. Let's see what kind of job BioWare former colleagues done.
Not the Icewind Dale was the first role-playing game, in which i embodied a paladin, but prior to the Black Isle Studios classic it has never happened, that my paladin (i choose that class if possible) behaves following properly the rules described in the actual D&D rule books. Though it's a fun experience to have theological debates with the servants of the faerûnian pantheon, or to put aside our team's well working cover, because of our adherence to our inflexible ethical codex. And these are not the only things, that are waiting for us while playing this story, which expanded close to hundred hours with accessories.
Old is everything
Beamdog, founded by former BioWare employees, renewed up the games of Interplay (which lived better days, and rose to cult status now) in lines in the past few years, including both part of the Baldur's Gate series. Once they were, without exception, well received, it was evident that further Infinity motor RPGs will be also on the operating table. They chose Icewind Dale (released in 2000), making it clear that its continuation can be the next, and finally they will whip in shape Planescape: Torment before attempting to achieve their long-cherished dream project, the Baldur's Gate 3.
The place Icewind Dale, which gives the titleto the game, can be found in Faerûn north-west corner, which is an inaccessible tundraland in the large part of the year. Here takes place our story , which is not as far-reaching as Baldur's Gate, even not so personal like Planescape: Torment , but -under the linearity and predictable twists- quality job is hiding from the writers part. The dialogues or suggestive landscape discriptions would be questioned only by those, whom reading does physical pain. Those, whom the many thousands lines of text poses a problem, better look for themselves some trendy, one-button game, not to overload the thing, which is located between their two ears. However, those who have a go at it,could shed light on the secrets of places like the quiet fishing village, Easthaven (from where you start), the ruined elven fortress between the Valley and the Spine of the World, museums frozen in ice, dwarven caverns and many others, while trying to track down the source of the evil, what threatens the region. Thanks to the Heart of Winter addition, which is part of The Enhanced Edition, we can spend further time in the captivity of ice and frost , while we warn the locals against the consequences of a mother's revenge, and the Trials of the Luremaster bear us to a distant part of the continent, the desert of Anauroch.
Wherever you go, sooner or later the fight will take place, and since the skirmishes are the backbone of the game, we're lucky that it was cleverly designed back in time. We can organize our heroes into various formations to expose the fighters rather themselves at risk, while the healers, mages and archers carry out their job in relative safety. The good old times tactics still work, so instead of start open-helmeted fight with a cavern full of trolls, rather send our thief forward to explore, and if the position is determined, it is bombarded by light-fingered fireballs after the retreat of the area. It also works when we erode a much larger grouping gradually. Always go forward with our hero-bait just enough, to take only a few chase. It's not very realistic, when they don't alert these times their fellas, but we will appreciate this "cheat" at rougher difficulty.
Since we can pause the game with the pause-button at any time, practically making round based the fights taking place in real time, we can think through our next few steps in the largest tranquillity, and apply the instructions that we assume right. The spells, potions, magic inherent in the relics, using the unique abilities of the classes in the right place and time are the key to victory. The only trouble can pop up when the pathfinding algorithm boltsin the narrow passages. A moment of inattention is enough, and one of our adventurer drops behind from the others and proceed in a different direction, just to run into the arms of a waiting goblin horde. And to the pathfinding failure is enough, to get the guys into a jam somewhere, because if they trample on each other's heels, The AI immediately look for alternative routes, instead of waiting for the other party member to walk away.
As Icewind Dale use the the second edition of the Dungeons & Dragons ruleset yet, prepare for curiosities such as the role of luck in the character generation. The attributes discarded with d20 dice are changing randomly, so we repeat the process until we obtain improved results. We store quickly that and then continue the dice to see if we can pass the previous record.
So what has changed?
When I launched the Enhanced Edition, I was disappointed to note that here remain all in the old shape. Fourteen years passed, and the game has been no more beautiful, than it was. But I did not take into account the small, yet more important general truth that the memory beautifies the time, and what i should have learn from the example of the Sleeping Dogs.
Fortunately, I didn't failed to unearth the original edition neither this time, which with its glorious 640 × 480 resolution, at the time was a miracle on my 14-inch SVGA monitor, but now disturbingly ugly. With the add-on is installed you can reach 800 x 600, but it worth no more than a kiss to the dead. Okay, with some fan mods enhancements can be achieved after some trying, but it's more simple to install the stably running restored version in a few minutes. The higher resolution is good for the game beyond doubt, either the built-in zoom opportunity is not from the devil. Too bad that it's good to look at only on the originally flashy, meticulously drawn almost entirely static, and therefore somewhat lifeless, impressive backgrounds. The from characters built from sprites are the same ugly, like in the old times, and the motion animation is the same too.
I emphasize the smooth running, because while the Baldur's Gate EE (and its sequel) throw me off to the desktop not once without warning, unpleasant circumstances didn't bother me on the trip to the Valley of Icewind. In fact, while I write this, my team just marches towards the hut of the poachers in Lonelywood. Therefore, while the heroes walk to their destination, I can free press Alt + Tab, to see what are the news on the GSO. I was at least as happy for the quick loot feature, which simplifies looting, and shows above the lower band of the interface, that what catch is nearby and it is enough to click on them there instead of looking through all the body one by one.
Is there anything new?
Compared to the Baldur's Gates the growth of the content is less conspicuous. There is no trace of so far not seen places, nor of unknown NPC's (who might even join) or new game modes. However, the guys have been, with laboriously work, bring back or made new earlier cut out contents, thus five existing questline was expanded, and an entire mission was included, which was removed from the game for unexplained reasons. Small additions are these, but with the new character classes and kits, the half-orc race, dozens of magical instruments and magic, as well as with some priority relic, which can be improved further in various ways (communicating with other plane's creatures, exploring secret ingredients etc.), it is not so dangerously low added value. It is definitely worth a replay.
A piece of history, role-playing, to know what fits. PRO + Useful developments Tactical struggles Atmosphere and mood CONS - Formulaic story and plot Minimal additional content Still lame quest[/spoiler]
The czech magazine "Level" has given IWDEE only 60 points out of 100. There's no online version of the review yet, the fact there's the review is confirmed by http://www.level.cz/starsi-cisla/level-247/ while the actual rating is taken from the Metacritic critic reviews on IWDEE page:
"Nicely done remake of RPG hit shows the time can’t be stopped. This piece will make fans very happy but only them though".
Only play this game if you like no banter, more linear than bg ee, think dungeon crawl in the open, when it first came played it a few times then gave it a decent burial, though back then we only had vanilla classes, so adding kits, and the dlc's might make it more fun, but it will never make you to play it years from now
Monday brings another review, a positive one: 8 out of 10
Great
Gameplay: 9/10 Storyline: 4/10 Soundtrack: 7/10 Visuals: 6/10 + Huge depth in gameplay mechanics + Challenge means even minor successes feel like accomplishments + Huge amount of additional content - Feels dated in graphics, sound and story - Enhancement doesn't feel like a huge leap.
Along with giving the standard evaluation, the reviewer went further and created tips for beginners. A nice touch, these are really helpful tips:
The variety in class content, ability to export your characters and re-use them, and play at increasing levels of difficulty also ensures the game has huge amounts of replayability that elevate it past its minimal superficial gloss and into something bigger than it seems – and brings the game’s place in RPG history into an area more concrete, reaffirming the choice to enhance the game.
My Top Tips:
Reduce the tooltip time – At least until you learn what everything does. Prepare to fail – You’re going to learn from your mistakes and otherwise get yourself trapped in a corner. Gear your characters – If you try to take out a modest infestation of rats unarmed, you’ll soon be loading a game. Take your time – You’re not going to finish it in a weekend, and there’s a good chance you’ll reach a point of no-recovery on your first few plays. Save often – Cause you’ll die often. Be prepared. Rest – You don’t need to run back to the inn to replenish your spells. Resting outside town will do the trick, though you may get attacked by enemies. Think tactically – Your party needs to work together to survive each battle. Tactics can be the difference between an easy fight and a fight for your life. THAC0 – Mmm, thac0s. Wait no – it’s the D20 roll (that is, of a twenty-sided die) you need to hit the target with their Armour Class at 0. Read the book – Wait, that doesn’t happen anymore. Pause often – It’s possible to play the game real-time, but it’s a trap! You’ll want to pause and control your characters in every step of the process.
"The only other issue I had worth noting, was occasional pathfinding issues. Sometimes one of my party members would lag behind the rest of the group or wander off on a different path than the others, and I would have to wait for them to catch up. All in all, it makes for a fun RPG if you don’t mind the gameplay mechanics and graphical styles of a time gone by. The story is standard fair for those who play these games often, but it is told well. For someone looking for a game like the Baldur’s Gate titles but with more emphasis on spending time fighting monsters and delving through dungeons, this may be just the thing."
"There is no question that this game is a must-have for RPG fans, and gamers who can get past the few minor flaws will also discover an enjoyable gaming experience. It will be interesting to see how long it takes before there is a real contender to remove Black Isle from the throne of the RPG genre."
It's interesting that gameplanet.com.au gave it a 9/10.
"I’m not going to tell you if it’s worth the price because I have already bought the original Icewind Dale twice, so if you’re keen on trying out an old-school RPG, this Enhanced Edition has everything you need."
"Beamdog is back. If you are not excited like D & D fan, you should be. It's not just a straight port, Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition [$ 9.99] brings some new toys on the table and I was geeking since then my hands on them.
Forty years ago, was released a game that changed my life. I was not alive at the time, but that's beside the point. In case you were gone the last 40 years, let me introduce you to Dungeons & Dragons. D & D games, in general, are a fusion of storytelling and dice determines events. These events range from social interactions on mechanical manipulations on melee combat and spell casting. D & D universe is that of sword and sorcery, taverns and villages, heroes and dice. Lots and lots of cubes.
IcewindDale1
So where Icewind Dale fit? Following the Baldur Gate duet, the original IWD I and II were both met with a very positive critics. The only reason why these games are not more popular is that in the first one hit the market around the same time as the main hit Diablo II. Boasting a robust and complex combat system, IWD: EE now today holds a high standard logical complexity, the RPG genre as a whole can still look up to.
Probably one of the most time-worn elements of the game is the graphics. The function is perhaps the only positive I can come. If you are looking for breathtaking graphics or eye discover metal display qualities ... what are you doing here? You should know that the game will look dated and I dont think that IWD: EE. I think the most important thing here is to indicate and emphasize that it is functional and at least for me, the game looks like nostalgia.
IcewindDale2
With the incorporation of pieces previously increased Baldur Gate [$ 9.99] you will see some new stuff creeps. One of my favorites is a widespread class list. Already known for its extensive capabilities for multi-qualified, it is an ideal space for expansion Icewind. Any experienced player should in fact now have the ability to create specific team with specific goals in mind.
My topic Touch Arcade crew is doing quite well. Eli Bard and Mage Jared sit back and laugh because the authors are involved in a brawl and a thief Carter is the most ridiculous jokes. Paladin Fretz only slaps little things by halves, while Kensai Musgrave splits the world in two. Voice files available bit repetitive. After several hours of listening in the same spirit, I usually end up changing, which is the lead character is just to hear some new things as I walk around town or on the road.
IcewindDale3
Icewind has a very slow pace. In most modern RPG, you will manage many tasks at once, and usually only spend a few minutes on each of them. When you take on the road to IWD, you should not expect to finish it in one sitting. The main storyline quests primarily represent it. I think the last task I picked up somewhere in the neighborhood took eight hours to complete from start to finish. Is that bad? no. I really like the throw back to the quest is power not neccessarily expected to easily complete. Quests feel that these monolithic noble things you can catch a glimpse of little bits at a time. It is an important part of making the experience to make you feel like your page bitten off more than he can chew.
Combat is also a slow affair. You may need to rest between almost every fight to heal and recharge spells that are almost necessary for the heaviest fighting. Rest has a decent chance of attracting the enemy, even if it is in an enclosed space. More About the game's difficulty. The game is really hard. My biggest recommendation is to auto-pause the game options. Without it, you will probably spend a lot of time wandering After losing party members. A wide range of tasks and serious danger facing your heroes unite to take on epic atmosphere. It's not a feeling that you get with many current games, and that's something I'm missing. For players new genre would also suggest reducing the difficulty of hitting or wiki for help to build the appropriate group."
Pro: A giant and detailed world, six characters to run, an interesting story (for those of you who know English), lots and lots of content.
Con: A dated graphics, no Russian localization (if you buy the game, the Devs may look at this problem)
A random tidbit from the review: "As you see, there's a certain regress in the RPG genre, and only games like this can remind gamers how cool this genre used to be".
According to the Metacritic site, CD-Action (http://www.cdaction.pl) has given IWDEE a 85/100 mark.
"Canadians responsible for this edition restrained their own creativity almost completely, delivering a polished product true to the original game. [13/2014, p.63]" The review (that is not available online) is dated as of January, 9, 2015.
@bengoshi Another review from Italy with love http://www.rpgitalia.net/recensioni/icewind-dale-enhanced-edition/ This review has been written and published by RPG Italia, the most important RPG site in my country. It is without rating, but it is definitely positive. It especially praises the plot and the combat system and difficulty. I translated the final judgement:
"For some ways, Icewind Dale beats modern games, giving a deep gameplay experience that very few titles can offer these days. Thanks to the Enhanced Edition, it has new handy features and the multiplayer option is very enjoyable. It is a title that every single player must have in his collection. Those who play old school RPGs for the first time must not be discouraged by graphics: while they have been updated, they still show their age, but Icewind Dale is a masterpiece. The plot is engaging and interesting; the lore is rich and well written; it will satisfy even the most demaning and curious people. Also, every single character is definied with so much intensity and precision that you have the feeling you are meeting different and real NPCs, while in many modern games there are characters that seem off the shelf. Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition can easily compete with new titles such as Pillars of Eternity.
GOOD: Great Italian translation Engaging plot Good multiplayer mode
BAD: Slow for new players Dated graphics"
Please, let me know if there is something unclear in my translation.
Thanks for your contribution, @Aedan , always interesting to read your translations.
It happens that a new review in English is also out. It's without any rating as well but is very positive.
"Looking Back: why it's still worth bracing against the cold in Icewind Dale
Trent Oster, the lead on Icewind Dale’s Enhanced Edition, describes the game’s battles as “combat puzzles”: scuffles with suicide skeleton warriors who explode in shards of ice when popped with a well-placed arrow; trolls who need to be finished off with fire damage; and the lizard priests backing them up, acting out complicated spellcasting routines that could scupper the player’s advance if left undealt with.
Last year’s Enhanced Edition comes with a Story Mode that’ll let you plough through these fights like so much snow, but on normal difficulty you’ll need to concentrate. Some areas recall Doom and its monster closets - trapping the party into situations beyond their comfort spells and formations and forcing them to work out a plan for survival.
The toughest battles are an exercise in intense micromanagement - prioritising enemies, interrupting spells, countering clouds of suffocating gas, and never letting your hand move more than an inch away from that space ba
The new Enhanced Edition pulls in all the class and race options from Beamdog's other updated RPGs, turns once-broken multiplayer into convincing co-op, and blows up the game's maps to the highest resolutions - where the tangible cold of the Dale can be properly appreciated."
Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition has entered the pcgamesn.com-list of the best PC games of 2015 and 2014.
The original Icewind Dale game, but souped up for the modern day. All those fantastic combat encounters are exactly how you remember them, and thanks to HD wizardry it all looks just beautiful. A slick multiplayer means you can take to the wintery battlegrounds with friends.
Icewind Dale was Black Isle's attempt to bash out an action RPG in Baldur's Gate's Infinity Engine. Because they were the studio who'd built Fallout, they failed miserably: accidentally making a coherent world of Faerun's northern wastes, and filling its dungeons with tangled networks of tactical battles.
The new version pulls in all the class and race options from Beamdog's other Enhanced Editions, turns once-broken multiplayer into convincing co-op, and blows up the game's maps to the highest resolutions - where the tangible cold of the Dales can be properly appreciated. The starting town alone, Easthaven, manages to pack subsistence, stoicism, religion and the stench of drying fish into an isometric drawing.
What's more, this remains to our knowledge the only RPG in which you can have an argument with a skeleton about the problem of proactive foreign policy. Bone-rattling stuff.
"What's more, this remains to our knowledge the only RPG in which you can have an argument with a skeleton about the problem of proactive foreign policy."
Comments
"The classic game, which was revised, has now been re-launched on Android. In order to work through the long story it is necessary to fight, negotiate and explore. An opulent game that not only provides fantastic entertainment, but also diversity.
+ Extensive content
+ Long story
– Unfortunately, slightly expensive"
That's all... vietnamese? O_o! Where did you find it?
Improved pathfinding is one of the features of IWDEE, and yet people find it unsatisfactory
IWDEE uses an improved pathfinding over BG2EE. However, IWD1 the original game had a better pathfinding than BG2. I also discovered this to my dismay. IWDEE downgraded the IWD1. Party members getting stuck in walls, in opened doors and having troubles getting past fellow party members to reach the battle in front of the party. I doubt anyone who tried IWDEE has failed to see those issues. Those issues were not in the original game (I played that game for over 12 years), but they were in the BG1&2.
My favourite part about it has to be that the screenshot provided for the game is probably 4-5x the size of the text of the review
http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/icewind-dale-enhanced-edition
If you look closely you'll see that the Metacritic shows only a bunch of reviews, all of them are incorporated to the OP. Meanwhile, in this thread there're a lot more reviews than the Metacritic provides.
Moreover, the link to the Metacritic was already posted on the first page of this discussion:
http://theshelternetwork.com/icewind-dale-enhanced-edition/
It is from Italy and gives the game 8 out of 10. @Aedan for the rescue in terms of translation
http://www.3dnews.ru/905850?full=NexusTablet
This review is from Russia and too gives the game 8/10. It's interesting that the author gives his review for BGEE as well, right after the end of the IWDEE review, and gives it 9/10.
Here's my translation:
"Modern cRPGs are all about dynamical fights because it doesn't interest anyone to roll a dice. It was pleasant to go deep into the cold world of Icewind Dale where you can create a party for many hours and still die because of the first enemy. You can watch your fighter can't hit a wolf or you archer can't successfully target an enemy even from rather a close range.
Pros:
Full game with all expansions
Big classical RPG on a mobile device
Interesting plot and entertaining battle system
Cons:
Bugs are still there after 14 years
Russian localisation is needed"
http://www.gamestar.hu/icewind-dale-enhanced-edition-teszt.html
The third review is from Hungary and also gives thee game 8 out of 10. I wonder, who can translate this review for us?;)
This review is well written and analyzes each aspect of the game. The author tested the game using a Steam key that the developers gave him.
This time I translated many parts of the article because they are very interesting.
"The developing team is always the same: Beamdog, captained by the valiant @TrentOster (Hi, Trent!), but IWDEE surprisingly came to the stores with a full localization for the Italian players thanks to The Merry Fools, the same team who translated BGEE but not BG2EE".
I appreciated that someone quoted us for our work. Many thanks to @Davide, @Sharsek, @Sophia, @Lisaralin, @Ivanhoe, @Akerhon, @Olorin, @Pibaro and @Metalloman for their hard work and to Beamdog for including the original Italian audio tracks. It is great playing a game with the audio in your own language
"Along the vanilla classes, we can count on a string of kits already seen in BGEE plus two new kits created just for this enhanced edition - Priest of Tyr and Priest of Tempus. [...] Generally speaking, IWDEE is a title enriched by kits and improvements".
"Beamdog backported all the improvements (from the other games, translator's note) in this enhanced edition, with widescreen support, UI scaling, font size and a simplified gameplay as the diary system, the quick loot bar and no loading screens".
[spoiler]
Black Isle Studio's brilliant classic role-playing game returns in new, but still in patchiness shape. Let's see what kind of job BioWare former colleagues done.
Not the Icewind Dale was the first role-playing game, in which i embodied a paladin, but prior to the Black Isle Studios classic it has never happened, that my paladin (i choose that class if possible) behaves following properly the rules described in the actual D&D rule books. Though it's a fun experience to have theological debates with the servants of the faerûnian pantheon, or to put aside our team's well working cover, because of our adherence to our inflexible ethical codex. And these are not the only things, that are waiting for us while playing this story, which expanded close to hundred hours with accessories.Old is everything
Beamdog, founded by former BioWare employees, renewed up the games of Interplay (which lived better days, and rose to cult status now) in lines in the past few years, including both part of the Baldur's Gate series. Once they were, without exception, well received, it was evident that further Infinity motor RPGs will be also on the operating table. They chose Icewind Dale (released in 2000), making it clear that its continuation can be the next, and finally they will whip in shape Planescape: Torment before attempting to achieve their long-cherished dream project, the Baldur's Gate 3.The place Icewind Dale, which gives the titleto the game, can be found in Faerûn north-west corner, which is an inaccessible tundraland in the large part of the year. Here takes place our story , which is not as far-reaching as Baldur's Gate, even not so personal like Planescape: Torment , but -under the linearity and predictable twists- quality job is hiding from the writers part. The dialogues or suggestive landscape discriptions would be questioned only by those, whom reading does physical pain. Those, whom the many thousands lines of text poses a problem, better look for themselves some trendy, one-button game, not to overload the thing, which is located between their two ears.
However, those who have a go at it,could shed light on the secrets of places like the quiet fishing village, Easthaven (from where you start), the ruined elven fortress between the Valley and the Spine of the World, museums frozen in ice, dwarven caverns and many others, while trying to track down the source of the evil, what threatens the region. Thanks to the Heart of Winter addition, which is part of The Enhanced Edition, we can spend further time in the captivity of ice and frost , while we warn the locals against the consequences of a mother's revenge, and the Trials of the Luremaster bear us to a distant part of the continent, the desert of Anauroch.
Wherever you go, sooner or later the fight will take place, and since the skirmishes are the backbone of the game, we're lucky that it was cleverly designed back in time. We can organize our heroes into various formations to expose the fighters rather themselves at risk, while the healers, mages and archers carry out their job in relative safety. The good old times tactics still work, so instead of start open-helmeted fight with a cavern full of trolls, rather send our thief forward to explore, and if the position is determined, it is bombarded by light-fingered fireballs after the retreat of the area. It also works when we erode a much larger grouping gradually. Always go forward with our hero-bait just enough, to take only a few chase. It's not very realistic, when they don't alert these times their fellas, but we will appreciate this "cheat" at rougher difficulty.
Since we can pause the game with the pause-button at any time, practically making round based the fights taking place in real time, we can think through our next few steps in the largest tranquillity, and apply the instructions that we assume right. The spells, potions, magic inherent in the relics, using the unique abilities of the classes in the right place and time are the key to victory. The only trouble can pop up when the pathfinding algorithm boltsin the narrow passages. A moment of inattention is enough, and one of our adventurer drops behind from the others and proceed in a different direction, just to run into the arms of a waiting goblin horde. And to the pathfinding failure is enough, to get the guys into a jam somewhere, because if they trample on each other's heels, The AI immediately look for alternative routes, instead of waiting for the other party member to walk away.
As Icewind Dale use the the second edition of the Dungeons & Dragons ruleset yet, prepare for curiosities such as the role of luck in the character generation. The attributes discarded with d20 dice are changing randomly, so we repeat the process until we obtain improved results. We store quickly that and then continue the dice to see if we can pass the previous record.
So what has changed?
When I launched the Enhanced Edition, I was disappointed to note that here remain all in the old shape. Fourteen years passed, and the game has been no more beautiful, than it was. But I did not take into account the small, yet more important general truth that the memory beautifies the time, and what i should have learn from the example of the Sleeping Dogs.Fortunately, I didn't failed to unearth the original edition neither this time, which with its glorious 640 × 480 resolution, at the time was a miracle on my 14-inch SVGA monitor, but now disturbingly ugly. With the add-on is installed you can reach 800 x 600, but it worth no more than a kiss to the dead. Okay, with some fan mods enhancements can be achieved after some trying, but it's more simple to install the stably running restored version in a few minutes. The higher resolution is good for the game beyond doubt, either the built-in zoom opportunity is not from the devil. Too bad that it's good to look at only on the originally flashy, meticulously drawn almost entirely static, and therefore somewhat lifeless, impressive backgrounds. The from characters built from sprites are the same ugly, like in the old times, and the motion animation is the same too.
I emphasize the smooth running, because while the Baldur's Gate EE (and its sequel) throw me off to the desktop not once without warning, unpleasant circumstances didn't bother me on the trip to the Valley of Icewind. In fact, while I write this, my team just marches towards the hut of the poachers in Lonelywood. Therefore, while the heroes walk to their destination, I can free press Alt + Tab, to see what are the news on the GSO.
I was at least as happy for the quick loot feature, which simplifies looting, and shows above the lower band of the interface, that what catch is nearby and it is enough to click on them there instead of looking through all the body one by one.
Is there anything new?
Compared to the Baldur's Gates the growth of the content is less conspicuous. There is no trace of so far not seen places, nor of unknown NPC's (who might even join) or new game modes. However, the guys have been, with laboriously work, bring back or made new earlier cut out contents, thus five existing questline was expanded, and an entire mission was included, which was removed from the game for unexplained reasons. Small additions are these, but with the new character classes and kits, the half-orc race, dozens of magical instruments and magic, as well as with some priority relic, which can be improved further in various ways (communicating with other plane's creatures, exploring secret ingredients etc.), it is not so dangerously low added value. It is definitely worth a replay.A piece of history, role-playing, to know what fits.
PRO +
Useful developments
Tactical struggles
Atmosphere and mood
CONS -
Formulaic story and plot
Minimal additional content
Still lame quest[/spoiler]
"Nicely done remake of RPG hit shows the time can’t be stopped. This piece will make fans very happy but only them though".
Monday brings another review, a positive one: 8 out of 10
Great
Gameplay: 9/10
Storyline: 4/10
Soundtrack: 7/10
Visuals: 6/10
+ Huge depth in gameplay mechanics
+ Challenge means even minor successes feel like accomplishments
+ Huge amount of additional content
- Feels dated in graphics, sound and story
- Enhancement doesn't feel like a huge leap.
Along with giving the standard evaluation, the reviewer went further and created tips for beginners. A nice touch, these are really helpful tips:
The variety in class content, ability to export your characters and re-use them, and play at increasing levels of difficulty also ensures the game has huge amounts of replayability that elevate it past its minimal superficial gloss and into something bigger than it seems – and brings the game’s place in RPG history into an area more concrete, reaffirming the choice to enhance the game.
My Top Tips:
Reduce the tooltip time – At least until you learn what everything does.
Prepare to fail – You’re going to learn from your mistakes and otherwise get yourself trapped in a corner.
Gear your characters – If you try to take out a modest infestation of rats unarmed, you’ll soon be loading a game.
Take your time – You’re not going to finish it in a weekend, and there’s a good chance you’ll reach a point of no-recovery on your first few plays.
Save often – Cause you’ll die often. Be prepared.
Rest – You don’t need to run back to the inn to replenish your spells. Resting outside town will do the trick, though you may get attacked by enemies.
Think tactically – Your party needs to work together to survive each battle. Tactics can be the difference between an easy fight and a fight for your life.
THAC0 – Mmm, thac0s. Wait no – it’s the D20 roll (that is, of a twenty-sided die) you need to hit the target with their Armour Class at 0.
Read the book – Wait, that doesn’t happen anymore.
Pause often – It’s possible to play the game real-time, but it’s a trap! You’ll want to pause and control your characters in every step of the process.
http://www.eurogamer.cz/articles/icewind-dale-enhanced-edition-recenze
A new review from Czech republic, this time giving the game 8 out of 10
http://www.gram.pl/artykul/2014/12/03/recenzja-icewind-dale-enchanced-edition-kolejne-kultowe-rpg-na-tabletach-i-smartfonach.shtml
Rating: 7.9
+ Everything that was good about old IWD
+ Some new content
- Everything that was bad about old IWD
- Missing translation (for Polish, but that doesn't concern majority of you)
- Small performance problem.
The review is mainly about mobile version, thought.
It got a rating of 4/5 android robot heads.
There're 3 new reviews available:
http://www.darkstation.com/reviews/icewind-dale-enhanced-edition/ - 4.5/5:
"The only other issue I had worth noting, was occasional pathfinding issues. Sometimes one of my party members would lag behind the rest of the group or wander off on a different path than the others, and I would have to wait for them to catch up. All in all, it makes for a fun RPG if you don’t mind the gameplay mechanics and graphical styles of a time gone by. The story is standard fair for those who play these games often, but it is told well. For someone looking for a game like the Baldur’s Gate titles but with more emphasis on spending time fighting monsters and delving through dungeons, this may be just the thing."
http://www.gameplanet.co.nz/pc/reviews/i128907/Icewind-Dale-review/ gives it an 8.0/10:
"There is no question that this game is a must-have for RPG fans, and gamers who can get past the few minor flaws will also discover an enjoyable gaming experience. It will be interesting to see how long it takes before there is a real contender to remove Black Isle from the throne of the RPG genre."
It's interesting that gameplanet.com.au gave it a 9/10.
http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/Icewind-Dale-Enhanced-Edition-Review-467531.shtml
gives it an 8/10:
"I’m not going to tell you if it’s worth the price because I have already bought the original Icewind Dale twice, so if you’re keen on trying out an old-school RPG, this Enhanced Edition has everything you need."
http://apktr.net/icewind-dale-enhanced-edition-apk-nasil-oynanir/
I would put this next one under positive
http://cs.videoforkid.com/icewind-dale-enhanced-edition-review-another-remastered-legend-released-for-ios/
(translated from slovak using google translate)
"Beamdog is back. If you are not excited like D & D fan, you should be. It's not just a straight port, Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition [$ 9.99] brings some new toys on the table and I was geeking since then my hands on them.
Forty years ago, was released a game that changed my life. I was not alive at the time, but that's beside the point. In case you were gone the last 40 years, let me introduce you to Dungeons & Dragons. D & D games, in general, are a fusion of storytelling and dice determines events. These events range from social interactions on mechanical manipulations on melee combat and spell casting. D & D universe is that of sword and sorcery, taverns and villages, heroes and dice. Lots and lots of cubes.
IcewindDale1
So where Icewind Dale fit? Following the Baldur Gate duet, the original IWD I and II were both met with a very positive critics. The only reason why these games are not more popular is that in the first one hit the market around the same time as the main hit Diablo II. Boasting a robust and complex combat system, IWD: EE now today holds a high standard logical complexity, the RPG genre as a whole can still look up to.
Probably one of the most time-worn elements of the game is the graphics. The function is perhaps the only positive I can come. If you are looking for breathtaking graphics or eye discover metal display qualities ... what are you doing here? You should know that the game will look dated and I dont think that IWD: EE. I think the most important thing here is to indicate and emphasize that it is functional and at least for me, the game looks like nostalgia.
IcewindDale2
With the incorporation of pieces previously increased Baldur Gate [$ 9.99] you will see some new stuff creeps. One of my favorites is a widespread class list. Already known for its extensive capabilities for multi-qualified, it is an ideal space for expansion Icewind. Any experienced player should in fact now have the ability to create specific team with specific goals in mind.
My topic Touch Arcade crew is doing quite well. Eli Bard and Mage Jared sit back and laugh because the authors are involved in a brawl and a thief Carter is the most ridiculous jokes. Paladin Fretz only slaps little things by halves, while Kensai Musgrave splits the world in two. Voice files available bit repetitive. After several hours of listening in the same spirit, I usually end up changing, which is the lead character is just to hear some new things as I walk around town or on the road.
IcewindDale3
Icewind has a very slow pace. In most modern RPG, you will manage many tasks at once, and usually only spend a few minutes on each of them. When you take on the road to IWD, you should not expect to finish it in one sitting. The main storyline quests primarily represent it. I think the last task I picked up somewhere in the neighborhood took eight hours to complete from start to finish. Is that bad? no. I really like the throw back to the quest is power not neccessarily expected to easily complete. Quests feel that these monolithic noble things you can catch a glimpse of little bits at a time. It is an important part of making the experience to make you feel like your page bitten off more than he can chew.
Combat is also a slow affair. You may need to rest between almost every fight to heal and recharge spells that are almost necessary for the heaviest fighting. Rest has a decent chance of attracting the enemy, even if it is in an enclosed space. More About the game's difficulty. The game is really hard. My biggest recommendation is to auto-pause the game options. Without it, you will probably spend a lot of time wandering After losing party members. A wide range of tasks and serious danger facing your heroes unite to take on epic atmosphere. It's not a feeling that you get with many current games, and that's something I'm missing. For players new genre would also suggest reducing the difficulty of hitting or wiki for help to build the appropriate group."
http://www.cheatmasters.com/blog/2014/12/22/icewind-dale-enhanced-edition-review/
9/10
http://mobplayer.net/1038-icewind-dale-enhanced-edition.html
8/10
Pro: A giant and detailed world, six characters to run, an interesting story (for those of you who know English), lots and lots of content.
Con: A dated graphics, no Russian localization (if you buy the game, the Devs may look at this problem)
A random tidbit from the review: "As you see, there's a certain regress in the RPG genre, and only games like this can remind gamers how cool this genre used to be".
According to the Metacritic site, CD-Action (http://www.cdaction.pl) has given IWDEE a 85/100 mark.
"Canadians responsible for this edition restrained their own creativity almost completely, delivering a polished product true to the original game. [13/2014, p.63]" The review (that is not available online) is dated as of January, 9, 2015.
Another review from Italy with love
http://www.rpgitalia.net/recensioni/icewind-dale-enhanced-edition/
This review has been written and published by RPG Italia, the most important RPG site in my country. It is without rating, but it is definitely positive. It especially praises the plot and the combat system and difficulty.
I translated the final judgement:
"For some ways, Icewind Dale beats modern games, giving a deep gameplay experience that very few titles can offer these days. Thanks to the Enhanced Edition, it has new handy features and the multiplayer option is very enjoyable. It is a title that every single player must have in his collection. Those who play old school RPGs for the first time must not be discouraged by graphics: while they have been updated, they still show their age, but Icewind Dale is a masterpiece. The plot is engaging and interesting; the lore is rich and well written; it will satisfy even the most demaning and curious people. Also, every single character is definied with so much intensity and precision that you have the feeling you are meeting different and real NPCs, while in many modern games there are characters that seem off the shelf.
Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition can easily compete with new titles such as Pillars of Eternity.
GOOD:
Great Italian translation
Engaging plot
Good multiplayer mode
BAD:
Slow for new players
Dated graphics"
Please, let me know if there is something unclear in my translation.
It happens that a new review in English is also out. It's without any rating as well but is very positive.
"Looking Back: why it's still worth bracing against the cold in Icewind Dale
Trent Oster, the lead on Icewind Dale’s Enhanced Edition, describes the game’s battles as “combat puzzles”: scuffles with suicide skeleton warriors who explode in shards of ice when popped with a well-placed arrow; trolls who need to be finished off with fire damage; and the lizard priests backing them up, acting out complicated spellcasting routines that could scupper the player’s advance if left undealt with.
Last year’s Enhanced Edition comes with a Story Mode that’ll let you plough through these fights like so much snow, but on normal difficulty you’ll need to concentrate. Some areas recall Doom and its monster closets - trapping the party into situations beyond their comfort spells and formations and forcing them to work out a plan for survival.
The toughest battles are an exercise in intense micromanagement - prioritising enemies, interrupting spells, countering clouds of suffocating gas, and never letting your hand move more than an inch away from that space ba
The new Enhanced Edition pulls in all the class and race options from Beamdog's other updated RPGs, turns once-broken multiplayer into convincing co-op, and blows up the game's maps to the highest resolutions - where the tangible cold of the Dale can be properly appreciated."
http://www.pcgamesn.com/icewind-dale-enhanced-edition/looking-back-why-its-still-worth-bracing-against-the-cold-in-icewind-dale
Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition has entered the pcgamesn.com-list of the best PC games of 2015 and 2014.
The original Icewind Dale game, but souped up for the modern day. All those fantastic combat encounters are exactly how you remember them, and thanks to HD wizardry it all looks just beautiful. A slick multiplayer means you can take to the wintery battlegrounds with friends.
Icewind Dale was Black Isle's attempt to bash out an action RPG in Baldur's Gate's Infinity Engine. Because they were the studio who'd built Fallout, they failed miserably: accidentally making a coherent world of Faerun's northern wastes, and filling its dungeons with tangled networks of tactical battles.
The new version pulls in all the class and race options from Beamdog's other Enhanced Editions, turns once-broken multiplayer into convincing co-op, and blows up the game's maps to the highest resolutions - where the tangible cold of the Dales can be properly appreciated. The starting town alone, Easthaven, manages to pack subsistence, stoicism, religion and the stench of drying fish into an isometric drawing.
What's more, this remains to our knowledge the only RPG in which you can have an argument with a skeleton about the problem of proactive foreign policy. Bone-rattling stuff.
http://www.pcgamesn.com/best-pc-games-2014-q1/page/0/6
http://taparena.com/2015/03/03/icewind-dale-as-hardcore-as-it-gets-on-ios/