With The Lord of the Rings feature film enjoying both critical and commercial success (and a second life on DVD), and the second installment (The Two Towers) receiving equal or better acclaim, fantasy, sword-and-sorcery epics are once more in vogue. The epic struggle of good vs. evil, a land divided, and sharply drawn characters are all things we can easily identify with. Due to this new-found interest, we'd be hard pressed to think of a better time for a computer RPG to make its way onto store shelves, especially one with the lineage of Icewind Dale II.
The original Icewind Dale had a specific goal in mind, to provide a more engaging and detailed experience than some hack-and-slash epics such as Diablo, but cut to the chase more than some very complicated RPGs like Baldur's Gate. This hybrid design didn't result in mish-mash of differing design philosophies, and instead produced a very popular and satisfying RPG experience that could be enjoyed by both action and RPG fans alike.
The sequel, Icewind Dale II, doesn't do much to change this overall goal, and is once again a combat-heavy, dialogue and story-driven epic without many of the details or requirements of a standard RPG. All the standard D&D elements are there mind you, but Icewind Dale II provides both an engrossing story and a ton of creatures to test your mettle, while not getting bogged down in the details. Although the game uses the same basic engine as its predecessor, Icewind Dale II does include several refinements and additions that look to put the finishing touches on an already-enjoyable game.
Icewind Dale II follows the original and allows a party-based method of gameplay, with full control of what races and classes are used. The standard races of Human, Dwarf, Elf, etc., are featured, but IWD2 adds in a few new faces. These include some new iterations on the standard races, such as Dark Elf (Drow) and Wild Elf, along with different types of Dwarves and Gnomes. The most interesting additions come on the human side of the equation, with the Half-Orc (human-orc), Aasimar (human-celestial) and Tiefling (human-demon) making for some difficult character choices.
Naturally, some of these character races are incredibly powerful (such as the Dark Elf/Drow), so IWD2 enacts some penalties for using them. Many of these races have level penalties, which retards their experience advancement in return for heightened stats. Basically this means a Drow (-2 penalty) will be at Level 10 when all your standard characters reach Level 12, and so on through the game.
We didn't find this an equitable arrangement, since all characters count on level advancement to gain hit points, and this is especially bothersome with classes such as the Sorcerer or Cleric, which automatically gain access to better spells through level gains. As such, it's recommended that your fighters and spellcasters be comprised of standard races, with the special ones used for secondary duties like Rogue or Bard, where their additional stats can be put to better use.
The character classes have also been given an overhaul, with three new and very interesting additions. Due to his disdain of weapons and armor, the Monk might not initially seem too powerful, but this class can really mix it up and becomes very powerful at the higher levels. The second of the new additions is the Barbarian, a powerful fighting class with many advantages. Faster than standard fighters, the Barbarian also has a different skill set and can literally wipe out an entire contingent with them.
The Sorcerer is potentially the most powerful new class, and while very similar to the Wizard, there are some important differences. The Sorcerer is a natural magician who does not need to learn spells and instead gains them through experience. The Sorcerer's selection of spells is limited, but he can cast them many more times (before resting) than other magic users. The Wizard is more of a bookworm and while he can learn more spells, serious limitations are placed on the available spells. This makes the Sorcerer a one-man wrecking crew in battle, as he can churn out spell after spell, and especially at higher levels, can turn a large battle into a rout.
Black Isle has also added in Skills and Feats to the IWD2 formula, giving each of your characters a bit more individuality. The Skills end is a bit more basic, including things like Diplomacy, Open Locks, Hide and other very basic game attributes. Some are useful without manual intervention (such as Diplomacy and Intimidate), while others need to be activated to make use of (Pick Locks, Hide). This new Skill set is a nice addition to the game design, but after a few level up's it gets old quite fast.
Far better are the Feats in IWD2, which are more varied, interesting, useful and are tied closer to the actual character class. These include a wide array of options, though some are open to only a certain class. These work the same way as Skills, with a limited number of upgrade points available with each new level. The individual Feats available are far too numerous to list here, but rest assured they do add a much-needed dimension to the game.
For example a Wizard may upgrade skills or feats in the area of magic lore or spellcasting, or take the points and give it to armor or weapon proficiency. This also means a heightened level of customization for your party, since although there are some limits placed on some races, most feats are open game. It was certainly a breath of fresh air to give our Wizard high archery and armor skills, so that once his spells ran out, he wasn't just cannon fodder. Some characters, such at Rogues, receive an incredible amount of skill and feat points, making them very fun to play.
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