Give us an Icewind Dale II Review!
- Thread starter Aluvial
- Start date
toberane
First Post
I just got the game yesterday, and I have only been able to play it for an hour or so. Still, my initial impressions are good. I've played Baldur's Gate, Planescape:Torment, and Icewind Dale II, so the controls are familiar and easy to use. That's one of the main things that kept me from enjoying Pool of Radience--the controls sucked.
The artwork on the character sketches and the landscapes are beautiful as always. As to the rules, judging by the accompanying rulebook, it almost appears as if they were able to implement more of the 3E rules than NWN did. The experience and class progression tables go to level 30. And the AI seems to be fairly sophisticated. For instance, I picked one of the pre-generated parties so I could get started quickly, and the leader of the group is a Drow Priestess of Selune (I know, wierd, huh?), and the people you talk to actually kept bringing that up, and were worried that they couldn't trust her because she was a Drow. I know that's not a hard thing to program into the game, but it shows that the designers were thinking of details.
I got a bonus disk with the game, but I'll admit, I was so anxious to get to the game that I haven't checked it out yet. I don't know if it's an expansion on to the game, or a soundtrack CD, or a character editor, or new images and sounds for the characters, or what. I'll check that out this evening.
The mini-quests and storylines appear pretty standard for these games. If you liked them in other Black Isle games, you'll like them in this one, too.
I do like the fact that they included a few races with higher ECL's, like Drow and Grey Dwarves.
All in all, I like it so far. I'll try to expand on this review in a few days, after I've had more of a chance to play the game.
The artwork on the character sketches and the landscapes are beautiful as always. As to the rules, judging by the accompanying rulebook, it almost appears as if they were able to implement more of the 3E rules than NWN did. The experience and class progression tables go to level 30. And the AI seems to be fairly sophisticated. For instance, I picked one of the pre-generated parties so I could get started quickly, and the leader of the group is a Drow Priestess of Selune (I know, wierd, huh?), and the people you talk to actually kept bringing that up, and were worried that they couldn't trust her because she was a Drow. I know that's not a hard thing to program into the game, but it shows that the designers were thinking of details.
I got a bonus disk with the game, but I'll admit, I was so anxious to get to the game that I haven't checked it out yet. I don't know if it's an expansion on to the game, or a soundtrack CD, or a character editor, or new images and sounds for the characters, or what. I'll check that out this evening.
The mini-quests and storylines appear pretty standard for these games. If you liked them in other Black Isle games, you'll like them in this one, too.
I do like the fact that they included a few races with higher ECL's, like Drow and Grey Dwarves.
All in all, I like it so far. I'll try to expand on this review in a few days, after I've had more of a chance to play the game.
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I've probably put in about 8 hours so far and am enjoying it. Its no Baldur's Gate 2 but the 3e conversion is great. Very combat heavy, which is why I never bothered to replay the original or any of its expansions but we'll see how it goes. Definitely not bored yet. The pathfinding seems worse for some reason but it may be because some of the environments are very tight, narrow hallways and such.
I like it! It's not as close to 3rd ed as NWN, IMHO. Fewer skills & feats, I think, and the list of available gods for clerics is pretty small (with no demihuman deities being available at all). Fighters only get 1 in-class skill - Intimidatation 
But it runs without irritating pauses on my computer, so it's one up on NWN in my book.
It's party oriented (as opposed to NWN's one character + associates) which I like, since it's more reminiscent of tabletop gaming. Party management is pretty good, although I have to frequently pause the game to give specific orders to party members. I'm still in chapter 1, and my group is pretty fragile - I have to reload games fairly often due to party members getting killed off - but I didn't play Icewind Dale I or BG, so this may be due to the fact that I'm still a bit slow on the interface.
But it runs without irritating pauses on my computer, so it's one up on NWN in my book. It's party oriented (as opposed to NWN's one character + associates) which I like, since it's more reminiscent of tabletop gaming. Party management is pretty good, although I have to frequently pause the game to give specific orders to party members. I'm still in chapter 1, and my group is pretty fragile - I have to reload games fairly often due to party members getting killed off - but I didn't play Icewind Dale I or BG, so this may be due to the fact that I'm still a bit slow on the interface.
MJEggertson
First Post
3E rules are great, and go a long way to making the game actually feel new. I miss attacks of opportunity though, that was a huge tactical opportunity the game missed, considering it's supposed to be more strategy fighting than NWN. I suppose the old Infinity engine though, couldn't be made to calculate AoOs, since it's really for AD&D.
Artwork/sound is top knotch and amazing, as usual for BIS products. I still can't believe how consistenly excellent their artists are.
It's the 3E dungeon crawler I've been looking for. Pool or Radiance was too slow, Neverwinter Nights has so many problems that by the time I got it to be stable on my system I just didn't care anymore.
Don't kid yourself though, it is yet another Infinity engine game, and as neat as the 3E rules are, the game does show it's similarity to most of the other games used on the engine.
But I'm someone who became tired of these games long ago. I almost never purchased Baldur's Gate 2 or Icewind Dale, and when I did, I quickly grew bored with them. Something in Icewind Dale 2 is keeping my interest, and I'm having fun.
Artwork/sound is top knotch and amazing, as usual for BIS products. I still can't believe how consistenly excellent their artists are.
It's the 3E dungeon crawler I've been looking for. Pool or Radiance was too slow, Neverwinter Nights has so many problems that by the time I got it to be stable on my system I just didn't care anymore.
Don't kid yourself though, it is yet another Infinity engine game, and as neat as the 3E rules are, the game does show it's similarity to most of the other games used on the engine.
But I'm someone who became tired of these games long ago. I almost never purchased Baldur's Gate 2 or Icewind Dale, and when I did, I quickly grew bored with them. Something in Icewind Dale 2 is keeping my interest, and I'm having fun.
evildmguy
Explorer
Initial Thoughts
Greetings!
I just started Chapter 1 and here are my thoughts.
Graphics - good as always. Neat effects for spells. (Like the progression in the old Gold Box, it is interesting to see spells get their own effects.) Pictures are good. Maps look good as well.
Sound - No complaints. I like the voices and I managed to find voices that fit the characters I had very well. So, that was cool.
Game play - So far, it has been a straight forward adventure. Some of it got old (do this, now do this, now do this) and I would have liked the ability to help people before given orders. Makes it less scripted. At the same time, the pacing was good because just as it got old, the game moved on to the next type of thing to do. In other words, so far, it has held my interest and I like the plot of the adventure so far.
Character creation was point buy, which was okay and worked. I do like that encounters don't scale themselves. (At least, that I have seen.) If I do every single little quest and get that extra level, later battles *should* be easier for me for that reason. I don't like it when everything just scales to match my group.
[Side Note: Scripted computer games frustrate me. When I don't feel that I can do anything, it makes it frustrating. Don't get me wrong! Scripted dialogue and the like is fine. When it is almost an "in game cut scene" though, and all I can do is watch, that is frustrating that I couldn't affect it. Minor point and my own style. I have run into this a couple of times already and while I understand the need for it, it takes away that feeling of being able to help people.]
3E - This is not 3E. Very close and they have some good ideas but NWN is more 3E than this is. I say for several reasons. Many times, I have not seen skills come into play. For that reason, they seem to have been added to the game engine as an afterthought, more than a planned item. (Duh, of course, as this is using an 'older' engine.) Having said that, what they have done is still fun. The feats to choose from are very cool and add some good flavor. I am also happy to see many feats that help me define my character (I have stories for all of them) rather than good combat ones. About the only thing I am sorry they don't have is Metamagic feats.
Tilt - Overall, I am impressed with the game. I started two games at the same time with completley different parties and the game does play different. I have different choices, different feats and different abilities and all of these change how combat and interaction go. I am still playing the game and am looking forward to completing it. Probably a couple of times.
edg
Greetings!
I just started Chapter 1 and here are my thoughts.
Graphics - good as always. Neat effects for spells. (Like the progression in the old Gold Box, it is interesting to see spells get their own effects.) Pictures are good. Maps look good as well.
Sound - No complaints. I like the voices and I managed to find voices that fit the characters I had very well. So, that was cool.
Game play - So far, it has been a straight forward adventure. Some of it got old (do this, now do this, now do this) and I would have liked the ability to help people before given orders. Makes it less scripted. At the same time, the pacing was good because just as it got old, the game moved on to the next type of thing to do. In other words, so far, it has held my interest and I like the plot of the adventure so far.
Character creation was point buy, which was okay and worked. I do like that encounters don't scale themselves. (At least, that I have seen.) If I do every single little quest and get that extra level, later battles *should* be easier for me for that reason. I don't like it when everything just scales to match my group.
[Side Note: Scripted computer games frustrate me. When I don't feel that I can do anything, it makes it frustrating. Don't get me wrong! Scripted dialogue and the like is fine. When it is almost an "in game cut scene" though, and all I can do is watch, that is frustrating that I couldn't affect it. Minor point and my own style. I have run into this a couple of times already and while I understand the need for it, it takes away that feeling of being able to help people.]
3E - This is not 3E. Very close and they have some good ideas but NWN is more 3E than this is. I say for several reasons. Many times, I have not seen skills come into play. For that reason, they seem to have been added to the game engine as an afterthought, more than a planned item. (Duh, of course, as this is using an 'older' engine.) Having said that, what they have done is still fun. The feats to choose from are very cool and add some good flavor. I am also happy to see many feats that help me define my character (I have stories for all of them) rather than good combat ones. About the only thing I am sorry they don't have is Metamagic feats.
Tilt - Overall, I am impressed with the game. I started two games at the same time with completley different parties and the game does play different. I have different choices, different feats and different abilities and all of these change how combat and interaction go. I am still playing the game and am looking forward to completing it. Probably a couple of times.
edg
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1337 h4xor
First Post
after playing NWN this game is a travesty.... ugly (even in 1280x1024) and a terrible mismosh of 2e and 3e. If you havn't got any other descent games to play go for it.
evildmguy
Explorer
Not sure about that . . .
1337: I disagree with you. Having said that, you didn't really say much to disagree with. Perhaps you would be willing to go into more detail?
While there are many aspects to a game, the rules alone shouldn't be the deciding factor in a review. As I said, while they didn't follow 3E close, they do have some good choices in the feats they do have. It is true, though, that skills aren't used much at all.
The graphics are quite good, having received many praises from other sites. (Check the official site for review sites.) I also think they have done a good job with the graphics.
The only bad thing I have found about ID2 is in comparison to Dungeon Siege, and not with regards to everything. (I like the rules of DND better than what was done with DS.) The one thing that DS did VERY well was the no noticable load time between areas. That rocked! And it truly gave you a feeling of walking to someplace. In comparison (with NWNs as well on this) the load times of the maps is "jarring" because you suddenly don't know how long you traveled, where you went or anything.
If that's the only bad thing to say, that's not bad.
edg
1337: I disagree with you. Having said that, you didn't really say much to disagree with. Perhaps you would be willing to go into more detail?
While there are many aspects to a game, the rules alone shouldn't be the deciding factor in a review. As I said, while they didn't follow 3E close, they do have some good choices in the feats they do have. It is true, though, that skills aren't used much at all.
The graphics are quite good, having received many praises from other sites. (Check the official site for review sites.) I also think they have done a good job with the graphics.
The only bad thing I have found about ID2 is in comparison to Dungeon Siege, and not with regards to everything. (I like the rules of DND better than what was done with DS.) The one thing that DS did VERY well was the no noticable load time between areas. That rocked! And it truly gave you a feeling of walking to someplace. In comparison (with NWNs as well on this) the load times of the maps is "jarring" because you suddenly don't know how long you traveled, where you went or anything.
If that's the only bad thing to say, that's not bad.
edg
Aluvial
Explorer
Thanks for the reviews so far...
Still, I'm most interested in how well they kept to the 3E rules set.
I'm sure it is fine game for a games sake. The rest of the series were fun...
I thought Pool of Rad (SSI) sucked because of how terrible the rules were implemented not to mention a host of other problems.
NWN is pretty close and I really like how you can modify the scripts to get even closer to the PnP game. So far this has been the best adaptation of Dungeons and Dragons yet.
If IWD2 delivers a good adaptation, then I say a success. If not, then I'll wait till they design that next innovative gaming-engine like they did with Baulder's Gate.
Aluvial
Still, I'm most interested in how well they kept to the 3E rules set.
I'm sure it is fine game for a games sake. The rest of the series were fun...
I thought Pool of Rad (SSI) sucked because of how terrible the rules were implemented not to mention a host of other problems.
NWN is pretty close and I really like how you can modify the scripts to get even closer to the PnP game. So far this has been the best adaptation of Dungeons and Dragons yet.
If IWD2 delivers a good adaptation, then I say a success. If not, then I'll wait till they design that next innovative gaming-engine like they did with Baulder's Gate.
Aluvial
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