Icewind Dale 2

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Summary: Black Isle is the best for RPG games
Review: Neverwinter nights was a deception but this game is just exceeding all my expectations. This game is way better than neverwinter and is a reference for RPG gamers. The environments are very sharp and detailed. Things like fireplaces in homes are very well done and nicely animated, and the monster animatoins are very fluid and nice. Also, the magic effects are colorful and well-done.

Graphics aside, the gameplay is great. The feats and skills are well done, and the ability to freely multiclass just like 3rd edition D&D is great. I just can't say enough good stuff about this game. As a regular pencil and paper gamer, this is one of the best CRPGs I've ever played.

It's worth your 50$

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Summary: Great game - D&D, graphics, real time, etc...
Review: I haven't played D&D in a LONG time and I have only the Wizardry series to compare this software too. That being said, this game is exactly what I would expect of it. It is the (seemingly) full new D&D rule set, great graphics, great sound, great spell effects, tons of weapons / armor, etc... NPC interaction and dialogue is good as well (but could be better).

So far the game has been easy, save for the fighting sequences. In my game playing experience (Wizardry) I have not had as difficult time fighting at such an early level. The first major battle series was quite difficult - though I eventually got through it (after several save / re-loads attempts).

If the game keeps up this level of challenge throughout, it will be a great time. That being said, the actual "missions" thus far have been easy - I suspect they will become harder as the game progress's.

All in all, a great game. Of course there are issues with it, as found in some of the reviews - but head them only if you are a major game geek. If not, this (as well as most games) will probably do you fine.

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Summary: I'm Not Complaining
Review: I really like this game. I've been waiting for a nice RPG that used the 3rd edition rules(that my computer could handle) and this game filled that hole quite nicely. Unlike the Pool of Radiance disaster, this game is worth the at least the box they put it in. It converts the new rules rather well even with a few suprizes to the experienced player. The Balders Gate Engine is the platinum in the pile of silver of RPGing, I wouldn't change a thing. The story starts out a little slow but thats probably to allow you to get the gist of the new style and catch your breath from the incredible character generation system. I made a Drow Wizard! No, really, he's a Drow elf, a subrace of the Moon Elf. That is not where the suprizes end though, oh no. Most of the races have their Forgotten Realms subraces straight from the Setting and some of the classes offer focused sub-choices (for lack of a better name), such as clerics from different patron deities or monks of different orders, like BG2. The side bar is rotated to the bottom of the screen and reorganized, but works the same. All in all, I consider this a great selection for any RPGer's repitiore as it's a solid game with some new twists. And it's fun!

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Summary: If you enjoyed the first one, you'll enjoy the sequel too
Review: It's more of the same .... and slash madness! If you miss the old infinity engine used in the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series, this is the last game that will be published with it. :-(

Just like the first Icewind Dale, the sequel is more of a ... and slash dungeon crawler compared to its sister game Baldur's Gate which concentrates on story and plot more than battles. The good part is the infinity engine is one of the best tactical planning systems for ... and slash roleplaying games and you'll have micromanagement control over all your henchmen as well as their inventory. The bad part is there are A LOT of battles that can get boring after a while. I personally prefer roleplaying games with a little more story although this game certainly has more of a story than ... and slash quasi-RPGs such as Dungeon Siege.

If you're one of the many people disappointed with the new D&D engine in Neverwinter Nights, I wouldn't recommend this game as an alternative unless you enjoy ... and slash games. One of the complaints with NWN was it felt too much like a Diablo ... and slash game and the Icewind Dale series has always been the Diablo alternative for people that want to play PC D&D games.

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Summary: Solid Return of Icewind Dale 2
Review: From the gameplay so far, I must admit i'm hooked (aka addicted) to this game. It reminds me much more of BG 2, then the original ID.

The storyline appears to be pretty tight and there isn't any senseless hack and slash like Neverwinter Nights. I'm only using three characters and it makes for some tough battle scenes... which is good.

I loved the character generation. I must have spent over an hour before starting the game just picking and choosing races and classes with their skills. The game has taken the best of BG 2 and N.N. character attributes and combined them in here. One thing, you gotta love the Monk.

I do have two kirks about the game, but nothing to take away from 5 stars. First is the toggle action with the quick keys on the keyboard. Say for example, I want to see the map. I press "M" and the map comes up. I should be able to press "M" again for it to disappear, but it doesn't. I have to use the cursor to select the map graphic on the scene. Second, as someone else pointed out is the pathfinding. I haven't experienced much trouble with this, but I did notice my chacters taking some strange routes (though this was due on occasion to an event not being fulfilled).

All in all, the game for me is a success. I wish I had more time to play it, but i'm already looking forward to finishing it off and starting over in the Heart of Fury mode (very cool).

Hope this helps!

Rating:
Summary: If you liked the first one, you'll love this one
Review: To be honest, it's the same rehash as before, but with 3rd edition rules minus attacks of opportunity and other little quibbles. i haven't played through the whole game yet, but it's a lot of fun thus far, and fans of the first will greatly enjoy another romp through the frozen north. Highly recommended for D&D fans.

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Summary: Thoughts from my first night of playing the title...
Review: First off, let me say that I'm an enormous fan of Bioware titles and Baldur's Gate II in particular. And that's probably why this title is (so far) a total disappointment.

There are lots of little problems, but they all pale in comparison to the one enormous, overwhelming problem with this title which almost makes it impossible to enjoy. The problem is with the 'Pathfinding'. By pathfinding I mean "You click somewhere on the map, and your characters figure out how to walk there". Pathfinding has been a problem with loads of games, from Warcraft 2, to the original Baldur's Gate. But for the most part, (partially because of processor speeds, and partially because of better programming) the problem of pathfinding has largely been solved.

That's why its so amazing, that a title built on a 3rd generation engine should be so incredibly flawed in the pathfinding department. You will spend hours correcting your characters "wrong-turns" and searching for them after they've "gotten lost".

I'm really pretty amazed that this problem is so bad. If Baldur's Gate II solved this problem, and this game is built with the same engine ... then how on earth could this have happened?

Anyway -- on top of that I have a couple more gripes:

The printed manual -- which I have to say is pretty much THE reason I buy Bioware products over similar products, is not as good as the BG II manual. Its not 'bad' per se, but it is much smaller, and the font is so small (since they tried to cram all that text into the smaller book-size) that its not really a pleasant read.

And lastly, the storyline is ... well maybe this isn't fair because I've only been playing for one evening, but .. its no BG II. Its just not very compelling.

On the upside though: The title looks beautiful. Visually I think its definitely superior to BG II. The music is great, and there are more character classes, etc.

I'm not sure if I'll keep playing this title because of the pathfinding issues though. (By the way I have a Pentium 1000 MHz with 128M RAM -- so its not a system resources problem).

Let's hope for a patch, and a press release from Interplay that starts out with "Woops! Boy are we sorry folks!"

-peace

Rating:
Summary: Sure to beat NWN hands down
Review: Black Isle gives you once last chance to take a romp through the Dale using the Infinity Engine. I bought NWN with high expectations that were soon superceded by the amazing mediocrity of NWN's single player campaign. Where I looked for a detailed and enthralling story I found none. Instead I got a Diablo hack-fest that wasn't even as fun as Diablo. But with Icewind Dale 2, I know that story and combat are going to have their day in the sun. Do yourself a favor and order Icewind Dale 2. It's like snuggling up with a good book, or chatting with an old friend, and is sure to bring back fond memories.

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Summary: Found this preview...seems more helpful than what I saw...
Review: Icewind Dale II is the sequel to the award-winning computer role-playing game Icewind Dale and features the BioWare Infinity Engine(TM) that was used to develop the award-winning games Baldur's Gate™ and Baldur's Gate II (developed by BioWare Corp.), and Planescape®: Torment™" (developed by Black Isle Studios). Icewind Dale II uses the third edition core rules for the classic Dungeons & Dragons® tabletop roleplaying game within the popular Forgotten Realms® adventure campaign setting under licenses by Wizards of the Coast. The game hosts a large variety of new weapons, armor and magical items, and expands upon the gameplay elements found in the original Icewind Dale. Icewind Dale II offers feats and skills such as Power Attack and Diplomacy, further extending the character customization options available to players. Also introduced in Icewind Dale II are new character classes such as the Barbarian and Sorcerer and new playable races including the Drow, the famous dark elves of the nderdark, and the celestial hybrid Aasimar. "Icewind Dale II" includes over 50 new spells such as Executioner's Eyes and Aegis, bringing the total to over 300 spells, almost all of which have been revamped for the new rule set.

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Summary: IT WILL BE THE BEST
Review: This game will be the best RPG ever made for PC, with tons of spells, hours and hours of game play, and the coolest character portraits.
The gamers will not have much problems with system requeriments, and the visual is just GREAT!!!!!!
It will have much options to construct your 6 characters, a lot of skills and other improvements to kill any red dragon in the way. The game will also feature an hard dificulty level for those who want some challenge with some prizes, like rare objects.
So like I say before IT WILL BE THE BEST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!