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Icewind Dale is an RPG released in June 2000 by Black Isle Studios. Though based on The Infinity Engine, which powers the Baldur's Gate series, Icewind Dale is less focused on story and character development than those games. Even though it's mechanically identical to Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale is more spiritually similar to the Diablo series, in that the primary driver for the game is combat, leveling up the party, and collecting more-and-more powerful equipment.
From the get-go, the player creates a party of up to six characters, which fall into the classes offered in the 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons rules. There is little-to-no backstory for any of the characters, unless the player chooses to create one, and limited personality to each party member beyond their stats. In contrast, Baldur's Gate allowed the player to create one main character with all of the other party members being predefined and joining the party as they were encountered.
There is little backstory to the entire game. The player's band of adventurers have arrived at Icewind Dale, looking for work, and are asked to investigate strange goings-on in a nearby town. This sets the party off to battle hundreds of different enemies and save the North. The party doesn't affect the outcome of the story much, as the only option is to cut down everything in their path. Thus, considerations like moral alignment are rendered moot. The party is a buzzsaw, cutting through anything it encounters.
While Icewind Dale shares its name and location with the trilogy of books by R.A. Salvatore's, there is no overlap with its story beyond passing mention of a few events and characters, such as Drizzt Do'Urden. Interestingly, the party in Baldur's Gate encounters Drizzt Do'Urden while the party from Icewind Dale does not, even though Drizzt's adventures take place in that frozen region.
Though graphically and mechanically similar to Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale focuses less on story and more on lots of combat.
One of many creatures you will meet, and kill.
From the get-go, the player creates a party of up to six characters, which fall into the classes offered in the 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons rules. There is little-to-no backstory for any of the characters, unless the player chooses to create one, and limited personality to each party member beyond their stats. In contrast, Baldur's Gate allowed the player to create one main character with all of the other party members being predefined and joining the party as they were encountered.
There's no shortage of snow in Icewind Dale.
There is little backstory to the entire game. The player's band of adventurers have arrived at Icewind Dale, looking for work, and are asked to investigate strange goings-on in a nearby town. This sets the party off to battle hundreds of different enemies and save the North. The party doesn't affect the outcome of the story much, as the only option is to cut down everything in their path. Thus, considerations like moral alignment are rendered moot. The party is a buzzsaw, cutting through anything it encounters.
While Icewind Dale shares its name and location with the trilogy of books by R.A. Salvatore's, there is no overlap with its story beyond passing mention of a few events and characters, such as Drizzt Do'Urden. Interestingly, the party in Baldur's Gate encounters Drizzt Do'Urden while the party from Icewind Dale does not, even though Drizzt's adventures take place in that frozen region.
| Game Name | Icewind Dale |
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| Original US Release |
June 29, 2000
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| Original US Release |
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| Aliases | |
| ESRB |
ESRB: T
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