Baldurs Gate, or not? That is the question (Icewind Dale (PC))

Name: advid

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Product:	Icewind Dale (PC)
Date:	25.09.00 (21 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun gameplay; Some replayability; Easy to get in to.

Disadvantages: Not an epic RPG; People treat it like an epic RPG and are disappointed.

Icewind Dale is a good game. However, It should not be compared to Baldurs Gate or Planescape Torment, as it has a different focus than these games. Just as Planescape Torment was about a quest for identity where fighting was (almost) ignored in favour of dialog, and Baldurs Gate was an epic story of self-discovery and heroic adventures, Icewind Dale is a game which centers around mighty adventurers hacking their way through hordes of monsters to discover powerful magical items.

There is nothing wrong about this. Many of the most popular AD&D modules released were simple dungeon crawls, and there is a certain degree of satisfaction to be gained from this style of adventure.

This is not, of course, to say that Icewind Dale does not have a story. It has quite a good story, even if it is mainly there as an excuse to say 'go and kill the monsters'.

Where Icewind Dale runs into problems is when people buy it and expect it to be another epic game like Baldurs Gate. It is simply not that type of game, and I for one couldn't care less. It is fun to play, and it has that element that Baldurs Gate lacks: you can jump in and play it for a short time without having to spend the first half-hour remembering just what you were doing before you quit (Planescape Torment is worse about this, it has to be said).

If you decide to play this game, remember: do not expect it to be any more than it is, and you will enjoy it. Expect it to provide an incredible role-playing experience and you will be disappointed.

Summary: