Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,975 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition Game Cover
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"Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition" is a classic Dungeons & Dragons RPG, updated for modern adventurers with improved interface and new content. The game offers multiple campaigns, cut content from the original release, and real-time-with-pause combat. Customize your party with 30+ new character kits, classes, spells, and gear.

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Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,975 reviews
story220 positive mentions
grinding22 negative mentions
  • Classic D&D experience with a focus on combat and character customization.
  • Beautiful graphics and an atmospheric soundtrack composed by Jeremy Soule.
  • Engaging gameplay with a variety of character classes and spells, offering high replayability.
  • Linear storyline with minimal character interaction and side quests.
  • Poor pathfinding and AI can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • Multiplayer functionality is often buggy and can result in crashes.
  • story794 mentions

    The story in "Icewind Dale" is generally considered less complex and engaging compared to its contemporaries like "Baldur's Gate," focusing more on combat and dungeon crawling than character development or intricate narratives. Players create their own party, which diminishes personal storytelling and character interactions, leading to a more linear and straightforward plot that serves primarily as a backdrop for the action. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm and the well-written lore, many find the story lacking depth and memorable elements, making it feel more like a series of combat encounters than a rich narrative experience.

    • “The story is engaging and well-written, with a lot of lore and references to the Forgotten Realms setting.”
    • “The story was far more involved than I remembered it, and in my opinion, the common declarations that this game is all combat are abjectly false.”
    • “The story is light but well told and the gameplay is fantastic.”
    • “The drawback to this approach is that the story has to be more general; there isn't a personal story central to any character.”
    • “It's a hack and slash masquerading as an RPG; the story is lacking, railroaded, and characters in a party are non-existent.”
    • “The story is very linear compared to Baldur's Gate 1 & 2, but that's pretty normal for most CRPGs.”
  • gameplay227 mentions

    The gameplay of Icewind Dale is heavily focused on combat and tactical mechanics, drawing from the familiar Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition ruleset, which appeals to fans of the genre. While it offers a satisfying challenge and allows for extensive character customization, many players note that it lacks the narrative depth and character interactions found in the Baldur's Gate series. The enhanced edition improves some mechanics and graphics, but the core experience remains a linear, combat-driven dungeon crawl that may feel dated to modern players.

    • “The gameplay is satisfying, the world is entrancing, the sparse NPCs are riveting, and the soundtrack is fantastic.”
    • “The gameplay is awesome, and even if the mechanics are showing their age, there are still few modern games that can touch it.”
    • “Icewind Dale is based on 2nd edition Dungeons and Dragons, and if you've played any of the other Infinity Engine games, you know exactly what to expect mechanics-wise.”
    • “After playing Baldur's Gate 1 & 2, I had high hopes for this game, but story-wise and gameplay-wise it's a big downgrade for me.”
    • “It's a cheap and quickly made game to raise some money on the Baldur's Gate engine before releasing BG's sequel, and it lets you know about it every minute of the gameplay.”
    • “The mechanics are difficult to learn (so many characteristics, skill modifiers, rolls, abilities, etc.), the default controls are obnoxious (needing to use arrow keys instead of WASD to move the map, having characters pause each time to click to a new destination, not being able to direct them to the fog of war).”
  • graphics175 mentions

    The graphics of Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition are generally regarded as decent for their age, with many praising the beautiful artwork and atmospheric environments that evoke a classic fantasy aesthetic. While some players note that the character models and animations appear dated, the overall visual presentation, including improved resolution options, is appreciated by fans of the original game. However, those seeking modern graphical fidelity may find the visuals lacking compared to contemporary titles.

    • “The graphics are comparable to Baldur's Gate 2, so they hold up well.”
    • “The game's art style is beautiful, with detailed and colorful environments and characters.”
    • “With its revamped graphics and improved gameplay mechanics, this enhanced edition elevates the classic game to new heights.”
    • “The graphics haven't aged well.”
    • “The character graphics and animation are absolutely horrible, I mean, really bad, even for its time.”
    • “These 'enhanced' editions that are simply older games that have been upgraded to run on modern computers, but graphics-wise really suck, are shameless cash grabs.”
  • music143 mentions

    The music in the game, composed by Jeremy Soule, is widely praised for its beauty and atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience and immersion in the game's world. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as one of the best in the Infinity Engine series, with memorable themes that evoke a sense of adventure and nostalgia. While some note that the music could be more frequently featured during gameplay, its emotional impact and suitability to the game's setting are consistently celebrated.

    • “The soundtrack is a work of art by industry legend Jeremy Soule and lifts the whole game up a notch.”
    • “The music by Jeremy Soule is some of the most beautiful and atmospheric that I've ever encountered in a game.”
    • “The ambient sound and the great soundtrack by Jeremy Soule together create an unforgettable authentic atmosphere of cold, remote and unexplored far-north regions.”
    • “Unfortunately, the music sometimes overpowers the dialogue in the game in some areas, requiring you to lower the music volume lest you rely solely on reading comprehension.”
    • “My only complaint is that the music only pops in occasionally (towns, boss fights, maybe once in a dungeon), meaning you won't hear it too often, but when you do hear it, you'll love it.”
    • “Classic bards, for example, can actually choose from a bevy of tunes to play, rather than just that one (piece of crap) song it got in BG.”
  • atmosphere57 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and ethereal qualities, enhanced by a stunning soundtrack composed by Jeremy Soule, which many consider among his best work. Players appreciate the beautiful graphics, engaging environmental storytelling, and excellent voice acting that collectively create a captivating experience reminiscent of classic dungeon crawlers. Overall, the game is noted for its ability to transport players into a richly detailed world, making it a standout in the genre.

    • “The ambient sound and the great soundtrack by Jeremy Soule together create an unforgettable authentic atmosphere of cold, remote, and unexplored far-north regions.”
    • “A beautiful gem among Baldur's Gate and Planescape Torment, Icewind Dale delivers gameplay, rich adventure, and an unforgettable atmospheric return to the snowy regions of northern Faerun.”
    • “I find that the combat tends to get overwhelming and bogs down the experience, and the game overall isn't as strong as either of the Baldur's Gate games in general in terms of atmosphere or storytelling.”
    • “The atmosphere and environmental storytelling in this game are something truly amazing, and a rarity compared to many similar western RPGs that struggle with bland, repetitive environments.”
    • “Personally, I got stuck there and so I really felt the 'trapped in some nightmare dungeon' side of the story, which added to the atmosphere.”
  • replayability51 mentions

    Icewind Dale is praised for its high replayability, primarily due to extensive party customization options, diverse class choices, and the ability to create unique party dynamics. While the story may not offer much variation, players can enjoy countless hours of gameplay by experimenting with different character setups and strategies, often enhanced by mods and expansions. Overall, the game provides a rich experience that encourages multiple playthroughs, making it a classic choice for RPG enthusiasts.

    • “Icewind Dale offers a huge replayability value thanks to dozens of class choices, weapons, and spells.”
    • “With great replayability with class-specific quests, it features unique interactions based on class, alignment, and race.”
    • “The replayability of this game is incredible, and at the time of writing this review, I had about 40 hours into it, and I feel like I'm just warming up the engines because I'll probably end up squeezing 100 or 200 hours out of it!”
    • “Party member banter, development, and even conflict are a cornerstone of what made those games replayable, and not having psychopaths like Korgan Bloodaxe around made the game feel pretty lonely.”
    • “There's no replayability for the party you've finished the game with, but there still is a lot of replayability for new games.”
    • “Replayability is moderate; there are a million ways to play, but it's basically the same game over and over.”
  • grinding25 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and monotonous, often detracting from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the strategic elements and challenges, many feel that the frequent battles and lack of engaging dialogue lead to a frustrating experience, especially for those unfamiliar with D&D mechanics. The expansions are noted to exacerbate this issue, with some players recommending the game only to those with nostalgic ties or a strong understanding of the genre.

    • “No grinding, no killing 100 rabbits or gathering 50 pieces of elderwood.”
    • “Not too tedious, except when it's a battle requiring an hour's worth of retries.”
    • “The game is really just tedious rather than fun, and for those reasons I can't recommend this unless you have nostalgic tendencies; you'll be disappointed.”
    • “Although it is doable, it is very tedious.”
    • “Honestly, I'd say there's a bit too many as the constant fighting gets a bit tedious considering how little dialogue there is by comparison.”
  • stability20 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant bugs, particularly in multiplayer mode, which suffers from frequent crashes and glitches. While the single-player experience is generally smoother and runs well on lower-spec systems, issues like character pathing, UI glitches, and occasional unresponsiveness detract from the overall experience. Despite these problems, some players still find the game enjoyable, especially for fans of classic CRPGs.

    • “10/10 play bgs first and if you fall in love with the combat, check this game out! It's great for staying up late into the night playing (runs great on mediocre spec laptops!).”
    • “As expected, the game looks and runs great on my laptop (2.6GHz i7, 8GB RAM, GTX 960).”
    • “Overall, since I didn't play the original, it's hard to compare that to Beamdog's Enhanced Edition, but it is relatively bug-free and provides a good gaming experience. I highly recommend it for any fans of role-playing D&D games.”
    • “The main game final boss fight is buggy.”
    • “Multiplayer is very buggy, making it hard to play with others.”
    • “There are severely detrimental glitches in the user interface, item loading, and especially in the storyline events.”
  • humor18 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, featuring both dark and light-hearted moments that can be genuinely funny, such as the absurdity of recruiting drunken kids to save the world and humorous character class options. However, the absence of companion banter and character interactions, which were a highlight in previous titles, leaves a noticeable gap in the comedic experience. Overall, while the game has its share of amusing elements and clever puzzles, it lacks the rich character-driven humor that fans of the genre may expect.

    • “The game has a dark and mature tone, but also some humor and charm.”
    • “The 'let's recruit these drunken kids to help save the world' trope is hilarious, though.”
    • “With devs who answer customer plights and a company who rekindled old memories of an ogre with a sense of humor, I can once again recommend this terrific game.”
  • character development12 mentions

    Character development in Icewind Dale is generally viewed as limited compared to its predecessors, particularly Baldur's Gate, with many reviewers noting a lack of depth in storytelling and character interactions. While some players appreciate the focus on combat and strategic gameplay, others express disappointment over the absence of personal narratives and side quests that enhance character growth. Overall, the game prioritizes action and strategy over character development, making it less appealing for those seeking a rich narrative experience.

    • “Really loved character development - and yes, I spent many extra hours trying to get that exactly right portrait mode JPG to personalize the character.”
    • “IWD can be challenging if you are not prepared, but you are rewarded for careful planning, smart character design, and a methodical approach.”
    • “Only thing I was missing is character development, short stories, side quests for the characters in your group.”
    • “Almost entirely devoid of choices and character development, the engine has countless awkward issues with pathing and timing, and the strict focus on combat interactions renders a huge portion of character build options sub-optimal to useless.”
    • “This is very different from something like Baldur's Gate 2, which features complex relationships between your party members and character development.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly and maintains a consistent 30fps, the high degree of character build optimization can detract from the enjoyment of playing freely. The Enhanced Edition offers improved performance and additional content, making it easier to play, while still appealing to fans of deep character customization. Overall, both versions are well-optimized for modern systems, ensuring a seamless experience.

    • “If you really dig D&D and enjoy the constant optimization (or character building) that goes along with leveling up, skill allocation, spell selection, and equipment acquisition, then this is bliss.”
    • “Played this game when it first came out in 2001, and it's still beautifully optimized.”
    • “The action-oriented sibling of Baldur's Gate has been given an engine enhancement that allows it to run smoothly on a modern system.”
    • “The game performance is locked at 30fps, which may hinder the experience for some players, despite the enjoyable overhead view and animation style.”
    • “The enhanced edition has better performance but is generally easier to play compared to the original version.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players find that a lack of attachment to the party's story allows for greater emotional freedom, enabling them to create a more enjoyable and personalized gaming experience. This approach fosters a sense of fun and creativity, as players can focus on their own emotional connections rather than being constrained by narrative expectations.

    • “Not caring about the story of your party opens you up emotionally to building whatever kind of fun party you want.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Many users criticize the monetization strategy of releasing 'enhanced' editions of older games, labeling them as cash grabs due to their lackluster graphics and minimal improvements.

    • “These 'enhanced' editions are simply older games that have been upgraded to run on modern computers, but graphically they really suck. They feel like shameless cash grabs.”
    • “The monetization strategy is overly aggressive, making it feel like the game is designed more to extract money than to provide a fun experience.”
    • “I can't believe how many microtransactions are crammed into this game. It feels like you can't enjoy it without spending extra money.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

27hMedian play time
30hAverage play time
8-61hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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