Icewind Dale II
Encyclopedia
Icewind Dale II is a role-playing video game
developed by Black Isle Studios
and published by Interplay Entertainment
, released on August 27, 2002. Like its 2000 predecessor Icewind Dale
, the game is set in the Forgotten Realms
fantasy
setting
in the Icewind Dale region. The player assumes control of a group of mercenaries in a war between the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale and a coalition of persecuted races and religions.
The game is designed as an action-oriented alternative to other Infinity Engine
games, with less emphasis on exploration and story. It uses a real-time adaptation of the Dungeons & Dragons
(D&D) Third Edition ruleset. The Infinity Engine was extensively modified to comply with the Third Edition, but the team was forced to remove certain rules because of the engine's outdated nature. It was the final game to be developed using the Infinity Engine.
The game was well received by critics, who praised its combat, pacing, and use of the Third Edition rules. However, some reviewers felt that the graphics and engine had become outdated, and could not compete with its contemporaries.
, and a head-up display
(HUD) occupies the bottom of the screen. Accessible from the HUD are an automap and a journal that records quests and important events. The player uses a point-and-click
interface
to interact with the game; for example, clicking on the ground moves the selected player character
, and clicking on a passive non-player character
(NPC) will initiate dialogue. When conversations occur, the game presents multiple dialogue options. The game world is separated into area maps—obscured by fog of war
—that are revealed as the area is explored. A multiplayer mode is available for up to six players over a local area network
or the Internet. The "Heart of Fury" mode is also available, which increases the game's difficulty and contains more powerful items. The game features over seven hundred items; the designers included a system that randomizes the items the player obtains from enemies.
When beginning the game, the player may choose to play a pre-selected party, or to create
a party of up to six characters. While creating characters, the player chooses their gender, race, class
, alignment
, and attributes
, among other things. The player can sometimes choose a subvariety of a race or class, such as Deep Gnome
or Cleric
of Ilmater. Race, alignment, and attributes affect the player character's available dialogue options, as well as NPC responses. For example, some NPCs will be prejudiced against certain races, or a character of low intelligence will have limited dialogue options. Some sub-races in the game are significantly more powerful than the core races present in AD&D Third Edition; these sub-races must earn more experience point
s than others before leveling up. Characters can reach a maximum level of thirty.
Icewind Dale IIs gameplay is focused on combat. The combat system is a real-time adaptation of the turn-based system used in D&D Third Edition, which caused the developers to remove certain aspects, such as "attacks of opportunity". Die rolls are simulated by the game. In place of the turn-based rounds used in D&D, characters have independent rounds, during which they may execute one or more actions, depending on such factors as the duration of the action. The player can pause the game and issue orders to characters at any time. Each character can carry a limited amount of items.
D&D campaign setting
, on the continent of Faerûn
. It centers on the northern Icewind Dale
region, and is set thirty years after the original game. The game begins in the harbor town of Targos, one of the Ten Towns
of Icewind Dale, which is under siege by a goblin army. The goblins are directed by the Legion of the Chimera, an army composed of outcast races and religious factions, such as goblinoids, half-breeds, and followers of winter goddess Auril
. Targos hires mercenaries to defend against the attack. Areas encountered in the game include: the Black Raven Monastery, built over an entrance to the Underdark
; the town of Kuldahar, constructed around a magical tree that emits heat; the Severed Hand, an ancient elven fortress that was lost during a war with goblinoids; and the Dragon's Eye, a network of volcanic caverns inhabited by yuan-ti
. Other areas include the Underdark
and the Jungles of Chult
.
. The group travels to meet them in an airship
piloted by Oswald Fiddlebender.
A storm causes the ship to crash, and the group awakens to discover that a glacier blocks the reinforcements' path. While investigating the glacier, the group finds Sherincal, a half-dragon, guarding the entrance to an Aurilite temple. They learn that Sherincal leads the Legion of the Chimera's western forces, and that the leaders of the Legion of the Chimera, cambion
twins named Isair and Madae, reside in the Severed Hand. Inside the Aurilite temple, the group finds a prisoner from Kuldahar, who asks them to warn Kuldahar of the threat posed by the Legion of the Chimera. After this, the group creates a passage through the glacier, and meets with the reinforcements.
As the group travels to Kuldahar, they meet a drow (dark elf) named Nym, who tells them that the pass to Kuldahar is guarded by the Legion of the Chimera, and that an alternate path through the Underdark exists. Later, Isair and Madae locate the group with information from Nym. They state their intention to attack Kuldahar, and warn the group to not interfere. The group then passes through the Black Raven Monastery to enter the Underdark. After exiting the Underdark, they are flown to Kuldahar by Oswald Fiddlebender.
When the group lands in Kuldahar, they discover it has been invaded by the Legion of the Chimera. They meet the Archdruid of Kuldahar, who tells them that a portal has been opened to allow yuan-ti from the Jungles of Chult to assault Kuldahar. After the group prevents the attack, the Archdruid tells them that they may reach the Severed Hand through an exit at the bottom floor of the Dragon's Eye. The group travels through Dragon's Eye, and proceeds to the Severed Hand. Once inside, they learn that the war between the Ten Towns and the Legion of the Chimera was caused by the mayor of Bryn Shander, who had sent Isair and Madae poisoned food. They also discover that a mythal
that was cast on the Severed Hand has been corrupted, and the structure will be transported to the plane of limbo
. Eventually, the group finds Isair and Madae, and kills them.
, and a team working on an unannounced project. Before and during Torns development, several members of its team expressed interest in developing another game using the Infinity Engine. The development team was not made aware of Black Isle Studios' decision to develop Icewind Dale II until Torns cancellation. Lead designer J. E. Sawyer described, "I don't know when the producers decided to make the game, but I was told that we were making the game when I learned that TORN was being cancelled ... on a Wednesday afternoon", and that Feargus Urquhart
"asked me to work with Steve Bokkes to create a story and area overview by Thursday afternoon. Steve and I talked about it for the rest of the day. I went home that night and worked on the overviews until the next day. I came in and turned the docs in, and after the Friday division meeting, the project was in development." During this period, Interplay Entertainment
relied on Black Isle Studios' games to alleviate financial trouble, which put pressure to release games quickly. The decision to develop Icewind Dale II was based partly on the original Icewind Dales reception, and the development teams' ability to create a game with the Infinity Engine relatively quickly. Sawyer said of the decision, "In all honesty, the reasons for making Icewind Dale II have to do with limiting risks and maximizing our chances for a popular title." Conceptualization of Icewind Dale II progressed during the development of the Icewind Dale expansions, and production began late July 2001, shortly after the completion of Icewind Dale: Trials of the Luremaster. After six months of development, Icewind Dale II was officially announced on February 4, 2002.
Icewind Dale II was originally planned to be an incomplete conversion to the D&D Third Edition ruleset, with many rules omitted. The kit system (class specialization) introduced in Baldur's Gate 2 was to be used, but this idea was later abandoned. Sawyer and several other members of the team pushed for the game's conversion to Third Edition. The development team was eventually granted an extension, which allowed them to complete the change to Third Edition rules. The Infinity Engine
required extensive modification to comply with Third Edition rules, as it had originally been designed for Second Edition rules; certain elements of the rules were removed due to interface and engine issues. The game's interface was redesigned, and all-new art was created. It features new item icons, with new spell icons by Brian Menze; Menze had previously created Planescape: Torments spell icons. Jason Manley, the portrait artist for the previous Icewind Dale games, left Black Isle Studios in late 2001; several new works he painted before his departure were later used in Icewind Dale II. Black Isle Studios artist Justin Sweet was asked to substitute. The game's resolution was increased to a minimum resolution of 800x600, with an unofficially supported maximum resolution of 2048x1536.
J. E. Sawyer managed rule implementation, but the areas of the game were divided between designers. For example, designer Chris Avellone created the opening sequence, designer Dave Maldonado developed the Black Raven Monastery and a large area of wilderness, and designers John Deiley and Damien Foletto created the ending areas. Partway through development, Sawyer left the team to work as the lead designer on another internal project; Dave Maldonado and Chris Avellone were given his areas to finish. The developers wanted the game to contain more breaks from combat, with character interaction and puzzle solving, than the previous Icewind Dale. The decision to include more puzzles was influenced by the positive reception to the puzzles in Icewind Dale: Trials of the Luremaster.
The game went gold on August 5, 2002, and was released on August 27. After the release of Icewind Dale II, Sawyer expressed dissatisfaction over the Icewind Dale series, saying that, "I wasn't particularly thrilled with how my work on [Icewind Dale] came out..." and, "...[Heart of Winter] managed to actually be worse than my Icewind Dale stuff." In regards to Icewind Dale II he said, "[It] came out better than I expected, but still, not exactly awe-inspiring." Chris Avellone later said, "Icewind Dale was a fun series, but it didn't try to set the bar for anything other than a fun romp. People may remember enjoying it, but it wasn’t trying to break any new ground or do anything revolutionary. In some respects, it was almost a step back from other games we'd done and focused more on exploration and dungeon crawls." A Collector's Edition containing bonus material, such as a full-color cloth map and soundtrack CD, was also released. Icewind Dale II was the final game developed using the Infinity Engine.
, whose previous works included Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal and Fallout Tactics. Inon Zur worked with Jeremy Soule, the composer for Icewind Dale, to maintain the tone of the music. Inon Zur also worked closely with Interplay audio director Adam Levenson while composing the music; Zur and Levenson had worked together on several previous titles. Inon Zur said that while composing the theme for the game, "I wrote and rewrote the main theme several times", and "we tried to create a piece that would preserve the sound of the first Icewind Dale[...]we made great efforts to convey the new elements also. Capturing all of this in 30-45 seconds was not easy however I believe that we eventually found the right path for this game's soundtrack." Zur described the composing process, "After learning the storyboard and getting additional insight from the producers/music supervisor I'll start to compose. The thematic idea (main melody or rhythmical groove) comes first. Then comes the accompaniment followed by the orchestration," and that, "each piece should have its own unique flavour so every step is carefully examined. I have to make sure that the main idea of the piece is reflected in all these steps." He called the composing experience "very pleasant and rewarding."
The music was composed in five weeks, and the recording and mixing lasted three weeks. As the game's music budget was low, a small Los Angeles orchestra was used to record the music; the sound of the each instrument was doubled during production. Inon Zur described the music as having "some uniqueness to it, that basically it developed throughout the game [with] the [inclusion] of more instruments, taking flutes and percussion and combining them with the standard orchestra." Zur later said, "I thought that we definitely met some high standards; we compared our products to big budget films scores," and, "in the end we were quite happy." The game features voice work from Gabrielle Carteris
, Peter Stormare
, and Grey Delisle
, among others.
PC games sales chart in the last week of August, and climbed to fourth during the first week of September. Icewind Dale IIs reception was generally positive. Game Informer
hailed it as, "one of the best RPGs ever released for the PC," and Gamespot
called it, "simply a great role-playing game." However, PC Format
said, "it's uninspired and uninspiring, giving itself a narrow remit and fulfilling that unspectacularly." Certain reviewers compared Icewind Dale II to Neverwinter Nights. IGN
said, "[Compared to Neverwinter Nights,] the pace of IWD2 is more varied, its balance better, the gameplay more interesting," and Game Informer considered the interface superior to that of Neverwinter Nights. PC Format said, "in the light of Neverwinter Nights in particular, there’s little that stands out in Icewind Dale II to recommend it," and PC Zone
said, "it's not the BG2 killer we had all hoped for and neither does it stack up to Neverwinter Nights."
Many reviewers praised the game's combat and pacing. G4
called the game's combat "sublime," and said that "no Infinity Engine game thus far has had such interesting and intricate tactical combat." Gamespot called it "expertly paced." PC Zone complained that certain gameplay mechanics had become outdated, but that "the only real downer is the antiquated spell system and the inexplicable necessity to rest after every fight." The game was also praised for its implementation of the Third Edition rules and interface. Computer Gaming World
said that "IWD II has the Third Edition rules down, and in no other place in the game is it more apparent than with character development," and PC Gamer said it had "a dazzling implementation of the D&D 3rd Edition rules." Gamespot called the interface "a big improvement on the spread-out interface of all previous Infinity Engine games," and IGN said that "the customization improvements to the interface that seem so natural, they make you wonder why they weren't thought of before." Game Informer called the interface "absolutely inspired" and its inventory system "second to none."
The game was criticized for its graphics and engine, which reviewers considered to be outdated. G4 called the engine "old" and "clunky", and PC Format said that "the whole thing is limited by the creaking engine." However, certain sources praised the engine. Game Informer called it "the best role-playing engine that has ever been invented," and Gamespot said that "'immortal' may be a better word to describe the engine, because the fact is, Icewind Dale II plays great." In regards to the graphics, Gamespot said that "in many ways Icewind Dale II represents the best use of the Infinity Engine's prerendered, isometric settings to date, [but] that doesn't change the fact that Icewind Dale II generally looks dated." IGN thought the sprite
s had become out-dated, and that "the animations are crude by today's standards." However, Computer Gaming World believed that "it consistently offers the same striking and imaginative environments that establish the tone and immersive charm of the game," and Computer Games Magazine
said, "it may not look like much, but it's got it where it counts." The game's pre-rendered backgrounds received praise. IGN said that "the artwork is attractive, both conceptually and in its final form," and Game Informer called them "beautiful". Many reviewers complained about the game's pathfinding
AI, which PC Zone called "outrageously bad."
Game Informer called the writing and story "on par with any fantasy novel." PC Gamer said it had "some of the richest and most enjoyable dialogue since Planescape Torment," and an "impressive storyline." Gamespot called the story "engrossing," and said that "the game is very well written, offering up a number of strong characters and serious themes." PC Zone noted that, "thanks to the excellent NPCs, the battles have a lot more meaning, as there is a strong storyline behind the endless hacking and slashing." PC Format thought that "IDII also suffers, like its predecessor, from a story irrevocably weakened by anonymous central characters – the six you create." In regards to the audio, Gamespot said that "Inon Zur does a truly fantastic job that's perhaps even better than Soule's effort in the original Icewind Dale," and that "the voice acting in Icewind Dale II is as great as you've perhaps come to expect from a Black Isle Studios role-playing game." Computer Gaming World said that "[the] sound effects, music, and voiceovers are all excellent."
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
developed by Black Isle Studios
Black Isle Studios
Black Isle Studios was a division of the computer and video game developer and publisher Interplay Entertainment. Black Isle Studios was a division that developed computer role-playing games, and also published several games from other developers. It was based in Orange County, California, USA. The...
and published by Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
, released on August 27, 2002. Like its 2000 predecessor Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment. Released on June 30, 2000, it takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and is based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition...
, the game is set in the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
in the Icewind Dale region. The player assumes control of a group of mercenaries in a war between the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale and a coalition of persecuted races and religions.
The game is designed as an action-oriented alternative to other Infinity Engine
Infinity Engine
Infinity Engine is a game engine which allows the creation of isometric computer role-playing games. It was originally developed by BioWare for a prototype RTS game codenamed Battleground Infinity, which was ultimately re-engineered to become the first installment of the Baldur's Gate series...
games, with less emphasis on exploration and story. It uses a real-time adaptation of the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
(D&D) Third Edition ruleset. The Infinity Engine was extensively modified to comply with the Third Edition, but the team was forced to remove certain rules because of the engine's outdated nature. It was the final game to be developed using the Infinity Engine.
The game was well received by critics, who praised its combat, pacing, and use of the Third Edition rules. However, some reviewers felt that the graphics and engine had become outdated, and could not compete with its contemporaries.
Gameplay
Icewind Dale II is a real-time adaptation of the D&D Third Edition ruleset. The game is viewed from an isometric perspectiveIsometric projection
Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...
, and a head-up display
Head-Up Display
A head-up display or heads-up display is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints...
(HUD) occupies the bottom of the screen. Accessible from the HUD are an automap and a journal that records quests and important events. The player uses a point-and-click
Point-and-click
Point-and-click is the action of a computer user moving a cursor to a certain location on a screen and then pressing a mouse button, usually the left button , or other pointing device...
interface
User interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
to interact with the game; for example, clicking on the ground moves the selected player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
, and clicking on a passive non-player character
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
(NPC) will initiate dialogue. When conversations occur, the game presents multiple dialogue options. The game world is separated into area maps—obscured by fog of war
Fog of war
The fog of war is a term used to describe the uncertainty in situation awareness experienced by participants in military operations. The term seeks to capture the uncertainty regarding own capability, adversary capability, and adversary intent during an engagement, operation, or campaign...
—that are revealed as the area is explored. A multiplayer mode is available for up to six players over a local area network
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
or the Internet. The "Heart of Fury" mode is also available, which increases the game's difficulty and contains more powerful items. The game features over seven hundred items; the designers included a system that randomizes the items the player obtains from enemies.
Character creation
Character creation is the process of defining a game character or other character. Typically, a character's individual strengths and weaknesses are represented by a set of statistics. Games with a largely fictional setting may include traits such as race and class...
a party of up to six characters. While creating characters, the player chooses their gender, race, class
Character class (Dungeons & Dragons)
A character class is a fundamental part of the identity and nature of characters in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. A character's capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses are largely defined by his or her chosen class; choosing a class is one of the first steps a player takes in order to...
, alignment
Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, alignment is a categorization of the ethical and moral perspective of people, creatures and societies....
, and attributes
Attribute (role-playing games)
An attribute is a piece of data that describes to what extent a fictional character in a role-playing game possesses a specific natural, in-born characteristic common to all characters in the game. That piece of data is usually an abstract number or, in some cases, a set of dice...
, among other things. The player can sometimes choose a subvariety of a race or class, such as Deep Gnome
Svirfneblin
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, svirfneblin , or deep gnomes, are a sub-race of gnome.-Publication history:The svirfneblin first appears in first edition in the adventure modules D2 Shrine of the Kuo-Toa , and D3 Vault of the Drow , and then in the original Fiend Folio...
or Cleric
Cleric (Dungeons & Dragons)
The cleric is one of the standard playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. In the game, clerics are versatile figures, both capable in combat and skilled in the use of divine magic. Clerics are powerful healers due to the large number of healing and curative...
of Ilmater. Race, alignment, and attributes affect the player character's available dialogue options, as well as NPC responses. For example, some NPCs will be prejudiced against certain races, or a character of low intelligence will have limited dialogue options. Some sub-races in the game are significantly more powerful than the core races present in AD&D Third Edition; these sub-races must earn more experience point
Experience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
s than others before leveling up. Characters can reach a maximum level of thirty.
Icewind Dale IIs gameplay is focused on combat. The combat system is a real-time adaptation of the turn-based system used in D&D Third Edition, which caused the developers to remove certain aspects, such as "attacks of opportunity". Die rolls are simulated by the game. In place of the turn-based rounds used in D&D, characters have independent rounds, during which they may execute one or more actions, depending on such factors as the duration of the action. The player can pause the game and issue orders to characters at any time. Each character can carry a limited amount of items.
Setting
Icewind Dale II takes place in the Forgotten RealmsForgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
D&D campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
, on the continent of Faerûn
Faerûn
Faerûn is a fictional subcontinent, the primary setting of the Dungeons & Dragons world of Forgotten Realms. It is described at a relatively high level in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting from Wizards of the Coast, and various locales and aspects are described in more detail by separate...
. It centers on the northern Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment. Released on June 30, 2000, it takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and is based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition...
region, and is set thirty years after the original game. The game begins in the harbor town of Targos, one of the Ten Towns
Ten Towns
The Ten Towns is a location on the fictional continent of Faerûn, the primary setting of the Forgotten Realms.-Description:The Ten Towns of Icewind Dale are a loose confederation of villages in the far North. Only one is really large enough to be called a town: Bryn Shander, the most central and...
of Icewind Dale, which is under siege by a goblin army. The goblins are directed by the Legion of the Chimera, an army composed of outcast races and religious factions, such as goblinoids, half-breeds, and followers of winter goddess Auril
Auril
Auril, the Frostmaiden, is the goddess of cold and winter in the Forgotten Realms, for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:...
. Targos hires mercenaries to defend against the attack. Areas encountered in the game include: the Black Raven Monastery, built over an entrance to the Underdark
Underdark
The Underdark is a fictional setting which has appeared in Dungeons & Dragons role-playing campaigns and Dungeons & Dragons-based fiction books, including the Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore...
; the town of Kuldahar, constructed around a magical tree that emits heat; the Severed Hand, an ancient elven fortress that was lost during a war with goblinoids; and the Dragon's Eye, a network of volcanic caverns inhabited by yuan-ti
Yuan-ti
The yuan-ti are a fictional species of evil snakemen in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The species comprises a number of castes. In some campaign settings, the yuan-ti are descended from evil human cultists who mixed their bloodlines with those of serpents...
. Other areas include the Underdark
Underdark
The Underdark is a fictional setting which has appeared in Dungeons & Dragons role-playing campaigns and Dungeons & Dragons-based fiction books, including the Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore...
and the Jungles of Chult
Jungles of Chult
The Jungles of Chult is an accessory for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms released in 1993.-Contents:Th Jungles of Chult describes the Chultan Peninsula of Faerûn....
.
Story
The game begins as the player's group of mercenaries arrives by ship to defend Targos. They report to the town palisade and fend off an assault by the goblin army. Afterwards, the mayor of Targos orders them to start an offensive on the goblin army. The group kills the chieftain of the army, and discovers that he was under the command of a woman named Sherincal. When they return to Targos, the mayor asks them to rendezvous with reinforcements from NeverwinterNeverwinter
Neverwinter is a fictional city-state in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Neverwinter was founded by Lord Halueth Never...
. The group travels to meet them in an airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
piloted by Oswald Fiddlebender.
A storm causes the ship to crash, and the group awakens to discover that a glacier blocks the reinforcements' path. While investigating the glacier, the group finds Sherincal, a half-dragon, guarding the entrance to an Aurilite temple. They learn that Sherincal leads the Legion of the Chimera's western forces, and that the leaders of the Legion of the Chimera, cambion
Cambion (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the fantasy roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons the cambion is a creature descended from a fiend.-Publication history:The cambion was introduced to the D&D game in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons....
twins named Isair and Madae, reside in the Severed Hand. Inside the Aurilite temple, the group finds a prisoner from Kuldahar, who asks them to warn Kuldahar of the threat posed by the Legion of the Chimera. After this, the group creates a passage through the glacier, and meets with the reinforcements.
As the group travels to Kuldahar, they meet a drow (dark elf) named Nym, who tells them that the pass to Kuldahar is guarded by the Legion of the Chimera, and that an alternate path through the Underdark exists. Later, Isair and Madae locate the group with information from Nym. They state their intention to attack Kuldahar, and warn the group to not interfere. The group then passes through the Black Raven Monastery to enter the Underdark. After exiting the Underdark, they are flown to Kuldahar by Oswald Fiddlebender.
When the group lands in Kuldahar, they discover it has been invaded by the Legion of the Chimera. They meet the Archdruid of Kuldahar, who tells them that a portal has been opened to allow yuan-ti from the Jungles of Chult to assault Kuldahar. After the group prevents the attack, the Archdruid tells them that they may reach the Severed Hand through an exit at the bottom floor of the Dragon's Eye. The group travels through Dragon's Eye, and proceeds to the Severed Hand. Once inside, they learn that the war between the Ten Towns and the Legion of the Chimera was caused by the mayor of Bryn Shander, who had sent Isair and Madae poisoned food. They also discover that a mythal
Mythal
In the Forgotten Realms setting in the continent of Faerûn, a mythal is a powerful epic level magical effect.-Description:A mythal is created by a circle of elven High Mages to protect and ward a large area with numerous powerful enchantments...
that was cast on the Severed Hand has been corrupted, and the structure will be transported to the plane of limbo
Limbo (Dungeons & Dragons)
In Dungeons and Dragons, fantasy role-playing game, Limbo or more fully, the Ever-Changing Chaos of Limbo, is a chaotic neutral-aligned plane of existence...
. Eventually, the group finds Isair and Madae, and kills them.
Development
During summer 2001, Black Isle Studios employed three development teams. These included the Icewind Dale team, the team developing TornBlack Isle's Torn
Black Isle's Torn was a role-playing video game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios, announced on March 22, 2001 and cancelled in July of that year. The game was to use a modified version of the SPECIAL role-playing system, which had been implemented in the Fallout series...
, and a team working on an unannounced project. Before and during Torns development, several members of its team expressed interest in developing another game using the Infinity Engine. The development team was not made aware of Black Isle Studios' decision to develop Icewind Dale II until Torns cancellation. Lead designer J. E. Sawyer described, "I don't know when the producers decided to make the game, but I was told that we were making the game when I learned that TORN was being cancelled ... on a Wednesday afternoon", and that Feargus Urquhart
Feargus Urquhart
Feargus Urquhart is a Scottish computer game developer and CEO of Obsidian Entertainment.-Career:Urquhart is best known for his work at Interplay Entertainment, particularly as leader of Black Isle Studios...
"asked me to work with Steve Bokkes to create a story and area overview by Thursday afternoon. Steve and I talked about it for the rest of the day. I went home that night and worked on the overviews until the next day. I came in and turned the docs in, and after the Friday division meeting, the project was in development." During this period, Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
relied on Black Isle Studios' games to alleviate financial trouble, which put pressure to release games quickly. The decision to develop Icewind Dale II was based partly on the original Icewind Dales reception, and the development teams' ability to create a game with the Infinity Engine relatively quickly. Sawyer said of the decision, "In all honesty, the reasons for making Icewind Dale II have to do with limiting risks and maximizing our chances for a popular title." Conceptualization of Icewind Dale II progressed during the development of the Icewind Dale expansions, and production began late July 2001, shortly after the completion of Icewind Dale: Trials of the Luremaster. After six months of development, Icewind Dale II was officially announced on February 4, 2002.
Icewind Dale II was originally planned to be an incomplete conversion to the D&D Third Edition ruleset, with many rules omitted. The kit system (class specialization) introduced in Baldur's Gate 2 was to be used, but this idea was later abandoned. Sawyer and several other members of the team pushed for the game's conversion to Third Edition. The development team was eventually granted an extension, which allowed them to complete the change to Third Edition rules. The Infinity Engine
Infinity Engine
Infinity Engine is a game engine which allows the creation of isometric computer role-playing games. It was originally developed by BioWare for a prototype RTS game codenamed Battleground Infinity, which was ultimately re-engineered to become the first installment of the Baldur's Gate series...
required extensive modification to comply with Third Edition rules, as it had originally been designed for Second Edition rules; certain elements of the rules were removed due to interface and engine issues. The game's interface was redesigned, and all-new art was created. It features new item icons, with new spell icons by Brian Menze; Menze had previously created Planescape: Torments spell icons. Jason Manley, the portrait artist for the previous Icewind Dale games, left Black Isle Studios in late 2001; several new works he painted before his departure were later used in Icewind Dale II. Black Isle Studios artist Justin Sweet was asked to substitute. The game's resolution was increased to a minimum resolution of 800x600, with an unofficially supported maximum resolution of 2048x1536.
J. E. Sawyer managed rule implementation, but the areas of the game were divided between designers. For example, designer Chris Avellone created the opening sequence, designer Dave Maldonado developed the Black Raven Monastery and a large area of wilderness, and designers John Deiley and Damien Foletto created the ending areas. Partway through development, Sawyer left the team to work as the lead designer on another internal project; Dave Maldonado and Chris Avellone were given his areas to finish. The developers wanted the game to contain more breaks from combat, with character interaction and puzzle solving, than the previous Icewind Dale. The decision to include more puzzles was influenced by the positive reception to the puzzles in Icewind Dale: Trials of the Luremaster.
The game went gold on August 5, 2002, and was released on August 27. After the release of Icewind Dale II, Sawyer expressed dissatisfaction over the Icewind Dale series, saying that, "I wasn't particularly thrilled with how my work on [Icewind Dale] came out..." and, "...[Heart of Winter] managed to actually be worse than my Icewind Dale stuff." In regards to Icewind Dale II he said, "[It] came out better than I expected, but still, not exactly awe-inspiring." Chris Avellone later said, "Icewind Dale was a fun series, but it didn't try to set the bar for anything other than a fun romp. People may remember enjoying it, but it wasn’t trying to break any new ground or do anything revolutionary. In some respects, it was almost a step back from other games we'd done and focused more on exploration and dungeon crawls." A Collector's Edition containing bonus material, such as a full-color cloth map and soundtrack CD, was also released. Icewind Dale II was the final game developed using the Infinity Engine.
Audio
The music of the game was composed by Inon ZurInon Zur
Inon Zur is an Israeli American music composer who has won several awards for his work. Originally writing for movies and television, he later moved into composing for video games. He has been described as being "internationally recognized as one of the A-list orchestral composers in the video...
, whose previous works included Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal and Fallout Tactics. Inon Zur worked with Jeremy Soule, the composer for Icewind Dale, to maintain the tone of the music. Inon Zur also worked closely with Interplay audio director Adam Levenson while composing the music; Zur and Levenson had worked together on several previous titles. Inon Zur said that while composing the theme for the game, "I wrote and rewrote the main theme several times", and "we tried to create a piece that would preserve the sound of the first Icewind Dale[...]we made great efforts to convey the new elements also. Capturing all of this in 30-45 seconds was not easy however I believe that we eventually found the right path for this game's soundtrack." Zur described the composing process, "After learning the storyboard and getting additional insight from the producers/music supervisor I'll start to compose. The thematic idea (main melody or rhythmical groove) comes first. Then comes the accompaniment followed by the orchestration," and that, "each piece should have its own unique flavour so every step is carefully examined. I have to make sure that the main idea of the piece is reflected in all these steps." He called the composing experience "very pleasant and rewarding."
The music was composed in five weeks, and the recording and mixing lasted three weeks. As the game's music budget was low, a small Los Angeles orchestra was used to record the music; the sound of the each instrument was doubled during production. Inon Zur described the music as having "some uniqueness to it, that basically it developed throughout the game [with] the [inclusion] of more instruments, taking flutes and percussion and combining them with the standard orchestra." Zur later said, "I thought that we definitely met some high standards; we compared our products to big budget films scores," and, "in the end we were quite happy." The game features voice work from Gabrielle Carteris
Gabrielle Carteris
Gabrielle Anne Carteris is an American actress known for her role as Andrea Zuckerman on the early seasons of the 1990s television series Beverly Hills, 90210.-Personal life:...
, Peter Stormare
Peter Stormare
is a Swedish film, stage, voice and television actor as well as a theatrical director, playwright and musician.- Early life :...
, and Grey Delisle
Grey DeLisle
Grey DeLisle is an American voice actress, singer-songwriter, and comedienne. To date, she has released four solo albums and has featured on the tribute album Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash and film soundtrack of Loggerheads...
, among others.
Reception
Icewind Dale II reached sixth on the NPDNPD Group
The NPD Group, Inc. is a leading North American market research company. The NPD Group consistently ranks among the top 25 market research companies in the independent Honomichl Top 50 report, which the media and the research industry acknowledge as a credible source of information on the market...
PC games sales chart in the last week of August, and climbed to fourth during the first week of September. Icewind Dale IIs reception was generally positive. Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
hailed it as, "one of the best RPGs ever released for the PC," and Gamespot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
called it, "simply a great role-playing game." However, PC Format
PC Format
PC Format is a computer magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and licensed to other publishers in countries around the world. In publication since 1991, it is part of Future Publishing's Format series of magazines that include articles about games, entertainment and how to...
said, "it's uninspired and uninspiring, giving itself a narrow remit and fulfilling that unspectacularly." Certain reviewers compared Icewind Dale II to Neverwinter Nights. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
said, "[Compared to Neverwinter Nights,] the pace of IWD2 is more varied, its balance better, the gameplay more interesting," and Game Informer considered the interface superior to that of Neverwinter Nights. PC Format said, "in the light of Neverwinter Nights in particular, there’s little that stands out in Icewind Dale II to recommend it," and PC Zone
PC Zone
PC Zone was the first magazine dedicated to games for IBM-compatible personal computers to be published in the United Kingdom. Earlier PC magazines such as PC Leisure, PC Format and PC Plus had covered games but only as part of a wider remit. PC Zone was founded in 1993.The magazine was published...
said, "it's not the BG2 killer we had all hoped for and neither does it stack up to Neverwinter Nights."
Many reviewers praised the game's combat and pacing. G4
G4
G4, G.IV, G04, G.4 or G-4 may refer to:- Aircraft :* AEG G.IV, a German World War I heavy bomber* Caudron G.4, a 1915 French biplane* Friedrichshafen G.IV, a 1918 German medium bomber* Gotha G.IV, a 1916 German heavy bomber...
called the game's combat "sublime," and said that "no Infinity Engine game thus far has had such interesting and intricate tactical combat." Gamespot called it "expertly paced." PC Zone complained that certain gameplay mechanics had become outdated, but that "the only real downer is the antiquated spell system and the inexplicable necessity to rest after every fight." The game was also praised for its implementation of the Third Edition rules and interface. Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford...
said that "IWD II has the Third Edition rules down, and in no other place in the game is it more apparent than with character development," and PC Gamer said it had "a dazzling implementation of the D&D 3rd Edition rules." Gamespot called the interface "a big improvement on the spread-out interface of all previous Infinity Engine games," and IGN said that "the customization improvements to the interface that seem so natural, they make you wonder why they weren't thought of before." Game Informer called the interface "absolutely inspired" and its inventory system "second to none."
The game was criticized for its graphics and engine, which reviewers considered to be outdated. G4 called the engine "old" and "clunky", and PC Format said that "the whole thing is limited by the creaking engine." However, certain sources praised the engine. Game Informer called it "the best role-playing engine that has ever been invented," and Gamespot said that "'immortal' may be a better word to describe the engine, because the fact is, Icewind Dale II plays great." In regards to the graphics, Gamespot said that "in many ways Icewind Dale II represents the best use of the Infinity Engine's prerendered, isometric settings to date, [but] that doesn't change the fact that Icewind Dale II generally looks dated." IGN thought the sprite
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
s had become out-dated, and that "the animations are crude by today's standards." However, Computer Gaming World believed that "it consistently offers the same striking and imaginative environments that establish the tone and immersive charm of the game," and Computer Games Magazine
Computer Games Magazine
Computer Games Magazine was a computer gaming print magazine. It was formerly Computer Games Strategy Plus, and before that, Strategy Plus, which had been founded as Games International in the UK in 1988. While its initial focus was on strategy games, it covered a wide range of game genres...
said, "it may not look like much, but it's got it where it counts." The game's pre-rendered backgrounds received praise. IGN said that "the artwork is attractive, both conceptually and in its final form," and Game Informer called them "beautiful". Many reviewers complained about the game's pathfinding
Pathfinding
Pathfinding generally refers to the plotting, by a computer application, of the shortest route between two points. It is a more practical variant on solving mazes...
AI, which PC Zone called "outrageously bad."
Game Informer called the writing and story "on par with any fantasy novel." PC Gamer said it had "some of the richest and most enjoyable dialogue since Planescape Torment," and an "impressive storyline." Gamespot called the story "engrossing," and said that "the game is very well written, offering up a number of strong characters and serious themes." PC Zone noted that, "thanks to the excellent NPCs, the battles have a lot more meaning, as there is a strong storyline behind the endless hacking and slashing." PC Format thought that "IDII also suffers, like its predecessor, from a story irrevocably weakened by anonymous central characters – the six you create." In regards to the audio, Gamespot said that "Inon Zur does a truly fantastic job that's perhaps even better than Soule's effort in the original Icewind Dale," and that "the voice acting in Icewind Dale II is as great as you've perhaps come to expect from a Black Isle Studios role-playing game." Computer Gaming World said that "[the] sound effects, music, and voiceovers are all excellent."
External links
- Icewind Dale II at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Icewind Dale II at GameBanshee