ICEWIND DALE II

ICEWIND DALE II
Posted:2002-05-18 By Master Chief Number of View:10192
ICEWIND DALE II By :Master Chief Posted:2002-05-18 xtreview is your : Video card - cpu - memory - Hard drive - power supply unit source Icewind Dale II Publisher: Interplay Developer: Black Isle Studios Genre: Role Playing Game ESRB: Teen System Requirements  Minimum: PII 350, 64MB RAM, Windows 9x/ME/2K/XP Recommended: PIII 500, 128MB RAM   Published: October 3, 2002 Icewind Dale II has no byline. The brevity of the game\'s title demonstrates not a lack of imagination on the part of Black Isle but a conscious decision to recognize the strengths of their product. At a time when the industry\'s darlings are announcing virtual "pen and paper" experiences that they cannot hope to deliver upon, and when there are more "massively multiplayer" games in development than there are masses to play them, the candor of a product like IWD2 is refreshing. All it promises is a hack and slash jaunt through a familiar Dungeons and Dragons world, with more statistics and ability scores than you can shake a +4 vorpal sword at. Yet it delivers strongly enough in character development and interaction that it\'s making many fans stand up and question what we call "role-playing" is actually about.   IWD2 is set in the northern wastes of Faerun, the most famous setting for campaigns within the Forgotten Realms franchise, a little over a generation after the events of the first Icewind Dale (and still nearly a century before the Baldur\'s Gate saga). There, the Ten-Towns of the Dale are besieged by not only monsters and barbarians alike, but also by the frigid cold that comes with each winter, driven by the ice goddess, Auril. The game begins with the player\'s band of adventurers, a small group of hired mercenaries, arriving by boat in the town of Targos. The port is under siege by an army of goblins, and the new arrivals are quickly conscripted into defending the town and its palisade. To the benefit of newcomers, the story of IWD2 is self contained, though players of the previous release and its two expansions will discover that the prior actions of their now historical party of adventurers had many unforeseen consequences, several of which are directly responsible for this new threat that has emerged.                 Unlike the Baldur\'s Gate series and other role-playing games that focus on the exploits of a single protagonist and any friends he or she might accrue along the way, it\'s up to players in IWD2 to create their entire cast of characters at the beginning, or to at least choose one of the few pre-generated groups that Black Isle included (such as "The Sisters of Blood" or "Hands of Fury," each of which has its own theme). A party can consist of up to six characters, though those venturing out with fewer will gain levels at a faster rate as experience acquired from monsters and quests is shared equally amongst the group. Despite the game no longer requiring players to roll virtual dice in order to generate their character\'s attributes (allowing players to assign them from a fixed pool of "points" instead), creating an initial party can be a time consuming experience for new players and veteran delvers alike, as IWD2 also brings with it a change to the new Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition rulebook.                                   While many of the changes in the newest edition have been made to make the often prosaic rules more accessible to mainstream players, eliminating acronyms such as "THACO" ("to hit armor class zero") and counterintuitive ideas such as a negative armor rating being desirable, knowing what makes for a good character is still as confusing as it ever was. THACO might be out, but having the sum of a character\'s "attack roll modifiers" add up to "11" does not necessarily inform a player whether or not a character is likely to connect with their mace swings, as unless they have access to those very geeky three-ring binders filled with revised monster data, they will not have any idea of what the armor rating of any particular creature might be.   Indeed, even longtime 2nd Edition players will find that their old strategies are in need of serious revision as heavy forms of armor now negate dexterity bonuses and multi-classing rules have changed tremendously. Add to this a new system of skills that clouds the distinctions between varying classes and the heroic "feats" that allow players to customize their characters even further, and you have a recipe for pure chaos before IWD2 even begins. Granted, discovering how all of this works is a greater part of the fun for an experienced adventurer, but it seems that the 3rd edition is not as accessible as advertised. For that reason, those new to the Dungeons and Dragons side of the RPG world might consider beginning with one of the pre-generated parties, as there\'s ample time to customize the characters as they gain levels and progress through the game. In many respects, it might seem overly indulgent to list the various additions that have been made to the panoply of choices in character generation. IWD2 is the kind of game that begins not at the end of an initial cutscene or when mouse control is finally handed over to the player, but in the options that are selected beforehand, as they have a direct effect on the level of challenge and outcome of every tactical engagement to follow. Though most of the "kits," or specialized classes, that graced Baldur\'s Gate 2 have not made it into IWD2 (with the exception of clerics and the holy warriors known as paladins, who must choose a patron deity, which confers various benefits and limitations upon them), a host of new races and sub-races are now at the player\'s disposal. Each traditional race included from Forgotten Realms has one or two different offshoots with varying capabilities. Even the typically unexciting humans gain the Aasimar and Tieflings, human half-breeds with angelic and demonic powers. For the first time, players can fill their party\'s ranks with Drow, an evil subterranean race of Elves. Not only do these sub-races gain bonuses to attributes that can become incredibly powerful when combined with the right vocation or "class," and certain immunities to heat or cold elements, but many also receive special abilities that can be used once per "day," such as the Gray Dwarves\' talent of becoming invisible at will. To offset these advantages, characters of these races increase in level much more slowly, falling as many as three whole levels behind their more mundane compatriots.                                                All of the expected classes are present, including some of the more recent additions such as barbarians, monks and sorcerers (who gain their spells automatically rather than through research and scrolls, as with the more traditional wizard class). The greatest improvement in the 3rd Edition rule set is the balancing that has been done, at least in IWD2, which interprets things differently than Neverwinter Nights. While some classes still tend to lag behind the rest in terms of raw power, such as druids and monks, most of the available vocations are now extremely viable. The "weapon finesse" feat enables a character to use his or her dexterity bonus, rather than strength, to strike with small bladed weapons, allowing rogues (and to some degree, wizards) to make the most of their backstab abilities, even toward the end game, where they have tended to falter in the past against heavily armored opponents. Two-handed weapons are now feasible choices, both in their improved reach as well as in their comparatively larger bonus from a character\'s strength. Plate mail is no longer the best choice for all characters, as it now overrides their dexterity bonuses, resulting in exotic leathers and chain mails becoming much more desirable for even non rogue or bard characters.   The philosophical alignments and non-combat skills of characters also have a direct bearing on gameplay. A "lawful-good" paladin might refuse a monetary reward for a quest, pick a needless and nearly suicidal fight with slavers, or be able to see through the pious disguise of a heinous enemy, while a "chaotic-evil" necromancer would react quite differently. A character with high bluff, diplomacy or intimidation skills has different dialogue options, and there are even cases when demi-humans such as half-orcs are able to take advantage of their native languages. Even frequently overlooked skills such as "wilderness lore" can be instrumental in surviving some of IWD2\'s more challenging puzzles.                     There are many such puzzles, some of which are fiendishly difficult, especially for power gamers who, armed with their statistics and attack modifiers, are intent on solving IWD2 through brute force alone. Ample clues abound for most of these enigmas, but only if players slow down enough to remain cognizant of them and take time to read the dialogue and notes, both of which retain the good humor that has been a staple of the Icewind Dale series. On the questing side, traditional role-playing elements have not only been expanded, but streamlined as well. After completing a goal, the party will often be sped back to their place of origin rather than forced to make a lengthy and boring journey on their own, as was so often the case in the original.   Make no mistake, set piece battles are still the mainstay of the game, and are more dynamic and engaging than ever. Combining strategy, tactics and even logistics (trips back to town for supplies are quite rare), IWD2 makes the most of the 3rd Edition core rules and allows players to take them on their own terms, whether they approach the title as a real-time click-fest, take a managerial role by using included or custom artificial intelligence scripts on their characters, or even set it to auto-pause after every action in combat in order to create a turn-based experience. Graphics: People who assume that the latest offering to take advantage of BioWare\'s Infinity Engine would logically be the most technologically advanced will likely spend a lot of time searching for the "enable 3D acceleration" button, because there isn\'t one - even though the first Icewind Dale included the feature. One resulting visual deficiency brought by the omission of 3D support is a dithered and pixel-laden "fog of war," rather than a smooth gradient over unexplored territories. Although higher resolutions are available, the maximum supported resolution is 800x600, which is functional enough without making the game appear too grainy or distancing the player too far from the action. At least IWD2 builds upon the two standout aspects of the Icewind Dale series: character portraits and monster size. IWD2 has the best character portraits in the business. Painted with dark lines, their dour likenesses connect the player to both his or her adventuring party and the cold world they inhabit; making trips to the statistics screens is a visual delight even for those not particularly enthused with number crunching. The most impressive aspect of IWD2, however, is the physical size of the creatures within its bestiary: frost giants tower many times over the height of player characters, and "driders" (dark elf centaurs with the lower bodies of enormous spiders) are, for the first time, rendered true to size. Many figures are lacking a few frames of animation, but their ability to remain convincingly threatening is hardly damaged.         Interface: The interface of IWD2 is near perfect. Residing on the bottom of the screen, the new interface panel is made even more visually impressive by a complete overhaul of the spell and item icons. Beyond this skin-deep change, the removal of the two side panels that used to flank the main view makes managing the party\'s vital statistics much easier while still offering alternative icons for those who prefer not to memorize keyboard shortcuts. Rather than having to hunt down characters in the main view-screen in order to cast a healing spell, a player need only cast it upon a character\'s portrait, all of which are now conveniently located in a single row.   Black Isle addressed nearly every criticism players have leveled on the franchise, and even looked toward other genres to improve IWD2. For instance, as in Diablo 2, holding down the "Alt" key now highlights all doors, revealed secrets and treasure - even if something is literally hidden in the crevices of a couch. Players can now examine their maps without pausing the game, and buy and sell the contents of their containers without having to first shift the items to their backpack. What\'s more, being "energy drained" by a foe no longer forces the player to reselect all of his or her spells.     Gameplay: Those expecting little to no actual role-playing in IWD2 will be surprised to find that their characters are barely level two after several hours of play. The game begins rather slowly, with a deluge of "messenger" and "delivery" quests, only to mock itself irreverently by introducing another party of adventurers complaining of exactly those chores shortly before launching the player into a three pronged attack on the town. Not only does this allow for a solid exposition, it\'s a good reminder as to why many players prefer a product like IWD2. After all, ferrying a box from one point to another is not necessarily the pinnacle of the role-playing experience.   IWD2 won\'t disappoint those looking for convincing battles within the Dungeons & Dragons world. Not only does the game include copious amounts of dungeon clearing, but ambushes, fortress assaults and even gladiatorial combat all make an impressive showing. The inclusion of "monster generators" in various forms - from insect colonies that bring forth larvae to Orcish shamans pounding their goblin war drums to summon allies - add another tactical component to the gameplay. The timed battles, where players must fight to reach a location before their enemy fulfills their own objectives, are another nice addition. This diversity is a great asset to IWD2.   Each experience in IWD2 is unique and requires a different approach for success, often requiring the player to rethink his or her strategies and the role each party member is required to fulfill in a given battle. Certain situations will humble the fiercest warrior, but on the other hand, show the true strengths of a priest or shape-shifting druid as he rises to the occasion. Similar characters are often denied these opportunities in other titles. However, the great imagination lavished upon many of the less significant battles often makes the allegedly more grandiose conflicts appear stale in comparison, injuring the plot and the player\'s desire to participate in it. Many of the overly hyped villains fall more easily than their minions, who routinely ambush the player or possess some tactical advantage.   Despite the move to 3rd Edition rules, a steep learning curve still exists and is magnified by the fact that players are responsible for creating their own party from the outset - or using a pre-generated one - rather than just a single character. Controlling the party is easy enough, and while the manual contains a lengthy walkthrough, it offers very few hints on how to approach the game as a veteran player might with regards to viable strategies. Dropping pen and paper jargon like "values do not stack" on novices isn\'t very helpful. Of the over 300 spells included in IWD2, most are of little use and will only serve to confuse those new to the genre, while power gamers will rue the omission of spell sequencers - incantations that store multiple magical enchantments to be released simultaneously at a later time. Fortunately, IWD2 boasts a robust save system that automatically stores the player\'s progress before key battles. Quick saving and loading can be done on the fly, and is less time consuming than in other Infinity Engine titles.   IWD2 is what the player chooses to make of it. Those who enjoy spending time learning the 3rd Edition rules beforehand will receive more enjoyment when their pre-game plan pays off in the end. Players who are extremely adept at finding exploits and loopholes in the basic game might want to try their hands at the special "Heart of Fury" mode, which contains not only monsters that are much more powerful, but also greater rewards for vanquishing them. This mode also brings an entire shift in the usefulness of spells; a charm or domination spell becomes worth more than 100 magic missiles, as the latter\'s damage doesn\'t scale with the increased power of the player\'s foes.   While IWD2 is not the longest or most involved example of its genre, it offers more role-playing, more sense of adventure and more storytelling than anyone ever predicted. That it accomplishes exactly what was expected of it so well is simply astounding.     Multiplayer: IWD2 offers online gaming for those devout enough to attempt it. Like other Infinity Engine releases, its multiplayer component is an unwieldy and unforgiving beast. One player must assume the role of leader and pull the rest of the party through the single-player campaign by their noses, something to which random strangers are not likely to take kindly. That said, a party of friends can indeed have a blast, with the largest issues being increased load times and asynchronous screens - meaning what one player sees is not necessarily what everyone else sees. This makes the casting of area spells like fireball or ice storm a dicey proposition. Those lacking a group of likeminded players can venture onto the GameSpy service, where they must register for a new account as well as download and install the latest patches in order to take their chances with the scant number of other players wishing to enter an IWD2 session.     Sound FX: Nearly all of the voices have been ported directly from previous Infinity Engine titles; the only noteworthy addition is that of a male and female Drow, whose tongues drip venom and the occasional incontinent bursts of an Elvin dialect. While nearly all of the existing voices are functional, not much effort went into implementing them: a voice listed merely as a "male fighter" might have been tied to a Dwarf in a previous game, so when an Orc exclaims "When all else fails, put the Dwarf in charge," it just reeks of laziness. Monsters grunt and the undead chatter in the background, which is eerie, especially if one has the 3D environmental audio enabled. However, since the sound system treats each map as if it were a single panoramic region, rather than a collection of discrete audio environments, it does tend to give away enemy positions and take the wonder out of what\'s behind a closed door.     Musical Score: When it plays, IWD2\'s orchestral score is superb. Rather than flaunt its music through needless repetition, Black Isle has taken a more subdued approach by only cueing songs at predetermined scene changes. Because of this, the player typically only hears music for the first few minutes of a map, only to have it fade before any real progress is made. At times, this can make one ache to hear music rather than the random grunts and groans that emanate from every crevice in a dungeon.     Intelligence & Difficulty: Though Black Isle boasts of IWD2\'s so-called "auto-balancing," which allegedly changes the difficulty on the fly, there\'s little empirical evidence of it. A party of Halflings armed with nothing more than wooden sticks and bad attitudes still tends to be slaughtered on sight, no matter how adroitly or ineptly you guide them. Because players are entering the game with different levels of knowledge concerning the 3rd Edition rules, those who are being hounded at every turn or who are blazing their way through are best served by the manual difficulty toggle, which halves or doubles the amount of damage the player\'s characters receive from blows. This is a fair, but rather inelegant, solution.   Enemies in IWD2 tend to behave admirably, especially spell casters, who are skilled at thinning out a party\'s protection wards and instigating general chaos. The AI\'s single most egregious failing is that many creatures tend to target the one character that injured it the most. Although acting logically, they\'ll often pursue that same character to an unreasonable extent, allowing a fighter to hack at a monster and then run away as the rest of the party impales it with entire quivers of arrows.   Player characters are not assigned AI scripts by default, but they can be easily enabled, and are especially useful for characters using projectile weapons who tend to avoid close confrontations and automatically switch to melee weapons when appropriate. In another example, clerics using scripts designated for fighters won\'t forget to use their healing spells when they\'re in dire need, even as they wade into the thick of battle.   While the difficulty of combat is highly variable because of differences in players’ backgrounds, and can be adjusted through the use of the toggle, the abundance of some serious puzzles adds to the challenge.     Overall: For a game that\'s billed as strictly linear, the multitude of possibilities in Icewind Dale II is striking; its breadth is in its depth, not its scope. The vast array of new character features and 3rd Edition rules is a welcome addition made doubly fresh by the changes to the interface. Unfortunately, IWD2 is hamstrung by lackluster boss fights and a plot that only skirts the periphery of the Forgotten Realms license, potentially diminishing the drive of players to see the game to its conclusion. Most RPG players on the PC tend to scoff at titles that dare to advertise linearity as a feature; no matter how focused the story and characterization might be, this is still seen as the domain of Japanese console imports. IWD2 is as unrestricting as they come, except its open-endedness begins and ends with character generation. Since this makes players live with their choices, IWD2 is one of the truest RPGs ever made.   xtreview is your : Video card - cpu - memory - Hard drive - power supply unit source we would be happy to answer for your question . if you have suggestion or comment regarding this review our support would be glad to help just join our forum and ask u will get the best answer to discuss check our forum section :-) RATE THIS REVIEW 1 2 3 4 5    / 5   View Stat

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