Icewind Dale is a role-playing video game created by Black Isle Studios and first released by Interplay Entertainment for Windows in 2000 and by MacPlay for Macintosh computers in 2002 (for both Classic Mac OS and OS X). The game is set in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms world and the region of Icewind Dale, using rules from the second edition of the game system. The story follows a group of adventurers who are hired to protect a caravan in Icewind Dale after unusual events occur, and they later uncover a plan that endangers the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale and other areas.
The game was praised for its music and gameplay and sold more than 400,000 copies worldwide by early 2001. An expansion called Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter was released in 2001, and a follow-up game, Icewind Dale II, came out in 2002. In 2014, a remake titled Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition was published by Overhaul Games for multiple platforms.
Gameplay
Icewind Dale's gameplay is similar to Baldur's Gate because both games use a version of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition rules. The game automatically calculates the rules' details, such as tracking character statistics and rolling dice. The user interface is similar with small visual changes, and the game focuses on combat, often against large enemy groups, with dialogue driving the story. Players can direct characters to move, talk, fight, or perform actions like pickpocketing in each location. Combat happens in real time, but players can pause at any time to give commands, which are carried out when the game resumes. Like other D&D-based games made by Black Isle, Icewind Dale uses a paper-doll style inventory system, divides the story into chapters, and includes a journal that records quests and important story details from non-player characters.
Players start by creating a party of up to six characters, either by making new ones or using characters from a previous game. Each new character needs a name, gender, race, class, and alignment, followed by choosing ability scores and weapon preferences. A character's class determines which alignments are allowed, what weapons and fighting styles they can use, and how skilled they become. Characters who are thieves require players to assign points to different thieving skills, while spellcasters must choose a few 1st-level spells for their spellbook and memorize one to use at the start of the game. After creating a party, characters earn experience points by completing quests and defeating enemies. When enough experience points are earned, characters level up. Leveling up increases a character's hit points, gives spellcasters more spell slots and access to stronger magic, sometimes adds new weapon skills, and improves thieves' abilities.
Plot
In the town of Easthaven, a group of adventurers meet the town's leader, Hrothgar (voiced by Jim Cummings), at a tavern. Hrothgar invites them to join an expedition to investigate the town of Kuldahar after reports of strange events there. On the journey to Kuldahar, the group is attacked by frost giants, who cause an avalanche that blocks the way back to Easthaven. Only the adventurers survive and continue to Kuldahar, where they meet Arundel (also voiced by Cummings), the village's archdruid. Arundel explains that a mysterious evil force has been kidnapping villagers, causing unusual weather, summoning monsters, and weakening the magical warmth from a giant tree that stands over the village.
The adventurers are asked to find the source of the evil. They begin by searching the Vale of Shadows, an area with Kuldahar's crypts, after hearing rumors of undead creatures. There, they meet a cursed barbarian spirit named Kresselack (voiced by Tony Jay), who tells them the threat is elsewhere. Reporting this to Arundel, the druid instructs the group to retrieve an ancient scrying item called the Heartstone Gem, which will help locate the evil more quickly. After learning the gem was stolen from a temple, the adventurers travel to the caverns of Dragon's Eye, where they find missing villagers being held by lizard men. They eventually discover the gem being used by a powerful Marilith named Yxunomei (voiced by Tara Strong). After defeating Yxunomei and retrieving the gem, the group returns to find Kuldahar under attack by Orogs, and Arundel mortally wounded by a shapeshifter disguised as the archdruid. The real Arundel tells the adventurers to take the Heartstone to Larrel (voiced by Michael Bell) at the fortress of the Severed Hand, the only one who can now use it, before dying from his injuries.
At the fortress, the adventurers find that Larrel is insane and complete a task to help him regain his sanity. Using the gem, Larrel discovers the source of the evil is in the former dwarven city of Dorn's Deep. Fighting through the city, the group finds the source of the evil—a priest named Brother Poquelin (voiced by John Kassir). Poquelin reveals himself to be a demon exiled from his home realm, who has been working with Yxunomei in a feud. He used an ancient artifact, Crenshinibon, to build an army to conquer Icewind Dale. After the adventurers recovered the Heartstone Gem, Poquelin killed Arundel and sent his forces to attack Easthaven.
After a brief battle with Poquelin, the adventurers are transported back to Easthaven, which is now in ruins. They free the surviving villagers, and the town's cleric of Tempus, Everard, tells them Poquelin is targeting Jerrod's Stone, a mystical object under the town's temple that seals a portal to the Nine Hells of Baator. The stone was sealed during a battle long ago by a shaman named Jerrod. The adventurers enter Poquelin's crystal tower and learn his plan to reopen the portal to summon devils. Everard sacrifices his life to seal the portal again, and the adventurers defeat Poquelin in his true form as the devil Belhifet, banishing him to the Nine Hells. Easthaven is later rebuilt.
In a final twist, it is revealed that the game's narrator (David Ogden Stiers) was actually Belhifet, who was imprisoned for a century by the adventurers. He will soon return to seek revenge.
Development
Icewind Dale uses the BioWare Infinity Engine, which includes backgrounds created in advance and characters made up of separate images shown from a special 3D-like view. This technology was also used in earlier games such as Planescape: Torment and Baldur's Gate by Black Isle Studios.
Icewind Dale was released in North America on June 29, 2000, in Australia on July 7, and in Europe on July 21, 2000, for Windows by Interplay Entertainment. The game was developed by Contraband Entertainment and published by MacPlay. A version for Mac OS and Mac OS X was released on March 26, 2002.
Reception
Icewind Dale was praised by critics, receiving an 86% score on GameRankings and 87 out of 100 on Metacritic. Computer Gaming World, GameSpot, The Electric Playground, and CNET Gamecenter named it the top computer role-playing game of 2000. However, all four awards were given to Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn.
GameSpot's Greg Kasavin rated the game 8.6 out of 10, stating it was well suited for fans of Black Isle Studios' earlier games, classic hack-and-slash AD&D computer games, and players looking for an action-packed role-playing game with depth. IGN gave it 8.8 out of 10, and GameZone awarded it 9.5 out of 10. GameSpy's Allen Rausch said, "Icewind Dale was a fun dungeon romp that can hold its head up high, even if it can't match its big brothers." The game's music score by Jeremy Soule received widespread praise. Chris Chan of the New Straits Times called it one of the best games he had ever played and compared it positively to Diablo II.
Some critics noted that the gameplay was too uniform and focused mostly on combat, with little interaction or investigation. Bob Low of the Daily Record mentioned technical issues, such as poor pathfinding and occasional crashes. PC Zone criticized the game for being similar to previous Infinity Engine titles. IGN ranked Icewind Dale No. 6 on their 2014 list of "The Top 11 Dungeons & Dragons Games of All Time." Ian Williams of Paste listed it as No. 3 on his 2015 list of "The 10 Greatest Dungeons and Dragons Videogames."
Kevin Rice of Next Generation gave the PC version of the game four stars out of five, stating, "a huge, engrossing game with the most action in the Forgotten Realms series, Icewind Dale earns its place on the hard drive of any self-respecting RPG fan."
At the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, Icewind Dale was nominated for the "PC Role-Playing" award, which was ultimately won by Diablo II.
In the United States, Icewind Dale debuted at No. 4 on PC Data's weekly computer game sales rankings for June 25–July 1, 2000, after its release on June 30. Domestic sales for that week totaled 39,285 copies, generating $1.71 million in revenue. Mark Asher of CNET Gamecenter called this performance a "mild surprise" and noted that the game was "doing well." It was the country's 16th-best-selling computer game for June. After retaining position No. 4 in its second week, it dropped to sixth place in its third week. Computer Games Magazine reported that Icewind Dale was among the titles that "dominated the retail charts in the U.S. for the month of July." It was the United States' sixth-highest computer game seller in July and 16th-highest in August, moving 21,923 units and earning $1.05 million during August alone. The game remained in PC Data's weekly top 10 until the week ending August 5. Three days later, Interplay's Brian Fargo noted that Icewind Dale was "selling beyond our forecasts and in number one positions in certain European territories."
According to Chart-Track, Icewind Dale was the United Kingdom's best-selling computer game for its debut week, breaking Diablo II's three-week streak in the region. It dropped to third place the following week, then fell to seventh. A writer for PC Zone mentioned being "a little surprised at seeing Diablo II capitulate so easily, especially to Icewind Dale, despite the success of Baldur's Gate." Icewind Dale was the United Kingdom's third-best-selling computer title in August, placing above Diablo II for the month. According to PC Gamer US, it also achieved "high sales" in Germany, where it debuted in 17th place on the computer game sales charts in July. After peaking at No. 5 the following month, it claimed places 16 and 29 in September and October before exiting Germany's top 30.
By the end of 2000, Icewind Dale had sold 145,564 copies in the United States, earning $6.8 million, according to PC Data. Its sales by early 2001 totaled more than 350,000 units worldwide, including 45,000 units in Germany. Global sales surpassed 400,000 units by April 2001. As of 2006, the lifetime domestic sales of Icewind Dale had reached 270,000 copies ($9.5 million), while the Icewind Dale franchise together had sold 580,000 units domestically. In August 2006, Edge ranked the original Icewind Dale as the United States' 74th-best-selling computer game and the best-selling Icewind Dale title released since January 2000.
Legacy
Because of strong early sales, Interplay and Black Isle Studios began developing an expansion pack, Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter, within two weeks of the original game's release. Producer Darren Monahan explained that the team used feedback from fans, especially about balancing character classes in the original game. The team also used code and features from Baldur's Gate II for the expansion. Heart of Winter was officially released on February 21, 2001. A downloadable add-on, Trials of the Luremaster, was released in early July 2001.
While creating Heart of Winter and Trials of the Luremaster, Black Isle Studios began planning a full sequel, Icewind Dale II. Production started in late July 2001, around the same time as the cancellation of the Torn project, according to designer Dave Maldonado. Designer J. E. Sawyer explained that the goal of Icewind Dale II was to "limit risks and increase the chances of creating a successful game." The sequel was announced in February 2002 and released on August 27, 2002.
In 2002, Icewind Dale and Heart of Winter were re-released in two budget packages: Icewind Dale: The Collection and Icewind Dale: Complete. They were also included in the Black Isle Compilation alongside Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment in 2002. A collector's edition called Icewind Dale: The Ultimate Collection, which included Icewind Dale II and its expansion, was released in 2003. All four games were re-released again in Black Isle Compilation – Part Two in 2004, in Ultimate Dungeons & Dragons in 2006, and in Atari's Rollenspiele: Deluxe Edition in 2007. Icewind Dale was re-released again on October 6, 2010, with its expansion packs on GOG.com.
A remake of Icewind Dale was created by Beamdog's Overhaul Games and published by Atari for Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, and iOS in 2014.