Icewind Dale: Freezing Hard

I got Icewind Dale (IWD) bundled with Baldurs Gate II, my instinct was to install the later game first. I wanted to check out the flashier improved game. Well, the other day, in a particularly fickle mood, I installed IWD. I thought I'd give it a look-see. I'd previously been informed that IWD was more of a Dungeon Hack than the Baldur's games. More action, less plot.

The first thing to suprise me, was the fact that you have to create a whole party of six before you start the game. Performing the character generation routine six times, is a bit daunting for someone who wants to dive in. I think you can create as many characters as you like, so you could go in battling with just two or three. But to err on the side of caution I spent some time coming up with a plausible combination of adventurers. In the end, I took the characters from the anime Record of Lodoss War and created a party of six adventurers, mapping the IWD attributes to the anime as best I could. So, I have, Ghim a dwarf fighter, Parn a human Paladin, Deedlit an elven druid, Etoh a human cleric, Slayn an elven mage and Woodchuck a human theif. I don't have to spend hours coming up with the best balanced group, the anime has forced my hand.

After a bit of plot, I get to prance around a village with my Lodoss troupe and begin some of the simple quests. The graphics are not stunning. The quivering pixelated sprites really are offputting. However, the fixed backgrounds are nicely rendered and it has a rustic feel to it. I get to the shop, kit my adventurers out with slings and bows, helmets and leather armour, and off I go. The first real battle. Some naughty Goblins have become a pest just over the bridge. My team stride into battle. A single Goblin walks up to them, and promptly slays them all. This cocky fellow only takes a couple of scratches damage. Hmmmmm. Ok. Tactical rethink. I jiggle character positions, make sure the ranged attackers are protected by my two fighters. The mage right at the back. Lets try again... two men down and the Goblin is giggling at us. Finally an arrow from somewhere at the back hits him in the eye and he's down. Hmmmmmm. Am I missing something here? Two of my main group are decaying in front of me. I can see no way of resurrecting them. Do I continue with a party of 4, mainly ranged attackers and a mage in a dress? Or do I start again? Obviously, I went back to the drawing board. Either this game is way too hard for the fickle gamer, or I am missing out on something quite fundemental. Surely, the game should ease the player gently into the mechanics? Surely, your first encounter shouldn't be a complete massacre? I found that there were no scripted AI for my players. So I went through them all and selected the most appropriate AI. I saved. We tried again. This time things went well. The first Goblin was dispatched without much suffering. Although several of his mates turned up and I lost a man. They seemed determined to attack the mage in a dress. I guess because his HP was very low - unless they have a problem with cross-dressing in their Goblin world?.

Now, this is were I get confused. I have six adventurers. I laboured over their creation. I spent a good long while kitting them out, choosing the right colours (for hair, skin and clothes). Only to find the first conflict, one of them drops and I can't get him back! IS this right? In order to go into battle, I have to save the game, before, during and after a battle. Only saving if all members of my party make it! This takes a good while, and means you progress VERY VERY carefully. Maybe, later on in the game, when your party are much tougher, you can wade in and command a battle without fear of loss, but at the moment this game forces me to be way too cautious. It almost puts a dampner on the whole exploration/adventuring side to the game. I cannot venture too far without a save, or if one dies, I'll have to do it all again.

The game certainly has a lot going for it. The AD&D stuff makes it suitably complex. But the fact that each step forward has to be so cautiously made with correct use of the save game. I just can't see me sticking with it, the adventuring is not fun. I keep thinking its something I'm missing. Like there is a resurrect spell or potion that allows you to progress, take casualties, but recover the party. If there isn't then its a game where the icewind doth blow through the fun.