Icewind Dale...Thumbs up!

[pink_panther]

I played the D2 beta and experienced the very limited graphics, and decided against purchasing it when I saw the $60 price tag.

Instead, I got Icewind Dale for $40 and am really impressed with it. It uses the Baldur's Gate engine, but the graphics are much more realistic and pleasing to look at than in BG (The ripples in small ponds are quite cool). Also, it focuses more on getting right to the action; no more long overland journeys that seemed to plague BG.

For all of you that are posting about your displeasure with D2, try Icewind Dale!

 

[pm]

Thanks for the advice... personally I'll probably get both. Graphics are not high on my list of priorities (I play a lot of Slash'EM - a free ASCII, turn-based RPG that's based on an text-engine that's at least 15 years old). I liked BG, although I thought there were several major gameplay flaws (100% stealthy mages for one) and the story was a little weak. I'll keep my eye out for IceWind.

 

[Celstar]

A little OT. The trilogy by RA Salvatore was great! I remember reading The Crystal Shard, the first book of the trilogy (before it was decided that they would continue the series) over 10 years ago and I was honestly moved by the story.

Icewind Dale, the game, is set years before any of the stars of the book appear in area of ten towns, but it would be very interesting to see how the town looks like in comparision how I think it looks like.