Icewind Dale II Review @ IGN PC
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I was very disappointed with Neverwinter Nights. Its 3D graphics didn't thrill, even by 2D standards. Its dialog and characters were pedestrian. The AI for henchmen, animal companions and familiars, which you could only indirectly control, was pitiful. The search for random minor treasure in endless barrels and chests got tiring after the first fifteen minutes. I know the singleplayer game was only intended to show off the capabilities of the system, but as a spokesperson for possibilities it stuttered badly.
By comparison, IWD2 feels like a return to old, positive virtues. The direct control it furnishes over the actions of your six party members makes for more strategic options in combat than NWN, and a corresponding sense of achievement when you succeed. The pace of IWD2 is more varied, its balance better, the gameplay more interesting. I could praise the results as a victory for 3E, since the bulk of the game's improvements fall under its sway, but it's actually the implementation of the new rules that deserves praise. BIS has done a fine job in general of class and race tweaking. Nor should we forget the customization improvements to the interface that seem so natural, they make you wonder why they weren't thought of before.
