Andrew Park Managing Editor	Recent Favorites: Sid Meier's SimGolf, Civilization III Most Wanted: Neverwinter Nights, Icewind Dale II Favorite Interplay RPGs That Use BioWare's Infinity Engine: Planescape: Torment, Baldur's Gate II, Icewind Dale

On to Our Tasks! We Shall Meet Again in Icewind Dale

The sequel to Icewind Dale. And the last Infinity Engine game.

Normally, I'd use this space to gloat about how none of you could ever possibly guess the obscure game reference I just made with the title of this GameSpotting column. Instead, I'll talk about Icewind Dale II, the upcoming RPG sequel from Black Isle Studios. The company recently announced the game in an interview with GameSpot PC, and I'm definitely looking forward to it. Like Black Isle's other recent RPGs, the original Icewind Dale was based on official Dungeons & Dragons rules. But unlike any other game before it, it was up against one of the toughest competitors it could ever face: Blizzard's Diablo II. In fact, the two games were released on the same day, but Icewind Dale actually held up pretty well, since it was a solid hack-and-slash game that remained very true to its source material (at least as much as the game engine would allow).

			Which of these are you looking forward to most? Playing one of Icewind Dale II's new races Playing one of Icewind Dale II's new classes Playing Icewind Dale II's Heart of Fury mode Goblins

And considering Black Isle's track record, which includes some of the greatest games ever made, such as Fallout and Planescape: Torment, I have no reason to doubt that Icewind Dale II will be a terrific RPG. The company has also stated that the sequel will probably be the last game to use BioWare's Infinity Engine, which the Canadian developer unveiled way back in 1998 for the original Baldur's Gate. While I can't say I'm sorry to see the dated-looking, sometimes bug-ridden engine go, I can take comfort in the fact that Black Isle has been working with it for more than three years and is so experienced with it that the developers will be able to give it one last push--past its limits, that is--for old time's sake.

Recipe for salamander stew: take a bunch of salamanders...

If you check Icewind Dale II's feature set, you'll have some idea of what I mean. The game will have a huge number of different playable races and "subraces"--different flavors of each standard race. So instead of simply playing a regular old elf character, you'll be able to play a wood elf or a drow elf--one of the oldest and most dangerous evil beings in Dungeons & Dragons' Forgotten Realms setting. You'll also be able to play as the aasimar and tiefling half-breeds from Dungeons & Dragons' Planescape setting--the same setting used for Planescape: Torment--and aside from these races' powerful abilities, I'm looking forward to a tongue-in-cheek reference or two to Torment. What's more, Icewind Dale II will feature most of the interesting (and powerful) specialized character kits from Baldur's Gate II, including the inquisitor paladin and the avenger druid, as well as several all-new character kits. This will make creating an adventuring party not only more interesting (and more time-consuming!) than ever, but also much more interesting to play through multiple times. And the sequel will have the more-challenging Heart of Fury mode that was included in the Icewind Dale expansion, Heart of Winter; playing through Heart of Fury with a small group (or even a solo character) will be even more fun than ever.

This May, I'll definitely be coming back to Icewind Dale. Will you?