Icewind Dale:Enhanced Edition

[Diamond Spear]

I never really played many of the old D&D computer games but I’ve heard good things about both Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale. Are they worth picking up for Mac? Anything I should know about them? Any feedback would be great. Thanks. 

[ScottishFox]

They were amazing for their time, but they are so far behind in terms of graphics and user interface they are hard to stomach these days.

 

I've picked up Baldur's Gate Enhanced and Baldur's Gate II Enhanced and I haven't gotten more than an hour or two into either one.  It's such a massive setback in visual/audio quality and it takes you back to D&D 2nd edition - which feels pretty awful compared to modern versions.

 

If you're itching for classic D&D style party-based games I would recommend:  Pillars of Eternity I & II (especially I), Divinity Original Sin I & II (especially II) and Pathfinder:Kingmaker.

[Diamond Spear]

Can you tell me more about Pillars of Eternity? It vaguely rings a bell.  

[Ragitsu]

5 hours ago, Diamond Spear said:

I never really played many of the old D&D computer games but I’ve heard good things about both Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale. Are they worth picking up for Mac? Anything I should know about them? Any feedback would be great. Thanks. 

 

The music, writing and prerendered backgrounds hold up all these years later. At first, combat is simple yet brutal; later on, fights require lateral thinking...but they feel rewarding because of this. I recommend at least giving Baldur's Gate a try.

 

 

(Seriously: John Gallager knew his craft.)

[ScottishFox]

3 hours ago, Diamond Spear said:

Can you tell me more about Pillars of Eternity? It vaguely rings a bell.  

 

Pillars of Eternity is the spiritual child of the old Baldur's Gate series.  It was designed as a real-time-with-pause party game with a huge overlap with D&D classes.

If I recall correctly several of the Obsidian developers had some direct hands on experience with the original D&D series (I'm not 100% on this, but I vaguely recollect this).

 

You begin as a single character moving to Gilded Vale for the promise of free land and a fresh start.  You will meet many characters along the way and have the ability to hire/build your own at tavern interfaces.

It does NOT use a d20 system, but it plays like and feels like old school isometric D&D.

 

I consider it one of my favorite games of all time and according to Steam I've logged enough hours to be embarrassed.

 

The setting is Eora which feels like Forgotten Realms in some ways and is starkly different in others.

* Eora has reincarnation.  Like everyone reincarnates over and over until their souls burn out (if ever).

* They have unique deities with very distinct spheres of influence compared to the usual mix.

* Halflings are replaced by Orlans which are partially feral.

* Godlikes are people who have the mark of a deity upon them.  They are VERY distinct looking and have a pretty significant plot hook in the 2nd game.

* Aumaua replace orcs and have two variants.  They are large and powerful and either land or ocean themed.

 

The primary plot centers around the Hollow Born plague.  People are being born without souls.  Something is breaking the cycle of reincarnation.

 

And...  now i'm going to go play it again.  My favorite game of all time.

[Dr. MID-Nite]

Both Baldur's Gate and the Icewind Dale games are superb....along with Planescape: Torment. Yes...they are dated, but they are still amazing games. Baldur's Gate 2 is a top 10 PC game of all time in my book.