Icewind Dale review: Will Heart of Winter change your heart about Black Isle's icy D&D rpg?

Welcome to our Review video on Icewind Dale, Heart of Winter, an expansion pack included in Beamdog's Icewind Dale Enhanced Edition, along with its own expansion pack: Trials of the Luremaster.
For many, Icewind Dale is the best Dungeons and Dragons RPG of all time, for some others, is not up to par with the Baldur's Gate series. But if you are on the fence about getting Icewind Dale Enhanced Edition as one of the games you should be playing in preparation for Baldur's Gate 3... Will Heart of Winter make any difference?
This is our Road to Baldur's Gate III series of video reviews. If you wish to check out our upcoming videos, check our introduction video for the series here: • The Road to Baldur's G...
Here are links to the rest of our videos in the series so far:
Baldur's Gate: • Baldur's Gate review: ...
Baldur's Gate, Siege of Dragonspear: • Siege of Dragonspear r...
Baldur's Gate II, Shadows of Amn: • Baldur's Gate 2 review... Disclaimer:
This is a computer RPG review, it's not meant to comment on the advanced 2nd edition Dungeons& Dragons ruleset or on how well the game implemented it in its mechanics. This review is for a non RPG specialized gamer who's maybe hyped about Baldur's Gate III because of the trailers and footage of BG3 they have seen and who has maybe played Larian Studio's Divinity Original Sin II.
There are many games you could play in preparation for Baldur's Gate III: Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate Siege of Dragonspear, Baldur's Gate II Shadows of Amn, Neverwinter Nights 2, NWN 2 Mask of the Betrayer, NWN Storm of Zehir.
Should you add Icewind Dale Heart of Winter to your list? Hopefully our review will help you decide. We still encourage to watch videos on Icewind Dale gameplay.
Our reviews are based on a criteria that assigns weights to aspects of the game that are particularly important for us. It is not meant to be the ultimate truth about the game. Classic Role Playing Games is our favorite video game genre for a reason, and there are a few things I expect from them... You can check our system of categories in one of our early videos. • And this is how we rev...

[@starhalv2427]

So Icewind Dale is a DM's first adventure, and Hearts of Winter is that DM's return to his nostalgic setting once he gained more experience.

[@operator8014]

Icewind Dale 1 & 2 are my favorite stories of all time. I have felt for decades that I was incredibly fortunate to have experienced them in my formative years. Kreselack the Black Wolf, Yxonumi, The Hand of the Seldarine, The frozen whale in the zoo, the liche, brother poquelin... They were all just so wonderous and fascinating setpieces. Trials of the Luremaster was quite the ass-beater, but it was LOADED with incredible fights, characters, and lore. It felt like something that I had seriously worked my way up to and earned through blood, sweat, and tears.

[@Carosmyr]

I think people would be all over it if an IWD3 came out

[@nmorts9928]

Liked for the level headed outro

[@guywhoneversleeps]

excellent review. easily one of the best expansions in the series, that actually had story, and all of the elements of exploration come together to actually mean something for the game. one of the few times where i actually felt the adventure of it all.

[@YeOldEntertainment]

The adventure is strong in this one.

[@felicianofrontado3134]

I know you've played Arcanum sir. Give us a video :D !

[@user-dg5zm6fs8g]

troika games died for our sins

[@YeOldEntertainment]

haha! best comment in my channel!

[@felicianofrontado3134]

@@user-dg5zm6fs8g Fortunately it's legacy survived :D

[@Soviless99]

i loved creating my party of adventurers. i wrote a bio about each one of them and want to return to it to add more and play again! i fell in love with all my characters

[@Banefane]

I love the twist in the story. The title alone tells the player something about the story and in the game the player learns why it is called Heart of Winter. Great Review!

[@YeOldEntertainment]

Thanks! Borderline spoilery but spot on.

[@HeartoftheWinter]

Also any chance for a Tyranny review? It is in my opinion one of the most interesting crpgs made, and with by far the best magic system. Massive shame we are unlikely to ever see a sequel.

[@YeOldEntertainment]

Thanks for your interest in the channel! I will spoil things a little for you. If you check out our channel, there a three types of videos in Ye Old Entertainment. Reviews based on a category system, Reviews about games that stir something within me and are noteworthy enough to get a video and "Ye Old Gamer Recommends". There will very much be a video on Tyranny... but I don't think it will be a review :).

[@Metalhammer1993]

@@YeOldEntertainment well if it's a recommendation I'll watch it xD Tyranny was easily the best game I ever played. I'm not ashamed to admit I only got it at first because I was broke and epic gave it away for free xD Best 0€ ever spend xD Maybe I was as flashed as I was because it was free and I had no expectations

[@iconocast]

i grew up playing bg1bg2 etc etc and iwd series is one i come back to replay the most. i think the custom party and way encounters are setup is what brings me back

[@YeOldEntertainment]

This expansion pack takes the core game to the next two levels!

[@steve_jackson9933]

I just finished it. Icewind dale was alright, none of the fights felt too bad. The only one that got me a few times was the room before the third to last boss. The fights in heart of winter were more challenging. With the trials of the loremaster, a worthy expansion.

[@HeartoftheWinter]

Did I enjoy Heart of Winter? Maybe..it did inspire the name I have been using ever since I played it..

[@butHomeisNowhere___]

haha That's awesome!

[@erkocab]

Loved IWD 1 along with its expansions -- story lines were especially great. Tried IWD2 but it was too buggy -- hopefully IWD2 enhanced edition is in being prepared

[@harmian]

Unfortunately it will never come. The code has been lost. Reverse engineering is too expensive.

[@Nova-oc2ry]

Very good review! And i agree on almost all the points, especially that last part about the villain, spot on. I cant wait to see your reaction on IWD2, my favorite of the bunch.

[@YeOldEntertainment]

Thanks for the comment! That one might take a couple of weeks instead of one because the game is LONG. But it's definitely in the making!

[@Nova-oc2ry]

Nice to hear! But yeah i can understand that, it is probably one of the longest games i have ever played actually x)

[@SkaldRPG]

Loving these videos! Great work - please keep it coming :-)

[@YeOldEntertainment]

Thanks for the comment man! I will try!

[@theknightsofgimmly9457]

I currently giving pathfinder kingmaker a new try ( the game feels like a child with adhs to me..) but be shure i go back to icewind dale to give the Expansion a try

[@YouWillNeverKnowMan]

Love the content so far! Is it fair to assume that there will be episodes on Planescape: Torment, Divinity: Original Sin, and Pillars of Eternity?

[@YeOldEntertainment]

Thanks man. Well let's put it this way. Planescape: Torment --> 85% likelihood Divinity Original Sin (the first one) --> 15% likelihood Pillars of Eternity --> 85% likelihood

[@YouWillNeverKnowMan]

@@YeOldEntertainment Love it!

[@vladimirtchuiev2218]

What about the second Divinity Original Sin? One of the best RPGs of all time if you ask me.

[@YeOldEntertainment]

@@vladimirtchuiev2218 Thanks for the comment. Check out our video titled "Our Road to Baldur's Gate 3" You'll find precious information there. :D

[@stfauth6031]

Are you going to do Icewind Dale 2?

[@YeOldEntertainment]

That's the next one on the list, yes.

[@Alys.H]

Haha. My party is still trapped in that place.

[@domingogonoggia3310]

hi, i really like your content, can you tell wich game was in the intro after witcher 3?

[@YeOldEntertainment]

Thanks for the comment! That would be The White March Part II (An Expansion to Pillars of Eternity)

[@neonsnake7444]

just finished the game with my friends coop and have to say very hard game but still awesome

[@YeOldEntertainment]

Oh yes! Especially with Trials of the Luremaster. But yes, it's one of the best expansion packs ever made.

[@neonsnake7444]

@@YeOldEntertainment damm harpiess

[@model84]

Great Job. So Pillars, Arcanum, Torment, Pathfinder, Tyranny are on the list?:)

[@YeOldEntertainment]

Thanks for the comment. Well not for these series of videos. But people seem to want Torment and Arcanum so I guess I'll try to tackle those sometime this year.

[@LP-qr1vt]

Just wondering why Neverwinter Nights (1) is not on the Road to Baldur's Gate list?

[@YeOldEntertainment]

I don't have it XD. And for some reason, I didn't feel like getting it either.

[@LP-qr1vt]

@@YeOldEntertainment fair enough. Just trying to interpret your comment - did you not feel like getting it because can't be bothered, or because you'd heard bad things?

[@YeOldEntertainment]

@@LP-qr1vt If I told you, it would be a little bit spoilery of tehe upcming review XD

[@LP-qr1vt]

@@YeOldEntertainment fair enough mate :) Looking forward to the review! Also, keep up the good work - really enjoying them.

[@Saephaan]

¿de qué país eres?

[@richardmeredith69]

Amazing graphics but I really wish you would stick with the subject on this review

[@NDK0]

All IWD games, pillars of eternity, baldur's gate, but NEVER BG3. What a shitty ass game