Icewind Dale series, (Heart of Winter, Trials of the Luremaster) review | In-depth look

This is a review of the full Icewind Dale series including Icewind Dale, Heart of Winter, Trials of the Luremaster and Icewind Dale 2.I will try and take apart all aspects of this series.
Table of contents:
1:51 - Icewind Dale
23:18 - Heart of Winter
31:36 -Trials of the Luremaster
37:25 - Icewind Dale 2

[@PKDionysus]

Awesome video, Chris. I've watched it a few times already. Really enjoyed it. 👍🏾

[@ltgchris693]

Glad to hear it :)

[@JosephAlanMeador]

This review is very detailed and clearly a labor of love. It's a good reason for me to dive into The Enhanced Edition that's been gathering dust in my GOG library. Thank you LTG!

[@ltgchris693]

That's great, that you will give it a shot (as well as a great compliment that this is due to this review). I know very well that sometimes it's somewhat hard to jump into the older infinity engine games.

[@eragonjd]

Great video! If I can ever make it through Pillars of Eternity and learn to enjoy classic CRPGs, I'll have to play Icewind Dale.

[@ltgchris693]

Nice to see you again. Out of curiosity, did you play Baldur's Gate?

[@eragonjd]

@@ltgchris693 I tried. I got an original disc copy from a thrift store, and played it for about three hours before I got confused and frustrated and gave up. I've heard the enhanced edition makes it much easier to get into, though.

[@ltgchris693]

​@@eragonjd Yes it does. Mostly on the count of the "Story Mode". But seeing as you are new to this games. Ithink that maybe Baldur's Gate 2 is the better starting point. As the first game can be a slog at times.

[@eragonjd]

@@ltgchris693 I'll have to pick it up on GOG next time there is a sale then!

[@sordschie3944]

I already saw your nice Gothic Video, but damn, Icewind Dale? Good stuff man :)

[@ltgchris693]

Glad you liked it :)

[@bouquindugamer]

Pretty sad to see your video having such a low view/comments count. Hope the long-format afficionados will soon get to your channel, it certainly was nice to binge.

[@ltgchris693]

Thanks. It's always nice to read such a comment :) Glad you liked it.

[@The2a2b]

Good video. Made me want to finally give icewind dale a try.

[@ltgchris693]

If you do pick it up. I would be curious what you think of it.

[@The2a2b]

Luckily it is 70% off on steam so I just got it

[@ryanwelton7020]

I definitely prefer the Ice Wind Dale games to the first two Baldur’s Gate games

[@ltgchris693]

I prefer them to BG 1,but definitely not to BG 2. But i guess these are very different approaches to storytelling.

[@jimmyrolls37]

I can see why. The setting pulls you in. And honestly the idea of making my own party was a big part of why I love it. I often use custom journal entries to role play my characters based off both their roles, my learning to get better at using them in the game, and it makes for one hell of an immersive play, if you fill in those blanks mentally

[@teenietinytony]

i would love to see a new title in the series made today. i am in love with bg3 and i'm trying to get into bg and bg2 but i'd really love to see more of other places in the forgotten realms and i think it's harder for me to enjoy the older games :') i doubt that will happen though.

[@ltgchris693]

The only way i see that happening is, it being released as a mod for BG3.Who knows, maybe someone will do something like that. And you are right, the Forgotten realms are so vast, that it feels like a waste to concentrate only on the sword coast, or rather, concentrate mostly on the sword coast.

[@teenietinytony]

@ltgchris693 yoooo that would be an insane amount of work, i doubt anyone will do it. i feel like it's so much lost potential to only baldur's gate 3 now. idk i'd love more games with similar graphics (i am unfortunately someone who needs good or interesting graphics) set in the forgotten realms. i know it's a bit difficult with legal stuff, but it would be so cool to have more game studios try their hand at this.

[@FanOfDaUnderAppreciated]

Normal difficulty in the EE versions of these games are easy mode. You want at least Hardcore (which is really meant to be the default/by the book difficulty) to make it interesting.

[@ltgchris693]

But not everyone wants to go thru that kind of difficulty. A game has to be first and foremost, fun. And if someone is into that stuff, then there are the higher difficulties.

[@adamadam-pz2tg]

Your akcent is very cool

[@ltgchris693]

Thanks :) I wonder, where do you think it's from?

[@dr.klausschwab6184]

Continue doing this

[@ltgchris693]

I still, am. Just im simply short on time. I am curious though why you think that?

[@jimmyrolls37]

So, I on and off failed to get too far on Baldurs Gate for around 15 years now. Partly due to issues eith original pc version not being stable, then lack of time, always restarting later etc. I am familiar enougg with the gameplay and dnd but I struggled with the more advanced stuff. Recently was playing on switch and took s break to try icewind dale. Fell in love. Playing thru it religiously now and am much better ay the combat while learning, so by time I get back to BG I will be good to do.

[@ltgchris693]

Than a bit of warning for BG 1, the levels come way slower than in Icewind Dale. So you might find it frustrating at times, while trying to become a bit stronger. In Icewind it goes much faster, especially if you go with a four or less member party.

[@jimmyrolls37]

@ltgchris693 I figured as much, I have played a good dear of BG1 over the years on and off. I know it's not all Powe leveling combat focuses, but actually getting to spend time with leveled characters and abilities in IWD led to a lot of "a-ha!" Moments in the actual combat that I didn't yet get in BG1. Enjoying seeing actual benefits of running with a bard and having better understanding of what a bars can and should become later down the line, just as an example

[@ltgchris693]

​@@jimmyrolls37 I think you will like IW2 in that case. For me it was way better, and BG2 too. It moves much faster.

[@jimmyrolls37]

@ltgchris693 noted. I'll have to eventually nab IWD2(and hope it runs)

[@38procentkrytyk]

24:40 Most interesting part of it is how long the intro is and how much the tribes play into the story but... there are none in the game.

[@ltgchris693]

True, i was sure that i would inevitably come across them. But i had to wait till the expansion. It was a bit weird.

[@rydz656]

Trials of the luremaster was so fustrating to finish, but I did it.

[@ltgchris693]

Yeh... it was a bit tedious at times.

[@hitmandon1]

How do you revive a downed party member

[@ltgchris693]

There are two ways to do that. Either you have a party member that has"raise dead" (level 5 spell for a cleric/druid) or "resurrection" (level 7 for a cleric/druid) if you do have access to that you just cast it on the portrait of your downed party member. Or you go to the nearby town, find a NPC that can heal you (via the barter menu), find those two spells and pay for one of them. Don't forget to pick up the dead party members stuff. Because he or she will be reviewed without it.