role playing video game developed published released august like predecessor game set fantasy setting region player assumes control group mercenaries war towns coalition persecuted races religions game designed action oriented alternative games emphasis exploration story uses real time adaptation edition extensively modified comply edition team forced remove certain rules engine outdated nature final game developed game received critics praised combat pacing use edition rules reviewers felt graphics engine outdated compete contemporaries gameplay real time adaptation game viewed perspective head display occupies screen accessible journal records quests important events player uses point click interface interact game example ground moves selected player character passive non player character initiate dialogue conversations occur game presents multiple dialogue options game world separated area maps obscured fog war revealed area explored multiplayer mode available players local area network internet heart fury mode available increases game difficulty contains powerful items game features seven items designers included system items player enemies beginning game player choose play pre selected party create party characters unlike gate series permit player import characters previous games creating characters player chooses gender race class alignment attributes things player choose race class race alignment attributes affect player character available dialogue options responses example certain races character low intelligence limited dialogue options sub races game significantly powerful core races present sub races earn experience points characters reach maximum level thirty possible add additional characters party time including combat gameplay focused combat combat system real time adaptation turn based system caused developers remove certain aspects attacks opportunity rolls simulated game place turn based rounds characters independent rounds execute actions depending factors duration action player pause game issue orders characters time character carry limited items plot setting takes place campaign setting continent centers northern region set thirty years original game game begins harbor town towns siege army directed army composed races religious factions half breeds followers winter goddess hires mercenaries defend attack areas encountered game include built entrance town constructed magical tree heat severed hand ancient fortress lost war dragon eye network volcanic inhabited areas include story game begins player group mercenaries arrives ship defend report town fend assault army mayor orders start offensive army group kills army discovers command woman named return mayor asks rendezvous reinforcements group travels meet piloted storm causes ship crash group awakens discover blocks reinforcements path investigating group finds half dragon guarding entrance temple learn leads western forces leaders twins named reside inside temple group finds prisoner asks warn threat posed group creates passage meets reinforcements group travels meet dark named tells pass guarded alternate path exists later locate group information state intention attack warn group interfere group passes enter exiting flown group lands discover invaded meet tells portal opened allow assault group prevents attack tells reach severed hand exit floor dragon eye group travels dragon eye proceeds severed hand inside learn war towns caused mayor sent poisoned food discover cast severed hand corrupted structure transported plane eventually group finds kills development summer employed development teams included team team developing torn team working project torn development members team expressed interest developing game development team aware decision develop torn cancellation lead designer described don know producers decided game told making game learned torn cancelled wednesday afternoon asked work create story area overview thursday afternoon steve talked rest day went home night worked day came turned friday division meeting project development period relied games alleviate financial trouble pressure release games quickly decision develop based partly original reception development teams ability create game infinity engine relatively quickly said decision honesty reasons making limiting risks chances popular title progressed development expansions production began late july shortly completion months development officially announced february originally planned incomplete conversion rules omitted kit system class introduced gate idea later abandoned members team pushed game conversion edition development team eventually granted extension allowed complete change edition rules infinity engine required extensive modification comply edition rules originally designed second edition rules certain elements rules removed interface engine issues game interface redesigned new art created features new item icons new spell icons previously created spell icons portrait artist previous games left late new works painted departure later black artist asked substitute game resolution increased minimum resolution unofficially supported maximum resolution managed rule implementation areas game divided designers example designer created opening sequence designer developed large area wilderness designers created ending areas development left team work lead designer internal project given areas finish developers wanted game contain breaks combat character interaction puzzle solving previous decision include puzzles influenced positive reception puzzles trials game went gold august released august release expressed dissatisfaction series saying wasn particularly thrilled work came heart winter managed actually worse stuff regards said came better expected exactly awe inspiring said fun series didn try set bar fun people remember enjoying wasn trying break new ground revolutionary respects step games focused exploration dungeon collector edition containing bonus material color cloth map soundtrack released final game developed audio music game composed previous works included gate throne fallout tactics worked composer maintain tone music worked closely audio director composing music worked previous titles said composing theme game wrote rewrote main theme times tried create piece preserve sound great efforts convey new elements capturing seconds easy believe eventually found right path game soundtrack described composing process learning storyboard getting additional insight producers music supervisor start compose thematic idea main melody groove comes comes accompaniment followed orchestration piece unique flavour step carefully examined sure main idea piece reflected steps called composing experience pleasant rewarding music composed weeks recording mixing lasted weeks game music budget low small los_angeles orchestra record music sound instrument doubled production described music having basically developed game inclusion instruments taking percussion combining standard orchestra later said thought definitely met high standards compared products big budget films scores end happy game features voice work reception reached sixth games sales chart week august climbed fourth week september reception generally positive game informer hailed best released gamespot called simply great role playing game format said giving narrow fulfilling certain reviewers compared nights ign said compared nights pace varied balance better gameplay interesting game informer considered interface superior nights format said light particular little stands recommend zone said killer hoped stack reviewers praised game combat pacing called game combat sublime said infinity engine game far interesting intricate tactical combat gamespot called paced zone complained certain gameplay mechanics outdated real spell system necessity rest fight game praised implementation edition rules interface said edition rules place game apparent character development gamer said dazzling implementation rules gamespot called interface big improvement spread interface previous games ign said improvements interface natural wonder weren thought game informer called interface absolutely inspired inventory system second game criticized graphics engine reviewers considered outdated called engine old format said thing limited engine certain sources praised engine game informer called best role playing engine invented gamespot said immortal better word describe engine fact plays great regards graphics gamespot said ways represents best use settings date doesn change fact generally looks dated ign thought sprites dated animations crude today standards agreed saying effects attractive dated infinity engine compare contemporaries dungeon siege nights computer gaming world believed consistently offers striking imaginative environments establish tone charm game said look like got counts game pre rendered backgrounds received praise ign said artwork attractive final form game informer called beautiful reviewers complained game zone called bad game informer called writing story par fantasy novel gamer said richest enjoyable dialogue impressive storyline gamespot called story said game written offering number strong characters themes zone noted thanks excellent battles lot meaning strong storyline endless format thought suffers like predecessor story weakened anonymous central characters create regards audio gamespot said truly fantastic job better effort original voice acting great come expect role playing game computer gaming world said sound effects music excellent writing gamespy retrospective history video games mistake rpg year material managed infinity engine terrific game swan song
Icewind Dale II