Veterans of Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment will find BioWare's Infinity game engine instantly recognizable and usable. AD&D fans will be pleased with the interpretation of AD&D 2nd Edition rules. With a few exceptions (no kits, no Drow player characters, no two-weapon fighting), you can assume that if it's in the rule books it's in Icewind Dale.

Players can create six characters from standard AD&D 2nd Edition races and classes as they set off to find an ancient evil buried in the Spine of the World. Combat occurs in real time (no turns), but the action can be paused at any time in order to issue new orders, prepare spells, or respond to a new threat. The designers keep combat fast by allowing players to assign an artificial intelligence combat script to individual characters. Your party can encounter a minor monster, fire arrows as it approaches, attack it with fighters when it gets close, and then get healed by the cleric when the fighting is done--all without your intervention.

Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment kept players hooked with an engrossing story line, and, in the case of Planescape, excellent writing. Specifically designed as a more action-oriented "hack and slash" RPG, Icewind Dale relies on combat and character advancement as its own reward. While it lacks the random dungeons and incredible magic items of Diablo, the high experience point cap and the ability to create all six of your party members make Icewind Dale a worthy addition to any AD&D fan's game library. --Michael Fehlauer

Pros:

• Ability to create your entire party
• Slick computer game conversion of AD&D 2nd Edition rules
• Faithful re-creation of the Icewind Dale region as detailed by TSR and R.A. Salvatore
• High experience point cap lets players wield tremendous power--and face equally powerful foes

Cons:

• Interface takes up too much of screen
• Little replay value