Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter

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Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter

Developer(s)	Black Isle Studios
Publisher(s)	Interplay
Engine	Infinity Engine
Release date(s)	2001
Genre(s)	Computer role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: T (Teen) USK: 12+ ELSPA: 11+
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Media	1 CD-ROM
Input	Keyboard, mouse

Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter is an official expansion pack to the computer role-playing game Icewind Dale developed by Black Isle Studios. It introduced many changes and additions to the original game, and included an all-new campaign. Some notable changes include such things as the addition of several types of classic Dungeons & Dragons enemies that were missing from the original (including barrow wights), a much higher experience point cap, new magical items to find and purchase, a special "Heart of Fury" difficulty setting for increased enemy power and higher experience point-gain, and the ability to set the resolution higher than 640x480. The game is still based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition ruleset, but like Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, it included several changes (such as new spell progression tables) from the 3rd edition ruleset.

In order to access the new campaign, the player must enter a previously locked door in the town of Kuldahar while possessing a party of level 9 characters or above, or he could import his party after the main campaign (at which point it is exported).

Although the game contained numerous changes that most felt were for the better, it was heavily criticised for the length of its campaign, which was much shorter than the original game's. Despite this, the game still achieved fairly positive reviews.

[edit] Trials of the Luremaster

Trials of the Luremaster is a free, downloadable expansion pack to Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter. It was released by Black Isle Studios due to criticism that, on its own, Heart of Winter was too short. It contains several new areas to explore, and a handful of new enemies to combat.