Neverwinter Nights: EE - Doom of Icewind Dale Review

[HiddenX]

The RPG Codex reviewed the DLC Doom of Icewind Dale:

RPG Codex Review: Neverwinter Nights – Doom of Icewind Dale

When I chose to review Tyrants of the Moonsea and Darkness over Daggerford back in 2024, it’s true that neither was hot of the presses by that point, but they were both still relevant enough to the RPG space and it’s not like the internet was crawling with in-depth analyses of them. Now I trust the present article should be even easier to understand because, twenty-some years and still running, Neverwinter Nights has just landed yet another piece of original content…

[...]

In summary, Doom of Icewind Dale is an exciting adventure delivering strong plot-driven action with a high grade of aesthetic polish and, while just this opening chapter can’t bowl me over the way Tyrants of the Moonsea or Darkness over Daggerford did, it’s absolutely worthwhile on its own and generously indulges that certain nostalgia for a beloved piece of D&D history. As a fan-module-turned-DLC, it doesn’t meet the scope and production values of the flagship expansions, but it pulls ahead of other Premium Modules like Wyvern Crown of Cormyr or Pirates of the Sword Coast and the €8 RRP is fair value for the quality and runtime of content on offer. For my part, I came away well impressed and eager for the next installment, and if you care to follow suit, Doom of Icewind Dale is available on any storefront of your choosing, so long as it’s either GOG or Steam.

Thanks Couchpotato!

More information.

 

[rjshae]

I suspect that all of the Icewind Dale video rpgs owe their existence to the Icewind Dale Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore. Without the books, there would likely have been no interest in the setting.

 

[bjon045]

I suspect that all of the Icewind Dale video rpgs owe their existence to the Icewind Dale Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore. Without the books, there would likely have been no interest in the setting.

Yes. In the original Forgotten Realms campaign set (1987) the icewind dale was a couple of words on a map - that is it. You can see the maps here: https://waynesbooks.games/2022/02/0...ray-box-brings-ed-greenwoods-world-to-add-1e/

In the included Cyclopedia it barely gets a mention. It's possible some of Ed's modules that he played with his friends were played in that region but he has never released those notes. The Dalelands, Moonshae, Waterdeep and the savage frontier area were the main focus areas.

edit: I read through it and it actually isn't even mentioned. Luskan and Neverwinter get a little bit of a mention but nothing north of Luskan. Basically it is just the map.

 

[Carnifex]

Those books are well worth reading, Salvatore does a great job on making the reader feel like they are slogging through both snow and dungeons. Thanks for posting this info and I look forward to playing this one.