Icewind Dale

Any proposed or purported CRPG must contain all three core categories and their essential necessary Must Have conditions fulfilled to achieve the (minimal) CRPG status.

These core categories must maintain some form of progressive nature that will improve from when the game starts and leads to a conclusive game ending.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• MC1: You can control and role-play one or more unique characters (➙ avatar or party, not only uniform units.) Yes
• MC2: You can progressively develop character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. through an in game value (usually exp. points) gained by quests, exploration, conversation, combat, ...) Yes
• MC3: You can equip items to enhance character stats or abilities Yes
• MC4: Stat checks are required (➙ you need to develop your character in order to progress and finish the game) Yes

2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• ME1: You can find new locations Yes
• ME2: You can find and collect items (➙ There is an inventory. There must be more item types than quest items, weapons, ammunition or consumable stat boosters) Yes
• ME3: You can find information sources (➙ e.g. NPCs, entities, objects that provide info) Yes

3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• MS1: You can get information from information sources (➙ e.g. hints, goals, quests, skills, spells, training, ...) Yes
• MS2: You can follow quests (➙ there is at least one main quest) Yes
• MS3: You can progress through connected events while playing your character's role. Yes

Each core category and the auxiliary category Combat also have related Should Have conditions; the reviewer should make a comment if a sub list item is not fulfilled. Should one or more (SH) not be fulfilled the game is most likely a special CRPG (see Tags) or a CRPG light.

If all (SH) are fulfilled too there's no further discussion necessary -- the game is a true CRPG.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• SC1: You can create your characters. Yes -- A party of up to six characters.
• SC2: Pre-planning is required for character development Yes
• SC3: Tactical use of abilities is required (➙ primary means of problem solving, gameworld interaction and overcoming challenges. The player's physical coordination skills are secondary.) Yes

2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• SE1: You can find NPCs (➙ non-player characters who you can interact with.) Yes
• SE2: You can choose a path (➙ there is at least some branching.) Yes -- At least within the boundaries of each area you can explore freely.
• SE3: You can interact with the game world (➙ e.g. you can pull levers, push buttons, open chests, hack computers, ... appropriate to the game's setting) Yes -- Chests and closets to browse through, sometimes keys are required.
• SE4: The gameworld can affect your characters' conditions or circumstances such that you have to learn and adapt to overcome these challenges (➙ e.g. weather, traps, closed doors, poisoned areas, ...) Yes -- There are closed doors and traps...
• SE5: Inaccessible areas can be reached due to character enhancements or by solving quests or puzzles (➙ e.g. unlock locked areas, overcome obstacles, repair bridges, dispel barriers, ...) Yes

3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• SS1: You can interact with information sources (➙ e.g. NPC conversations, riddle statue questions, ...) Yes
• SS2: You can make choices in those interactions. Yes
• SS3: Some of those choices have consequences. Yes -- Rarely.
• SS4: Thinking is required in order to progress (➙ e.g. irreversible choices, moral dilemma, riddles, ...) No -- Not really necessary for story progression. Quests are 'fedex' or 'kill'.
• SS5: The story is influenced by your decisions and your characters' actions and stats or abilities. No -- Not really.

4. Combat (Meta)
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds to elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.

• SF1: Combat is influenced by character stats or abilities (➙ e.g. amount of damage, chance to hit, weapon access, ...) Yes
• SF2: Combat involves random elements (➙ e.g. game internal dice rolls.) Yes
• SF3: Combat provides some challenge (➙ e.g. requires preparation, use of tactics or environment.) Yes

Choice

• You can name your characters. Yes
• You can choose a gender. Yes
• You can choose looks or voice. Yes
• You can choose or create through play your own class, profession or race. Yes -- 8 different classes from the D&D 2nd edition ruleset.
• You can choose traits, alignment or disposition. Yes
• You can choose abilities. Yes
• You can choose spells. Yes
• You can modify primary stats. Yes
• Lots of different equipment is available. Yes
• Lots of different spells or abilities are available. Yes
• Abilities can unlock or block others or branch. No
• Character classes or development paths can be changed during the game. Yes -- There's multi- and dual classing.
• You can have pets as party members. No

Interdependence

• (Story) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. Yes
• (Story) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available dialogue options. Yes
• (Story) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes
• (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect available paths through the game world. No -- Not really. Locked doors generally require a key and can't be lock-picked.
• (Exploration) Stats, abilities or spells can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. Yes -- Thieves can see traps.

Interactivity

• You can create combos with spells or abilities. No
• Your character's stats can be modified by using spells or abilities. Yes
• Your character's afflictions can be cured by using spells or abilities. Yes
• You can rest or sleep. Yes
• Stats can limit in some way what you can equip or carry. Yes
• You can control party members or pets like your main character. Yes

Immersion

• You need to specialize (➙ can't have everything.) Yes
• You can create or choose a background story for your character. Yes -- There's a predefined character background, but you can write one up yourself.
• You can tweak your character lots of times over the whole game. Yes
• You can wear normal clothes, not only armor. No
• Factions provide prizes for your deeds (➙ e.g. houses, medals, ranks, ...) No -- No factions.
• Magic is in the game in some form. Yes
• Your characters can be afflicted with negative status effects (➙ e.g. diseases, fatigue, etc.) Yes
• Your characters can eat or drink. No

Choice

• You can follow different paths to reach a goal. No -- Exploration is basically 'fight and move on.'
• You can reasonably go where you want. No -- You mostly follow predefined paths.
• You can return to previously visited locations. Yes -- One main town you return to regularly.
• There are few artificial borders, rare level loading. No -- Each area is it's own little level.

Interdependence

• (Character) Char development choices can affect available paths through the game world. No -- Not really. Locked doors generally require a key and can't be lock-picked.
• (Character) Char development choices can affect the amount of things you can see, find or know in the world. Yes -- Thieves can see traps.
• (Story) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. No
• (Story) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. No
• (Story) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) No -- There's one token tavern, but nothing else.

Interactivity

• You can collect items (➙ there is an inventory.) Yes
• You can trade items for currency and better equipment. Yes
• You can interact with items. No
• You can break or destroy items. No
• You can repair items. No
• You can move items. No
• You can combine or disaggregate items. No
• You can gather pieces of flora or fauna for later use. No
• You can craft equipment, spells or items (➙ e.g. alchemy.) No
• Inventory size is limited. Yes

Immersion

• There is a place you can call home. No
• You can explore lots of unique, beautiful and interesting locations. Yes -- Maybe not beautiful, but the locations you visit are diverse.
• Locations can evolve or change (➙ e.g. town / destroyed town.) Yes
• There are non-hostile creatures (➙ e.g. wildlife.) Yes
• Types of creatures make sense in the area they are encountered in. Yes
• Creatures are wandering persistently (➙ no random encounters.) Yes
• Looting makes sense (➙ no shield on a dead wolf.) Yes
• Time is measured (➙ e.g. there is a day/night cycle.) Yes
• Time affects the game world (➙ e.g. some things are only available at night.) No

Choice

• You can reasonably do what you want when you want to do it (➙ quest order doesn't matter much.) No -- Story progression is very linear.
• Some quests depend on each other. No -- Not really, all dependency is going from one part of the story to the next.
• Some quests rule others out. No
• Quests can be solved in more than one way. No -- It's a fighting game.
• You can join factions, though not all at the same time. No
• You can make moral choices (or romance choices.) No

Interdependence

• (Character) Character stats can change NPC disposition towards the PC. Yes
• (Character) Char development choices can affect available dialogue options. Yes
• (Character) Unique items are in the game or can be made. Yes
• (Exploration) You can find and recruit new party members or tame pets. No
• (Exploration) Exploring off the beaten path yields rewards, e.g. optional quests, secrets or interesting locations. No
• (Exploration) You can visit and make use of social locations (➙ e.g. taverns, inns, marketplaces.) No -- There's one token tavern, but nothing else.

Interactivity

• Dialogue is fleshed out (➙ there are multiple options in one conversation.) Yes
• There is more than one game ending. No
• You can have conversations with party members or take care of pets. No
• There are many side quests. No
• State of the game changes in accordance with the player's actions. No -- I can remember a single instance (restoring the Arboretum), but that's it...
• You can solve or create conflicts between factions. No

Immersion

• Lore is provided (➙ context, faction rules, laws, history, ...) Yes
• There are different factions (➙ races, groups, guilds.) No
• NPCs or party members are well developed (➙ expansive background stories, etc.) No
• NPCs or party members interact with each other. No
• NPCs have schedules. No
• There are surprises and twists. Yes -- One twist.
• The storyline is character-driven (➙ character development within the narrative.) No
• There is a proper ending or sense of closure. Yes
• There are memorable antagonists. No -- Not really memorable.
• Your main character is defined. No

Units

• Combat can be avoided due to stats (➙ e.g. enemies flee) No
• You can control at least six characters. Yes
• Your characters are specialized (➙ different battlefield roles.) Yes
• Enemies are specialized (➙ require different tactics.) Yes
• Resource management is necessary. Yes
• Units have multiple attack options. Yes
• Delayed attacks are possible (➙ e.g. counterattacks, attacks of opportunity, etc.) No -- Not in D&D 2nd edition or the Infinity engine.
• Movement-focused special abilities are available. Yes
• Units have multiple resistance options (➙ e.g. armor, elemental resistance, etc.) Yes

Environment

• Combat can be avoided through sneaking or gameworld manipulation. Yes -- Sneaking and invisibility can be used for scouting.
• You can get a good sense of space (➙ e.g. there is a grid.) No -- I always need to guess the radius of my fire ball spells.
• Combat can start at variable distances. Yes
• Directional facing plays a role (➙ e.g. more damage from behind, flanking.) Yes -- Thieves can backstab.
• Terrain is variable (➙ e.g. natural choke points, cover, combat bonuses.) Yes
• Terrain can be manipulated (➙ e.g. you can create barriers.) No
• There are elevation effects (➙ e.g. combat bonuses from higher grounds.) No
• There can be zones or items on the battlefield that reward units who get there in time. No
• There can be Zones of Danger on the battlefield (➙ e.g. environmental damage.) Yes -- Nothing purely environmental, but there's Web, poison clouds etc.

Scenarios

• Combat can be avoided through dialogue. No -- Not really.
• Combat can have different win scenarios (➙ e.g. keep NPC alive, defend town.) No
• Combat can have side objectives aside from "win/loss". No
• Characters don't die immediately but can be revived during combat. No
• Decisions on the battlefield have character development consequences. No
• There are memorable bosses. Yes -- Almost not really memorable.

1. Character Development
Describes ways to create, change or enhance your characters in order to increase their effectiveness in the game.

• FC1: Are there useless skills? Yes
• FC2: How would you rate character progression? Balanced
• FC3: Is there auto-leveling of some sort? Yes -- Some classes like fighters feel like they are auto-leveling much of the time.

2. Exploration
Includes how you can move through the game world, as well as everything you can find, see, manipulate or interact with, like locations, items and other objects.

• FE1: Is Auto-Mapping available? Yes
• FE2: Is Fast Travelling available? Yes
• FE3: Are there quest markers? No
• FE4: Is there a quest compass? No
• FE5: How much realism is there? Balanced
• FE6: How much looting is in the game? Some

3. Story
Concerns all narrative elements like setting, lore, plot, characters, dialogue, quests, descriptions, storyline(s) and similar, including how you can interact with them.

• FS1: Does the story follow cliched paths? Yes
• FS2: How linear is the game? Linear
• FS3: How would you rate the suspense? Boring
• FS4: Are there pre-selected options? (➙ Choice is reduced.) No

4. Combat (Meta)
Describes how combat (or more general: conflict resolving) corresponds to elements of Character Development, Exploration and Story.

• FF1: How much fighting is in the game? Much
• FF2: Grinding: Is filler combat necessary to develop your character? Yes

5. Interface

• FX1: How often is gameplay interrupted with loading? Often
• FX2: How would you rate the game's interface? Ok

6. Difficulty

• FD1: How difficult is the game? Normal
• FD2: Can difficulty be adjusted? Yes
• FD3: How balanced is trading? Good
• FD4: How much reloading is necessary to beat the game? Some
• FD5: How good is the AI? Medium -- Fights are mostly scripted.
• FD6: How much handholding is there? Little

7. Gameplay Features

• FG1: Are there Easter Eggs? Yes -- Very few.
• FG2: Are there minigames? No