cewind Dale: Enhanced Edition
Alright, D&D fans: Time to get cold. Beamdog and Wizards of the Coast announced at yesterday's Penny Arcade Expo that a revamped version of Icewind Dale will be arriving for Windows, OS X, iOS, and Android "when it's ready." Or, as a FAQ on the game's website indicates, likely within a month or so. Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition The modern remake of the classic Dungeons & Dragons adventure is currently in beta. Those looking to take part can get a chance to do so by pre-ordering the game from Beamdog—for a mere $20. Much like the previous enhanced editions for other Black Isle Studios titles, the Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition will arrive with a number of improvements over the decade-old original. "Icewind Dale has been enhanced with new kits and character classes, dozens of new items and spells, and restored quest material cut from the original game. The redesigned user interface features Zoom capabilities and a Quickloot Bar, among numerous other improvements. Up to six players can simultaneously enjoy Icewind Dale with the new cross-platform multiplayer mode," reads Beamdog's description. Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition will come with the Heart of Winter and Trials of the Luremaster expansions already integrated. RPG fans won't be able to import their characters from Baldur's Gate or Baldur's Gate II into the game (nor could they with the original version of the game), but it's certainly plausible that they'll be able to move their Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition characters directly into Icewind Dale II: Enhanced Edition—if that game also receives a modern remake at some point. As before, those looking to purchase the title will have to be judicious about how they buy it. In other words, you can't just buy "Icewind Dale" and expect to have access to the game on every platform you want. Buying the game directly from Beamdog will get you access to Windows and OS X versions—same for if you buy the title from Steam. Buying the version on Apple's App Store only gets you the iOS iteration of the game, whereas buying it from Google Play restricts you to the Android operating system. That said, Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition will arrive with absolutely no digital rights management whatsoever (for the Beamdog version, at least). "Beamdog requires a one-time activation during installation, but after that you can play the game offline or even transfer it to another computer you own for easy back-up. Steam, iTunes, and Google Play may have other requirements from the retailer," Beamdog notes.