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The most notable thing at first with Icewind is how vastly different the settings are compared to Baldur's Gate or Planescape. Too many fantasy RPGs have that prototypical Western European "Dark Ages" look to them with fairly generic structures and settings. Baldur's Gate expanded on this and Planescape certainly had a unique look with its Eastern European/Moorish styled structures and characters, but Icewind provides even more diversity with the village of Easthaven, one of the ten towns in the region and the starting location of the game. The game has a bit of a Nordic feel, which is obvious considering the frozen setting, and this originality carries beyond the looks as well.
Even as the summer heat approaches for those of us in the real world, you can almost feel the cold chill of the wind in Icewind Dale with the frozen mountains and icy rivers and streams. Of course in typical RPG fashion female characters still find it necessary to wear outfits with bare midriffs but as was said earlier the characters are made up of stout individuals.
Also in typical RPG fashion the game begins at a local tavern (why is it always a tavern and not an AA meeting for adventurers)the game's opening sequences attempt to fill in some details about the region, yet like in many games the reasons why and how the characters came to be in Easthaven are unexplained. Of course, after just a drink or two the characters meet up with Hrothgar, the local aging adventure seeker who is looking for individuals such as those in the players' party.
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