Tensions are mounting. The barbarians have severed communications between the village and the rest of the Ten Towns, and rumor has it that their leader Wylfdene has risen from death to lead his people. Reclaim their ancestral grounds and drive off the encroachment of so-called civilization, which every year brings their culture closer to extinction. It's a good story, one that Americans should relate to since it resonates so clearly with our history, and Heart of Winter serves up the conflict without making excuses or offering cheap solutions. The line between good and evil gets suitably blurry.
Mages can now memorize eighth and ninth level spells, too, rendering that cheat mod unnecessary.
There's also a host of new spells, magic items, and monsters, all of which are quite satisfying. Particularly notable are Sunfire, which acts like a fireball with the caster as the center and is perfect when the caster is surrounded by monsters, and Seven Eyes, which conjures a host of floating eyes that each have a defensive and offensive ability. In the area of spell-casting, at least, the lines between good and evil remain sharp. Heart of Winter folds seamlessly into the original Icewind. But loading the expansion improves game play in Icewind itself so much that you'll probably find yourself replaying the game in order to enjoy all the new magical items and spells, even if you're like me and the game has lain dormant on your shelf for months.