The original
tale was an intriguing story that ran the gamut of Wizards of the Coast
mythology – weaving evolving characters with role-player staples and wonderful
environments. The story was so well done that sequels were inevitable and there
were, in fact, two – Hordes of the Underdark and Shadows of Undrentide.
BioWare was the
developer of the first three titles, but when it came to the true sequel –
Neverwinter Nights 2 – the reins were handed over to Obsidian. Still this was a
title that was in very good hands. Obsidian boasts a number of former Black Isle
Studios employees, the developers of other Wizards of the Coast classic PC games
like Icewind Dale.
The game begins
in West Harbor and quickly shows some of the biggest changes to the game since
the release of the first title. Like other games in which there are multiple
party members, NWN2 allows players to not only team up with others but also to
take control of any party member with the simple click of the mouse. This will
prove advantageous for not only collecting the numerous drops along the way but
for taking tactical advantage of situation presented. Also give credit to the
developers for AI that follows a team concept. While you can affect and gain
status with your companions, making them much more responsive to certain needs,
when you take control of another unit, the AI uses potions and spells to
advantage.
West Harbor is
in the throes of a festival, in which the player and his/her team (which will
consist of a melee, ranged, thief and wizard class) compete – Ok, it’s a
tutorial that will take you through the control interface as well as giving you
a sense for the game. Shortly after the festival, the town is attacked and you
learn that the monsters were searching for something your adopted father – a
wild elf – hid away in the aftermath of a war that happened many years before
almost destroyed the town. You are tasked with your first dungeon crawl to
locate the shard. Little is revealed to you other than you must travel to the
town of Neverwinter to speak to an uncle you did not know you had and find the
other half of the shard.
While a bit
contrived in places, the game does offer players the chance to feel like they
are somewhat in control of the path through the game. However, this is a
directed campaign. You are given some latitude in moving along the path, but you
will have to progress through the game by moving from Point A to Point B. You
will be the one to determine exactly how you will do that.
The game’s
central plot is delivered through text and voiced narrative. There are side
quests that underscore the main plot and much of the D&D rulesets buoy the game
along in a manner familiar to fans of the genre. And then there is the
stronghold, which creates a new dimension to the gameplay elements. While the
game itself is rather linear, players will have the opportunity to experiment
with 16 races, 12 primary classes and 17 prestige classes (unlocked after
conditions are met with your character) and players can dual specialize, to
create unique characters.
The
launch-to-load time is fairly long so be prepared to wonder if the game has
crashed or is loading. To take advantage of the game’s multiplayer elements,
gamers must be members of the BioWare Community (free). Joining the community
allows you to log online and join (or create) games that cover a wide range of
modes – melee, arena, PW action, solo, team, story, role play, story lite, PW
story, action, and social. Some of the games are password protected and others
may be modules created by gamers using the toolset included with the game
itself. All in all, the multiplayer community is rich and deep with this game.
Graphically the
game runs a full range from wonderful to “uhh?” with some clipping and pathing
problems that crop up at the oddest moments. Generally, though, the game is lush
and will lull players into the world. There is voice acting that is solid and
the musical score is well done.
Neverwinter
Nights 2 is a worthy successor to a first-rate role-playing title and should
provide PC gaming enthusiasts hours of fun. The game has a long campaign and
with the toolset for making modules, and the online components, this is a
dynamic and enjoyable game.
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Gameplay:
8.2
The characters have
some pathing problems, particularly in large congested areas. The tutorial phase
sometimes displayed a window that was supposedly a guide but was devoid of
words, which was a bit of a pain. The game controls well, though, using a mostly
point-and-click design, and the interface is generally accessible.
Graphics:
8.3
Solid animations and
effects. The character models can be a bit sharp but the game has a good overall
look.
Sound: 8.7
The game is alive
with sound and is best played with the volume turned up to hear the nuances of
the game.
Difficulty:
Medium
There is a slider
bar that players can use to change the difficulty setting.
Concept: 8.0
Some nice
changes/additions that will certainly further the franchise.
Multiplayer:
8.7
A wide variety of
game types, a solid online population, Internet or LAN or direct connect options
present a deep variety and solid gaming experience.
Overall: 8.7
The game does have
some flaws, but it still has an enjoyable adventure worth traveling for RPG D&D
fans. It is graphically very nice, has solid sound and has addicting gameplay.
Much fun to be had here, with the entertainment factors far outweighing the few
flaws the game has.
