GCM approves of HotU
GCM approves of HotU
Review - posted by Vault Dweller on Sun 25 January 2004, 17:56:33
Tags: Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the UnderdarkGame Chronicles posted this in-depth review of HotU giving it 8.9
The main draw for those who purchase Hordes of the Underdark (other than the new campaign) is the revised level cap, which BioWare has doubled to 40. The level 20 cap was a sore point for most who played Neverwinter Nights. While the feature will be applauded by the vast majority of Neverwinter fans, I must admit that I bristle at the thought of epic levels. I played pen and paper D&D for over a decade. It was an obsession. And throughout all those gaming sessions, the peak of power the members of our gaming group attained was level nine. To us, this was a moment of pride, an achievement of great magnitude. We fought every step of the way to reach that pinnacle, and cheated death more times than I can recall. So it makes me queasy to think of the consequences of setting the cap so high. I worry that BioWare might be drifting into Diablo "power gaming" territory. Perhaps I'm old school (no, that doesn't mean I'm playing with first-edition rules or that I have a poster of Gary Gygax on my wall) but I'm convinced that D&D is at its best when magic items are few and far between, levelling up is slow and any opponent -- even the lowliest orc -- presents a genuine threat.
Role-playing opportunities in the campaign are limited to the familiar BioWare formula of dialogue choices. You "role-play" your character by making critical decisions at key plot points. This isn't a bad thing, really. It's just nothing new. If you're looking for a more authentic role-playing route, you'll want to break out the old source material and 20-sided dice.That sums Bio games very nicely: You "role-play" your character by making critical decisions at key plot points. It's worth noting that the reviewer liked the game overall for what it is, but unlike many other reviewers he didn't try to pretend that it's a pinnacle of role-playing.
Spotted at: GenGamers
The main draw for those who purchase Hordes of the Underdark (other than the new campaign) is the revised level cap, which BioWare has doubled to 40. The level 20 cap was a sore point for most who played Neverwinter Nights. While the feature will be applauded by the vast majority of Neverwinter fans, I must admit that I bristle at the thought of epic levels. I played pen and paper D&D for over a decade. It was an obsession. And throughout all those gaming sessions, the peak of power the members of our gaming group attained was level nine. To us, this was a moment of pride, an achievement of great magnitude. We fought every step of the way to reach that pinnacle, and cheated death more times than I can recall. So it makes me queasy to think of the consequences of setting the cap so high. I worry that BioWare might be drifting into Diablo "power gaming" territory. Perhaps I'm old school (no, that doesn't mean I'm playing with first-edition rules or that I have a poster of Gary Gygax on my wall) but I'm convinced that D&D is at its best when magic items are few and far between, levelling up is slow and any opponent -- even the lowliest orc -- presents a genuine threat.
Role-playing opportunities in the campaign are limited to the familiar BioWare formula of dialogue choices. You "role-play" your character by making critical decisions at key plot points. This isn't a bad thing, really. It's just nothing new. If you're looking for a more authentic role-playing route, you'll want to break out the old source material and 20-sided dice.
Spotted at: GenGamers
