Review 1UP reviews Mask of the Betrayer - 8/10

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Neverwinter Nights 2; Obsidian Entertainment

<a href=http://www.1up.com>1UP</a> has posted a <a href=http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3163504>review</a> of <a href=http://www.atari.com/nwn2/motb/US/index.html>Mask of the Betrayer</a>, giving it 8/10:
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<blockquote>That's one of Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer's themes, but it's also a question for beleaguered D&D fans desperate for the original NWN2, only to discover a virtual plague of bugs and camera problems rendering it all but unplayable.</blockquote>I didn't like NWN2, but calling it "all but unplayable" is bullshit (and another glorious moment of professional journalism).
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<blockquote>The good news: One year and 250 megabytes worth of patches later, the game is finally as good as promised. The better news: The new Mask of the Betrayer expansion is a stronger, more complex, and ultimately more satisfying game.
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Mask is not without problems, though. Even all these patches later, with two new "modes" to play in, NWN2's still got one of the most annoying, impossible-to-use cameras ever. (Obsidian: Please ditch this engine, for all our sakes, next time out.) The new NPCs are a fine, but mostly humorless, bunch. And once again, a few bugs tripped up my game, failing to trigger events and forcing me back to an old save (save early and often, kids). Still, these issues were far less obtrusive this time and ultimately did not dampen my happy feelings that here was the kind of <u>deep, hardcore RPG</u> that old-school fans like me thought they just didn't make anymore.</blockquote>I'm getting the game today, so we shall find out soon enough.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.rpgwatch.com">RPG Watch</A>

 

[Shannow]

Hmm, I don't like the camera but it's not that bad. It certainly is not worse that in NWN or Dungeon Siege 2 or any other 3d game with a free camera angle...
But still they mock isometric view. *shakeshead*
And while it was a buggy experience, I played through the OC unpatched. So "all but unplayable" isn't just hyperbole it's utter bullshit.

 

[doctor_kaz]

Hmm, I don't like the camera but it's not that bad. It certainly is not worse that in NWN or Dungeon Siege 2 or any other 3d game with a free camera angle...
But still they mock isometric view. *shakeshead*
And while it was a buggy experience, I played through the OC unpatched. So "all but unplayable" isn't just hyperbole it's utter bullshit.

Maybe he's still trying to justify the crap review that showed up for the OC.

 

[fastpunk]

It's 5 fuckin paragraphs long, you can barely call that a review... how professional of them!

 

[ixg]

The new camera modes are just fine, I like em D:

 

[JrK]

I never understood the problem many people have with the UI and the camera controls. They work just fine. The only dibs I have with the game is the quirky walking animations, lack of TB combat, cheesy classes (spirit shaman, favoured soul etc.), lack of fighter specialization (trip, disarm, sunder are all badly or not implemented, also no reach weapons or combat reflexes) and lack of Falloutness.

 

[Texas Red]

I never understood the problem many people have with the UI and the camera controls. They work just fine. The only dibs I have with the game is the quirky walking animations, lack of TB combat, cheesy classes (spirit shaman, favoured soul etc.), lack of fighter specialization (trip, disarm, sunder are all badly or not implemented, also no reach weapons or combat reflexes) and lack of Falloutness.

Why are these cheesy classes?

 

[Volourn]

'Cause, IIRC, they're really nothing but a sorcerer type class for clerics and druids respectively. *yawn*

 

[Texas Red]

'Cause, IIRC, they're really nothing but a sorcerer type class for clerics and druids respectively. *yawn*

And? I wouldnt expect them to implent something completely different ala warlocks for an expansion. I dunno, Im pretty happy with this as clerics and druids count among my favourite classes and now I can choose between the 2.

 

[cardtrick]

Also, the spirit shaman has some pretty interesting (although not terribly useful in a powergame sense) abilities related to spirits. I'm playing one now in the expansion and I really like the class. It's absolutely not as powerful as a druid, although it's not weak either, but I think it's more fun. I fail to see how it could be considered cheesy, since it's a well thought out class that meshes really well with the story of the game, and yet which is similar to but less powerful than one of the previous base classes.

(My character is a spirit shaman/stormlord . . . lots of fun.)

 

[Zomg]

As soon as as I read the description for Favored Soul, I immediately thought of the Aasimar Paladin/Blackguard/Favored Soul divine might build.

Spreadsheet autism - just when I think I'm, out, you pull me back in. Damn you third edition.

 

[JeffGreen]

The review is 4 paragraphs long because I wrote it for GFW magazine, where space is limited. 1UP posted this magazine review. Had I written it specifically for the web, I obviously could have gone on for about 4000 more words or so, since there was tons more to say.

As far as the "professionalism" going re: my saying the original game was virtually unplayable---well, that's how it was for me at the time. YMMV, of course. But I wasn't alone on that, as we know.

Anyway, I love the game now that it's patched up, and think the expansion if mostly great.

Thanks,

Jeff Green
GFW

 

[Monolith]

The review is 4 paragraphs long because I wrote it for GFW magazine, where space is limited. 1UP posted this magazine review.

4 paragraphs? Just out of curiosity, how many paragraphs did Shivering Island get?

 

[JeffGreen]

Well we don't count by paragraph. I wrote a 1 page review for Mask of the Betrayer. Shivering Isle also got 1 page. It's not nearly enough to cover a game comprehensively, especially an RPG, but that's just the way it is with print these days.

--Jeff

 

[Monolith]

That's fair enough I guess. Still, a pity.

 

[JeffGreen]

It's idiotic how little space I have. You won't get any argument for me on the ridiculousness of it. It's a print magazine constraint.

 

[Monolith]

Why not rewriting or expanding the review for 1up? Also a print magazine constraint? You seem to be eager to actually say more about it (the game).

 

[JeffGreen]

Why not rewriting or expanding the review for 1up? Also a print magazine constraint? You seem to be eager to actually say more about it (the game).

Yeah, I could. Or maybe I'll just blog about it. But I'm already derailing this thread by showing up here instead of just letting you guys rag on it and me.

 

[Bloodeyes]

Yeah, I could. Or maybe I'll just blog about it. But I'm already derailing this thread by showing up here instead of just letting you guys rag on it and me.

Don't be a pussy, do it here. Knowing you are writing for a critical and hostile audience will make you give much greater consideration to your opinions than posting them on your blog. Just by turning up here you show you are prepared to defend your opinions, so state them and do it.

 

[JeffGreen]

This is the second time today I've been called a pussy, for unrelated reasons! Man.
Maybe I am one!

But anyway, you're not entirely correct. I would not be less considered w/my opinions on my blog, given that everybody calls me on stuff I write on my blog all the time. I'm under a microscope there even MORE than I would be here.

But, in general, sure, I'd be happy to post more of my opinions here and defend them. Only not right this second, as I'm already late for dinner. Which I suppose makes me sound like a pussy again.

THe short version is I liked this expansion a lot. As I said, my best D&D experience since Planescape: Torment. And I would have scored it higher were it not for a few bugs (like quests being out of whack and forcing me back to an earlier) and--for me--ongoing issues with the camera. Another minor pet peeve of mine (which Obsidian has heard me whine about for forever), is the lack of an auto-pause after each round, ala Baldur's Gate and earlier Infinity Engine games.

Okay....more later, if anyone is interested.

 

[Volourn]

"Don't be a pussy, do it here. Knowing you are writing for a critical and hostile audience will make you give much greater consideration to your opinions than posting them on your blog. Just by turning up here you show you are prepared to defend your opinions, so state them and do it."

Stop your pathetic unearned arrogance. Your E Penis ain't that big, little boy.

 

[Bloodeyes]

This is the second time today I've been called a pussy, for unrelated reasons! Man.
Maybe I am one!

Don't take it personally, it's the codex. You will be called worse during your time here. That is the nature of the place.

Edit:

Stop your pathetic unearned arrogance. Your E Penis ain't that big, little boy.

See what I mean.

 

[Helton]

Jeff, there's one basic rule here:

If you've ever put shit in people's food, don't confess it to us in the throes of an emotional breakdown. That does get you called some pretty harsh names.

 

[MountainWest]

Can't we all agree on not telling "outsiders" how "tough" the Codex is? It seems to happen every time a dev or game reviewer shows up, and it's fucking silly.

 

[Amasius]

Can't we all agree on not telling "outsiders" how "tough" the Codex is? It seems to happen every time a dev or game reviewer shows up, and it's fucking silly.

QFT