Review Mask of the Betrayer Review

[Zomg]

Great review and a fun read. I couldn't help myself and started another playthrough, this time as an egoistic asshole, and I'm amazed at how not-difficult-at-all playing with a full craving bar is outside of one bug.

 

[ricolikesrice]

...

great review, especially love that OE mention it on their website, heh :p

btw i just seen on a german mainstream shit site, that MOTB ranks #3 in the US sales charts, american codexers bought 10000 copies each or is there really enough intelligent life left on this planet ?

 

[Hazelnut]

The review is now on the Obsidian front page. A brave choice considering the language.

Good for them - they're probably pretty proud, and well they should be. It's a very good and glowing review from a place that's not going to be distracted by flashy gfx and bullshit. I suspect that, given RPG genre's last few years, you're probably over enthusing a bit more than you would if this had been released in a RPG golden age - but why the hell not if it's quality stuff! Kudos to Obsidian.

Now if only the combat implementation was turn based (like D&D FFS!) with a RTWP option for the impatient. (yeah, I know - MP issues... nothing that couldn't be circumvented IMO)

I may well get this and NWN2 (which I'd never have bought otherwise) - just wondering if anyone knows if it can be run on Windows 2k as it says XP required, but that's not always the case. I know it'll probably run like a three legged dog on my AMD XP2200+, Gf6600gt, 1Gb Ram POS... but I'm used to it since G3.

 

[Zomg]

I run 2K and it works fine.

 

[Texas Red]

Those stats are below the recommended and over the minimum. I have the same ones and I can run it with the occasional lagg during flashy battles and huge areas, and pretty annoying loading times.

BTW, if you play a few hours a day NWN 2 will last you for several weeks. Its a one fuck of a long game. I think Ive been playing it for 3 or so weeks already.

 

[Marsal]

I don't know, I am a patient sort. Gothic 3 runs... okay on my Radeon 9600 SE with 64 MB, at least the demo did.

I have an AMD 3400+ 64. 1024 DDR 1 ram and a 250 Watts (I think) powersource which is sadly integrated into my really nice CPU case so I'd have to buy a new once were I to upgrade it. I'd be happy with solid 10 to 15 FPS and half-hour long loading times, and I set all my graphics to lowest if I can in games because all those modern effects are distracting.

You are a better man than I am I played G3 on similar comp (with 6600GT) and couldn't stand constant stuttering, no matter the graphic settings. So I gave up.

I'd recommend buying another stick of *the same* RAM (or two stick if you have 2*512 now, and 2 free memory banks) and using dual channel memory configuration (if you are not already). I *think* you can get a new 7600GS or X1650 Pro (Pro is important) for about 80$. Go for DDR3 memory models (and be careful to buy the AGP version).

Also, are you sure you have AGP slot only? What motherboard do you have?

 

[Vault Dweller]

I suspect that, given RPG genre's last few years, you're probably over enthusing a bit more than you would if this had been released in a RPG golden age...

Nope. Ok, granted, such sentiments are very, very subjective, but I loved the game not because there is nothing else to play or because the game reminds me of the golden age games. No, this IS a golden age game. In some aspects, it's much better than the golden age games. I kid you not.

 

[Jasede]

Also, are you sure you have AGP slot only? What motherboard do you have?

MSI-Neo K8T FSR. It was cheap and could get me an AMD 64+ which were also cheap, I got the 3400+ for a mere 150$ which was pretty damn cheap, what, the two years ago I bought it. It has no PCI-E slot. And I wouldn't want it to have one, I am kinda suspicious of such new technology.

 

[Starwars]

In some aspects, it's much better than the golden age games. I kid you not.

I think one strong point in MotBs favour might be from the fact that it's an expansion. There are simply no areas that I thought were just filler, and I never thought "urgh, not this damn area again" when replaying it. I can't remember any RPG aside from Fallout that has that going for it. Games like PS:T and Arcanum (though I do prefer them to MotB in the end) have areas that I loathe playing through.

 

[Futile Rhetoric]

Also, are you sure you have AGP slot only? What motherboard do you have?

MSI-Neo K8T FSR. It was cheap and could get me an AMD 64+ which were also cheap, I got the 3400+ for a mere 150$ which was pretty damn cheap, what, the two years ago I bought it. It has no PCI-E slot. And I wouldn't want it to have one, I am kinda suspicious of such new technology.

ISA graphics card for the fucking win!

Seriously though, get a 1950. It's a good investment; my system configuration is a lot like your own, and with the 1950, it plays every new game on high/highest settings flawlessly. To give you an idea -- I got the system from a friend, and it had two 6600s in SLI configuration in it, initially. Switching to the 1950 almost doubled my 3DMark score. I know it's not really cheap, but the low-range cards only sound cheap, really. They're not worth the money they're being sold for. This isn't something you buy every day, either; bite the bullet and get something worthwhile.

 

[pug987]

squeecoo: Two neutral (the romanceable ones) NPCs, one evil and two good.

Actually there is only one good companion. The other one you think of as good is actually neutral and he only objects when you do evil acts that affect his "friends" and your hunger. He really doesn't care about any other evil acts you do. I really liked the fact that 3 of your companions were neutral and only objected to your decisions, wether good or evil, only when it affected them.

 

[Vault Dweller]

VD in the Slumbering Coven were you talk with the lich and One-of-Many reveals itself and makes the lich lose some of it's undead servants did you have to fight the lich afterall or did it leave in peace?
There is a way to resolve that encounter without battle but it needs you to do something in Okku's Barrow at the begining of the game.

Missed this post. What did you do?

 

[pug987]

VD in the Slumbering Coven were you talk with the lich and One-of-Many reveals itself and makes the lich lose some of it's undead servants did you have to fight the lich afterall or did it leave in peace?
There is a way to resolve that encounter without battle but it needs you to do something in Okku's Barrow at the begining of the game.

Missed this post. What did you do?

*MILD SPOILERS*

In the second (I think) floor of Okku's Barrow (where you wake up in the begining of the game) there is a path that is blocked by a wall created by the spirit. There are two apparent choices on how to deal with it. One is to make an offering to the spirits and the other to destory the bones lying in that chamber and defeat the spirits that emerge.
There is a third less apparent option. There are 2 more exits in that area (other than the one you came in from and the one leading to Okku) that lead to a series of chambers where you can find and activate a golem. Either in this chamber or the other one (I don't remember exactly) you can find an item called Ilefarn Rod (or sth like that). If you get the item before you get to the chamber with the blocked passage (where a dialogue with Safiya is initiated) if you examine the wall blocking the passage you get a dialogue option to strike it with the rod. If you do the rod shatters and a lich appears. He tells you that he had lived while the Ilefarn empire still existed (he doesn't believe you when you tell him that it was destroyed many years ago) and he accidentaly trapped himself in that rod. You can attack and kill him or let him go search for his tower.
If you do let him go, you can find him later in the game outside the slumbering coven where he offers to join forces so you have a greater chance to be granted an audience by the coven. If you accept he joins your group and offers a few dialogue option when dealing with those outside the coven. One I remeber is that you can ask him to call the vampire out of his casket (One-of-Many can do that too).
What's interesting is the dialogue with the lich you find inside the coven. He talks a bit with the lich there and then if you have both One-of-Many and him in the group the dialogue progresses somewhat like this:
You can let One-of-Many reveal himself scaring some of that lich's servants away. Then our lich persuades the remaining undead to join our side and finaly One-of-Many asks these undead to bring him the lich's phylactery so he can feed on it. The lich then is scared to death and pleades for his life. You can kill it, let it go or let your lich decide. If you decide not to kill it it leaves peacefully.

I really liked the fact that a small thing like freeing the lich in Okku's barrow affects the turn of events so many hours into the game.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Truly awesome. Thanks.

 

[Jasede]

Holy hell, that's AWESOME.

 

[Callaxes]

If MCA only worked on 2 characters and a small part of the game - then what prevented the writters from making a good story for the original campaing?


Also, did you guys know that both Avallone and Todd Howard went to William and Mary College

 

[roshan]

Regarding the levels, I'm the type who quite likes fiddling with different armour/weapons and was pretty disappointed that I ended the game with almost the same gear as I imported from NWN2, my prestige armour was better than anything I had picked up or seen at merchants (I didn't take crafting as a skill).

Agreed. Its funny reading complaints about uber loot in MOTB when there was equally powerful stuff to be found in the OC, and it wasnt even an epic campaign.

 

[Monica21]

Thanks for the review, VD. I was hesitant, but it looks like I'll be buying the expansion after all.

 

[Jasede]

VD, your review misses something very, very important-

Music and Voice Acting. First, how is the music? Good background music helps me a lot in liking a game. I find most good games have good music, most bad games bad music. Second, is there voice-acting? If yes, is it good (good being Kotor 2-level, it doesn't have to be Bloodlines good, though arguable, Kotor 2's is better in at least some ways (Kreia Kreia Kreia Kreia Kreia))? Is everything voiced or just some things?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Thanks for the review, VD.

My pleasure.

VD, your review misses something very, very important-

Music and Voice Acting.

Like I give a damn. When have you ever seen music mentioned in my reviews? Or graphics? Anyway, let me fix that for you. The game has music. It's lovely and pleasant. It also has graphics and voice-acting. Voice-acting never bothered me, so I assume that it was good.

 

[Jasede]

Good enough.

 

[Starwars]

Music and voiceacting were very pleasant surprises for me.

The music in particular was extremely nice for the most part. A good combination of ambient and more 'melodic' stuff. One of the best RPG soundtracks I've heard. I grabbed the BMU to MP3 converter at the NWVault, copied and converted the soundtrack. It's great stuff for the most part.

Voiceacting was also good. The 'cutscenes' (where the game turns to a cinematic view and people are voiceacted) are far less numerous than in NWN2. So there is not nearly as much voiceacting, but it's just much better overall. There were no embarrassing acting moments that I can remember (and there were *plenty* in the NWN2 OC).
It's been to long since I played KOTOR2 so I can't really remember. But it's definetely good.

 

[roshan]

VD, your review misses something very, very important-

Music and Voice Acting. First, how is the music? Good background music helps me a lot in liking a game. I find most good games have good music, most bad games bad music. Second, is there voice-acting? If yes, is it good (good being Kotor 2-level, it doesn't have to be Bloodlines good, though arguable, Kotor 2's is better in at least some ways (Kreia Kreia Kreia Kreia Kreia))? Is everything voiced or just some things?

The voice acting and music are EXTREMELY well done. One thing great about the music is that a lot of it doesnt sound like generic epic fantasy crap. Specially the music during the final battle.

What do I get? Overwhelming Critical! (disclaimer: must have Underwhelming Critical, Nice Critical, Awesome Critical, and Absolutely Fucking Amazing Critical). It adds 1d6 points of damage!

Whether overwhelming critical is useful or not really depends on your build. Overwhelming critical adds 1d6 points of damage * your weapons critical multiplier minus 1. So as a weaponsmaster with a scythe, you will get 4d6 damage, which isnt too bad. With a falchion, you would get 2d6, but obviously, you would also be getting criticals much more often.

 

[Jasede]

Ah, that's good news. Bad music can ruin a game for me. I am superficial like that.

 

[inwoker]

Good review. Slightly unproffesional in normal meaning.

But this reply amazed me:

That's the best part. They[choises] are very easy to miss. Before writing my review I looked at several walkthroughs. In every one I saw plenty of stuff that they missed and had no clue that an alternative path/outcome exists.

Because some unprofessunal bastard and hooligan once said:
"That's what makes Fallout so awesome. No, not the nuke. That "I never realized..." thing."

Yes, I did email the Oblivion review to a few Bethesda folks.

how dare you!!
)