Review NWN2 gazings at GameSpot

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Neverwinter Nights 2

<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/">GameSpot</a> serves up a <A href="http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/neverwinternights2/news.html?sid=6139742&mode=previews">two page preview</a> of <A href="http://www.atari.com/nwn2/">Neverwinter Nights 2</a>. It basically says that they're taking what worked in the first one and expanding on it. It also covers some nifty things like NPC dealings and such. Anyway, clip:
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<blockquote>There are three reasons why the original Neverwinter Nights was so successful and appealed to so many gamers. First, it had a solid single-player campaign that let you uncover the evil that threatened the city of Neverwinter. Second, it also featured an excellent multiplayer component that let you role play online, old-school-style, with one player serving as a dungeon master. And, finally, it featured a set of tools that let you create a custom adventure module that you could upload and share with the world, and, correspondingly, download hundreds of different player-created modules and try them out yourself.</blockquote>
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I'm pretty sure the single player campaign isn't want people who liked the game point to as the example of what they like about it.
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Thanks, <b>pegultagol</b>!
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[aboyd]

First, it had a solid single-player campaign that let you uncover the evil that threatened the city of Neverwinter.

I hated the single-player campaign. I think GameSpot is on crack. But more than that, the author doesn't even seem to know what he himself is writing. In the very next paragraph, he contradicts the opening by saying:

Perhaps the biggest improvement will be seen in the single-player campaign, as the original game suffered from a somewhat weak campaign.

Well, which is it? Is it a "solid single-player campaign" or a "weak campaign?"

 

[Section8]

Neverwinter Nights was the emptiest hype machine I've ever seen. Every single review, from the major online sites like IGN to local gaming rags were almost identical, and suspiciously similar to Bioware's own PR departments shameless praise. Curiously, barely any of them made reference to the games core design feature; the toolset. Instead they choose to gush about how incredible the afterthought that was the horrible single-player campaign is.

For instance, PC Powerplay, in the six months prior to NWN, released 3 full Infogrames/Atari games on their coverdisks. NWN came along, and not only did it receive some inhuman score like 99%, it was also named greatest game of all time in the same issue's Top 100. Favours for favours? Never...

On the plus side, the $10/month I used to pay for PC Powerplay is now spent on more worthwhile causes, like hookers and blackjack.

 

[4too]

Fuzzy Logic

Fuzzy Logic




The dueling dualities of single vs. multiplayer may be lack of editorial focus.

Perhaps on the 3rd or 4th rewrite a clear opinion would materialize.

Perhaps some romantic nostalgia has enthralled the memory and decisive thought is forever lost in the haze.

Perhaps this is a subtle shot gunning of features: broadcasting factoids to hit all eye balls downrange.

Whether this is a conscious or unconscious assault, I suggest that many speed read and cherry pick the ripe or the rotten as they cruise by.

Perhaps this is cultivated by our commercial medias that try to be all things to all demographics.

And it surfaces in once and future game design as once meaty stews: pureed and ready to be spoon fed to infantile desires.



Ah, my opinion of NWN and any inbred offspring must be lurking, stalking in a primeval
attitude. And is no more than a non specific stain, proudly worn on my ... non branded
T-shirt.

4too

 

[Sol Invictus]

When Neverwinter Nights 2 comes out, magazines will say that it isn't as good as the first game despite however much better it might be. Just wait for it. They said the same thing about KOTOR2, in spite of the fact that it was a superior game with a much better storyline, albeit one ruined towards the end by a rushed release.

 

[Excalibur]

You are right sol, people have to stop sucking the first games dick, and start giving credit to the sequels

 

[Drakron]

...They said the same thing about KOTOR2, in spite of the fact that it was a superior game with a much better storyline, albeit one ruined towards the end by a rushed release.

Its not a superior game.

Lets see ... first its more bugged that the first one, combat is completly fucked up (I had troubles with some basic enemies as I could clean house with others, dificulty curve was off) and with epic levels it gets completly broken, the stuff they put in either was uselss or simply visuals that had no inpact in the gameplay.

And the story ... the damn thing was PS:T story with a Star Wars twist down to the ending, we dont even get to be anything but the oh so powerful Revan SIDEKICK since the ending instead of being over us end up going to go after Revan in the ass of the Universe.

Worst story ever ...

Sawyer is on NwN2 team and he knows his FR and D&D that gives me hope ... NwN was also derailed with BioWare leaving Interplay and later Atari demands, not to say they made some assuptions in early design that did not worked (the whole "solo" thing that force then to put henchman in the game) that compromized the game ... its pretty hard to do worst that BioWare did without trying or suffer from the same issues that BioWare did.

 

[Avin]

NWN2 OC > NWN OC

except for volo, of course.

 

[Jaesun]

I'm pretty sure the single player campaign isn't *want people who liked the game point to as the example of what they like about it.

*what

:wink:

 

[crpgnut]

I preferred the 4 page gamespy preview. It sounds like the game will really focus on character interaction, much like PS:T. Torment was fun, but I hope they balance all the talking with fun gameplay. I got bored with Torment when you had to listen/read to chapter length texts in between each character action. It was monotonous. I never did finish that game. Need to replay it.

Forgot the link:

http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/neverwinter-ni ... 610p1.html

 

[Jed]

How is it that NWN's on-line roleplaying is "old-school"? Does that phrase even mean anything anymore, or is just some salt to add to your prose?

 

[ExMonk]

Gamespy preview was a good read. Saw it last night. I'm looking foward to the character interaction as that was one of my favorite aspects of KOTOR I & II. Enjoyed both I & II. Can't agree that II was superior, but it was nearly as good as I. I had incredibly memorable characters and quite unexpected plot twists and turns. Both the story and the character interaction kept me playing well into the night. II didn't grab me the same way--in fact I found "You're the first person who has turned away from the force voluntarily and survived" theme to be a bit strange.

I agree with Sol, though, that reviewers do seem to downgrade sequels just because they're sequels. Especially Gamespot.

Never played the original NWN. I was so turned off by the hype machine: every preview droned endlessly on about how it was a shoe-in as game of the year. Morrowind came out at the same time and I threw myself into that.

Is the original worth my time, given that the multiplayer aspect doesn't interest me?

 

[spacemoose]

How is it that NWN's on-line roleplaying is "old-school"? Does that phrase even mean anything anymore, or is just some salt to add to your prose?

Old school has become a PR term, it can mean two things: game contains more text than reviewer cared to read or has dice rolls.

 

[Volourn]

"They said the same thing about KOTOR2, in spite of the fact that it was a superior game with a much better storyline, albeit one ruined towards the end by a rushed release."

KOTOR2 was an okay game; but ti wans't better than KOTOR1. The fact that Drakron, one of the Ultimate BIO haters thinks this as well should say something about this .


"NWN2 OC > NWN OC

except for volo, of course."

You just proved your fanboyism. You ahven't even played NWN2 yet. For the rcord, NWN2 should be better simply because they should elarn from all the good things from NWN2 as well as the bad.

Still, youa re a fnaboy as you seem to "know" that it'll be better despite the fact you haven't played it.

I thought the same about KOTOR, and that was a mistake.

 

[Section8]

Old school in PR terminology is yet another meaningless buzzword, like "immersion." It has positive conotations, without a clear definition so it's one of PR's best friends. God, I hate marketing.

 

[geminito]

If NWN was old-school, it would have had turn-based combat.

 

[Jora]

It puzzles me how most people think KotOR2 is worse than its predecessor. I don't think Obsidian is even capable of not making a better game than KotOR. The sequel does have many problems but at least it did something right, such as interesting followers and dialogue.

 

[aboyd]

Jora,

For me, initially playing the game, I would have agreed with you. But after time, I found that I valued game stability and average content from start to finish more than bugginess and uneven content (great at the start, rushed at the end).

If Obsidian ever released that "content patch" that was rumored to exist, that might have made KotOR2 far better. It's a shame they never did it. I wasn't willing to install the fan-made content patch, it seemed spotty at the time.

-T

 

[Jora]

(great at the start, rushed at the end).

My opinion of KotOR's content is that it was horrible from the beginning ("Are you sure you know how to wear your pants?") to the end (especially the last encounter with Bastila -- where did they find people crazy enough to write all that bad dialogue?). Level design was equally bad in both games: endless corridors to walk and droids to destroy.

 

[Volourn]

Jora is stupid. She is an embarassment to all great Fins.

 

[EvilManagedCare]

The single player campaign is why I stopped playing NWN altogether. It got so much hype, all the while everyone knew that the MP and Toolset was what this title was all about. IIRC the developers were making claims it would be almost as good as BG2. What a crock. When the SP started in the Adventurers Academy or some such nonsense, I knew I was in for trouble.

That said, if I it turns out the SP in NWN2 lives up to the hype I would buy this game. Although I do hate 3.5 Edition D&D.

 

[crpgnut]

I just want to play through NWN2 with all the characters from Order of the Stick, especially Belkar Bitterleaf

 

[Deacdo]

At this point my main concern is whether or not you're controling just 1 character in combat during the single player compaign again. I have a feeling they won't learn from last time and repeat that mistake.

 

[Ellester]

At this point my main concern is whether or not you're controling just 1 character in combat during the single player compaign again. I have a feeling they won't learn from last time and repeat that mistake.

I’m not 100% sure, but I thought Obsidian came to the conclusion you could control the companions (BG2) or let the scripts control the character (FO) during combat. You have a choice.

 

[Shagnak]

Is the original worth my time, given that the multiplayer aspect doesn't interest me?

Only if you're willing to play some of the better "fan-made" modules (from nwvault) or the expansions. I wouldn't recommend it otherwise.
You should be able to get the whole kaboodle in one pack for pretty cheap now.

But, really, for the most enjoyment I do recommend LAN multi-player. LANification somehow improves even the more shitty games.