Neverwinter Nights

"D&D Third Edition at it's finest"

(Note, I'm going to compare NWN to Morrowind through out this review, so if you've played the game, you will understand more of what I'm saying)

Having already bought The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind and Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos, I thought I'd try something new. Neverwinter Nights looked promising, and indeed it was. I had my doubts at first since I had some trouble enjoying Baldur's Gate 2, the D&D partner to this game. But, considering I pretty much HATED the second edition to D&D but loved third edition, I thought I'd give this game a shot. I ordered it from Best Buy for about $40, and it came in about 4 days. Immediately, I pulled the disks out, sadly, inside a paper case. I popped in the game and started installing, while I read the manual which is about 220 pages big. I finished the manual quickly, and started playing the game.

GRAPHICS - 9
The graphics are nice and crisp. Most of the newer games are plauged with the fact that you need a brand new computer to get a decent FPS. That's not a problem with me, I can run everything at max settings without much trouble. I'm using a GeForce 4 Ti4200, 512 SDR Ram, and an Athlon 1.2GHz. Now this is a powerful computer and can run almost everything at a damned rate. But I can probably suggest using a GeForce 2 GTS, 256 SDR Ram, and a P3 with at least one GHz working just fine. I must note that ATI and Vodoo cards don't work very well, and anything worse then a TNT2 won't work, and a GeForce 1 will run pretty crappy. Admittedly, the graphics are kind of 'dated', but the shadow and lighting effects are really neat, and I can admit that angle glitches aren't a problem. The graphics aren't as pixel-ish (read: not a real word) as Morrowind, however it doesn't simulate an entire square mile when your outside. The weapons are kind of cartoonish, but the rest of the game isn't. Overall, they don't have much to offer, and you need a good system, but once you get by those problems you'll have lots of fun with the lighting affects.

AUDIO - 9
This is more of a personal factor. The music is nice and neat to listen to, and the battle song is great for the area. But, when your casting spells and swinging an axe you might not be able to hear it, added to the fact that after a while it can get boring. The sounds are almost perfect, and best of all, you can pick the sound pack for your character. Whether you want a Wizard's chatter, or a Barbarian's war cry, it all sounds perfect. Overall, it's more of your sense of music that matters here, but my personal thought is that it's great. The sounds are perfect and customizable, so Audio gets a 9.

CONTROLS - 8
Similar to Morrowind, the controls use the FPS set up, using WASD for movement and the mouse to attack. When you assign a command, it'll take about 4 seconds for your character to comply, and if you issue multiple tasks, a bar will appear at the top to show your priorities. Sort of like TheSims, eh? The only serious flaw is the sluggish time it takes to reply your command, and overall, they are great when you bypass that problem.

STORY - 10
Sorry, I can't talk about the story because I spoil a bunch of things, but I'll fill you in on a couple things. Theres a plague going on, deemed the ''Waling Death'', that's killing everyone. A paladin hired you to find a cure to the Wailing Death. In the prelude, your in a school, just getting a tutorial and such when the Academy is attacked. You escape, and begin your quest for a cure.

GAMEPLAY - 10
This is the area that really shines. It uses the rules of D&D third edition, and some of the rules are confusing. But, if you read the manual a couple times, and already have basic knowledge of E3, (or at LEAST E2), then you shouldn't have any problem. The great part about this is that you no longer need to take down saving throws- since it's on a computer, it's all done automatically. The classes are just like Baldur's Gate 2 and D&D. Theres Rogue, Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard, Cleric, Fighter, Barbarian, Druid, Ranger, and Monk. The Sorcerer and Wizard get familiars, which are essentially pets. A couple fight like warriors, some disarm traps and pick locks, and some cast spells. The Druid and Ranger get pets that can be used to pack punches, like the Bear, or used as a meat shield, like the wolf. You can also pick an alignment, whether you want to slaughter everything as Chaotic Evil, save lives as Lawful Good, or do everything for personal benefit as True Neutral. The game is pretty slow paced, this is no Diablo 2. In D2, you had to pick a skill and use it quickly to simulate a fast paced fight, while in Neverwinter Nights you have to go through a load of menus to cast a spell. A lot like BG2, but still unique in it's own fashion. Tired of being alone? Well, buy yourself a Henchmen. Want people to talk to? No problem, log onto Gamespy and go in a game. Overall, you either like the game or hate it, but if you love BG2 and D&D 3rd edition, then this is the game for you. The replayability is up to you, rush through the game or do all the side quests.

OVERALL - 9
Again, you either like the game or hate it. You need a decent system to run it, and there are some problems, add to the fact that you need some basic D&D knowings, but in the end, it's a great game.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/08/02, Updated 08/08/02