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Summary: __NOT__ A "Windows" Game
Review: Neverwinter Nights is scheduled for release on Linux, BeOS, Mac OS, and Windows ME/98. I doubt it will run under Win95 even.
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Summary: I've CRPG'd for a long time and I've never seen anything...
Review: ...like this. I disagree with anyone who says the game is graphically based, and will appeal to people for those reasons. The graphics outshine current MMORPG's (Everquest, Ashernon's Call etc.), but are still a tad below the top of the line CRPG's coming out (Morrowind for example). Being involved in the NwN community (there really is one, and it is huge already) for about 2 years, I find the biggest hype surrounds the NwN toolset.The ability for anyone to create an area, is astounding. I watched Bioware create a Dungeon in 2 minutes! Sure, it is their game, and it would probably take a newbie 10 minutes to create the same area, but it was large! It would easily take a group of players 20-30 minutes to explore the area. Now bear inmind, that is a small area. Anyone who has played BG2 can attest to area size, and the ones in NwN are twice as big (32x32 compared to 16x16)! Add to that the 3 billion (literally) different character avatar options (the way they look on the screen), the ability for my aunt Bernidette to make a +3 sword that casts a spiderweb on opponents whenever it hits in 2 minutes, and I think we have a hit on our hands. I think this may kill EQ, as it is free, and with more than 100 persistant worlds already in the works, I don't see how EQ will be able to compete. It's too bad Amazon didn't post video clips for games, because I think it would deter all the naysayers, and sell them even more games.
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Summary: Neverwinter Nights no one will never come close
Review: This game looks HOT. I saw screen shots and wish I had a time portal to go to the future september 16, 2001. a level 23 monk is something to recon with plus a campaign editor what more could you ask for
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Summary: NWN is an impressive RPG
Review: Everything I have read about NWN impresses me that they have taken the first crucial steps to developing a 4GL world design application, as well as just a great game to play. Just as Civ2 developed much of its staying power from the huge number of scenario designers that kept the game perpetually fresh, NWN will be played for years to come because there will never be an end to the new situations and storylines. One could play this game forever because new content will be constantly added. With its incredible graphics and 98% faithfulness to the 3ed rules (some things just are not in the initial release), this promises to be a hit for years.
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Summary: What Neverwinter Nights is and isn't
Review: Having followed the development of Neverwinter Nights for almost two years now, I think I have a feel for what this game will mean to Computer Role-Playing Games. Neverwinter Nights (NWN) is not a Massively Multiplayer Game, it wasn't designed to be such. It is not a single-player Game although it will ship with a single-player campaign. NWN was designed for a small group of players (up to 64 currently) to play through 4-5 hour modules (adventures) very similar to the way Pen and Paper Role-Playing campaigns are structured. One person controls one character either totally independently or under the supervision of a live DM that can control the playing environment (for instance scaling back an encounter that is too tough for the players). To PnP roleplayers this game will be a dream come true, a chance to move into the computer game world and create modules without having to learn complicated graphic arts and computer programming techniques. It will also be attractive to the MMORPG player who is tired of the endless pointless series of combats who craves a Roleplaying experience. It will challenge Mod Designers who have up-to-now had their own private playgrounds due to the steep learning curve cost of entering the world of Module Design. Will this lead to a plethora of modules being produced (most of them bad)? I personally hope so, because as with PnP roleplaying it was typically never the bought modules that yielded the memorable experiences. Neverwinter Nights will not be Baldur's Gate and it will not be EverQuest. It will be something different, its own game.
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Summary: Not released yet but...
Review: In reviewing all the hype surrounding Neverwinter Nights, it looks to be an avid roleplayer's dream game. In experiencing Everquest, Ultima Online, Asheron's Call, I have found all lacking in one of the major aspects: ROLEPLAYING! Any online game looks to be a hack and slash game with little thought surrounding the characters and challenges that could be written in a pen & paper session. Neverwinter Nights looks to be the first game to change all that. In reading the Computer Games magazine No.127, June 2001 issue, they outline the promise this game holds. The ability to completely design your own world, your own storyline, and be able to regulate which characters have access to the game you have created under your guidelines makes you truly a Dungeon Master. From topographical lands which lead to castles, towns, dungeons, armies... you name it, the ability to take the classic pen and paper game to the computer is avidly being brought to you by the development team. To create a world can take anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours, yet all is a simple interface of choosing the tile, the setting, and the inhabitants within. You can write script for the creatures or overall inhabitants of your world to say, choose answers for the players to use as triggers to further a storyline, and customize your creature's actions based on players actions as well. For instance, you can make a group of monsters play tag with one another, run when they are damaged, attack someone within' a 10' radius, etc. If the actions you feel are limiting to your vision while the game is progressing before your eyes, the Dungeon Master can directly take command of any creature in the game and interact as they see fit around his or her players. The world is totally immersive and able to be changed to your, the creator's, whim. And unlike the uninformed reviewer before me, if a break needs to be taken, unlike most online games, the Dungeon Master can pause the action at any time. The ability to run a campaign or a simple 2 hour module will come to computing. Graphically, it looks stunning, equal if not surpassing the graphics of any new Dungeons & Dragons game on the market. If the vision of the development team holds true, this will be a new age of interactive roleplaying online. Everquest... watch your back.
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Summary: Combat is the biggest downfall...
Review: While the game should be extremely righteous in all aspects, it will have one major downfall... real time combat. Unlike the other D&D titles this company produced (Baldur's gate, Icewind Dale...) the player is not able to pause the game during combat and issue commands during multiplayer games (dunno about single player games...). The only person who can do this is the DM. I expect latency and lag to be an issue with combat as a result of this in online games. If they would follow in the footsteps of other RTS's such as fallout tactics or pool of radiance and have a turn-based combat option, the game be perfect.
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Summary: I could play it for weeks...
Review: Everyone knows that the retarted developers havent made the obviously easy to make best rpg/adventure game. Well, neverwinter nights stands in the top ten for the list of those awesome games so far. What I fail to see said about the game here is the amount of depth you go into with character creation. Its my favorite part of the game. If I end up bored out of my mind with the storyline or the dying, *and I dont just turn godmode on*, I am creating dozens of characters just to have a thrill! By far the look of your character in play just blows! They need to make the playable character designable the same way as THUG or Madden 04 does it. But I know that some people wont get a thrill out of this game... I also know that most will. So therefore I give this game a 5 star creation.
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Summary: Greatest RPG ever created
Review: Neverwinter Nights is by far the greatest RPG ever created. I know a lot of people say that the plot is not very deep, or that the gameplay is repetitive, what they are descibing is their opinion on the single player campaign that comes with the game. Possibly they have failed to find the toolset, where you can create your own adventures, or if not that, the Bioware website where you can download hundreds of fan submited modules. Hopefully through the website or the toolset you can find a module more suited to your tastes.
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Summary: Not very entertaining.
Review: NEVERWINTER NIGHTS is a very derivative, stale game that does not live up to the standards and expectations of Bioware Studios. It has an equal amount of pros and cons, which I will address and compare.
The Pros:
-Neverwinter contains a large amount of quests and items to use, and introduces several interesting customization options.
-Neverwinter also, rather boldly, strays from the easier to use 2nd edition Dungeons and Dragons, and becomes possibly the first ever 3rd edition RPG to hit the market.
-Neverwinter also attempts to cover a lot of ground with its skills and feats. The leveling up of characters is translated into a simplified, much more rapid system.
-Neverwinter introduces the most easy to use editor in a game so far.
The Cons:
-Neverwinter does not contain nearly enough skills or feats. Far too many have been grievously oversimplified.
-The story, especially after Baldur's Gate, is a little too lukewarm.
-NPC's* are now much less competent in your party. Since you can only have one, and you can't control them or access their inventories, my NPC felt all too static. Plus, I cannot tell you how indescribably annoying it is when you die ten thousand times, when the fight would be over in two seconds if they would just cast the right spell. Also, they don't know when a battle is coming, so they can only use their magical power-ups** in the middle of combat. It's usually too late.
-The game's editor is still too difficult to use well. There has to be a better system for using scripts***.
-The game is far too short. It did not take very long too finish the game. And I play on the harder difficulties.
Overall, the game is disappointing. It attempts to block out the all-important NPC element, and over-stresses cosmetic and pointless changes in your character and NPCs. I do not recommend this to a fan of the genre. Stick with the classics, or pick up KOTOR**** instead.
*Non Player Character: A character that you do not create, usually not a protagonist.
**A spell that helps your party by temporarily making you stronger or more able.
*** Bits of code that direct characters and events. For instance, a script tells the game to make an NPC attack you if you attack him, or makes the gargoyle come alive when you pick up the statuette.
****Knights of the Old Republic. Critically acclaimed Role-Playing game made by the same company.
P.S. Do not check the box saying that the review was unhelpful unless it actually is. Please, do not mark it just because you disagree.
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