Neverwinter Nights 2 (PC, DVD-ROM)

Reviews

Reviewed by ArchArad - 2 December 2008

This game has its good and bad points. For a start let's consider the running of the game. The graphics are generally smooth and well done, but the game does have a tendency to glitch. I learned to work around the problem, so it didn't adversely effect my game. For the more fanatic among you it may prove to be more distracting and detract from the game. With regards to gameplay I was impressed by a couple of things. Firstly, the social skills (e.g. diplomacy, intimidate etc.) can actually be used in interactions with NPCs and you can therefore avoid confrontation if that suits your character. As an occasional DnD player I think it's great that you can actual play a character and not have to resort to hacking and slashing to solve all of the quests/problems. In the past it has always irked me that (for example) a True Neutral Monk was forced by dialogue options (or lack thereof) to beat the crap out of the mayor of a small town. Secondly, I thought it was a really nice touch to have your interactions with party members influence their relationships with you. In my opinion it allows for a less linear plot and more options. Lastly, I enjoyed the storyline. While still subscribing to many of the DnD clichés it also contained sufficient originality and subtlety to keep you trying to figure it out. The major drawback to this game is that I did not find it replayable. So you really only get one chance to play - meaning that there are many options and storylines that you may not get around to. I had fun playing this game and while it may not be as good as some of the classics (eg. Baldur's Gate) it is better than a lot of the modern fare.