Neverwinter Nights 2

I have noticed one interesting feature: the more interesting is the plot of the game, the less freedom of action you have. That is why the games based on storylines of famous movies or books are such linear – developers just want to avoid missing some elements of original plot. But there are some cases when even the plot specially written for the game is more important than player’s freedom for developers. Neverwinter Nights 2 is an example of that.

Neverwinter theatre

When you play NWN 2 for fifteen minutes you start to realize that you came to the theatre and watching some performance. Its actions depend on scenario so the game sometimes prevents you from controlling it and controls it itself to show us the next vignette that influences the plot. Our hero is one of the actors. As a rule he plays a role of a judge whose duty is to steer other characters onto the right path. Or the wrong path – our hero must not be a kind and law-abiding man. If the guards ask you what they have to do and you answer that they should go to drink some beer you will be classified as a chaotic. If you answer is: “prepare to die” then you have chosen the dark side of the Force. Sometimes you have to choose the lesser of two evils. And to make the best variant you are provided with answers marked with words “Bluff”, “Diplomacy”, “Intimidation” and “Lie”. Of course, all these variants are available only if you have developed some useful skills.

But the plot actually depends on scripts not on our hero’s will. Be ready: at any moment of time you may be attacked by orcs or a house behind your back may burn or a character who gave you a task may just die. Everything depends on scenario and makes a hint that we should not postpone our affairs for tomorrow because it may never come. There is no free world like it was in Gothic 3 or Oblivion. And we will be reminded about that for many times during the game.

Plot can hardly be called an original one. This is the law of fantasy: all the moves were invented by the classics, copied by their disciples and burlesqued by Bard's Tale. But NWN 2 is not boring because its plot is quite dynamic so time will go quickly while playing. Of course, if you are patient enough to listen and read enormous dialogues (some of them last for half an hour). We will know about further events from them.

The tasks are immortal like the genre itself: to kill somebody, to bring something or to reach some object. To complete a task you just have to take a look at a register, to follow hints of a prompter and to use an instruction. You cannot pass the limit of instructions because of the plot which is the most important thing in NWN 2. But sometimes you have two different ways of actions provided in register so you may even choose. For example, a robber is not made to become a city guard, he may work for a gang. But you will never meet the tasks when you may act on your consideration.

Constructor of heroes

D&D role system continued to develop during four years passed since NWN appeared. So its latest edition - D&D 3.5 – was used in NWN 2. Rules of a new role system resemble ones of the first NWN but, of course, there are some differences. For example, we have a new race called planetouched here. Its representatives are descendants of human and supernatural beings: angels and demons. The most of races are subdivided into nationalities – for example, there are Draw, Wood, Sun and Moon Elves.

A list of classes was complemented with Warlock. This is a magus who may cast unlimited amount of spells a day. Some new prestige-classes appeared: Arcane Trickster, Divine Champion, Duelist, Eldritch Knight, Frenzied Berserker, Harper Agent, Mystic Theurge, Neverwinter Nine, Sacred Fist, Shadow Thief of Amn, War Priest and Weapons Master. So now every ordinary class corresponds to prestige-class. But nothing prevents us from mixing them as multiclass characters were more vital than monoclass ones in NWN. As for admirers of such prestige classes as Arcane Archer, Harper Scout, Champion of Torm and Shifter, I must disappoint them – these classes were eliminated from NWN 2.

Besides you may choose your hero’s past now. Maybe he was always good at cock-and-bull stories telling? So he will be good at diplomacy now but he will have bad concentration as well. Each prehistory has its own advantages and disadvantages. And if you don’t like it you may not use prehistory at all.

Of course, changes of the rules are not concerned with hero creation only. For example, in NWN 2 you are able to make up your own weapons, armor and to prepare elixirs. Of course you need appropriate skills, book with recipes, ingredients required and a special table for that. And you will have to find very rare ingredients for making a really good elixir. So that’s a wonderful reason to pass the game several times.

In NWN 2 our team may consist of four characters exclusive of quest NPC that join us for some time. Each member of the team may be equipped on your consideration. Besides you may teach him, increase his level and fill your spellbook with spells. You even may control one of the members of your team. Artificial intellect will control all the others. But do not rely on it too much: there are a lot of tasks AI is unable to cope with in the game. For example, if AI sees orc-archers hiding in a roadblock it may just… lose its consciousness! So make a pause, and give reasonable orders to each character. You may also leave some of them in a tavern and use other heroes you think are more appropriate for your task. So you may try to pass the game using characters of different classes – so to say in demo-version mode.

Companions of main hero in NWN 2 have their own points of view in almost all the problems we may run across. If you endorse your fellow’s opinion your reputation will increase for him. And loyal companion may give you quite a reasonable and useful advice in future.