Oldies but Goldies: Neverwinter Nights 2

WOW I am -such- a nerd. I could be talking about manly sports games and cool....other games or things that are -not- Dungeons and Dragons rela-

Neverwinter Nights 2 is the sequel to Neverwinter Nights, an amazing RPG that uses the Dungeons And Dragons 3.5 pen and paper system in the game. Implementing it surprisingly well, with a few tweeks and additions it manages to be one of the best depictions of a turn based pen and paper system in the gaming scene.

One of the first, if not the first, game to try to approach RPG's with a more action oriented Third Person view I believe this game set the foundations in which other better games like Dragon Age utilized to their fullest. As for Neverwinter Nights 2, its clunky camera work, confusing UI and the lack of any proper Tutorial for the systems used in the game, it is safe to say it has not stood the test of time gameplay wise.

But does that mean it is not worth your time?

NO YOU PEASANT!

Lets start with the bad. The graphics of the game are a solid 5/10. Why 5 out of 10? Because they have surprisingly stood the test of time. You can tell it is an old game, but the amazing coloring, the few details that are done perfectly as well as the amazingly varied and well crafted maps and backgrounds make the game a surprising joy to see, even at the day of super awesome 3D.

Being in the perfect slope of the uncanny valley character wise, all characters and monsters look just realistic enough to fully immerse you into the story but also not realistic enough to make the flaws in their (often) choppy animation and funny movements appealing.

With water effects as well as creature textures to be surprisingly well put together, there is no question that the game looks -good- despite its age.

What keeps the game down is the camera work. It is clear that this style of RPG was in its baby steps during the making of this game, and it shows. More often than not, the third person action camera will collide weird with terrain, get in the way and generally be a nuisance until you manage to master its quirks. In corridors and small spaces, switching to a top down view is almost a must, especially considering you have to pause and give precise directions to your party unless you want them to die horrible deaths in the hands of the undead.

Thankfully, with three camera options to choose from, you can mitigate that by switching sets every time you enter small dungeons, but still. Bad camera work, is bad camera work

And this is where the game shines. Despite all the kinks and issues it might have, the game manages to capture DnD in a way that would take -years- to duplicate. Taking what is a slow paced, turn-based combat system, and hiding it behind fluent combat gameplay, it perfectly captures the feel of DnD in a video game. With well written (if a bit cliche for the seasoned fantasy fans) characters and campaigns. Well paced and lengthy, every campaign brings a few unique mechanics into it to spice up the gameplay just enough to make things interesting, without overstaying their welcome.

With the standard DnD classes and a few of the prestige classes to choose from, the rest of the gameplay is essentially building up your character and the party, to ensure maximum effectiveness, while you cover your asses from the things you will, without a doubt, lack into.

Even with all the above however, it still allows for interesting and bold character designs should you have the time and curiosity to test things out. For example, I remember that time when I made a full ranger party in the Storms of Zehir campaign which turned out to be probably the strongest party composition in history.

Testament to how fun the gameplay really is, is the fact that I still play this game. Don't believe me? Check the photo labelled "proof" (shout out to the webcomic Order Of The Stick)

One of the underdogs of the game, the music actually turns out to be a surprise "win" for the game. With the worst tracks be simple backround noises you can just ignore, there are a few songs from the game that are actually pretty amazing. With a mix of medieval tunes, to more grand orchestral themes, the soundtrack is diverse, unique and pretty darn awesome!

To sum it up, Neverwinter Nights 2 gets a lot of shit for its awful camera, and rightfully so. It is utter shit, however, dismissing the entire game with all the amazing things it offers is a true shame, and I strongly recommend it to any fan of RPG games. Just, work on that camera and you will be rewarded