Is Neverwinter 2 worth playing?

[Makabb]

Is Neverwinter 2 worth playing? I never could get into NWN's because of the ugly 3d graphics compared to gorgeous 2d of baldur.

 

[catfood]

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/neverwinter-nights-2-is-a-piece-of-shit.40894/

 

[Excidium II]

Is Neverwinter 2 worth playing? I never could get into NWN's because of the ugly 3d graphics compared to gorgeous 2d of baldur.

If you can stomach ugly 3D grafics and clunky combat the expansions are probably worth playing.

 

[DramaticPopcorn]

Is Neverwinter 2 worth playing?

There's some fun you can squeeze out of user-created content, cannot say the same about OC and expansions.
MotB is hugely overrated over here, because "poor man's planescape". Reality is that you will have to stomach a ton of high-level realtime NWN2 combat which is a dull experience.

SoZ could actually be moderately interesting because it actually brings some new mechanics but the engine does not support its new features well. The loading times are a pain even on SSD or RAM-disk.

 

[DeepOcean]

Is Neverwinter 2 worth playing? I never could get into NWN's because of the ugly 3d graphics compared to gorgeous 2d of baldur.

NWN 2 is good for some storyfaggotry on the ole DnD system, the OC campaign is crap and some of the worst work Obsidian ever did but the expansions are solid fun but by solid fun I mean anything not related to the combat and the technical aspects of the game that are consistently awful.

 

[Neanderthal]

OC is a game of enormous potential, much better than NWN1 campaign, but thats not sayin much. Dips an peaks o quality are all over fuckin place, you've got dull grinding an busywork then you get something thats brilliant an'll knock you on your arse like Nolaloth's Valley, then it freefalls again. Overall I get impression that OC needed a firmer hand on tiller, needed some shit cut like all companions, an central vision sticking to better because story really int half bad, you just gotta go through a lotta shit to get to it.

Still a pain in arse to control even now, but fiddle an endure enough an you'll get used to it. If you pick it up cheap enough an hav time enough gi it a whirl, don't expect brilliance but it'll pass time.

 

[Rev]

Just skip the OC and go straight to Mask of the Betrayer, which has one of the best stories and writings of the last decade. Its camera and combats are still awful but it's easier to endure them since everything else is so good. Also, the evil ending (and all the evil path) is just one of the best endings ever done in a game.
The OC has some good moments but also a lot of let-downs, the entire first Chapter is awfully boring (and goes on for a lot of time), the companions suck with just one or two exceptions (nothing great anyway) and the pacing is bad.

 

[laclongquan]

It depend. NWN2 OC has some very redeeming parts that keep you coming back to try, yet never complete.
The Crossroad Keep section. If you can manage to delay most of the developing until you can do it in one go, then you have a mini game on your hand, the rare kind that no other game can manage. If you play it piecemeal then you damn well better know hwat you doing.
Packrats. If you are one you can have chance to find loots, create items, and lots of option to store them: usual hoards, sell to CK shops and buy back at need at 0% markup...
Item creation. While the looted items are great, created items are awesome in a different way.

One thing I've been meaning to try, is that get a mod increase difficulty, then play with expanded party to get a proper 5-6 size. It would tax your graphic resource because games has to draw 5-6 figures at full details.

 

[racofer]

No ADWR for NWN2, so no.

 

[DavidBVal]

Main appeals are, the 3.5 system, and the epic, cosmic scale of the expansion, which is very good indeed. OC is overall mediocre and cliche but has some good parts. If nothing of this rings a bell for you, pass. If you're an enthusiast of 3.5 don't take other people opinions for truth and see for yourself. Chances are it will at least be worth your time.

Also, in my experience, camera was only a problem in the early versions. It works the same as in other 3D games.

 

[DavidBVal]

I really don't remember as it's been years since I played on persistent servers, but the community made an "extension" that replaces the dead authentication servers and provides a new server list, not sure if it can somehow help with your LAN problems as well:

http://neverwintervault.org/project/nwn2/other/nwn2-client-extension

In any case, it is recommended because of the ton of other fixes it provides.

 

[Theldaran]

I got it, installed it, saw the graphics and the engine at the prologue, then uninstalled it.

I can't understand how they managed to make poorer graphics than those of the first game... ah well, it's called "crappy engine".

 

[Lightsinthesky]

Controls are bad, camera is bad, party ai is a trainwreck, the combat is bad, the graphics are bad the level design is bad, it's just fucking bad from start to finish except for maybe the writing in MotB if that's your cup of tea.

 

[DavidBVal]

Well, it is a 3.5 game with a toolset that allows to do shit. All you are saying is true, and NWN1 was better done and the toolset was easier to use, but still, I had great fun RPing with friends, on servers, and playing user generated content. In the end, I spent a lot of hours in, and right now there isn't an equivalent game (that I know) that allows module creation on a decent rule system. So, some things about it were crappy, yeah, but it is the last "proper" D&D game where they still wanted to give us proper DMing and creation tools.

 

[Joni Odin von Hassenstein]

Also, it has a good amount of c&c and I like the skill system 'n shit.
I had fun playing the OC, and I'm having fun with SoZ right now. Looking forward to MotB.

 

[Scroo]

Yes, yes it is.

 

[Dux]

NWN2 OC is designed to callous your mind to make you more receptive to the struggle that is life. After a while it all turns into a pleasant haze and all the repugnant characters' buzzing in your ear will seem like an angel choir. Then you'll just sit there drooling, brain matter dripping from your nose, your eyes glazed over, Neeshka's steadfast and melodic voice bouncing off the walls inside your skull.

I'm just joking around. NWN2 OC is clearly good. It has a plethora of tolerable NPCs, an engaging non-linear story with wonderful script triggers and plot devices on a smooth engine with interesting open maps to not explore besides.

 

[PorkyThePaladin]

Why does everyone hate Neeshka? I really liked her, she was hilarious in her own annoying way.

 

[Joni Odin von Hassenstein]

I really liked her

 

[DavidBVal]

Why does everyone hate Neeshka? I really liked her, she was hilarious in her own annoying way.

While she's an OK character I guess, what stings is she's a watered-down, family-friendly, non-consequential version of Annah. i.e., sacrilege.

 

[pippin]

NWN2 oc was made to fit the tastes of Biowarian fans.
Storms of Zehir is quite fun though.

 

[Orobis]

Why does everyone hate Neeshka? I really liked her, she was hilarious in her own annoying way.

 

[iZerw]

Everyone who liked POE must like NWN2 OC.

 

[Parabalus]

Best way is to play SoZ and import into excellent MotB, you can infer most of the OC plot from SoZ without any spoilers.

Only play the OC if you are feeling 14 again.

 

[Barbarian]

Oc is not as bad as people make it out to be. If you are starving for some good old D&D you can probably stomach it and even enjoy it a little(I know I did).

Motb has been great so far(playing it through right now). Can't comment on SoZ, but I like the idea of it. I don't see anyone commenting on MoW at all, so it must be quite unremarkable or something.