Games

Best of 2009 | 08 |07 | 06 | 05
Advanced Search

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.

Neverwinter Nights

EMAIL PRINT pc

7.8 User Score:

Universal acclaim

Based on 34 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 66 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >

Game Info

Publisher: Infogrames

Developer: BioWare

Genre(s): Role-Playing Game, Online

Players: 64

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: June 18, 2002

Summary

A hideous evil has awoken in the Forgotten Realms. Now, in order to save the inhabitants of the town of Neverwinter you must uncover a sinister conspiracy, unmask your mysterious betrayer and complete an epic struggle to defeat the powerful forces that look to halt your quest and unleash an evil your people would surely never survive. [Infogrames]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Neverwinter Nights 2 Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central Game Revolution GameSpot Guide IGN Insider Guide

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Yahoo! Games

It's hard to fathom, but what it really boils down to is the fact that gamers may never really have grasped just how faithful an adaptation of the D&D ruleset we are looking at. It is totally accurate in every, single detail.

Read Full Review >

100

Computer Games Magazine

The last role-playing game you'll ever desire, and at last, the fulfillment of a genre. [Sept 2002, p.68]

100

Pregaming

RPG'ers around the world should be jumping for joy, as Neverwinter Nights is the realization of every one of those gamers' deepest dreams. Or at least mine.

Read Full Review >

100

GamePen

This is the Next Big Thing that roleplaying fans have been waiting for.

Read Full Review >

Gamer's Pulse

It is a rare thing indeed when the builders’ tools are as addictive as the game but the AT presents such a slick, clean interface and ease of use that it is hard to stay away from at least trying your hand in a little Module creation.

Read Full Review >

PC Gameworld

Where Neverwinter Nights really earns the points is in its longevity.

Read Full Review >

PC Gamer

Central to its pull is a storyline as persuasive as any I've encountered in a fantasy roleplaying game. [Sept 2002, p.60]

Armchair Empire

A brilliant and highly polished RPG masterpiece.

Read Full Review >

Electric Playground

It may be the best PC game of a good many years. I can picture other gamesmakers checking out the game, and then just surrendering...I am floored by this game.

Read Full Review >

ActionTrip

The game is addictive and considerably lengthy; a RPG fan's dream.

Read Full Review >

netjak

THIS is the future of online multiplayer, not that massive stuff. Apart from poor sounds, average included modules, and some negatives in the new rules, Neverwinter Nights is a must have for any roleplayer out there.

Read Full Review >

GameZone

Simply incredible. The plot has depth, the game play has so many options and side quests that players will be immersed in this three-dimensional world for a long, long time.

Read Full Review >

GameSpot

Simply put, once you get into Neverwinter Nights, you'll likely have no need or desire to play another role-playing game for a long time--or any other game for that matter.

Read Full Review >

GameSpy

Its single-player game will rank among the best PC RPGs of all time and is sure to earn it fame. Power, however, is something it gives, rather than gets. More than any other game, Neverwinter Nights truly gives players power.

Read Full Review >

Game Revolution

A terrific game, one of the best computer translations of D&D ever created. Though its gameplay is a bit ubiquitous, it offers more dork depth than anything else in town.

Read Full Review >

Game Over Online

It’s everything a role-playing fan could ask for. Decent graphics, a great story and endless possibilities with the Aurora toolset makes this a must buy for the hardcore RPG fan or even the casual in-between-classes RPG fan.

Read Full Review >

FiringSquad

Once you toss in the graphics, sound effects, quality core rules and the toolset, it’s easy to understand how we came up with 91.

Read Full Review >

Adrenaline Vault

A revolutionary step forward in role-playing games...Any fan of the RPG genre should not be caught dead without a copy of Neverwinter Nights on his or her PC.

Read Full Review >

Cincinnati Enquirer

Incredibly deep and gratifying.

Read Full Review >

GamePro

Offers more multiplayer options than you’ll likely ever use combined with a single-player experience that’s wonderful but somewhat typical. Still, it’s the best PC D&D game ever, bar none.

Read Full Review >

Computer Gaming World

The DM client and tools elevate Neverwinter Nights into a creative medium of expression. [Sept 2002, p.80]

AtomicGamer

If you've never played the Baldur's Gate series, Planescape: Torment, or Icewind Dale, it's a fine single player game with the possibility of some very engaging multiplayer action.

Read Full Review >

Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

Despite a few minor design issues, Neverwinter Nights is a flagship for the platfrom - a worthy successor to the BG series and a game no one should be embarrassed to hold in high regard. [Edge]

Read Full Review >

Total Video Games

If you’re going to play on your own there is enough to keep you playing for days, take it online and you have a masterpiece that could last you a lifetime.

Read Full Review >

All Game Guide

It's a pity the single-player story mode isn't a little more engaging, because it's the only thing keeping Neverwinter from getting the maximum rating.

Read Full Review >

IGN

A finely crafted, in-depth RPG with a lot of story and plenty of side quests to keep you busy for a long, long time, and it will surely satisfy those of you looking for your next fantasy fix.

Read Full Review >

GMR Magazine

If you're a D&D nerd then you already know, but buy this one for the multiplayer and user-made mods. [Feb 2003, p.94]

Game Informer

Offers a decent single-player experience, but it doesn't begin to hold a candle to the Baldur's series...Now for the Toolset. This thing is absolutely amazing, people. [August 2002, p.88]

Quandary

Neverwinter Nights isn't perfect. But I nevertheless had a great time on this journey and it's kept me well and truly entertained for the past few weeks.

Read Full Review >

G4 TV

A lot of game even if most of it is just potential.

Read Full Review >

Four Fat Chicks

There is not much to say. Neverwinter Nights is fun, a lot of fun. It is also bland. Despite its figurative colorlessness, it has an addictive quality to it.

Read Full Review >

eToychest

Another facet of this title that makes it something of a catalyst for online euphoria is the ability to create your own modules through which you can play by yourself, as well as others.

Read Full Review >

My Gamer

So if you can look past Neverwinter Nights’ monotonous single-player campaign to its much more stimulating multiplayer mode, it is a worthy buy for any fan of D&D.

Read Full Review >

Eurogamer

The single player campaign is, if anything, too long, and focuses more on continuous combat than actual role-playing. The lack of any support for parties in the single player mode is also disappointing, and makes the game far less involving than it should be.

Read Full Review >

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.8 (out of 10) based on 66 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Sean B. gave it a10:
Incredible game. The campaign is good but the online capabilities are endless. Possibly my favorite game of all time.

Elias O. gave it a4:
Sadly, the singleplayer is lacking quality, but the multiplayer makes up for it, however most RPG fans are looking for a good singleplayer story... Which NWN did not provide!

Lidia M. gave it a7:
The best, the online gameplay. The rest, a boring D&D story looooong, and boring.

DemonicAngel gave it a4:
The graphics, even for the time of release, are fairly poor. Sound is good enough but nothing to write home about. The musical score, such as I've heard, is pretty appropriate, and the voice acting is at least adequate. The real sticking point here, though, is the utter tedium of the gameplay. Against more than one enemy, even early on in the game, your chances of survival are very slim because of the "sort of turn-based" nature of the combat. The D&D rules may be appropriate for tabletop gaming, but here they are simply limiting to the game's flow. I mean, come on - this is a computer game, and thus the only reason to use such antiquated devices as dice rolls is verisimilitude, which is a bad thing in this case. This is the problem with most of the (admittedly few) RPGs I've played, that they rely too heavily on rules. IMO, computer role playing shouldn't be about counter-intuitive statistics and linear quest lines - it should be about the freedom to do whatever you desire, creating your character through your interaction with the world around you. That's role playing. Whereas Neverwinter Nights is more akin to work, and therefore I won't be playing it again, nor will I ever go near a D&D-based computer RPG again.

Thesith gave it a10:
With power to make huge dungeons,towering citys, and even a area where master chief gives you plasma grenades this is a truley good game prefect for dungeons and dragons addicters like myself.Most of you say this lacks party abilty while even though you can have servers with over 60 people in it.You can make your own items, dungeons, storys, chacters,and even a easy way to cheat by giving yourself custom items. At only 20$ for the game and 3 more with it its a good game worth it.

Jason P. gave it a10:
An excellent game that I just keep coming back to again and again. It's hard to believe that it's really over 4 years old. The official and community content just keeps getting better and better. I'm currently playing the best community module I've ever played.

Brian J. gave it a6:
The only redeeming quality of this game is the toolset. The toolset has allowed people to make worthwhile single player adventures and wonderful multiplayer D&D experiences. The single player games that come with Neverwinter Nights Diamond, however, are pure tedium. This is NOT a true sequel to the Baldur's Gate series. The stories in these games are 100% linear, character interaction just doesn't matter. You cannot have a party of characters, only yourself and one henchmen, whom you do not control and has no significance whatsoever on the plot of the game. Unlike most RPGs, which attempt to weave stories involving as many characters as possible, each game that comes in NWN is just one simple plot, drawn out with as many repetetive action sequences as possible. Technically, there is an awful lot of role playing, as you repeatedly cast spells and use special abilities. Lots of role playing, but almost no game. The game does not require strategy, as any literate person can read what spells and abilities are more powerful than another and choose them. The game has puzzles, but they are completely obvious and will always require a bunch of boring combat - just like everything in the game. This game would have been infinitely better given the character interaction, full party control, and interesting plotline of Baldur's Gate II. Those were all the best parts of BG2, yet Bioware left them out. Buy only if seeking to play multiplayer (where people have taken the time to create interesting worlds where you can interact with other people, filling all the voids left in the singleplayer NWN).

Games

Sony

Microsoft

Nintendo

Other Platforms

Upcoming &Recent Releases

Neverwinter Nights

Game Info

Summary

Also On Metacritic

What The Critics Said

What Our Users Said

Upcoming &
Recent Releases