Neverwinter Nights 2 (pc: 2006): Reviews

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Neverwinter Nights 2


5.2

based on 46 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 229 votes
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GAMES:

Neverwinter Nights 2 is the sequel to BioWare Corp.'s best-selling and genre-defining role-playing game set in the popular Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms universe created by Wizards of the Coast. Neverwinter Nights 2 will be developed by Obsidian Entertainment, founded by Feargus Urquhart who, as the President of Black Isle Studios, was responsible for the publishing of the Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance series and the development of the Icewind Dale and Planescape: Torment franchises, both powered by BioWare Engine Technology, as well as overseeing the creation and development of the Fallout series. BioWare will provide tools, technology, and game assets from the original Neverwinter Nights as well as lend creative input and oversight to the development process. [Atari]

PUBLISHER:	Atari
DEVELOPER:	Obsidian
GENRE(S):	Role-Playing Game
PLAYERS:	4
ESRB RATING:	T (Teen)
RELEASE DATE:	October 31, 2006

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

GameDaily

This extremely enjoyable action RPG contains fabulous visuals, plenty of options, and incredible gameplay. Neverwinter Nights 2 is truly one of the most epic adventures found on a PC, and it should be purchased without hesitation.

Next Level Gaming

The replay value in this game is astronomical.

Game Over Online

The adventure is rich and detailed, the D&D freak can go positively orgasmic with statistics, and the user community is undoubtedly going to create nearly limitless modules for the less-initiated among us to explore and experience.

Just Adventure

The music and voice acting are superb. I really liked Qara’s and Neeka’s voices. The performance was with a ton of attitude and personality.

eToychest

It offers a rare, deep developer experience, a very good single player RPG campaign, the ability to play these online, and the ability to use Neverwinter Nights 2 within a dungeon master framework, creating one's own persistent campaign piece-by-piece.

PC Format

NWN2 is the sequel we've been waiting for. With the graphical and systematic changes to give bedroom RPG makers a boost, and a solid single-player campaign to play through while we wait to see what they can do, it's hard to think of anyone who could be disappointed with the contents of this box. [Dec 2006, p.102]

PC Gamer UK

It's warm, deep, intricate beyond belief, so very funny (just wait until you meet the gnome bard), and opulently involving... A marvellous RPG with stunning tools. [Dec 2006, p.68]

Worth Playing

Based simply on the pack-in module, I can't recommend Neverwinter Nights 2 enough to RPG fans and those who follow the table-top gaming systems.

Yahoo! Games

It's no "Baldur's Gate II," nor is it a "Planescape: Torment," but the way things are going it's the closest we're likely to get this century.

Games Radar (in-house)

The amazing single player installation improves on the original game in nearly every way imaginable - without breaking anything what has gone before. Even for players who have never hurled a 20-sided die in anger, Neverwinter Nights 2 is not to be missed.

AceGamez

My biggest concern is that the performance and system requirements will turn potential players - and module developers - away from the game, and it won't have the reach and long life of its predecessor.

Game Chronicles

Rich narrative, engaging gameplay, and total attention to role-playing detail.

RPG Fan

A splendid platform bundled with a highly agreeable romp through a lengthy and entertaining sample adventure. In addition, fan-made modules are already beginning to pop up, and while most are tests and exploratory attempts at present, there are a few coffee-break modules that immediately extend the life of the purchase.

Jolt Online Gaming UK

We’re just counting the weeks until the first expansion comes along.

PC Gameworld

We'll be playing this one for a long time.

GameZone

It is graphically very nice, has solid sound and has addicting gameplay. Much fun to be had here, with the entertainment factors far outweighing the few flaws the game has.

Games Master UK

Too hardcore for all but the most hardcore of D&D beardies, but a brilliant RPG. [Christmas 2006, p.70]

PC Zone UK

A near-perfect sequel. [Jan 2007, p.78]

GameSpot

Neverwinter Nights 2 isn't without some technical issues, but the engaging, dynamic story and proven Dungeons & Dragons framework make it a role-playing game that shouldn't be missed.

IGN

The ability to play through the official campaign with others online in addition to the toolset that can be used to create and play your own adventures gives Neverwinter Nights 2 a bottomless replay value.

Computer Games Online RO

The story, characters and the choices I had at my disposal made me overlook the bad AI, frustrating party micromanagement, gamebreaking bugs or the Spartan inventory system.

GamingTrend

The game that almost gets it right. Over time, and a bit more testing, I believe that the game will live up to its Bioware-powered predecessor.

Gaming Nexus

The final word when delving into the richest Dungeons & Dragons experience available on a hard drive today. The bugs will get mashed, the community will thrive, and Obsidian's reputation for challenging and meaningful narratives will live on. No self-respecting D&D fan should go this holiday season without it.

Pelit (Finland)

Starts off too slow and easy, but really picks up the pace once you gain control of your own keep. After that it keeps getting better and better in every regard. The horrid pathfinding and stubborn NPC AI are still problems, though. [Dec 2006]

ActionTrip

Obsidian obviously hasn't made any real breakthroughs, which is a bummer, really, seeing as the original brought quite a lot of fresh ideas to the RPG scene.

PC Gamer

It's less polished than the original, but it's a more epic D&D adventure. [Holiday 2006, p.90]

GamerNode

For RPG lovers, picking up NWN2 is a no-brainer. The game has the story, the characters, the action and the lore behind it to make it an enjoyable piece of work.

Digital Entertainment News

Neverwinter Nights 2 is a strong single-player adventure thoroughly enjoyable in and of itself. That it will serve as a platform for endless mod gaming only makes it that mich more appealing.

Quandary

So it isn't perfect, particularly not for players who prefer using the mouse, but Neverwinter Nights 2 is nevertheless a hugely enjoyable trip.

Just RPG

If you are looking for a radically new and innovative gaming experience, steer clear of Neverwinter Nights 2. This is very much like a second helping of Neverwinter Nights, albeit a tad longer and more complex. Which, come to think of it, ain’t such a bad thing after all.

Edge Magazine

There’s scope to build everything from a two-hour co-op dungeon crawl to a 100-hour purple-prosed epic. It’s that breadth that makes NN2 as much of an essential purchase as genre fans could ask for. [Christmas 2006, p.88]

Eurogamer

It's not the future of PC gaming, but a glorious slice of the recent past. This may be the last adventure like this you'll ever go on. And there's a certain style and grandeur to anything like that.

GameSpy

Just like its acclaimed spiritual predecessors, the game is wholly engrossing and begs to be explored. Rare is a game with such meaningful and varied character development, and the plethora of options available will guarantee that many players will want to indulge in its experience from the point of view of several different types of characters.

Game Informer

A very entertaining, classic D&D tale that will provide dozens of hours of entertainment to RPG fans, as well as some mod tools with great potential. If the online scene takes off, though, you can expect many years of outstanding gaming out of this little package.

Sydney Morning Herald

Role-playing addicts won't be disappointed by the scope of this fantasy romp but a certain level of perseverance is required if you are unfamiliar with the intricacies of D&D.

Game Revolution

With fifty hours of story, branching down different paths based on your moral choices, Neverwinter Nights 2 would have already been a hefty adventure. But with the thousands of amateur dungeon masters that can’t wait to get in on the action, this quest will truly have no end. Despite a few nagging issues, this trip to Neverwinter is a satisfying experience and a worthy sequel.

GameShark

A fun ride that is sure to please old-school RPG fans who want to play a classic party-based adventure.

Play Magazine

NNights 2 is a huge, engrossing adventure with scads of player-influenced character development and plot twists. [Dec. 2006, p.94]

VideoGamer

Like KotOR 2 before it, Neverwinter Nights 2 promises much without quite delivering its full potential. It's a shame, as it could have been the Elminster of computerised AD&D games.

Computer Games Magazine

Neverwinter Nights 2 has enough pluses and a solid enough core design to make it compulsively playable. [Jan. 2007, p.46]

games(TM)

Our worries about monotonous dungeon-crawling have proved unfounded as Obsidian has given this integral part of the game a good shake up, ploughing surprises and intrigue into every dark cave and ancient ruin. [Jan 2007, p.98]

The Onion (A.V. Club)

A great story—but maybe they should have stuck with pencils and dice.

PALGN

NWN2 doesn’t even come close to matching the high caliber that has been reached with other recent action-RPGs on the market, and is ultimately a poorly executed finish.

G4 TV

This game, unfortunately, tries too hard to play true to its D&D roots to be able to offer much appeal to casual gamers.

RewiredMind

This game may be worth playing in about a year’s time when Obsidian has finished patching this clunky monstrosity, but right now, it’s a strictly average affair.

1UP

In its current state, and for those who just want a single-player RPG, this is recommended to D&D diehards only, who are probably the only ones with enough goodwill to slog through the problems. Everyone else -- wait awhile. A great RPG is in here somewhere; it's just not ready yet.

The average user rating for this game is 5.2 (out of 10) based on 229 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Chris Q gave it a0:
This game is an insult to our community...I will never pre-order again, nor will I believe the hype from the online reviewers reviews for games from this company until "real" people that are unbiased post theirs after playing. I can't describe how disappointed I am with this game.

Hanna L gave it a6:
I almost completed this game, two years ago. I never did. Owen T, below has already said much of what I feel signifies the problems with Neverwinter Nights 2. My first problem the first time around was that after four hours of playing and eventually reaching the city from where the game draws its' name, I still didn't feel like the story had started. The story eventually picked up and even got somewhat interesting (albeit remaining terribly cliché) at times, but it was still too slow to start and at times it felt like half a dozen writers wrote a part each and then joined them together hastily. I could probably live with a bad story if the gameplay was smooth. But it isn't. The controls are sluggish or over-sensitive, depending on what actions you are trying to perform. The interface is clunky, counter-intuitive and the targetting functions in such a way that half the time I found myself throwing fireballs at my own party members only to start applying healing to the enemy. The graphics are at times great, but mostly stick to bland with a few dips into sheer ugly or out of place and often times I found myself thinking "Wow, Dungeon Siege looked better than this". All this combined with a difficulity that flails wildly from cake walk to hair tearing frustration in the span of two encounters leaves you with a game that you occasionally find yourself wanting to play more of. But most of the time, the uninspired story, the horrid interface and controls and the strange design decisions will just be too much to stomach. I give it a 6, because for all its' shortcomings, NWN 2 still delivers a solid dungeon raiding experience from time to time. Every now and then, you actually feel as if you are playing a virtual simulation of the Pen & Paper game that NWN2 draws its' rules and setting from. It never lasts long and it certainly doesn't make up for Obsidians glaring lack of polish (which holds true for all their games so far) but it saves NWN2 from being a complete disaster of a game.

Rene C gave it a6:
No too original. Not too absorbing. Horrendous camera. Clunky interface. So gameplay, which is so important in, well, a game, is badly hampered. The whole thing begins with an overused ploy, an attack that so urgently requires you to do simple and uninteresting things to resist. Done this we move to the typical ladder of monster-vanquishing. Start with Lizardmen, move on to Bandits and most likely would have gone up to Goblins and Orcs very soon. I do not know since I uninstalled the game quite early. The RPG immersion is broken constantly by "world transitions" glowing on the ground and assorted cut-scenes that many times do not quite match what has taken palce. An RPG is not ONLY a humongous dialogue tree, it is also fluidity of the action so we don't have to emerge from the, hopefully, depths of the character. Giving orders and mounting creative attacks or solutions to situations proved an exercise in futility. Too many clicks are needed constantly to herd your companions to make it fun and practical to use them fully during the encounters, and, as was my experience, resorting to other means of solution that are not combat were close to non existent. When there is a chance to speak to an enemy, talking may be a way to solve a situation, but trying to use, for example, pure stealth and a careful disposal of the enemy force from the shadows no to confront them directly, was not, as this course of action met its doom against scripted spawning of antagonists. My fellow dungeon crawlers were not too bright. Even after tinkering with their "Behaviours" the results were not too much more satisfying. Frequently I found them running to help me the longest possible way, activating all traps and getting themselves dispatched before reaching me. Or collecting other creatures on the way to arrive with a tail of pursuers. The central story may be good, I have no idea, but the side quests were unremarkable, common and unattractive. The camera is, along with the interface, one of my greatest sources of irritation. Ceilings, walls, wooden beams, pillars and other structures that in most games are usually transparent, were constantly obstructing my line of vision. With the unkindness of the interface, the whole process of a simple battle was made very difficult. Graphics are nice, sounds are merely OK, the 3-D models are not nice but varied enough. Overall it may please D&D hardcores, and maybe other RPG enthusiasts too, but I think that the game has just too many low points to make it a must of the genre as, let's say, Torment, Baldur's Gate or Fallout all are. What makes this game very promising is the inclusion of the necessary tools to create your own scenarios, for the myriad of Dungeon Masters that want to see their creations turned into a video game.

Anthony B gave it a5:
GRAPHINCS: I was expecting a lot more from this game. After playing it about a year after release it still suffers greatly from bugs and poor performance. What I mean by poor performance is that the hardware requirements are too high for the graphics you get. Sure it better than NWN1 in terms of graphics but other games out there look a heck of a lot better with less horsepower. This must be on the of worst 3D engines for a game today..buggy as hell and not optimized. AI: The AI in NWN2 is inferrior to NWN1. Too many times does the henchman get stuck or refuse to join the battle. Story: Here is where it shines. I liked it better than NWN1 and found the backgrounds of the henchman more interesting. Interface & Camera: Feels very clunky. The camera view is not as good as in NWN1. To many things can get in your way blocking important views during battles ie. trees. Dialogue: OK..this one is mixed. I like that fact that more voice acting was involved but I did find that the cut scenes-dialogue scenes intefered with tactics. You can be in stealth mode but as soon as you hit a an area that calls for dialogue scene your stealth tactics are thrown out the window, and if battle pursues after the cut scene you are at a disadvantage tactically. The only way to play is with straight on battles...using no stealth or magic tactics allowed. I found the same problems in a NWN1 mod of Darkness over Dagerford. Rules: I find that 3.5 is better than 3.0 so I have to give it a nod over NWN1. Overall: a major disappointment. It feels like KOTOR2 all over again. Taking a great game and messing it up.

Pike gave it a0:
The game started off brilliantly. And for a good 10-20 hours depending on how quickly you play it holds a very good quality. But after that bugs started to creep into the game eventually rendering the game unplayable. NWN2 has great potential but I can't see that a game deserves a rating if you can't make it to the half way point. Once Atari get their act together and realise that part of releasing a game involves making sure it works then maybe it'll be worth playing. Until then, spare yourselves the pain.

Dewa M gave it a6:
PROS: reasonable story-line, reasonable advancement system, good graphics on iMac 3Ghz, like the feature of having 4+ party members CONS: single player campaign too easy and WAY too short, still LOTS of bugs which are usually sorted out by the time the Mac version is released, many useless skills, not good value for money, no toolset in Mac version, low replay value, very limited variety of monsters/opponents, monsters don't respawn.

blak Kim gave it an8:
I bought the NWN2 Gold edition, much later than the initial release, so I probably didn't experience a majority of the bugs and flaws that may have given the game a lower score from other people. NWN2, in my opinion, is a good sequel - not great. Basically, it's NWN1 with better graphics, more spells, more classes, etc. The default controls aren't great, but can easily be tweaked to your liking; you can even make it play just like NWN1. In fact, the menu gives users a lot of control over graphical features, control, etc. Added features, like the quick spell menu, really help streamline the gameplay, and make it a much more enjoyable experience. One thing I find disappointing is that NWN2's toolset system is more difficult to use, and has slowed the creation of community mods. If you're looking for a solid RPG DnD experience, I would highly recommend NWN2.