A Roll of the Dice: Re-entering Neverwinter Nights
Throwing its hat into the ring for the “Longest Name of a Video Game” category is the latest from Aspyr, going by the not inconsiderable title of Dungeon & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition.
This is the follow up to the original Neverwinter Nights game that was released on the big black box way back in 2019. But hold the phone: this is also the Enhanced Edition of the new game, so it includes all of the DLC that was released in one large package.
The question is, can this deliver all the Dungeons & Dragons action we could ever need, or are the Baldur’s Gate games a better bet? Well, there’s only one way to find out, so I rolled for initiative and dived in.
An Overblown Narrative
Kicking things off with the story and there is the usual kind of overblown narrative on display here, something that I remember from playing Dungeons & Dragons way back when, long before all these fancy new consoles that we immerse ourselves with today. I remember when this was all fields, you know!
We start in a village that is attacked by a mysterious mage and his forces, and he seems to be looking for a mysterious artefact. Once we have beaten the attack off, and have taken in a little chat with our adoptive father, we understand that not only does he know what they were looking for, but that he also wants us to try and recover it and take it to the city of Neverwinter. Nothing like having a target nailed to your back, eh? So, we set off and of course, there is no shortage of things to see and do and fight along the way. This is the story of the main game, but then each of the expansions has its own narrative to discover.
Muddy Worlds and Hysterical Cameras
The presentation of the game should be our next port of call, and here the news is not good, sadly. Dungeon & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition looks like an Xbox 360 game, to be brutally honest, and in the age of the Xbox Series consoles, this isn’t good enough. Pop in of trees and textures as you get near, enemies suddenly appearing as you approach a seemingly empty clearing: all these and more I have witnessed almost every five minutes.
It’s not helped by the fact that the world is a muddy looking place, with short draw distances that seem to be hiding horrors in the distance. The camera is also worthy of mention, as I have never seen a game camera that is so hysterically sensitive: the slightest touch of the right stick sees you looking straight up your own nostril, and getting it to give you a decent view of the action is a real trick.
Creature Design and Companion Voices
Luckily, the design of the creatures and NPCs that we meet along the way are pretty good, ranging from beetles to Lizardfolk. The areas ripe for exploration are also a decent size, and while they are not linked into an open world, each of the areas has a few corners to poke into. Sound is also there, however it is not brilliant as far as the voice acting goes, as everyone we speak to seems really bored. That said, the incidental music is pretty good, and the way it kicks up a notch when a battle rolls into play is nice. So, the news from the presentation front is poor at best – and that means we need to pin all our hopes on the gameplay.
A Wealth of Content:
One thing that we can’t complain about is the amount of content included in this package. In addition to the main game, in Dungeon & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition we also have access to three DLC packs: Mark of the Betrayer, Storm of Zehir and Mysteries of Westgate. Each of these expansions is a good size in and of itself, with entirely different stories to explore. It means that they really add to the longevity of the title.
The Combat Conundrum
So, we’ve seen there is a lot to play through, but how does the game play out? Well, I have to be honest and say that the tutorial found in Dungeon & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition is among the dullest I’ve ever played, and also then introduces us to characters that we will never see again, which seems a bit of a waste of time. The tutorial did more than anything else to put me off playing. Pushing through, things do improve, but the way that the combat is handled, especially when you are a lower level, strikes as a little bit strange.
Combat in Dungeons & Dragons is handled by rolling dice, and the same is true here: as we attempt to (slowly) swing a sword or fire a bow, a virtual die is rolled and the result is shown at the bottom right of the screen. This is fascinating, obviously, but what it does mean is that combat turns into nothing short of standing still and pressing A repeatedly. Trying to use any of the fancier moves available, or even healing, requires us to use our hotbar: this basically freezes us in place and then allows the enemies to wail in without being able to do anything about it.
The controls are somewhat obtuse when using a controller, and I can clearly see that there is more than a smattering of PC DNA running through the game. Having 102 buttons would certainly make things a lot easier.
Morality, Minions, and Multiplayer
Other than wandering about and fighting, the other thing that can have an outcome on things in Dungeon & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition is the morality system. Taking certain actions or answering questions in a specific way can change the way that our companions can react to us. Trying to balance a party of disparate individuals can be a bit of a balancing act at times, and this does add a little spice. In addition, the cross platform multiplayer also works very well, as there seems to be a large amount of people playing online. If you can get a team of like minded friends together, as with most games, the fun is multiplied.
One For The D&D Diehards
In conclusion, Dungeon & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition is a bit of a mixed bag. The presentation and controls aren’t great, but the gameplay shines through and is strong enough to keep you pushing on. With friends, it’s an easy sell, but solo players may find things a little more tricky.
Important Links
Dungeons & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition Provides Fantasy Action on PC & Console – https://www.thexboxhub.com/dungeons-dragons-neverwinter-nights-2-enhanced-edition-provides-fantasy-action-on-pc-console/
Buy Dungeons & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/dungeons-dragons-neverwinter-nights-2-enhanced-edition/9ns7klp387h6
