Neverwinter Nights 2

 PC
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 674 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 354 out of 674
  2. Mixed: 151 out of 674
  3. Negative: 169 out of 674
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  1. OwenT.
    Dec 2, 2007
    7
    At the start of this review of NWN 2 I like to quote the words of Feargus Urquhart, the CEO of OBSIDIAN from the manual that comes with the game. - "What we really wanted to do is bringing the playing and crafting of D&D adventures to the computer." - "keep the sequel as true to the original product as possible" These statements reveal the aims of the game at the moment of release: it was At the start of this review of NWN 2 I like to quote the words of Feargus Urquhart, the CEO of OBSIDIAN from the manual that comes with the game. - "What we really wanted to do is bringing the playing and crafting of D&D adventures to the computer." - "keep the sequel as true to the original product as possible" These statements reveal the aims of the game at the moment of release: it was to differ little from NWN 1 and specifically to make a game and toolset in one like NWN 1 was. It is therefore not surprising that there have been no groundbreaking changes. The same levelling system, same classes, races, skills, abilities, spells and feats are implemented. Except for the introduction of a new base class, the warlock, nothing has been altered so drastic as to attract attention. A few changes have been implemented. The first two stem from criticism against NWN 1: the rather uninspired plot and the fact that it was a single character game. So these points have been addressed by creating a better story line and adding a party game system. The third change is maybe the only real new thing: a more elaborate system to create your own items and potions. Many problems make the game rather wearisome. Wearisome because the action is interrupted continuously. Battles are generally followed by resting because you need regenerate spent spells and lost health that way, since both won't regenerate themselves. Irksome is that by slavishly sticking to the restricted AD&D rule set little interesting is brought into the game. You find that some classes are repeating their actions again and again and again. Notably the fighter class offers little variance. But even when a change of tactic might be possible this is hampered by the way OBSIDIAN has implemented it. The thief class offers sneaking which could be used in other games to scout ahead, but this advantage is nullified because in NWN 2 the thief can't act on his own. What is even more tiresome is that the already small area's are filled with roundabout routes and blocked area… Expand
  2. SeanB.
    Dec 30, 2007
    7
    An alright game. Nothing spectacular about it that saves it from its flaws. The interface or really the entire game as a whole seems unpolished and clunky, with things such as your character taking half a second to move after you tell him to detracting from the experience. Spell effects are weak and clearly quickly thrown together. Multiplayer, the original NWN's strongest point, was An alright game. Nothing spectacular about it that saves it from its flaws. The interface or really the entire game as a whole seems unpolished and clunky, with things such as your character taking half a second to move after you tell him to detracting from the experience. Spell effects are weak and clearly quickly thrown together. Multiplayer, the original NWN's strongest point, was not focused on in NWN 2 which is a real shame. Overall, not a bad game, but I was expecting so much more from the sequel to what is possibly my favorite game of all time.… Expand
  3. BobD
    Apr 17, 2008
    7
    To begin with I love crpg's. Baldurs Gate, BG2, Fallout 1+2, PS:T, M&M series, Arcanum, even the Diablo series with mods. The problem with crpgs today is the most important part, the story, is the part that gets the least attention. Big shiny graphics, "life-like" AI, giant worlds; all secondary elements in an RPG to the story. RPG: Role Playing Game, if the role your playing is a To begin with I love crpg's. Baldurs Gate, BG2, Fallout 1+2, PS:T, M&M series, Arcanum, even the Diablo series with mods. The problem with crpgs today is the most important part, the story, is the part that gets the least attention. Big shiny graphics, "life-like" AI, giant worlds; all secondary elements in an RPG to the story. RPG: Role Playing Game, if the role your playing is a courier you have a tedious game. If the role your playing involves exploring many simple areas populated with simple enemies, you have a tedious game. Act 1 of the NWN2 OC was genuinely painful for me; excruiatingly boring "find orc leader, fight through peon guards and kill him" type quests, set in "plod forward through the sea of boring underlings to reach the boss" style dungeons. Act 2 improves somewhat; the keep is genuinely interesting but doesn't feel like a fully implemented feature. If you could merely join your men on special missions, patrol the roads, guard the farms, some way of making the keep feel "real" rather than just an object you throw money at it would be vastly more entertaining. I haven't even finished the game so can't speak for Act3 and am not sure I ever will. I am patched to 1.12 and bugs still exist with alarming frequency in the game, many show stoppers such as, corrupt save games, crash to desktops and missing party memmbers. The AI is literally garbage; your companions will randomly stop obeying commands, attack each other for no apparent reason, cast aoe's when companions are in the area of effect, etc. The real reason I bought NWN1+2 is the Toolset and the modules resulting from the toolset. The quality of the modules is in direct correlation with the quality of the Toolset; the mods I've played have been vastly superior to the OC; VASTLY SUPERIOR! Almost surreally, my toolset will not work and surfing the forums many users, especially vista 64x are experiencing this with the latest patch. I'm sure it will be fixed, but it certaintly is a WTF moment when you pay for something and integral parts do not work at all. The reason NWN2 gets a 7 is the promise of true greatness hiding deep within the engine; the graphics will be tolerable/good for many, many years. I just hope all the bugs will be ironed out before the modding community gives up on the game. Rating the OC by itself I'd give a 2.5/3, rating the "polish" of the game I'd give a .5, the plethora of bugs present after more than 1 year is unacceptable, especially one preventing the toolset from running at all.… Expand
  4. Vamrem
    Dec 9, 2014
    5
    I don't know how to rate this game, I really I liked its campaign but at the same time it is what killed it. Obsidian clearly ignored the purpose of this system, leaving the online mode careless by doing whatever they wanted... the same happened to Dungeon Siege 3 and Fallout New Vegas, I only want to say them: do your own game but stop destroying sagas! It seems they thought the same whenI don't know how to rate this game, I really I liked its campaign but at the same time it is what killed it. Obsidian clearly ignored the purpose of this system, leaving the online mode careless by doing whatever they wanted... the same happened to Dungeon Siege 3 and Fallout New Vegas, I only want to say them: do your own game but stop destroying sagas! It seems they thought the same when they've planned Pillars of Eternity, an interesting project 100% Obsidian and I hope the best to this game to keep them far from other sagas!
    The other cause of the fall of this saga would be the MMO system but never will be the same: in NWN you are a hero known by the rest of the server by your feats and your story, while in a MMO you are a number, with lucky you would be known by your guild but never among other players or enemies. NWN is a more close experience, with real DM supervision and a history to share with your community.
    I thank all the gods that the recent MMO was called simply "Neverwinter" without a "3" (Did you see Obsidian?), leaving a different game outside the NWN series, so we can still hoping that someday we will see a NWN3...    … Expand
  5. roboticsun
    Oct 8, 2011
    7
    Neverwinter Nights 2 is actually superior than the first neverwinter nights in game design. It has a functional party system, some good companion characters, an interesting story line and lots of choices and consequences. However, this game's user interface is just terrible. there are three modes for camera angles which may drive people crazy because you have to press a button to change itNeverwinter Nights 2 is actually superior than the first neverwinter nights in game design. It has a functional party system, some good companion characters, an interesting story line and lots of choices and consequences. However, this game's user interface is just terrible. there are three modes for camera angles which may drive people crazy because you have to press a button to change it not like in first neverwinter nights, just need to scroll up/down the middle mouse button. Also this game still has performance issue even with current patch. All I have to say, this game has potential but is not nearly as well-done as the original Neverwinter Nights. so I give it 7 out of 10.… Expand
  6. Lamps
    Jul 24, 2014
    7
    Overall, this game is not as good as its original, and the gameplay style is annoying to get used to. The whole idea of the different modes is stupid, but if you take some time to get used to the game you can determine a gameplay style that works for you.

    Cinematics are bad.
  7. Ordish
    May 2, 2012
    6
    After playing NWN1 for years and loving every minute, I really wanted to like NWN2. The game is true to the rules of DnD so that portion of the games is the saving grace. Where NWN2 fails and fails hard is in the terrible camera controls.
  8. HannaL
    Mar 31, 2009
    6
    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 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.… Expand
  9. DewaM
    Jun 11, 2008
    6
    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 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.… Expand
  10. Petrik87
    Aug 25, 2018
    7
    Id give this game 8.5 if It werent for so many bugs.
    It is a shame for such great game to be so bugged and to have so horribly made camera.
  11. Mizuiro
    Apr 25, 2019
    6
    A big disappointment. Not even close to the great NWN1. Neverwinter was great for his community and online worlds BECAUSE THE TOOLSET WAS OPTIMIZED AND EASY TO USE, in nwn2 this failed so all the online part of the game failed and it never became a real successor of nwn1.
  12. JessicaY.
    Dec 18, 2006
    5
    The game was well written, the story is pretty good, and the interactions between NPC's had me laughing on many occations. However, the game play makes me regret the week of my life I wasted playing this game. The maps and quests are non-intuitive, the camera angles are awful, the characters are hard to control, the big fights are WAY TOO LONG, and you will bang your head against a The game was well written, the story is pretty good, and the interactions between NPC's had me laughing on many occations. However, the game play makes me regret the week of my life I wasted playing this game. The maps and quests are non-intuitive, the camera angles are awful, the characters are hard to control, the big fights are WAY TOO LONG, and you will bang your head against a wall when you hit the endgame. I literally spent hours trying to beat the last boss... i even resorted to cheating and couldn't do it. Hell, walkthroughs didn't help. I can't even finish the game and many a bug had me reloading to saves the happened hours before. I would only recommend this game if you have nothing better to do and no other games you want to play.… Expand
  13. Shaitan87
    Oct 14, 2013
    6
    I bought this game recently as I was in the mood for an RPG. The main game at least just isn't very good. The story is extremely linear, and in my view not designed very well, as you spend 15 hours doing quests one after another before you get much of an idea about what is happening in the plot. I also feel that combat isn't well designed, playing on hard I can win 90% of battles byI bought this game recently as I was in the mood for an RPG. The main game at least just isn't very good. The story is extremely linear, and in my view not designed very well, as you spend 15 hours doing quests one after another before you get much of an idea about what is happening in the plot. I also feel that combat isn't well designed, playing on hard I can win 90% of battles by clicking once and getting up off my computer. It's made worse by the fact there is a ton of combat, none of it very interesting as you seemingly face the exact same enemies again and again.… Expand
  14. Underscore
    Mar 15, 2011
    6
    Anybody here a fan of AD&D? This game will not disapoint. It's wonderful, full of pretty memorable lines, decent characters, and 8/10 voice acting (Ran out of adjectives). While not as in-depth combat-wise as any D&D Tabletop game, it's definitely got that 'Mountain Dew and Doritos' feel to it. Never checked out online play, and only have over 30-50 hours in the game total, but I'm sureAnybody here a fan of AD&D? This game will not disapoint. It's wonderful, full of pretty memorable lines, decent characters, and 8/10 voice acting (Ran out of adjectives). While not as in-depth combat-wise as any D&D Tabletop game, it's definitely got that 'Mountain Dew and Doritos' feel to it. Never checked out online play, and only have over 30-50 hours in the game total, but I'm sure nothing is ruined.
    Plus, toolset's out!    … Expand
  15. grstcl
    Oct 28, 2012
    6
    I got about 2/3 of the way through before I ran into a bug that forced me to quit. Most of the bugs aren't too bad, but eventually you get to one that kills the game. But the real problem is the stunningly bad characterization and voice acting. I got so very tired of Khelgar, Neeshka, Qara, Grobnar, and the others that I stopped caring about the plot or the deep choices available to me.
  16. Eddyward
    Mar 11, 2011
    5
    Rubbish in comparison to NWN. I'm very disappointed that Bioware gave up the rights to this game, and Obsidian did a poor job of the sequel.
    Multiplayer is also pretty bad. Both single- and multiplayer are buggy as hell and got quite boring quite quickly.
  17. Ghost67
    May 26, 2013
    6
    Nwn 2 is best described as something like a really good looking piece of dessert that smells great and looks great, but when you take a bite, actually tastes rather bland. Nwn2 is one of those games that has so much potential but comes up short in nearly all areas, and is a real shame.

    Clearly, the developers did not finish this game. Even with all final patches installed, there are    Nwn 2 is best described as something like a really good looking piece of dessert that smells great and looks great, but when you take a bite, actually tastes rather bland. Nwn2 is one of those games that has so much potential but comes up short in nearly all areas, and is a real shame.

    Clearly, the developers did not finish this game. Even with all final patches installed, there are still obvious bugs to be found in the OC. The gameplay is decent, but its ruined by how choppy it gets. As other people noted, the difficulty varies wildly throughout the game, sometimes you will have cakewalk battles, and then enter another area and things become very difficult. The "rest" feature is terrible, as you will be resting/fighting/resting. Early in the game this isnt so bad, but it gets very annoying later on in the game, as every time you rest you have to rebuff. Rebuffing takes lots of time and gets very, very annoying. NWN2 certainly has a great selection of character classes and prestige classes for you to get your fingers on.

    The plot starts extremely slowly, and only picks up until you hit Act 2. Yes, its sort of cliche, but its not that bad. My biggest complaint with the story is that, once again, you feel as if the game hasnt really "started" yet until you are almost done with the first act. I think part of the reasons why, is because of the poor character development. Compared to other Bioware games, your companions are not nearly as deep as others in more modern games (or perhaps I've just been spoiled?) Character dialogue is short, sometimes funny, but short nonetheless. Romance is meager, and only picks up into Act 2 or even Act 3.

    Graphics are pretty good for a 2006 game. Its such a shame that the editor just insists on you having the absolute ugliest character you could ever make.

    The problem with NWN2 is that its an almost great game. Sometimes, you feel as if you are indeed playing a classic cRPG, but then you are painfully reminded that NWN2 has some serious flaws. The choppy gameplay of the "rest" feature, and the sometimes-fun battles, makes me want to bang my head against the wall. Its a game that has a great swing, but doesnt follow through. I really wanted to like this game, as it definitely has the RPG charm to it, but its plagued by bad design decisions and rushed development.

    NWN2 does have a fantastic toolset for others to make their own campaigns.

    6/10    … Expand
  18. lutteres
    Jul 17, 2014
    6
    Nw2, the sequel to the critical acclaim NW1 from Bioware, is a RPG developed by Obsidian, the same studio that brought us KOTOR 2, Alpha Protocol, Fallout New Vegas, Dungeon Siege III and South Park the Stick of Truth. So the question is: Is it better than the first one?
    And my answer is: It depends.
    In terms of story, character development, and interesting NPCs to interact with, NW2 is    Nw2, the sequel to the critical acclaim NW1 from Bioware, is a RPG developed by Obsidian, the same studio that brought us KOTOR 2, Alpha Protocol, Fallout New Vegas, Dungeon Siege III and South Park the Stick of Truth. So the question is: Is it better than the first one?
    And my answer is: It depends.
    In terms of story, character development, and interesting NPCs to interact with, NW2 is by far the superior game.
    Although, when it comes to the technical aspect, like performance, stability and gameplay NW1 is the winner.
    So in the end, it comes up to what it’s more important to you in a video game.
    Are you willing to excuse game breaking bugs, fps issues, etc, to experience a good story?
    Because that is what it takes to play the main campaign of NW2 (Note: I’m note reviewing the expansions here).
    If the answer is yes, than Nw2 is an 8/10 game easy.
    Although, if you are like me and are unwilling to excuse game breaking bugs that prevent you from progressing without terminal hacks, constant crashes and frame rate issues, I would skip this one.
    UNLESS…. you buy the game with the Mask of the Betrayer Expansion (Note: the other expansions suck, though).    … Expand
  19. Jeb077
    Mar 26, 2016
    6
    One of the most anticipated games ever for me, unfortunately turned out to be a huge disappointment. The original was no standalone masterpiece either but at least was polished with little to no game breaking bugs. NWN2 had serious bugs that lingered for months, some unfixed to this day. Camera was annoying and despite patches still doesn't work quite like the original. While graphics,One of the most anticipated games ever for me, unfortunately turned out to be a huge disappointment. The original was no standalone masterpiece either but at least was polished with little to no game breaking bugs. NWN2 had serious bugs that lingered for months, some unfixed to this day. Camera was annoying and despite patches still doesn't work quite like the original. While graphics, lighting, and textures got an upgrade. Faces, sound, voice acting, and animations did not. And don't get me started on the toolset.

    Performance crawled on the best machines at the time, highly CPU dependent. Somewhere buried was a decent, but linear, RPG. The community abandoned this game pretty quickly. Diehards stuck around for over a year hoping for bug fixes and toolset support, only to learn Obsidian is no Bioware.

    On todays machines the game is playable at least, and a single RPG player fan might want to check it out if they have exhausted better choices. Of course the true value of picking up NWN2 lies in gaining access to the excellent expansion, Mask of the Betrayer. As good as MOB was, it still can't quite fix the disappointment that NWN2 was.    … Expand
  20. Bossk-Office
    Mar 28, 2012
    7
    This is a pretty good game, if not quite as good as its predecessor, but it really was too buggy for me to give it a really high score. Finishing the game was as difficult in terms of simply getting it to run and finding workarounds for all the bugs as in terms of actual gameplay. I did it -- but it's clearly not for everyone.
  21. rotku
    Mar 3, 2012
    6
    I only started playing this game recently and it hasn't aged well. I wasn't expecting another Dragons Age or Elder Scrolls but in terms of graphics, game play, plot and character development I was a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong, the storyline is well written and the ability to create and edit within the game is excellent but there are more modern games which have surpassed this one.
  22. ChrisJ.
    Jan 8, 2007
    6
    Graphics and effects are pretty good, maybe a 9. D&D based gameplay gives it a 9 in my book. But the storyline is slow to start and pretty bland and predictable, probably a 7. Unfortunately, these make the game sound good, but I come away with it feeling very dissatisfied. The gameplay is extremely linear. Sure, you can change you class & equipment, but you can't "choose your own Graphics and effects are pretty good, maybe a 9. D&D based gameplay gives it a 9 in my book. But the storyline is slow to start and pretty bland and predictable, probably a 7. Unfortunately, these make the game sound good, but I come away with it feeling very dissatisfied. The gameplay is extremely linear. Sure, you can change you class & equipment, but you can't "choose your own adventure", so to speak. Everything is layed out for you from the start to the point where you really have no options available to you. You get tons of equipment, but have to sell 99% of it and choose only the ones that fit your profile. These sorts of things make the game fall short on any sort of replaybility or ability to capture your attention for more than a passing fancy.… Expand
  23. BiggerNerd
    Jul 21, 2007
    5
    As a hardcore DND and DND video game fan, I was very excited to buy this game. I LOVED the first NWN, and played the hell out of it. Yet it was a big disappointment. Sure, the graphis are nice, and there are lots of options, but the game runs like crap (and my comp is quite up to specs), buggy buggy buggy, and the story was so trite. After about a week I got bored with it and went back to As a hardcore DND and DND video game fan, I was very excited to buy this game. I LOVED the first NWN, and played the hell out of it. Yet it was a big disappointment. Sure, the graphis are nice, and there are lots of options, but the game runs like crap (and my comp is quite up to specs), buggy buggy buggy, and the story was so trite. After about a week I got bored with it and went back to playing BG2 again.… Expand
  24. AnthonyB
    Jul 29, 2008
    5
    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 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.… Expand
  25. JamesK.
    Nov 4, 2009
    6
    Anyone who's played NWN will be disappointed, but that doesn't mean it's a bad game objectively. The camera ruined the entire game for me, you can't do anything without the camera screwing you over.
  26. Nate
    Dec 13, 2006
    5
    Good game horrible execution. NWN 1 controls were a little boggy...but NWN2 is far far worse. Over detailed ui with intrusive unneeded borders. K.I.S.S was avoided. And yes it will tear your machine apart. Runs worse than Oblivion at unlimited view distance with modded 4x res textures. And looks worse than Oblivion on the worst settings. Uses a model 'style' similar to Good game horrible execution. NWN 1 controls were a little boggy...but NWN2 is far far worse. Over detailed ui with intrusive unneeded borders. K.I.S.S was avoided. And yes it will tear your machine apart. Runs worse than Oblivion at unlimited view distance with modded 4x res textures. And looks worse than Oblivion on the worst settings. Uses a model 'style' similar to EQ2's clunky ' realistic' models.… Expand
  27. ReneC
    Dec 27, 2008
    6
    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 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.… Expand
  28. khemeher
    Mar 7, 2012
    7
    I'm writing this review in 2012, so this review is more of a retrospective than a new product review. For that reason, I'll keep it short & down to a few key points. To put it simply, NWN2 is both a huge success & a dreadful failure all the same time. That may sound a bit strange, but in order to appreciate this game, you really have to appreciate what the developers were trying toI'm writing this review in 2012, so this review is more of a retrospective than a new product review. For that reason, I'll keep it short & down to a few key points. To put it simply, NWN2 is both a huge success & a dreadful failure all the same time. That may sound a bit strange, but in order to appreciate this game, you really have to appreciate what the developers were trying to accomplish. They were trying to 1) create a true D&D simulation, that captured the table-top RPG experience, and 2) allowed players to appreciate the game alone or in groups; that had 3) a structure both complex enough to contain the diversity of rules for D&D; and 4) was still simple enough in design for players to write their own modules and create their own content at home. If you look at that list, then they succeeded beautifully in that regard.

    Where the game falls down is where the rubber hits the road, so to speak. On paper this game looks great, but when you actually try to play it is where you find all the shortcomings. The character models are ugly. All the models for clothing & armor are likewise uninspired, dully, and ugly. The controls for the game are clunky, poorly considered, and often create a situation where there is literally no good way to both control your character properly & see what's going on. Many times you feel like your characters are playing inside a very tiny dollhouse, and you can't quite see what they're doing. Added to that are the glitches & errors that pop. Some of which are simply annoying, while others will cause a total failure of the game & force you to reroll & restart. All I can advise you there is to save often, so you can back up if you have a crash or a memory file gets corrupted. Inventory management is a real chore. Crafting is needlessly involved & slow.

    So when you judge this game as a D&D simulator it's fantastic. When you judge it as a video game, against such series as Dragon Age or The Elder Scrolls, you find that it falls short of the mark. If you're a hardcore D&D player, and can't get your group together enough to satisfy your needs, then this is just the thing for you. If you just want a video game to bash swords into bad guys for a few hours, then you should turn your attention to other, greener pastures.    … Expand
  29. Mat
    Nov 12, 2006
    5
    Needs a lot of work done yet. Would advise not buying this for awhile. "Party AL" is remarkably awful and fairly essential options are missing to manage those party members. Camera is clumsy and giving orders oddly awkward. Overall there's the promise of a good game there but it is very frustrating at the moment (played with patch 1.2)
  30. AWT.
    Nov 12, 2006
    5
    Incomprehensibly terrible game. It is not worth repeating for the twelfth time exactly why. Go read the forum posts and please don't wast your money on this game. By it on ebay for $4.00 and it might be worth that.
  31. AnonymousMC
    Nov 27, 2006
    7
    The game is better then NWN1..marginally better. I'm a big fan of NWN1 and I also like this game but I truly feel they could have pushed this game further in all aspects then it did. There's no climbing, no swimming. Character customization is disappointing. The PC head and hairstyle variety and quality is pitiful especially. The inventory needs work. Why they decided to revampThe game is better then NWN1..marginally better. I'm a big fan of NWN1 and I also like this game but I truly feel they could have pushed this game further in all aspects then it did. There's no climbing, no swimming. Character customization is disappointing. The PC head and hairstyle variety and quality is pitiful especially. The inventory needs work. Why they decided to revamp the interface to make it like WoW is beyond me...the original NWN1 interface was the best. Why reinvent the wheel? They should have just left that intact with a few improvements. I guess they wanted to attract the WoW people over. The campaign itself was enjoyable and a huge imporvement over NWN1's however you can tell things were left unfinished and it was rushed at the end. The end cutscene was so bad with poor quality slides and lame voice over it leaves a sour taste in your mouth. It's sad because the rest of the campaign is otherwise fun.
    The toolset is much more powerful then the original which is awesome however the interface leaves something to be desired. It is very initutive at the moment and needs plenty of tweaking.
    Overall, at the moment, the game feels like its still in a beta state. If you're planning on buying it please wait at least another month.    … Expand
  32. DominickM.
    Nov 5, 2006
    7
    A lot of the people giving this game negative reviews are comparing it to NWN and somehow trying to say that was a better gaming experience. As a veteran of D&D RPGs, I can tell you that NWN 1 was by far one of the worst entries in the franchise, and a huge step down from BG and BG 2. If you liked NWN 1, then I am not surprised that you do not like this game, but in the same token, A lot of the people giving this game negative reviews are comparing it to NWN and somehow trying to say that was a better gaming experience. As a veteran of D&D RPGs, I can tell you that NWN 1 was by far one of the worst entries in the franchise, and a huge step down from BG and BG 2. If you liked NWN 1, then I am not surprised that you do not like this game, but in the same token, perhaps Diablo 2 or its kin would be a better fit. NWN2 restores to the D&D franchise depth of character, full parties, and story. By no means is this game perfect, but it is by far a step in the right direction, where as NWN 1 was three steps back from BG 2. The biggest complaint on this game is the system requirements. I am running an Athlon X2 4200, 2 GB DDR, and 2 x GeForce 7800 SLI, and I run the game at medium settings at a 1280x960 resolution to get adequate game play. I shudder to think what is required for the HIGH end settings (including enabling shadows and water affects, both of which I had to take off). All in all, it is a good game and a rewarding experience to any D&D veteran. It is not the open ended world of oblivion, but so what, Oblivion held my interest for 3 days - this will hold my interest for 3 years.… Expand
  33. BlakeT.
    Nov 5, 2006
    6
    Disappointing to a NW fan. Perhaps my expectations were way too high. The title plays like it was rushed. They use the same music that was in NW1. The graphics are very poor compared to other games being released right now. I spend more time trying to control the camera than I do actually playing my character. I'm truly confused as to the high system requirements? Poor graphics, few Disappointing to a NW fan. Perhaps my expectations were way too high. The title plays like it was rushed. They use the same music that was in NW1. The graphics are very poor compared to other games being released right now. I spend more time trying to control the camera than I do actually playing my character. I'm truly confused as to the high system requirements? Poor graphics, few graphical choices for characters? Weird. Also, characters in your party seem to lose their way. They get stuck easily behind objects and you have to go back and find them to set them free. Craziness!… Expand
  34. GF.
    Nov 5, 2006
    5
    Not a worthy successor to NWN. Not ready for prime time. What the mag critics above are smoking, I've no idea. Environments, map design, interface, camera controls, and game mechanics are all poor, all unacceptable for this title. Sometimes the environment graphics are so bad, it's mind-boggling: think Knight Online quality, same low-res textures on boxy models of building faces Not a worthy successor to NWN. Not ready for prime time. What the mag critics above are smoking, I've no idea. Environments, map design, interface, camera controls, and game mechanics are all poor, all unacceptable for this title. Sometimes the environment graphics are so bad, it's mind-boggling: think Knight Online quality, same low-res textures on boxy models of building faces that are facades and have nothing inside them. Any review that gives this game a 90-100 simply hasn't played it.… Expand
  35. Itemforty
    Nov 6, 2006
    5
    - The multiplayer system for the default game demands that all players listen to every conversation that advances the plot. This forces all players to freeze completely while the story is being told, even if you are simply selling something to a merchant or changing in game settings. Any spell or ability that needs to be charged, including rest, will be cancelled. - Also in multiplayer, - The multiplayer system for the default game demands that all players listen to every conversation that advances the plot. This forces all players to freeze completely while the story is being told, even if you are simply selling something to a merchant or changing in game settings. Any spell or ability that needs to be charged, including rest, will be cancelled. - Also in multiplayer, if a player walks into a building, all characters load and enter that building. - Some voices and music are taken exactly from NWN1… Expand
  36. MassimoCusi
    Nov 12, 2006
    5
    A sheer number of bugs and flaws sums up to poorly rendered graphics. While the system requirements are high, the quality of the graphics is appalling compared to what is on the market today. The GUI is cumbersome and feels rather out of date for 2006. The original campaign suffers from strict linearity and lacks the aspects of exploration and freedom that generally define role playing.A sheer number of bugs and flaws sums up to poorly rendered graphics. While the system requirements are high, the quality of the graphics is appalling compared to what is on the market today. The GUI is cumbersome and feels rather out of date for 2006. The original campaign suffers from strict linearity and lacks the aspects of exploration and freedom that generally define role playing.
    A big disappointment, considering the prequel.    … Expand
  37. MartinC.
    Nov 13, 2006
    5
    This is a rushed grab for the Xmas buck. You'll need a very good system to get anywhere near the screen shot graphics. Sound is basically NWN1. Bugs - more like a termite nest. Give it a few months (maybe 6) for the monster issues to get patched and to see how the the player base reacts. Wait and see!
  38. SeanF.
    Nov 15, 2006
    5
    Pros: The OC story is not bad. Better than many lately, and some of the NPC party members are interesting. They did do away with a few nerfed feats like discipline. Cons: OC is very linear. Your basically forced to do what the story script tells you. Performance is substandard unless you have a very high end machine and/ or were very lucky. The HUD and in-game controls are Pros: The OC story is not bad. Better than many lately, and some of the NPC party members are interesting. They did do away with a few nerfed feats like discipline. Cons: OC is very linear. Your basically forced to do what the story script tells you. Performance is substandard unless you have a very high end machine and/ or were very lucky. The HUD and in-game controls are counterintuitive and hopeless unless you like hitting pause every few seconds. The camera particularly so.The graphics are muddy and following action is difficult especially with the clunky controls. Frankly the graphics look like they were lifted wholesale from KOTOR-2 along with the game engine. Multiplayer is almost totally unsupported except for some insinceere lip service from the developers that "Were looking into it." Im no big fan of consparicy theories, but the fact that they refused to release a demo, AND shipped NWN2 with a CD of DnD online tells me that they knew they had a stinker on their hands.… Expand
  39. AnonymousMC
    Nov 28, 2006
    5
    Whilst probably not as bad as some would make you feel, it does have that unfinished aftertaste. If you haven't bought it yet, you might want to wait a couple of months and see if the patches sort out the problems.

    There is some potential there, but I thought that Baldur's Gate I did it better (and how old is that?). The 3D view causes more problems than it solves, and    Whilst probably not as bad as some would make you feel, it does have that unfinished aftertaste. If you haven't bought it yet, you might want to wait a couple of months and see if the patches sort out the problems.

    There is some potential there, but I thought that Baldur's Gate I did it better (and how old is that?). The 3D view causes more problems than it solves, and there's very little that you can do to get your companions to behave sensibly. You can either have them do nothing at all, or waste all their spells/potions against the first things that goes "Boo!". Again BG did this better, with a whole choice of scripts you could select from for each character.

    One can only hope that the developers will listen to their critics, rather than basking in the glory of misguided reviews (we can only assume they reviewed pre-release version, and believed the spin that the game was still going to be fixed; but that's why I think it's unprofessional to review pre-release versions).    … Expand
  40. MartinH.
    Nov 13, 2006
    5
    This game should never have been released in the unplayable, buggy state it is in. Atari and Obsidian are just using the gaming community as unpaid QA testers. They have essentially ignored 5 years of community work improving the original NWN, ditched its elegant interface and AI for some horrible thing from KOTR, filled a linear, unengaging single-player campaign with endless cutscenes This game should never have been released in the unplayable, buggy state it is in. Atari and Obsidian are just using the gaming community as unpaid QA testers. They have essentially ignored 5 years of community work improving the original NWN, ditched its elegant interface and AI for some horrible thing from KOTR, filled a linear, unengaging single-player campaign with endless cutscenes to hide the fact there isn't really much to do in it, and what there is to do you don't have a whole lot of choice or control over. Why did Bioware ever give this license up to let it be ruined by these people?… Expand
  41. Dudeduke
    Nov 14, 2006
    6
    It's got great game content wrapped in a shockingly bad graphics interface for this day and age. Plus it is SO slow on my overclocked Core2 Duo @ 3600 w/ ATI x1950 XTX and 2 GB of memory I just want to cry...
  42. TsukasaHiiragi
    Aug 20, 2021
    5
    NWN2 has not aged well at all, even back in 2006 it was fairly over-rated but passable for the time even though it was extremely buggy and had some of the worst AI to date that caused no end of frustration for players.

    This game suffers from everything you can expect from a 2006 game ranging from bugs to poor camera angles, and fast forward to 2021 and this game has aged very poorly.
  43. Topfpflanze
    Apr 21, 2021
    5
    The base game is one of the worst ever written. The story is long, but completely linear and of crippling dreariness. The implementation is so weird that you can rarely tell if it's a quirk or you just didn't understand the controls. The characters are executed with personalities to some extent, but this changes little in the game. For casual players it probably makes more sense: the flowThe base game is one of the worst ever written. The story is long, but completely linear and of crippling dreariness. The implementation is so weird that you can rarely tell if it's a quirk or you just didn't understand the controls. The characters are executed with personalities to some extent, but this changes little in the game. For casual players it probably makes more sense: the flow of the game doesn't bother much with AD&D rules, and once you've forgotten the old back-and-forth, new back-and-forth isn't so boring anymore. The downsides of AD&D spells are fully implemented: One and the same spell combined with half a dozen mods results in a confusing collection.… Expand
  44. dlcatalin
    Jul 12, 2020
    6
    It starts alright ... nice graphics, funny dialogue and nice adventures. But in the mid to late game it turns into a pile of bugs and unpleasant rushed unfair unplanned combats. Especially the last 2 end game battles, it's a big difference between making a battle challenging and making it entirely UNFAIR. Mine was so bugged and broken i had to just uninstall the game and watch aIt starts alright ... nice graphics, funny dialogue and nice adventures. But in the mid to late game it turns into a pile of bugs and unpleasant rushed unfair unplanned combats. Especially the last 2 end game battles, it's a big difference between making a battle challenging and making it entirely UNFAIR. Mine was so bugged and broken i had to just uninstall the game and watch a walktrough on Youtube to see how it ended. That Black Gaius boss bugged every time i've met him, he never died, i was doing 0 dmg to him with melee. I had to cheat and use the console to kill him the first time. The second time even that didn't work. And to top it off my party was stuck behind energy walls, half of them where paralyzed and couldn't move. I used like 10 immobility spells on the enemy, ZERO worked. Broken or bugged, frustrating experience.… Expand
  45. CarolusX2
    Dec 20, 2020
    6
    If you're expecting a game that is as good as Dragon Age Origins (which is extremely similar) or Knights if the Old Republic, then you will be disappointed. However, if you're willing to compromise on certain aspects then you might find this game enjoyable.
    Note, I have not finished the game, it's incredibly long but I've spent more than a week now on it.
    Story: The story starts out in a    If you're expecting a game that is as good as Dragon Age Origins (which is extremely similar) or Knights if the Old Republic, then you will be disappointed. However, if you're willing to compromise on certain aspects then you might find this game enjoyable.
    Note, I have not finished the game, it's incredibly long but I've spent more than a week now on it.

    Story: The story starts out in a cozy little village where you, an adoptive child, learn the ropes of the game in the Harvest Cup. The village is later on invaded by demonic entities that seek something that is hidden within it, which then becomes your task to transport and investigate once you reach the city of Neverwinter. Along the way you meet companions with interesting personalities and are somewhat vital to the story in certain parts. You and your new buddies are meant to find out the truth about the mysterious shards while roaming around Faerun looking for clues and diving into dungeons.

    The story and the individual sidequests are interesting, no doubt about that, if you're into classic heroic medieval RPGs then this wont be of any surprise. However, some of the quests can get extremely tedious after a while, you rarely feel that what you do holds any weight in the universe. The game tries to be a "choices matter" kind of deal with alignments and branching storylines but it falls flat when nothing seemingly have consequences. On my playthrough I chose to be of the Lawful Evil alignment, for funsies because I usually play the good guy,
    The problem is that none of my actions barely phase my good companions who I might add are the only type of alignment in the beginning. If I'm this enormous dickhead, why would a friendly druid, a decent dwarf and a misunderstood but kind Tiefling not just leave me as soon as possible? Why are there no other choices early on? The first evil guy joins in act II which took me days to start. The lack of sidequests and the game railroading you into a "good" character leaves much to be desired in the story department.

    Gameplay: Its turnbased and it has the rule sets of DnD at the time, which I think was 3rd ed. You basically pick a class in the beginning and there's a lot of classes to pick from, not only that but also prestige classes (superior forms of the original ones) and multi classing is available, which makes it easier to create the character you want to be. Most of the game will be spent dungeondelving and few quests have variation, which would be fine because its DnD after all if the combat was fun... The AI is severely broken, they dont follow you into battle a lot of the times and sometimes just stand around doing nothing, while your pc is getting pummeled. Also you tend to face the same enemy over and over again, the dungeons arent exactly small either and I hope you like the color grey and brown a lot.
    Also stealth, which doesnt work. For two reasons, first one is that you control a whole party at a time where usually only one is proficient with stealth yet the game is based around cooperation? The other reason is that like the combat, it simply doesnt work. One of the missions that requires your npc to be stealthy is broken because the guards notice her regardless of how many points in sneak you put into her. And then once you reach the second floor, your party transports with you (which is weird) and it's impossible to continue to sneak because there's a sequence where a bunch if guards notice your main PC even though hes supposed to be back at the door, but he somehow transported to the cutscene?
    Crafting is... Convoluted and tedious, dont bother with it, the loot is usually good enough to outfit your npcs. Graphics: This game was made in 2006 so maybe dont expect wonders, it's no Oblivion in terms of colors or architecture, actually a lot of it is reused which becomes apparent pretty quickly in both Neverwinter and the unending caves. Characters look okay, especially the main cast. Special-effects can sometimes be cool!

    Audio: VA is sometimes really good, or really bad, not a whole lot in between. The banter between the cast is pretty good but its few and far between. One thing that will get on your nerves though is everytime you select your npcs/pc which happens a lot and having to hear the same recorded lines over and over again. There is one recorded line for each spell, problem is when you're a warlock and use Eldritch blast on repeat. Music was turned down pretty quickly into the game, nothing really memorable there. Overall: Meh.    … Expand
  46. PenetratorGod
    Aug 20, 2023
    7
    Neverwinter Nights 2 offers a fascinating fantasy story full of exciting tactical combat mechanics and deep characters that you will either love or hate. The game is a bit dated and has a lot of technical issues that haven't been fixed in time, but I think it's still a great role-playing adventure that almost anyone can enjoy today.

    The compelling story keeps you hooked to the game and    Neverwinter Nights 2 offers a fascinating fantasy story full of exciting tactical combat mechanics and deep characters that you will either love or hate. The game is a bit dated and has a lot of technical issues that haven't been fixed in time, but I think it's still a great role-playing adventure that almost anyone can enjoy today.

    The compelling story keeps you hooked to the game and the Forgotten Realms universe with a satisfying experience that lasts an average of 100 hours with additional packs to finish the single player campaign. Multiplayer mode support. The full-featured game toolkit allows you to easily create and share custom mods of your own. One of the most original representatives of Dungeons & Dragons. Good soundtrack and mostly well voiced characters compared to the first game.

    Interactive dialog system provides dynamic and fun character interactions. A character-building system where the possibilities are almost endless. Support for dozens of community-created story-based modes, so the adventure never ends. Frustrating camera angles require constant attention while in battle. Optimization and technical issues. Artificial intelligence is very weak. Difficulty can be unbalanced at times.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Best PC Game of 2006
6
#6 Most Discussed PC Game of 2006
7
#7 Most Shared PC Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 46 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 46
  3. Negative: 0 out of 46
  1. Quandary
    80
    So it isn't perfect, particularly not for players who prefer using the mouse, but Neverwinter Nights 2 is nevertheless a hugely enjoyable trip.
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  2. Game Chronicles
    89
    Rich narrative, engaging gameplay, and total attention to role-playing detail.
    Read full review
  3. Digital Entertainment News
    83
    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.
    Read full review
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