HeatherHaze: This is my first time around with Neverwinter Nights and I have to say I've been thoroughly enjoying the original module. I think most of the criticism is fairly deserved, but at the same time, it comes down to expectations. It's definitely missing the charm of the old Infinity Engine (Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale). It's much darker, for sure, and less friendly in many ways. NPC interaction feels a little lifeless, and the henchmen seem like robots most of the time. Most of the writing is very good, but it suffers from some poor voice acting (Aribeth is especially jarring).
The soundtrack by Jeremy Soule is good, but more atmospheric than inspiring. It doesn't compare to his previous epic work on Icewind Dale. At times it actually reminds me of the odd (yet strangely compelling) soundtrack to Pool of Raidiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor (by the way, GOG, where's that one?). In fact, the basic feel of NWN reminded me of PoR:RoMD more than once.
The 3D aspect of the game is both a blessing and a curse. Zooming the camera in close can really immerse you in the action, but for ease of play I usually pulled back to an almost Baldur's Gate type of perspective. But then you get textured modules rather than beautiful hand drawn landscapes. So in a sense it's actually a step backwards in artistic design, in my opinion. It is definitely a kick to see my dual-wielding ranger/rogue slash her way through a horde of enemies up-close and personal, though. Maybe it's worth the sacrifice, but I miss the artistry.
I really enjoy the D&D 3rd ed. rules, and that's part of what makes NWN work. I decided to play a ranger/rogue for this game, a new combination for me. I think it was a very good choice for this adventure, for several reasons. One, there are TONS of traps and locked containers everywhere, and they pretty much all contain treasure (which is weird, really). Stealth lets me pick when and how to approach each battle, which has turned some otherwise tough battles into cake walks. Setting traps has helped a lot in certain circumstances (it's fun to recover a deadly trap, reset it and watch them get nailed by their own trap). I just took out a lich with a deadly holy trap in the Hosttower. Also, with 10 pts in Use Magic Device I've been able to use all sorts of scrolls and wands, adding spellcasting to an already formidable fighter.
For most of the game (so far, I'm in the latter part of Chapter Two), my main weapons have been the Namarra +1 rapier and the Fey Duster +1 short sword (dual wielded). Sure, there are more powerful weapons...but both of those swords have a 75% chance of dazing the opponent with each strike (opponent gets save, of course). So as a ranger I'm getting 4 swings per round, and once an opponent is dazed each attack is a sneak attack. Think about that for a second. In a single round, three out of four attacks are likely to trigger the effect, and the opponent only has to fail one saving throw to be dazed. Wicked. I have other weapons to fall back on for other situations (undead, for example) but for most opponents...nothing comes close (including the Sword of Chaos). Fun stuff!
They got a lot right in NWN, and as a first-time player, I think the OC is terrific. Realistically, I could see where it would be a drag to trudge through it a second time. If what everybody says about the subsequent modules is true, it may well pale by comparison. But it's still a lot of fun the first time around. So far, at least. :)
Really good post with a lot of nice insight for someone who is new to the DnD system. Thanks.
