NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer
Review
The world of Neverwinter expands
by William Thompson
reviewed on PC
Spirit Energy (cntd.)
In essence, it sounds simple enough… just consume the spirits and stay alive. But the main problem is that if you consume too many too quickly, the effect of the spirits will be reduced, meaning that you will need to top-up more often. Unfortunately this can take some of the focus off completing the quests. Others might like this function, but for a relative newbie to the world of RPGs, this was just another function that I had to contend with; one I could probably have done without.
Puzzles
Another feature of Betrayer is the fact that more puzzle-solving seems to be required than in Neverwinter Nights 2. Indeed, some of the puzzles in the original could have been solved by firepower, but this is not always the case with all puzzles in Betrayer. The gamer will need to think through some puzzles without using brawn. However this hasn’t been at the expense of the fighting. Starting with a levelled-up character, you’d be safe to assume that the battles can get more intense earlier than what you were used to in Neverwinter Nights 2. The control system hasn’t been largely tampered with, so players of Neverwinter Nights 2 will feel right at home.
Sights and sounds of Neverwinter
Visually, Betrayer continues on the path set by Neverwinter Nights 2: the locations are just stunning. Even with the graphic configurations lowered, the new landscapes that are opened up to the gamer in this expansion, are detailed enough to make you feel part of the story. With the settings turned right up (you’ll need a decent gaming rig), the scenery is just that much more lifelike. The player character companions and NPCs are also well rendered, giving them a more authentic look. Frame rates seemed to be slightly better than Neverwinter Nights 2, so some optimization may have been done.
Audio, as with Neverwinter Nights 2, is again top-notch. The character voices are well portrayed by the voice actors. Each character has a different voice, allowing you to differentiate between the characters. The music score is also pleasant and not too overbearing. Sound effects such a background noises of birds and animals are sufficient, whilst sound effects used when casting spells and fighting are used to full effect, giving the gamer an audio feast.
Do I feel betrayed?
Overall, Betrayer seems a much darker, more adult game than Neverwinter Nights 2. There are more puzzles to be solved along with the action packed fighting. The humour of the original (mostly provided by Khelgar) has been diminished, whilst the spirit hunger mechanic further darkens the fell of the game. The visuals and audio have continued the high quality of the original whilst the RPG elements have largely remained the same. If you loved (and completed) Neverwinter Nights 2, then I urge you to look at getting your hands on this expansion. If you haven’t played Neverwinter Nights 2, then now would be a good time to start. You’ll need a copy of it to play Betrayer anyway. For me, if the quality of RPGs continue along the lines set by Betrayer, Oblivion and the like, I’ll be an RPG devotee in no time.
8.0
fun score
No Pros and Cons at this time
