Neverwinter Nights 2 Expansion Pack: Mask of the Betrayer
by Atari
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Category: Video Games
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Product Summary
Brand: AtariPrimary Contributor: Windows XP
Release Date: 2007-10-09
Platform: Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows XP
Publisher: Atari
Product features:
- Manufacturer Part Number: 27559
- Neverwinter Nights 2 Exp
Video Game Reviews of Neverwinter Nights 2 Expansion Pack: Mask of the Betrayer
Customer Review: A great game marred by a silly "feature"
Summary: 4 Stars
I have mixed feelings about this expansion. Mask Of the Betrayer has caused me to do something I haven't done since the nintendo days, cheat. I've never used 'cheats' for a game. But when mask of the betrayer introduced the ridiculous spirit meter system, causing me literally hours of pure frustration, I resorted to the only thing that would allow me to experience the game.
The spirit meter looks good on paper - introduce a system that makes your choices and tactics more meaningful by restricting resting,and providing a new "twist" on gameplay. Sadly, it was poorly implemented. There are so many restrictions on NWN gameplay staples like resting and traveling that instead of adding a tactiful twist it's been mindbogglingly frustrating.
For instance, time depletes your spirit meter, requiring you to either consume spirits or "suppress" your hunger to raise it. The thing is actually eating spirits causes what's called your "craving" to rise, which in turn makes you need to eat spirits more frequently. Sounds not so bad so far right? Well the whole time this is going on, you slowly lose your abilities and health. Im a warrior/cleric, and simply traveling to another destination causes me to deplete my spirit energy by half, causing me to lose my entire list of spells because i've lost my wisdom points. Compounded with the fact that MotB is immensly more difficult: enemies are stronger, have stronger spells, etc. So the entire time I'm handicapped by a silly system that does not take into account little aspects like not being able to use my entire spell list.
So you figure just devour more spirits right? Well that sounds good but in practice itself is also frustrating. You have to wait till an enemy gets to 'Near Death' before you can devour him. It becomes a frustrating effort in micro management to tell your companions to stop fighting or attack different people while your trying to time a "devour" spell. Top it off each devour only restores a handful of points, but still puts your craving meter up, further debilitaing you.
So there is the option to 'suppress' your craving. Nice thing but everytime you use it, you gain +2 lawful points. So when it comes time to level up my barbarian, I can't because i've now become a lawfull good character, and my barbarian can't level being lawful good. So now I have to try to go around doing evil things to get back into chaotic status completely disrupting my role playing experience. I'm not an evil character so why would I kill a family of trolls just to try and hack a poorly implemented gameplay "feature".
The whole system had me pulling my hair out in frustration at how absolutly ridiculous it all was. Cursing the developer for allowing such a poorly tested, poorly thought out feature just for the sake of a bullet point on the box. So the only way I could enjoy the game for what it was was to cheat. And cheat you have to. Every other destination I have to replinish my spirit meter by appplying the cheat, further taking me out of the immersion. A true waste of gaming resources that could have been spent adding quests or making the game longer.
With all that being said, once you finally get to enjoy the game, it's actually the best NWN I've ever played. The mood and atmosphere is much more engaging that the main campaign. The characters are unique and more likeable than typical cast of characters that was Kheglar and the rest. The music is great and atmosphereic, the voice acting is suitable and makes you feel for characters like Kaelyn and Gann.
Once you disable the ridiculous spirit meter, the game is great. Storm of the Zehir looks to continue what they started with MotB and hopefully will be another stellar entry.
I shoudl also mention that the game runs better than it did with the OC, and it looks better too. If you're looking for a great RPG you should pick up the Gold version with both the OC and this game.
Description of Neverwinter Nights 2 Expansion Pack: Mask of the Betrayer
Neverwinter Nights 2 (NWN2) is a computer role-playing game set in the fantasy world of the Forgotten Realms, one of the popular campaign settings of Dungeons and Dragons. It takes the player from the tiniest of villages into a sweeping tale of danger and war, chronicling their rise from a peasant to a full-fledged hero of the Realms, defending it against one of the greatest threats of the age.In Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer, players are transported back to the Forgotten Realms shortly after the events detailed in the original Neverwinter Nights 2. Following the climactic battle against the King of Shadows, the player awakens alone and stranded deep beneath the earth. Surrounded by a horde of evil spirits, the player embarks on an epic adventure that reveals his true destiny. Set in harsh, spirit-rich Rashemen, near the powerful nation of Thay, Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer will present players with an exciting new campaign; epic levels; dozens of new feats and spells; new races, base classes and prestige classes; new companions; new weapons, armour and crafting options; hordes of new monsters; and enhanced modding tools.
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