Neverwinter Nights 2 Expansion Pack: Mask of the Betrayer
by Atari
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Video Game Reviews of Neverwinter Nights 2 Expansion Pack: Mask of the Betrayer
Customer Review: A game that ended a 4-year slump on the RPG market
Summary: 5 Stars
21st century hasn't been a particularly good era for RPGs. Despite its fast start (Baldur's Gate 2 and Arcanum) a downhill trend as far as RPG quality is concerned soon became apparent. With Vampire: Bloodlines (2004) being the last quality RPG and still failing to achieve commercial success, followed by demise of Troika games, RPG market became dominated by generic RPGs, exploring generic setting, with generic protagonist and generic NPCs, generic plots and generic dialogues suitable for cerebrally challenged audience. Paragons of RPG dumbification were Morrowind and especially Oblivion, where the essence of RPG, choice and consequence, was utterly lost and dialogues were, to say it mildly, retarded (so they can match Radiant AI). Unfortunately, since both mentioned games were appealing to a wider, less demanding audience, other developers followed suit and quality on the RPG market was nowhere to be found.
Unlike its predecessor (the original NWN 2 campaign), which was a huge disappointment, Mask of the Betrayer excells in almost every RPG aspect. A very interesting plot takes place in a rarely explored setting of Rashemen, with its unique connection to the world of spirits and the main theme. NPCs and the main characters are well developed through dialogues and plot advancement, with NPCs motives and personalities exposed clearly and in an intriguing manner. I haven't encountered such well written dialogue, interesting plot and compelling characters since Planescape: Torment (1999). Main theme represents a refreshing addition to the game mechanics as well. There are plenty of choices, both those regarding the main theme and those not directly connected to it, and naturally, most of those choices entail distinct consequences for the game world and the player.
So, this game has managed to capture the essence of RPG gaming on PC and hopefully it will help reverse the trend of simplification of RPGs. I consider it among the top 10 games I've ever played.
Customer Review: At least as good as Fallout, Deus Ex, and HotU...
Summary: 5 Stars
Just as Hordes of the Underdark was much better than the original campaign of Neverwinter Nights, so is Mask of the Betrayer everything the original campaign of Neverwinter Nights 2 should have been, but wasn't. In NWN 2, whatever you chose to do in almost whichever situation, the result was always the same. In the trial episode, for example, you always ended up fighting in the arena, the outcome of the trial had no consequences. In Mask of the Betrayer, real choices with consequences abound. The story itself is much more imaginative. The milieu has some magic in it (though it's not as enchanting as much of Hordes of the Underdark). The combat is more difficult than in NWN 2, though still perhaps too easy. The curse that some reviewers have complained about can make things very interesting for you. I tried to beat the game as fast as I could, so I never learned to control my spirit hunger, and by the time I got to visit what was left of the former God of Death, I had to devour him to satisfy my spirit hunger (the meter was close to zero, and I was about to perish). Succumbing to hunger in such a grand way turned me into a ravening spirit eater for the rest of the game. This path had its good sides, such as continuous True Seeing, but it also made resting more difficult (resting for 8 hours would take away half of my spirit energy, when it previously had taken much less). In the end, the Betrayer's mask remained broken, most of its pieces hidden, and I chose to turn on gods themselves. Well, it's an immersive game. They should make more of these, not the garbage that the original campaign was. The curse was a great idea, and very well implemented.Customer Review: Great Engine Bad Story
Summary: 3 Stars
Neverwinter Nights 2 MotB Has a great engine battles are fun. Bad guys use decent tactics they attack your healers and swarm to your offensive casters.
The Plot however leaves much to be desired. With out giving away to much your end choices much like the end of the first game leave you ruined. (Unless you decide to go evil in which case you become a world killer)
Sorry just not my cup of tea.
Customer Review: high degree of difficulty and frustration outweigh depth, fun
Summary: 3 Stars
The "spirit-eater" aspect to this game makes it ridiculously, rigidly difficult to do anything, get anywhere, without backing yourself into a dire situation you can't escape from, much less function in. Fortunately, online I found a cheat code to turn it off, and then the game became enjoyable. Either I'm a total RPG wimp, or else this game is for a more hardcore type of player.Customer Review: Pretty Good Add-on
Summary: 4 Stars
As most of you know, I'm a huge fan of RPG PC Games, and NWN2 is no exception. MOTB is a good add-on that gives you 10 to 20 hours more gaming fun. The story is great, but it was very frustrating in some ways, as you were forced to follow a path that, to me, seemed kind of evil (I usually play nuetral, lawful good, good, etc characters). Other than that, it was nice to see the creator of the game push the limits of what is acceptable in RPG's without turning too many people off completely. I'm not sorry I bought the add on, and if you are a fan of the NWN series you must have this for your collection.