In another thread, Catbert made explicit a feeling I have been having about NWN2:
at this point I am completely convinced that the campaign offers no roleplay, just a point-and-click adventure tailored for a neutral good ranger.The game has many movies, and many long dialogs that proceed in essentially the same direction no matter which options you select. Now, don't get me wrong, I like a good book, or a good movie, and the story is pretty good in NWN2 (except I'm pissed off that a certain someone has to bite the dust). But I was expecting more of a "game" feel to this thing. To be specific, I was expecting a "role-playing" game. I'm feeling a bit let down in that department.

As a caveat to that judgment, I have to admit that it took me a while to warm up to PST the first time, including getting used to awkward mechanics. And PST certainly had its share of long dialogs -- very "bookish." But for years now I have considered PST to be my favorite CRPG ever. I wonder how I'll feel about NWN2 once I finish it. Will it grow on me like PST? Or will it fail to deliver and start collecting dust like IWD/IWD2?

You nailed it. That's my complaint about KOTOR2 as well. I feel like so much of the criticism of that game fell on the horrible ending and no one spent enough time criticizing the movie-style plot. Obsidian has taken the exact same approach to NWN2.

It's downright silly at times, especially if you play super evil. The way you get saddled with every NPC, for example. They give you evil dialog options with them to the point where you're basically threatening their lives and yet they still gladly join your party and follow right along dutifully.

Unfortunately most of the criticism so far has been about the poor graphics performance and various bugs. What's that expression about trees and a forest. No one's seeing the forest here and I fear this is the future of CRPGs. If I wanted that I'd go out and buy an X-Box and just play Final Fantasy.

"X-Box and just play Final Fantasy."
You mean a Playstation and play FF :) . I agree about the plot. Don't get me wrong, I like it. A lot. Its been a while since I was interested enough to actually try and finish a game. But, on the other hand, once I finish it, I don't know how much replaying i'll be doing. Same as KOTOR I guess.

As for speculating if this style of storytelling is the future of CRPG's, I'd have to agree. Have you ever played M&M Dark Messiah? This style of action\rpg's have been steadily becoming the general norm. I guess I'm just happy that NWN2 has an interesting\amusing enough story\gameplay to make me feel as though I got my money's worth. Heck, I even recommend the game once it has some issues sorted out. Now, if the game had a campaign like NWN then I'd be right pissed off with Obsidian having made things so complicated for multiplayer and all.

That said, if a game came out in true 'book' fashion, I'd be happy so long as it is a good book and was long enough to make me feel like I was entertained and got my money's worth...

[ November 15, 2006, 07:21: Message edited by: Celesialraven ]

It seems to me as if the whle evil dialog was written entirely on a premise that nobody will ever click on those options. Maybe simply because they deviate so much from the spirit of the game.

Evil, and I'm not talking sophisticated evil, but simply antisocial psychopathic evil in this game is laughable. In most games with a distinct evil line, I usually fail to play an evil character because I can't associate myself with the villanious acts that the game offers me to commit. In NWN2, the evil choices make the character to be about as menacing as a preschool bully in the play yard.

It would be perfectly in the spirit of my character to see three muggers beat up a runty dwarf and then mug the last man standing for ten gold, just as it would be in his spirit to see Neeshka go through some gruesome physical abuse trials at the hands of her captors. But no, the game won't let you. But then, had you been playing neutral good, you'd have never noticed those things because you wouldn't have chosen the options. I wonder, why put them in if they don't lead to anything respective? Is that good storytelling? Maybe in a context of a story in which you have no say... But even then, the concepts and hooks are trite.

The game's as straightforward as it gets. From that point of view, they could have done with better hooks and plot twists for the type of character that's compatible with the campaign, seeing how you don't really have much choice - choice which they consequently didn't have to develop. But meh, even the OC, initially praised, falls into pieces when people attempt it with unorthodox characters.

What's the variety in character creation for? Multiplayer? Which multiplayer?...

Hence the book mentality. Resist your homicidal urges and try playing it as good. Sure it keeps you on a rail, but at least then you might find yourself enjoying it somewhat.

Multiplayer? Which multiplayer?... The multiplayer that will get off the ground once people become proficient with the toolset and start pumping out modules. Sure, persistent worlds may not happen, but as with NWN, there WILL be plenty of single player modules. As a predominantly single player kind of guy, this particular fact doesn't irritate me as much as it may others.

Hence the book mentality. Resist your homicidal urges and try playing it as good. Sure it keeps you on a rail, but at least then you might find yourself enjoying it somewhat.Well, for the character who opted to play the blackguard or assassin prestige classes, this would seem like a let down. I think they should have put a disclaimer that evil characters are not recommended for the OC.

@Marceror
True that. It IS a pity that the game offers only a good 'good' path. Although, thinking back, the original goofed up in the same way. Now, although I'm enjoying the game, I too wonder what the hell Obsidian has been doing the few years. Perhaps another Eidos Austin situation where employees work in the equivalent of a fantasy land hotel and code whenever they feel 'up to it'?


This thread kind of reminds me of an old rivalry regarding a normal novel with a linear plot line and one of those 'chose your path' books that involved constant page flipping. While the latter offered more options, the former was much more engaging.