14 DAY TRIAL // Neverwinter Nights is one of the most successful RPG series of all time. Based on the Dungeons and Dragons pen & paper game and set in the fantasy world of the Forgotten Realms, Neverwinter Nights got a MMORPG sequel.
The upcoming Neverwinter title is a free-to play MMORPG developed by Cryptic Studios and published by Perfect World Entertainment.
The game was initially slated for a late 2011 release, but due to some external factors, such as Cryptic Studios being acquired by Perfect World Entertainment in 2011, it got delayed for this year.
For the time being, the game does not have an exact release date, but we expect that developers will come forward with an official statement in the next few months. Neverwinter has already run through three closed beta tests and is likely to get an open beta pretty soon.
Keep in mind that while Neverwinter has been confirmed to be based on D&D 4th Edition rules, the system has been slightly modified to better fit with the MMORPG concept.
D&D hardcore fans will probably be disappointed by the fact that it does not offer the same level of choice as the pen & paper game, but Neverwinter aims to be as close to a D&D game as possible.
According to developers, Neverwinter is a story-based MMO that is closer to other franchises such as Dragon Age and Elder Scrolls than to popular MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft and Guild of Wars.
The main story is evolving around the city of Neverwinter, also known as "Jewel of the North." The game was supposed to coincide with the release of R.A. Salvatore’s Gauntlgrym fantasy book, which is the first in the Neverwinter Saga.
Salvatore’s first book in Nevewinter series starts 24 years after the Spellplague, a cataclysmic event that caused all magic in the Realms to go haywire and has Drizzt, Bruenor, Jarlaxle and Athrogate as main protagonists.
There are no references to the story in the game yet, due to the fact that events in Neverwinter MMORPG take place 100 years after the Spellplague, but Salvatore continues to publish new books in the Neverwinter Saga and will eventually reach the events in the game as well.Although Neverwinter was one of the few major cities that were spared from the catastrophic effects of the Spellplague, the city was struck by another calamity 25 years later.
A volcanic eruption rained destruction over the entire city putting down everything in its path and killing everyone that remained there.
However, the city was rebuilt under the protection of Lord Neverember of Waterdeep who put forth a call to all heroes to join the rebuilding of the city.
Lord Neverember hopes that one day, he will become the rightful ruler of Neverwinter, though that time has not come yet. The city is attacked from all sides by orcs, undeads and kobolds, but also from inside, where a group of Nasher rebels is trying to grab the power from Lord Neverember’s loyal militia.
Now it’s up to you to cleanse Neverwinter of these foul creatures and restore its past glory. As of third closed beta, Neverwinter allows players to choose from seven races: Half-Orc, Human, Elf, Half-Elf, Dwarf, Halfling and Tiefling. An eighth Drow race is likely to be introduced when the game launches.
There are only five classes available, but more will be added before or after the game’s launch. So far, players can choose from Great Weapon Fighter, Guardian Fighter, Trickster Rogue, Control Wizard and Devoted Cleric. Every class can be specialized in a paragon path, each with its own advantages.For the third beta I have chosen the Control Wizard, especially due to the fact that developers have decided to introduce PvP.
Given the fact that I have some previous experience with MMORPGs, I thought that choosing wizard would give me the upper hand in PvP. It appears that either I was right, or the opposing team did not have the same level of experience that my team had.
First of all, no matter what level your character is when you apply for a PvP match, its level will be automatically increased to 19, 29, 39 and so on.
I’m not sure whether this rule will be kept in the final version of the game, but I’m pretty sure it has been introduced in order to allow all players eligible for beta to participate in PvP matches at any level.
I have played a few PvP Domination matches and it was clear to me that Trickster Rogue and Control Wizard are the best classes suited for multiplayer.I have done very well since the first match, even though I wasn’t too familiar with the controls and the map. Not to mention that I’m not a hardcore PvP player, so if I managed to make it to top 3 in all matches, it means the class’ abilities helped me a lot.
However, things are not the same in single player, as the Control Wizard becomes the squishiest class in the game. Don’t get me wrong, I only died once and that’s because my game got disconnected, but I felt that the rest of the classes were superior when it came to single player.
I have some experience from previous beta when I played Trickster Rogue and Guardian Fighter and I had the feeling the Control Wizard class took a lot more to master. You can’t barge in in a room full of mobs and wreak havoc with your only AoE spell, because you will probably die.
On the positive side, the Control Wizard has an extremely useful ability called Teleport, which consumes Stamina. This type of ability is meant to help characters avoid being damaged from enemies.
The rogue has the dodge ability and the guardian fighter can use his shield to block incoming damage, while the wizard can teleport short distances.
The first few levels are achieved pretty fast and you will reach Neverwinter city after completing a few quests that are also part of the game’s tutorial.
There are a few dungeons specifically designed to be completed solo, so you won’t need to make a group to solve some of the main story’s quests.
As I have already mentioned earlier, Neverwinter is based on Wizards of the Coast’s D&D 4th Edition rule set, but this has been adapted for an action-oriented game.
For example, my Control Wizard character knows the Arcana skill by default, but if I need Dungeoneering, Thivery, Nature or Religion, I’ll have to buy special kits from various vendors in the city.
Obviously, these kits are also dropped by mobs throughout the game, so there’s no need to purchase too many. All dungeons require these skills for various secrets that usually reward some loot.
Most of the loot that you receive when using Religion, Dungeoneering or any other skill, comprises manufacture materials for various professions, which are not yet available in the game.
Every character in the game starts with “At Will,” “Encounter” and, after a few levels, “Daily” powers. The difference is that “At Will” powers can be used at you leisure, as this does not consume any resource and does not have any cooldowns.“Encounter” powers are a bit more powerful and have cooldowns, so you’ll be using these less often than the previous. Last but not least, there are the “Daily” powers which can only be used when their dedicated gauge is filled. These are the most powerful, but also the less often to use during combat.
As you progress into the game and level up, your character will gain more powers. However, you will only be able to use one Daily power until you reach a much higher level, so even if you gain two more you won’t be able to use them.
This is how developers decided to implement the choice system. Basically, you are given a set of powers to start with and as you level up, you will start piling up these powers, but you will only be able to use a certain number of each power at any given time.
This is the same system that D&D 4th Edition is based on, so if you don’t like it, then blame Wizards of the Coasts, not Cryptic Studios.
The combat system is pretty simple and straightforward. Left mouse and right mouse buttons are two of your “At Will” powers, for me Magic Missile and Ray of Frost, while Q and E are set for your Encounter powers. Pressing 1 will unleash your daily power.Some people have complained that you cannot move while attacking, like in some other MMORPGs, but I did not find this to be an issue.
In the end, I would like to offer some of my impressions on Dungeons. From what I have noticed, Neverwinter does not aim to offer the same tank/DPS/healer recipe included in most MMORPGs.
Instead, Cryptic Studios preferred a different approach, so even if you choose to play Devoted Cleric, you will still be able to output quite a lot of damage.
However, this doesn’t mean that you will be able to successfully complete a dungeon without a suitable tank or dedicated healer.
These roles are still to be considered every time you enter a dungeon in Neverwinter, but given the fact that the game is based on D&D rule set, it’s not a mandatory requirement.
It seems to me that Neverwinter is the closest MMORPG to a Dungeons and Dragons pen & paper game. Obviously, it cannot be compared with the classics Icewind Dale, Baldur’s Gate and the likes, but Nevewinter definitely stands out from other MMORPGs out there.There is a lot more stuff in the game, such as companions that you can get to help you in your quest, mounts, professions, fashion gear for RP, Foundry, where players can publish their own adventures, and much more. Neverwinter is definitely worth a full review, so as soon as the game gets released, we’ll be updating this article. That’s all for now folks.
