Neverwinter Nights 2: Difference between revisions

Neverwinter Nights 2
Neverwinter Nights 2
	Microsoft Windows boxart
Developer(s)	Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Atari, Inc.
Designer(s)	Ferret Baudoin; J.E. Sawyer
Programmer(s)	Frank Kowalkowski; Charles Mead
Artist(s)	Tramell Isaac
Composer(s)	Dave Fraser; Neil Goldberg
Series	Neverwinter Nights
Engine	Electron Engine
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X
Release	Microsoft Windows NA: October 31, 2006; EU: November 3, 2006; AU: November 16, 2006; Macintosh NA: February 26, 2008; WW: March 3, 2008;
Genre(s)	Role-playing video game
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

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Neverwinter Nights 2 is a role-playing video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari, Inc. It is the sequel to BioWare's Neverwinter Nights, based on the Dungeons & Dragons pencil and paper fantasy role-playing game. Neverwinter Nights 2 utilizes an adaptation of the Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition rules. Players create player characters to represent themselves in the game, using the same character creation rules as found in the Dungeons & Dragons game. They may gain the assistance of additional party members, and they eventually acquire a keep that can be used as a base of operations. Neverwinter Nights 2 is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting—in and around the city of Neverwinter. The story is mostly unrelated to Neverwinter Nights and follows the journey of an orphaned adventurer investigating a group of mysterious artifacts known as "silver shards" and their connection to an ancient, evil spirit known as the King of Shadows.

Neverwinter Nights 2 went into development in July 2004. This sequel was designed with the Aurora Engine, also used by its predecessor, and the game's toolset was included in the game's release for players to use in designing their own adventures. The game's design team drew upon older role-playing video games, and decided that the player character would have to earn the respect of others by the things the character does. The game was also designed to be playable with other players online in a cooperative fashion. The game was released in October and November 2006. Official multiplayer support for the game was suspended in December 2012. In response, the Neverwinter Nights 2 community developed several initiatives by which players can continue to play the game online.

Reviews of Neverwinter Nights 2 were generally positive. Reviewers were pleased with the changes that had been made from the first game in the series, especially regarding the storyline and party management. The game won GameSpot's Best Story award for 2006. One of the most commonly raised complaints about the game was the presence of numerous technical glitches in its initial release. Two official expansions and one official adventure pack have been released for the game: Mask of the Betrayer in 2007, Storm of Zehir in 2008, and Mysteries of Westgate in 2009.

Gameplay

Neverwinter Nights 2 is played in the third-person from a top-down perspective, where the player controls a hero and his or her attendant party. As a role-playing video game based on the Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition ruleset,^[1] players build a player character in accordance with the character creation rules of Dungeons & Dragons, which includes selecting a race and class, then assigning skill points.^[2] There are sixteen races and twelve classes available, including the rogue and the wizard,^[3] as well as an additional seventeen unlockable classes.^[4] Neverwinter Nights 2 makes use of the d20 system introduced in Dungeons & Dragons,^[2] where a die roll or random number is used to determine the probability and effectiveness of every action, including attacks and saving throws.^[5] The player character can recruit companions during the campaign, and may form a party with up to three of them.^[6] Party members can be controlled directly by the player or given orders dictating how to behave in combat.^[7]

The game is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.^[8] The party is able to explore various areas of Faerûn—including its cities, forests, and dungeons—while earning experience points and treasure by defeating monsters and completing quests.^[2] The entire party collaborates during combat, with characters' behavior determined by their class and abilities.^[9] Upon gaining specified amounts of experience, characters level up which allows them to earn new abilities such as magic spells and feats.^[2] Some races, like the drow, are more powerful than others and require characters to accumulate more experience to earn levels.^[10] Characters can access Prestige classes, more specialized versions of base classes, by fulfilling certain requirements.^[11] The warpriest, for example, is available to divine spellcasters such as clerics after they have reached a set level of power.^[12] Items such as weapons, armor, potions, and scrolls can be used or equipped by characters,^[9] and some equipment changes will affect a character's appearance.^[5] As the game progresses, the player character acquires a keep that can be used as a base of operations. Initially, the keep is in a state of disrepair and must be refurbished using party funds.^[13] As the keep is improved, it can generate income and gain stronger defenses to repel sieges. Non-player characters such as equipment vendors can be recruited to work at the keep, and the player must manage the training of guards and the allocation of resources.^[9]

Before the online component was disabled (see Development below), the campaign of Neverwinter Nights 2 could be played with other players, but only from the beginning of the storyline. The rules could be modified for multiplayer games, such as deactivating friendly fire. A BioWare community account was required to play online, and players were able to search for game servers matching their style of play.^[2] Players could upload and play modules online created with the Electron toolset, which is included with the Windows version of the game.^[14]

Story

Setting and characters

Neverwinter Nights 2 takes place in and around the city of Neverwinter, in the Sword Coast region of Faerûn.^[15] The first part of the game is set in the small Sword Coast village of West Harbor, which was the site of a battle between an evil host led by an entity known as the "King of Shadows" and the warriors aligned with Neverwinter.^[16]^[17] The player character's fate is tied to this battle, during which his or her mother was killed. During the campaign, the player has the opportunity to recruit party members to aid in the cause, including the violent dwarf Khelgar and a vocal young tiefling.^[2]^[18] Antagonists include the King of Shadows,^[17] a manipulative Luskan diplomat named Torio,^[19] and the warlock Ammon Jerro.

Plot

A human wizard and a large otherworldly creature are locked in battle — The game's opening cinematic, portraying the main antagonist, the King of Shadows (left), in battle with the warlock Ammon Jerro.

Neverwinter Nights 2 is composed of three distinct acts.^[20] The game's first act begins in the village of West Harbor, where the player's character was raised as an orphan by the elven ranger Daeghun.^[3] After a festival, the town is attacked by a group, led by a githyanki, in search of an unnamed object. Afterward, the character is sent to retrieve a mysterious silver shard from a nearby cave,^[20] which was left there years earlier after the defeat of the King of Shadows. The character then sets out for Neverwinter, meeting other adventurers along the way, several of whom are available for recruitment. In Neverwinter, Daeghun's half-brother Duncan offers a more comprehensive explanation of the situation.^[21] In Neverwinter, Duncan instructs the party to speak with Aldanon, a sage who reveals the shard's connection with a dead warlock and his descendant, a farmer named Shandra Jerro. However, the githyanki kidnap Shandra and the player character must rescue her. At the end of Act I, the party dispatches the githyanki, rescues Shandra, and learns of the origin of the shards.^[22]

In act two, the party discovers that an evil wizard, Black Garius, is plotting to subsume the power of a powerful entity known as the King of Shadows. The party interrupts Garius during the scheme and Garius is apparently killed. As a reward, the protagonist earns a title of nobility and is awarded a stronghold, Crossroads Keep, by Neverwinter's political leader, Lord Nasher.^[9] After tracking down Ammon Jerro, the warlock who fought the King of Shadows and the grandfather of Shandra Jerro, the player character learns that the King of Shadows was once known as the Guardian, a powerful creation of the ancient fallen empire of Illefarn. The Guardian was corrupted after tapping into a dark magical energy called the Shadow Weave. Thereafter the Guardian destroyed Illefarn in a misguided attempt to protect it. Ammon is initially unwilling to help the player character, but after inadvertently slaying his descendant Shandra, he repents and joins the party.^[23]

Act three introduces the Shadow Reavers, a sect of powerful undead mages that include a revived Garius, still intent on resurrecting the King of Shadows.^[24] The player must prepare Crossroad Keep for imminent battle by fortifying its troops and lands. After additional shards are retrieved by defeating Shadow Reavers, the shards are reformed into a powerful unique weapon for the player character, the Silver Sword of Gith. The sword, stolen by Ammon Jerro in the first battle against the King of Shadows, is the only weapon that can resist the enemy's power. The army of the Shadow Reavers lays siege to Crossroads Keep and is repelled by the occupants.^[11] After making their way through Garius' new stronghold, the party engages the mage in a second confrontation. After Garius is defeated, good members of the party begin the final fight against the King of Shadows. Evil and neutral characters (including the player character, if applicable) can decide to attack the King or fight alongside him. A cutscene afterwards details the battle's effect on the world, and ends on a cliffhanger which is continued in the Mask of the Betrayer expansion pack.^[25]

Development

Neverwinter Nights 2 was unofficially announced on April 1, 2004, when an Atari employee listed the names of several games in development, including a "NWN2" in response to an inflammatory comment on Atari's forums.^[26] The company officially announced the game on August 4, 2004. Obsidian Entertainment handled development of the game, and BioWare, the company that created the first Neverwinter Nights, offered support and guidance to Obsidian. The two companies collaborated in a similar manner on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, an Obsidian–developed sequel to a BioWare game. BioWare joint CEO Ray Muzyka said "Neverwinter Nights remains one of the most important titles BioWare has ever created. We certainly plan to remain involved in the production and development of Neverwinter Nights 2". Obsidian employed several game designers from the defunct Black Isle Studios, which developed other Dungeons & Dragons role-playing video games such as Planescape: Torment, the Icewind Dale series, and the Baldur's Gate series.^[27] Development of Neverwinter Nights 2 began in July 2004, when Obsidian assigned several staff members to work on the project.^[28] Staff included Darren Monahan, the producer of several Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance games; Marc Holmes, art director of the first Neverwinter Nights;^[29] and Chris Avellone, lead designer of Planescape: Torment and Knights of the Old Republic II.^[30]

BioWare provided its Aurora Engine from Neverwinter Nights for the sequel.^[29] One of the decisions to use Aurora rather than build a new engine from scratch was the toolset—Obsidian wanted players to continue to be able to make content for the game, which may not have been possible with a new engine.^[31] BioWare made itself available to Obsidian with technical support on the engine, but Obsidian planned on completely overhauling Aurora, including its code.^[32] The designers wanted to improve the visuals of the first game with additions such as better lighting and textures, which required significant changes to the engine.^[33] The upgraded engine was referred to as Electron. Electron was designed to incorporate DirectX to make it compatible for a potential Xbox 360 release, but Obsidian eventually abandoned plans for a port to the system for financial reasons.^[30] The toolset that was used to create the game was also revamped, and included several additions like a customizable interface, a new dialogue format,^[34] and building assistants—similar to the wizards found in Microsoft Word and Excel.^[35] Like Neverwinter Nights, the toolset was included in the game's release for players to use.^[36]

Obsidian drew on older computer RPGs for inspiration on the storyline and gameplay, like Fallout and the Ultima series. Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart said "We've been thinking about a lot of older RPGs, and we have this feeling that something has been lost with recent RPGs."^[28] He compared Neverwinter Nights 2 to Baldur's Gate II, stating that he wanted to expand upon the city of Neverwinter as Baldur's Gate II had done with its setting, Athkatla. "We're looking at how to make Neverwinter a really intriguing place to be, and make it a place where you go and come back to and go and come back to and have it really be a center for the game," Urquhart said.^[37] The game's story, while still revolving around the city of Neverwinter, would be unrelated to Neverwinter Nights.^[38] Instead of starting the game as a powerful, important character, players would begin Neverwinter Nights 2 as nobodies. Obsidian wanted realism in the game and concrete consequences for the player's actions.^[36] The story would be centered on the player character, who would have to gradually earn the respect of Lord Nasher and the city of Neverwinter.^[30]

At the beginning of the game, the main character will run into a person of importance and be ignored like any other lump of crap with legs. The powerful simply don't notice those weaker than themselves. It's this kind of philosophy that promises a more cohesive story.
— Dan Adams, IGN^[36]

Instead of the henchmen system used in Neverwinter Nights, Obsidian overhauled the game's party format to mimic Knights of the Old Republic II. Like the Neverwinter Nights expansion Hordes of the Underdark, the player would be able to recruit more than one party member. Each character could be directly controlled,^[33] but party members would also be able to come to a player's aid even when not controlled, such as summoning a rogue to open a locked chest.^[39] Companions would have distinct personalities and their own agendas, but it would be possible for the player character to influence them.^[40] Characters can leave the party permanently under certain circumstances.^[41] Other changes from the first game include the addition of prestige classes and more exotic races, like planetouched and Elven subraces.^[10]^[11]

In 2012, GameSpy, the company providing multiplayer support for the game, was purchased by Glu Mobile.^[42] After the purchase, Glu Mobile raised the fees being charged to publishers to provide online services for their games.^[43] The new owners then shut down a number of the online services for different games,^[44] including Neverwinter Nights 2.^[45] GameSpy claimed that the developers had allowed their contracts to lapse, and, after providing free services for a time, were no longer willing to continue.^[45]

Release

Neverwinter Nights 2 was ready for mass production on October 17, 2006 and was released on October 31 in the United States, on November 3 in Europe, and on November 16 in Australia.^[46]^[47] The Electron toolset was available early for consumers who pre-ordered the game through GameStop or Best Buy, as well as exclusive class-specific special items.^[48] Alongside the standard version, Atari also published a special edition.^[49] The United States and Australia "Limited Edition" contained several physical items like a cloth map depicting the Sword Coast, as well as in-game benefits like the "Blessed of Waukeen" feat that grants players a bonus to saving throws.^[50]^[51] The Europe special edition was split into two separate boxes, dubbed "Lawful Good Limited Edition" and "Chaotic Evil Limited Edition", a reference to the Dungeons & Dragons concept of moral alignment. Each box contained the collectibles available in the United States and Australia versions, as well as copies of the original Neverwinter Nights and its expansions, and a trial code for Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach.^[52]

Atari licensed Aspyr Media to develop a port of Neverwinter Nights 2 for the Apple Macintosh;^[53] the game was announced shortly before the Windows release.^[54] The initial announcement gave a December 2007 release date,^[54] but the port was not shipped to retailers until February 2008.^[55] It included the full version of Neverwinter Nights 2 with the exception of the editor toolkit.^[56] Atari announced in March 2008 that many of its PC games, including Neverwinter Nights 2 and its first expansion, Mask of the Betrayer, would be available online via Valve Corporation's digital distribution service Steam.^[57] A "Gold Edition" bundle was also published in May 2008 containing copies of Neverwinter Nights 2 and Mask of the Betrayer.^[58]^[59] A platinum edition containing the original game and both its expansion packs was released on the Steam platform on December 27, 2010.^[60] As of May 2013, Neverwinter Nights 2 is no longer sold through Steam.^[61]

A complete edition that contains the original game and the three expansion packs (Mask of the Betrayer, Storm of Zehir, Mysteries of Westgate) was released on GOG.com on January 24, 2013.^[62]

Expansions

Mask of the Betrayer, the game's first expansion pack, was announced in April 2007 by Atari and Obsidian Entertainment.^[63] It was released on September 28, 2007 in Europe, on October 9 in the United States, and on November 1 in Australia.^[64] Mask of the Betrayer's story begins shortly after the events of Neverwinter Nights 2 and is set in the country of Rashemen, a matriarchy near Thay.^[65] The expansion contains several new options for character development, including additional races and prestige classes.^[66] It received favorable reviews from critics.^[67]
Storm of Zehir was announced in June 2008.^[68] The pack is set on the Sword Coast and Chult areas of the Forgotten Realms and was released on November 18, 2008 in the United States, on November 21 in Europe, and on December 11 in Australia.^[69] Despite being released after the introduction of the D&D 4th edition ruleset, Storm of Zehir made use of the 3.5 ruleset like its predecessors.^[68] The expansion featured gameplay with similarities to previous D&D video game series Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale and received mixed reviews.^[69]^[70]
Mysteries of Westgate was announced in October 2007. Atari referred to it as an "adventure pack", comparing it to the premium modules of Neverwinter Nights. The game was developed by Canadian-based Ossian Studios, the designers of the cancelled premium module Darkness over Daggerford.^[71] It is set in the Dragon Coast city of Westgate.^[72] Atari's initial press release gave a release date of fall 2007 for Mysteries of Westgate,^[71] but it was not released until April 29, 2009.^[73]

Reception

Neverwinter Nights 2

Aggregate scores
Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	82.48%^[75]
Metacritic	82%^[74]

Review scores
Publication	Score
1Up.com	C+^[8]
Eurogamer	8 of 10^[18]
Game Informer	8 of 10^[24]
GameSpot	8.6 of 10^[2]
GameSpy	^[7]
GameZone	8.7 of 10^[3]

Award
Publication	Award
GameSpot	Best Story (2006)^[76]

Reception of Neverwinter Nights 2 was generally favorable.^[74]^[75] It placed number 6 on Amazon's video game pre-order list the week before its release,^[77] and was a best-seller for several weeks afterwards.^[78]^[79] It received GameSpot's "Best Story" award for 2006, beating out the reader's choice, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.^[76] It was also nominated for a Golden Joystick Award for Best PC Game of 2006.^[80] The editors of Computer Games Magazine presented Neverwinter Nights 2 with their 2006 "Best Writing" award, and it was a runner-up for their list of the year's top 10 computer games.^[81]

While some reviewers considered Neverwinter Nights 2 superior to its predecessor, Neverwinter Nights,^[11]^[24]^[82] the sequel received lower overall review ratings.^[74]^[75]^[83]^[84] Implementation of the Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 ruleset was praised as faithful to the pen-and-paper version,^[5]^[10] with GameDaily stating "The 3.5 edition ruleset is in full swing in Neverwinter Nights 2, where critical hits can devastate your entire party."^[1] The game's representation of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting was also well received.^[20] The storyline was widely considered one of the game's strong points and an improvement over Neverwinter Nights.^[2]^[18] GameSpy stated that the single–player campaign was "worthy of its exhaustive pedigree",^[7] and Game Informer's reviewer said "This title easily trumps the original NWN’s campaign with a vastly superior story and characters".^[24] Another reviewer declared it "one of the best written games in history".^[11] Aaron R. Conklin of The Wisconsin State Journal said, "It'd be very easy to be turned off by the first mundane chapters of the game's sprawling plot.... Stick with it: Once your party hits Neverwinter (and reaches level seven or so), the proceedings become significantly more interesting—especially in terms of character interaction and development.... NWN2 is a masterpiece of storytelling and scope."^[85] Conklin and Matt Slagle of Deseret News were pleased with the ethical choices in the game, with both noting approvingly that diplomacy was a very valid option that could succeed in place of combat.^[85]^[86]

Other reviewers were less convinced,^[87] with Australia's PALGN referring to the story as "rather predictable and clichéd".^[5] Jonathan Parkyn of Personal Computer World wrote, "Dialogue is NWN2's key component.... but those who favour fisticuffs may find it tiresome after playing for several billion hours."^[88] Similarly, reception of Neverwinter Nights 2's graphics was mixed. Some reviewers referred to the visuals as "new age" and "beautiful",^[1]^[20] but others noticed inconsistencies in their rendering and performance, especially on lower-end PCs.^[3]^[8]^[24] The Sydney Morning Herald said "The detailed 3D engine allows for lush scenery, giving you a greater sense of exploration as you poke around the rustic villages and murky swamps".^[6] Several comments on the audio and voice acting were positive,^[2]^[3] though one reviewer expressed disappointment that some sound effects had apparently been recycled from Neverwinter Nights.^[10] Conklin called the in-game camera "abysmal" and said the game had many graphical glitches.^[85] Slagle agreed, writing, "I had a lot of stuttering graphics and voiceovers that were out of synch with the characters' on-screen animations."^[86]

The most common criticism of the game was its numerous technical glitches.^[1]^[8] Adam Diamond of Isthmus was not happy with the pathfinding, writing, "I often found myself traveling solo through a dungeon, my companions spread out far behind me, leaving me vulnerable to attack. What's the point of having henchmen if they're not there to protect you?".^[82] Some reviews compared Neverwinter Nights 2 to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II,^[5]^[10]^[85] a previous Obsidian game that had received similar complaints.^[89]^[90] The bugs were described as disruptive to gameplay and "downright infuriating",^[5]^[10] and one reviewer encountered a "showstopper bug" in the initial retail version that prevented him from playing the game past a certain point.^[91] The bugs were said to negatively affect NPC AI, camera operation, and pathfinding.^[8]^[18] One review stated "The launch–to–load time is fairly long so be prepared to wonder if the game has crashed or is loading."^[3] Obsidian was quick to release fixes for several bugs,^[91] but later reviews still described the glitches as a serious problem.^[8]^[92] 1UP.com's review, written two weeks after the game's release, stated "But the sad truth is that NWN2 shipped in a pretty messy state, and even after a couple patches (as of this writing), the biggest problems remain."^[8]

The level editor and design toolset were widely praised,^[85]^[93] with Deseret referring to them as "insanely powerful and complex".^[86] The Mac version received mixed reception, and reviewers complained about its lack of the editor toolkit and its high system requirements.^[56]^[94]^[95]

1UP.com writer Matt Peckham caused controversy with his initial review of Neverwinter Nights 2. A 1UP editor pulled the review from the site and officially retracted it from the print version of the January 2007 issue of Games for Windows: The Official Magazine, explaining that "we felt that this particular review of Neverwinter Nights 2 did a disservice to fans of the [role-playing game] genre."^[96] The subsequent review by Jeff Green gave the game a score of C+ and is one of the most negative reviews among major outlets.^[8]^[74] A modified version of Peckham's review was later published by the Sci Fi Channel,^[97] and another version of the review can be found at Penny-Arcade.^[98]

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^ cook, Dave (December 11, 2012). "GameSpy server shut-downs: Rebellion head responds". VG247. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
^ ^a ^b Savage, Phil (December 13, 2012). "GameSpy denies shutting online servers without warning". PC Gamer. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
^ Goldstein, Maarten (October 17, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 GONE GOLD". Shacknews. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
^ "Neverwinter Nights 2 Release Information for PC". GameFAQs. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
^ "Neverwinter Nights 2 Pre-Order Toolset Delayed". IGN. September 16, 2006. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
^ "Atari Announces Neverwinter Nights 2 Limited Edition". Joystiq. September 14, 2006. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
^ "NWN2 Limited Edition Announced". Joystiq. September 14, 2006. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
^ "Neverwinter Nights 2 Limited Edition". IGN. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
^ Barlow, James (August 15, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Special Editions". gameSlave. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
^ Kruse, Cord (February 19, 2008). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Goes Gold". Inside Mac Games. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
^ ^a ^b "Neverwinter Nights 2 Coming to Mac". Aspyr. August 24, 2007. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
^ "Neverwinter Nights 2 Now Shipping for Mac". Aspyr. February 26, 2008. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
^ ^a ^b Wuerthele, Michael (September 17, 2008). "Inside Mac Games Review: Neverwinter Nights 2 (page 3)". Inside Mac Games. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
^ Anderson, Luke (March 13, 2008). "Atari Steams it up". GameSpot. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
^ "Shippin' Out May 5–9: Boom Blox". GameSpot. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
^ "Atari North America – Neverwinter Nights 2 Gold – PC DVD-ROM". Atari. Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved March 14, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ "News - New Release - Neverwinter Nights 2". Steam. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
^ http://steamcommunity.com/app/2760/discussions/0/810923580540078773/
^ "Release: Neverwinter Nights 2: Complete". GOG.com. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
^ "Atari Announces Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer". Gamasutra. April 12, 2007. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
^ "Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Release Information for PC". GameFAQs. Retrieved March 12, 2009.
^ Boyes, Emma (April 12, 2007). "Neverwinter Nights 2 expands". GameSpot. Retrieved March 12, 2009.
^ Ocampo, Jason (October 11, 2007). "Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Review for PC". GameSpot. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
^ "Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved March 12, 2009.
^ ^a ^b Magrino, Tom (June 10, 2008). "NWN2 Rides Storm of Zehir". GameSpot. Retrieved March 12, 2009.
^ ^a ^b Wilson, Jason (November 26, 2008). "Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir (PC)". 1UP. Retrieved March 12, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved March 12, 2009.
^ ^a ^b "Atari – Press Release: Atari Announces Neverwinter Nights 2 Adventure Pack". GamersHell. October 22, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2009.
^ "Games by Ossian Studios". Ossian Studios. Archived from the original on August 22, 2008. Retrieved March 12, 2009.
^ "Atari Releases Neverwinter Nights(TM) 2 Adventure Pack". 4-Traders. April 29, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Neverwinter Nights 2". Metacritic. Retrieved March 11, 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Neverwinter Nights 2 for PC". Gamerankings. Retrieved March 15, 2009.
^ ^a ^b "Best Games and Worst Games of 2006". GameSpot. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
^ "This Week's Top Sellers". Edge Online. October 24, 2006. Retrieved March 14, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Current Best Sellers". Edge Online. June 11, 2006. Retrieved March 14, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Current Best Sellers". Edge Online. November 14, 2006. Retrieved March 14, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Golden Joystick Shortlists Announced". Edge Online. January 8, 2007. Retrieved March 14, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ Staff (March 2007). "The Best (and Worst) of 2006; The 16th Annual Computer Games Awards". Computer Games Magazine (195): 46–51.
^ ^a ^b Diamond, Adam (December 15, 2006). "Deadly Dungeons". Isthmus. Retrieved May 19, 2013. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
^ "Neverwinter Nights". Metacritic. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
^ "Neverwinter Nights for PC". Gamerankings. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Conklin, Aaron R. (November 12, 2006). "Story Shines in Neverwinter Nights 2". The Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. Retrieved May 19, 2013. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
^ ^a ^b ^c Slagle, Matt (January 18, 2007). "'Neverwinter Nights' Sequel Brings More Dungeon Exploration to PC". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. Retrieved May 19, 2013. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
^ McCafferty, Iain (November 30, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review for PC". Videogamer.com. Retrieved March 11, 2009.
^ Parkyn, Jonathan (December 29, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2". Personal Computer World. Retrieved May 19, 2013. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
^ Butts, Steve. "Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords Review (page 4)". IGN. Retrieved March 11, 2009.
^ Rausch, Allen (February 4, 2005). "Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords Review". GameSpy. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
^ ^a ^b Lopez, Miguel (November 2, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Out of the Box". GameSpy. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
^ Dormer, Dan (December 6, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Patched, Still Buggy". 1Up.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved March 11, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ Campbell, Chris (December 14, 2006). "'Neverwinter' Sequel Boxed Set is a Winner". Post-Tribune. Retrieved May 19, 2013. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
^ Joseph, Cliff (October 10, 2008). "Neverwinter Nights 2 review". Macworld UK. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
^ Stern, Zack (July 17, 2008). "Neverwinter Nights 2". MacLife. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
^ Pfister, Andrew (November 3, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review Pulled". 1UP. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ Peckham, Matt (November 23, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 review". Sci Fi Channel. Archived from the original on September 6, 2007. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
^ Peckham, Matt. "Neverwinter Nights 2 review". Penny-Arcade. Archived from the original on December 6, 2006. Retrieved August 4, 2009.

External links

Neverwinter Nights 2 at IMDb
Neverwinter Nights 2 at MobyGames

[gdaily-1] Atkinson, Greg (November 2, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 on PC Review". Game Daily. Archived from the original on November 21, 2007. Retrieved March 11, 2009.

[gamespot-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Mueller, Greg (2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review for PC". GameSpot. Retrieved November 6, 2013.

[gamezone-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Lafferty, Michael (November 27, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on January 30, 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2009.

[4] Henderson, Eddie (December 21, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2". Computer Active. Retrieved May 6, 2013. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)

[palgn-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Marrow, Mark (November 23, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review". PALGN. Archived from the original on January 24, 2009. Retrieved November 7, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[smhreview-6] Fish, Eliot (December 11, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 – Game Reviews". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved November 7, 2013. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

[gamespy-7] Lopez, Miguel (November 7, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review". GameSpy. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[1up-8] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Green, Jeff (November 13, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review". 1Up.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[ignreview-9] Onyett, Charles (November 3, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review". IGN. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[vgamer2-10] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f McCafferty, Iain (November 30, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review for PC (page 2)". Videogamer.com. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[gdaily2-11] Atkinson, Greg (November 2, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 on PC Review (page 2)". GameDaily. Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[warcryprc-12] Kalia (October 16, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2: WarCry Exclusive: The Warpriest PrC". Warcry. Retrieved April 19, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[gspyreview2-13] Lopez, Miguel (November 7, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 – Page 2". GameSpy. Retrieved April 17, 2009.

[ignreview2-14] Onyett, Charles (November 3, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review (page 2)". IGN. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[15] Martin Korda (July 31, 2006). "PREVIEWS: PC". CVG. Retrieved April 18, 2009.

[16] IGN staff (October 27, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Peek #3". IGN. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[gsQA-17] GameSpot Staff (March 29, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Q&A – More Single-Player Details". GameSpot. Retrieved April 18, 2009.

[euro-18] Gillen, Kieron (November 4, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review". Eurogamer. Retrieved March 11, 2009.

[19] Obsidian Entertainment (October 3, 2006). "The Villains of Neverwinter". IGN. Retrieved April 18, 2009.

[jadventure-20] Giovetti, Al (December 13, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review". Just Adventure. Archived from the original on March 9, 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2009.

[grevolution-21] Ferris, Duke. "Neverwinter Nights 2 video game review for the PC". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved March 24, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[gspotguide-22] Rorie, Matthew. "GameSpot Game Guide: Neverwinter Nights 2". GameSpot. Archived from the original on January 17, 2016. Retrieved June 20, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[GBwalkthru-23] "Neverwinter Nights 2 @ GameBanshee". GameBanshee. Retrieved June 20, 2010.

[ginformer-24] Biessener, Adam. "Neverwinter Nights 2". Game Informer. Archived from the original on November 11, 2007. Retrieved March 11, 2009.

[1upmbpreview-25] Lee, Garnett (July 16, 2007). "Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Preview from 1UP.com". 1UP. Archived from the original on October 20, 2007. Retrieved March 24, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[ignforum-26] "Baldur's Gate III, Neverwinter Nights II in Development?". IGN. April 3, 2004. Retrieved April 12, 2009.

[ignpress-27] Adams, David (August 4, 2004). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Officially Announced". IGN. Retrieved April 12, 2009.

[1upfuint-28] Gifford, Kevin (August 16, 2004). "Feargus Urquhart Interview". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[ignfirst-29] Blevins, Tal (August 6, 2004). "Neverwinter Nights 2 First Details". IGN. Retrieved April 12, 2009.

[tvgint-30] Wilcox, Jon (April 5, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Q&A Feature". Totalvideogames.com. Archived from the original on April 16, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[gspotannounce-31] Park, Andrew (August 16, 2004). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Early Details". GameSpot. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[gproint-32] Zealot, Funky (August 19, 2004). "Interview with Obsidian's Feargus Urquhart". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 18, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2009.

[ignpreview2-33] Adams, Dan (November 14, 2005). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Preview (page 2)". IGN. Retrieved April 12, 2009.

[ignpreview3-34] Adams, Dan (November 14, 2005). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Preview (page 3)". IGN. Retrieved April 12, 2009.

[ignfirst4-35] Blevins, Tal (August 6, 2004). "Neverwinter Nights 2 First Details (page 4)". IGN. Retrieved April 12, 2009.

[ignpreview-36] Adams, Dan (November 14, 2005). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Preview". IGN. Retrieved April 12, 2009.

[ignfirst2-37] Blevins, Tal (August 6, 2004). "Neverwinter Nights 2 First Details (page 2)". IGN. Retrieved April 12, 2009.

[rpgvint2-38] Aihoshi, Richard (December 19, 2005). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Interview, Part 1 (page 2)". IGN. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[gproint2-39] Zealot, Funky (August 19, 2004). "Interview with Obsidian's Feargus Urquhart (page 2)". GamePro. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2009.

[ignfollower-40] "The Followers of Neverwinter". IGN. September 21, 2006. Retrieved April 12, 2009.

[gsutraparty-41] Fyfe, Duncan (February 25, 2009). "Opinion: 'Obsidian – Life Of The (RPG) Party?'". Gamasutra. Retrieved April 12, 2009.

[42] Brown, Steven E.F. "GLU Mobile take over Gamespy". San Francisco Business Journal.

[43] Purchese, Robert (December 10, 2012). "Glu snips GameSpy from several old PC games". Eurogamer. Retrieved December 14, 2012.

[44] , Dave (December 11, 2012). "GameSpy server shut-downs: Rebellion head responds". VG247. Retrieved December 14, 2012.

[pcg-shutdown-45] Savage, Phil (December 13, 2012). "GameSpy denies shutting online servers without warning". PC Gamer. Retrieved December 14, 2012.

[shackgold-46] Goldstein, Maarten (October 17, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 GONE GOLD". Shacknews. Retrieved March 14, 2009.

[gfaqsrelease-47] "Neverwinter Nights 2 Release Information for PC". GameFAQs. Retrieved March 14, 2009.

[toolset-48] "Neverwinter Nights 2 Pre-Order Toolset Delayed". IGN. September 16, 2006. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[limitededition-49] "Atari Announces Neverwinter Nights 2 Limited Edition". Joystiq. September 14, 2006. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[joystiq-50] "NWN2 Limited Edition Announced". Joystiq. September 14, 2006. Retrieved November 6, 2013.

[aulimited-51] "Neverwinter Nights 2 Limited Edition". IGN. Retrieved November 6, 2013.

[slavespecial-52] Barlow, James (August 15, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Special Editions". gameSlave. Retrieved March 14, 2009.

[insidemac-53] Kruse, Cord (February 19, 2008). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Goes Gold". Inside Mac Games. Retrieved March 13, 2009.

[aspyrpr-54] "Neverwinter Nights 2 Coming to Mac". Aspyr. August 24, 2007. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.

[aspyrrelease-55] "Neverwinter Nights 2 Now Shipping for Mac". Aspyr. February 26, 2008. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.

[imgreview-56] Wuerthele, Michael (September 17, 2008). "Inside Mac Games Review: Neverwinter Nights 2 (page 3)". Inside Mac Games. Retrieved March 13, 2009.

[gssteam-57] Anderson, Luke (March 13, 2008). "Atari Steams it up". GameSpot. Retrieved March 14, 2009.

[gsgold-58] "Shippin' Out May 5–9: Boom Blox". GameSpot. Retrieved March 14, 2009.

[atarigold-59] "Atari North America – Neverwinter Nights 2 Gold – PC DVD-ROM". Atari. Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved March 14, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[SteamRelease-60] "News - New Release - Neverwinter Nights 2". Steam. Retrieved February 19, 2011.

[61] ttp://steamcommunity.com/app/2760/discussions/0/810923580540078773/

[GOG.comRelease-62] "Release: Neverwinter Nights 2: Complete". GOG.com. Retrieved January 24, 2013.

[mbpress-63] "Atari Announces Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer". Gamasutra. April 12, 2007. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[mbrelease-64] "Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Release Information for PC". GameFAQs. Retrieved March 12, 2009.

[gsmb-65] Boyes, Emma (April 12, 2007). "Neverwinter Nights 2 expands". GameSpot. Retrieved March 12, 2009.

[mbgsreview-66] Ocampo, Jason (October 11, 2007). "Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Review for PC". GameSpot. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[mbmetacritic-67] "Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved March 12, 2009.

[gszehir-68] Magrino, Tom (June 10, 2008). "NWN2 Rides Storm of Zehir". GameSpot. Retrieved March 12, 2009.

[szr1up-69] Wilson, Jason (November 26, 2008). "Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir (PC)". 1UP. Retrieved March 12, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[szmetacritic-70] "Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved March 12, 2009.

[ghatari-71] "Atari – Press Release: Atari Announces Neverwinter Nights 2 Adventure Pack". GamersHell. October 22, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2009.

[ossiangame-72] "Games by Ossian Studios". Ossian Studios. Archived from the original on August 22, 2008. Retrieved March 12, 2009.

[73] "Atari Releases Neverwinter Nights(TM) 2 Adventure Pack". 4-Traders. April 29, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2013.

[metacritic-74] "Neverwinter Nights 2". Metacritic. Retrieved March 11, 2009.

[gamerankings-75] "Neverwinter Nights 2 for PC". Gamerankings. Retrieved March 15, 2009.

[gsaward-76] "Best Games and Worst Games of 2006". GameSpot. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[edgesalespre-77] "This Week's Top Sellers". Edge Online. October 24, 2006. Retrieved March 14, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[edgesell1-78] "Current Best Sellers". Edge Online. June 11, 2006. Retrieved March 14, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[edgesell2-79] "Current Best Sellers". Edge Online. November 14, 2006. Retrieved March 14, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[edgegolden-80] "Golden Joystick Shortlists Announced". Edge Online. January 8, 2007. Retrieved March 14, 2009.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[cgm16th-81] Staff (March 2007). "The Best (and Worst) of 2006; The 16th Annual Computer Games Awards". Computer Games Magazine (195): 46–51.

[isthmus-82] Diamond, Adam (December 15, 2006). "Deadly Dungeons". Isthmus. Retrieved May 19, 2013. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)

[metacriticnwn-83] "Neverwinter Nights". Metacritic. Retrieved June 10, 2010.

[gamerankingsnwn-84] "Neverwinter Nights for PC". Gamerankings. Retrieved June 10, 2010.

[wsj-85] Conklin, Aaron R. (November 12, 2006). "Story Shines in Neverwinter Nights 2". The Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. Retrieved May 19, 2013. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)

[deseret-86] Slagle, Matt (January 18, 2007). "'Neverwinter Nights' Sequel Brings More Dungeon Exploration to PC". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. Retrieved May 19, 2013. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)

[vgamer-87] McCafferty, Iain (November 30, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review for PC". Videogamer.com. Retrieved March 11, 2009.

[88] Parkyn, Jonathan (December 29, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2". Personal Computer World. Retrieved May 19, 2013. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)

[kotorign-89] Butts, Steve. "Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords Review (page 4)". IGN. Retrieved March 11, 2009.

[kotorgs-90] Rausch, Allen (February 4, 2005). "Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords Review". GameSpy. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[gsbox-91] Lopez, Miguel (November 2, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Out of the Box". GameSpy. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[1upbug-92] Dormer, Dan (December 6, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Patched, Still Buggy". 1Up.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved March 11, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[93] Campbell, Chris (December 14, 2006). "'Neverwinter' Sequel Boxed Set is a Winner". Post-Tribune. Retrieved May 19, 2013. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)

[macworlduk-94] Joseph, Cliff (October 10, 2008). "Neverwinter Nights 2 review". Macworld UK. Retrieved March 13, 2009.

[maclife-95] Stern, Zack (July 17, 2008). "Neverwinter Nights 2". MacLife. Retrieved March 13, 2009.

[1uppull-96] Pfister, Andrew (November 3, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 Review Pulled". 1UP. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[scifireview-97] Peckham, Matt (November 23, 2006). "Neverwinter Nights 2 review". Sci Fi Channel. Archived from the original on September 6, 2007. Retrieved April 24, 2009.

[98] Peckham, Matt. "Neverwinter Nights 2 review". Penny-Arcade. Archived from the original on December 6, 2006. Retrieved August 4, 2009.

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@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 [[File:NWN2Layout.jpg|left|thumb|alt=Screenshot of gameplay, demonstrating a character and his party|An in-game screenshot. The [[player character]] and his [[Party (role-playing games)|party]] are in the middle of the screen. The [[HUD (video gaming)|interface]] is around the border, with a [[mini-map]], dialogue box, and a variety of [[Keyboard shortcut|hotkeys]].]]
-The game is set in the [[Forgotten Realms]] [[Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings|campaign setting]].<ref name="1up">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/reviews/neverwinter-nights-2|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Review|last=Green|first=Jeff|date=November 13, 2006|publisher=1Up.com|accessdate=November 7, 2013|archiveurl=https://archive.is/20131203000943/http://www.1up.com/reviews/neverwinter-nights-2|archivedate=December 3, 2013|deadurl=yes|df=mdy-all}}</ref>  The party is able to explore various areas of [[Faerûn]]—including its [[List of Forgotten Realms cities|cities]], forests, and dungeons—while earning [[experience point]]s and treasure by defeating [[List of Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition monsters|monsters]] and completing [[Quest (gaming)|quests]].<ref name="gamespot" /> The entire party collaborates during combat, with characters' behavior determined by their class and abilities.<ref name="ignreview" /> Upon gaining specified amounts of experience, characters [[Experience point#Level-based progression|level up]] which allows them to earn new abilities such as [[Magic of Dungeons & Dragons|magic spells]] and [[Dungeons & Dragons gameplay#Feats|feats]].<ref name="gamespot" /> Some races, like the [[Drow (Dungeons & Dragons)|drow]], are more powerful than others and require characters to accumulate more experience to earn levels.<ref name="vgamer2" /> Characters can access [[Character class (Dungeons & Dragons)#Prestige classes|Prestige classes]], more specialized versions of base classes, by fulfilling certain requirements.<ref name="gdaily2" /> The warpriest, for example, is available to divine spellcasters such as [[Cleric (Dungeons & Dragons)|clerics]] after they have reached a set level of power.<ref name="warcryprc">{{cite web|url=http://nwn2.warcry.com/news/view/65547|title=Neverwinter Nights 2: WarCry Exclusive: The Warpriest PrC|last=Kalia|date=October 16, 2006|publisher=[[WarCry Network|Warcry]]|accessdate=April 19, 2009}}</ref> Items such as weapons, armor, potions, and scrolls can be used or equipped by characters,<ref name="ignreview" /> and some equipment changes will affect a character's appearance.<ref name="palgn" /><!-- Note: Only certain item types are rendered. --> As the game progresses, the player character acquires a [[keep]] that can be used as a base of operations. Initially, the keep is in a state of disrepair and must be refurbished using party funds.<ref name="gspyreview2">{{cite web|url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/neverwinter-nights-ii/744657p2.html|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 – Page 2|last=Lopez|first=Miguel|date=November 7, 2006|publisher=[[GameSpy]]|accessdate=April 17, 2009}}</ref> As the keep is improved, it can generate income and gain stronger defenses to repel [[siege]]s. [[Non-player character]]s such as equipment vendors can be recruited to work at the keep, and the player must manage the training of guards and the allocation of resources.<ref name="ignreview" />
+The game is set in the [[Forgotten Realms]] [[Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings|campaign setting]].<ref name="1up">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/reviews/neverwinter-nights-2|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Review|last=Green|first=Jeff|date=November 13, 2006|publisher=1Up.com|accessdate=November 7, 2013|archiveurl=https://archive.is/20131203000943/http://www.1up.com/reviews/neverwinter-nights-2|archivedate=December 3, 2013|deadurl=yes|df=mdy-all}}</ref>  The party is able to explore various areas of [[Faerûn]]—including its [[List of Forgotten Realms cities|cities]], forests, and dungeons—while earning [[experience point]]s and treasure by defeating [[List of Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition monsters|monsters]] and completing [[Quest (gaming)|quests]].<ref name="gamespot" /> The entire party collaborates during combat, with characters' behavior determined by their class and abilities.<ref name="ignreview" /> Upon gaining specified amounts of experience, characters [[Experience point#Level-based progression|level up]] which allows them to earn new abilities such as [[Magic of Dungeons & Dragons|magic spells]] and [[Dungeons & Dragons gameplay#Feats|feats]].<ref name="gamespot" /> Some races, like the [[Drow (Dungeons & Dragons)|drow]], are more powerful than others and require characters to accumulate more experience to earn levels.<ref name="vgamer2" /> Characters can access [[Character class (Dungeons & Dragons)#Prestige classes|Prestige classes]], more specialized versions of base classes, by fulfilling certain requirements.<ref name="gdaily2" /> The warpriest, for example, is available to divine spellcasters such as [[Cleric (Dungeons & Dragons)|clerics]] after they have reached a set level of power.<ref name="warcryprc">{{cite web|url=http://nwn2.warcry.com/news/view/65547|title=Neverwinter Nights 2: WarCry Exclusive: The Warpriest PrC|last=Kalia|date=October 16, 2006|publisher=[[WarCry Network|Warcry]]|accessdate=April 19, 2009}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Items such as weapons, armor, potions, and scrolls can be used or equipped by characters,<ref name="ignreview" /> and some equipment changes will affect a character's appearance.<ref name="palgn" /><!-- Note: Only certain item types are rendered. --> As the game progresses, the player character acquires a [[keep]] that can be used as a base of operations. Initially, the keep is in a state of disrepair and must be refurbished using party funds.<ref name="gspyreview2">{{cite web|url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/neverwinter-nights-ii/744657p2.html|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 – Page 2|last=Lopez|first=Miguel|date=November 7, 2006|publisher=[[GameSpy]]|accessdate=April 17, 2009}}</ref> As the keep is improved, it can generate income and gain stronger defenses to repel [[siege]]s. [[Non-player character]]s such as equipment vendors can be recruited to work at the keep, and the player must manage the training of guards and the allocation of resources.<ref name="ignreview" />
 Before the online component was disabled (see [[#Development|Development]] below), the campaign of ''Neverwinter Nights 2'' could be played with other players, but only from the beginning of the storyline.  The rules could be modified for multiplayer games, such as deactivating [[friendly fire]]. A [[BioWare]] community account was required to play online, and players were able to search for game servers matching their style of play.<ref name="gamespot" /> Players could upload and play [[Mod (computer gaming)|modules]] online created with the Electron toolset, which is included with the Windows version of the game.<ref name="ignreview2">{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/11/03/neverwinter-nights-2-review?page=2|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Review (page 2)|last=Onyett|first=Charles|date=November 3, 2006|publisher=[[IGN]]|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref>
@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 === Plot ===
 [[File:NWN2Cinematic.jpg|right|thumb|alt=A human wizard and a large otherworldly creature are locked in battle|The game's opening [[Cut scene|cinematic]], portraying the main antagonist, the King of Shadows (left), in battle with the [[Warlock (Dungeons & Dragons)|warlock]] Ammon Jerro.]]
-''Neverwinter Nights 2'' is composed of three distinct [[Act (drama)|acts]].<ref name="jadventure" /> The game's first act begins in the village of West Harbor, where the player's character was raised as an orphan by the [[Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)|elven]] [[Ranger (Dungeons & Dragons)|ranger]] Daeghun.<ref name="gamezone" /> After a festival, the town is attacked by a group, led by a [[githyanki]], in search of an unnamed object. Afterward, the character is sent to retrieve a mysterious silver shard from a nearby cave,<ref name="jadventure" /> which was left there years earlier after the defeat of the King of Shadows. The character then sets out for Neverwinter, meeting other adventurers along the way, several of whom are available for recruitment. In Neverwinter, Daeghun's half-brother Duncan offers a more comprehensive explanation of the situation.<ref name="grevolution">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pc/neverwinter_nights_2|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 video game review for the PC|last=Ferris|first=Duke|publisher=Game Revolution|accessdate=March 24, 2009}}</ref> In Neverwinter, Duncan instructs the party to speak with Aldanon, a sage who reveals the shard's connection with a dead [[Warlock (Dungeons & Dragons)|warlock]] and his descendant, a farmer named Shandra Jerro. However, the githyanki kidnap Shandra and the player character must rescue her. At the end of Act I, the party dispatches the githyanki, rescues Shandra, and learns of the origin of the shards.<ref name="gspotguide">{{cite web|last=Rorie|first=Matthew|title=GameSpot Game Guide: Neverwinter Nights 2|url=http://vtunnel.com/index.php/1010110A/e3508f1e5b89d6d6566e0a4a426779ad620a14e0d5a2b387d90807d5a9482fdeac425320cae15a1e8f98d515ea155b16020|publisher=GameSpot|accessdate=June 20, 2010}}</ref>
+''Neverwinter Nights 2'' is composed of three distinct [[Act (drama)|acts]].<ref name="jadventure" /> The game's first act begins in the village of West Harbor, where the player's character was raised as an orphan by the [[Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)|elven]] [[Ranger (Dungeons & Dragons)|ranger]] Daeghun.<ref name="gamezone" /> After a festival, the town is attacked by a group, led by a [[githyanki]], in search of an unnamed object. Afterward, the character is sent to retrieve a mysterious silver shard from a nearby cave,<ref name="jadventure" /> which was left there years earlier after the defeat of the King of Shadows. The character then sets out for Neverwinter, meeting other adventurers along the way, several of whom are available for recruitment. In Neverwinter, Daeghun's half-brother Duncan offers a more comprehensive explanation of the situation.<ref name="grevolution">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pc/neverwinter_nights_2|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 video game review for the PC|last=Ferris|first=Duke|publisher=Game Revolution|accessdate=March 24, 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725100749/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pc/neverwinter_nights_2|archivedate=July 25, 2008|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In Neverwinter, Duncan instructs the party to speak with Aldanon, a sage who reveals the shard's connection with a dead [[Warlock (Dungeons & Dragons)|warlock]] and his descendant, a farmer named Shandra Jerro. However, the githyanki kidnap Shandra and the player character must rescue her. At the end of Act I, the party dispatches the githyanki, rescues Shandra, and learns of the origin of the shards.<ref name="gspotguide">{{cite web|last=Rorie|first=Matthew|title=GameSpot Game Guide: Neverwinter Nights 2|url=http://vtunnel.com/index.php/1010110A/e3508f1e5b89d6d6566e0a4a426779ad620a14e0d5a2b387d90807d5a9482fdeac425320cae15a1e8f98d515ea155b16020|publisher=GameSpot|accessdate=June 20, 2010|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117204633/http://vtunnel.com/index.php/1010110A/e3508f1e5b89d6d6566e0a4a426779ad620a14e0d5a2b387d90807d5a9482fdeac425320cae15a1e8f98d515ea155b16020|archivedate=January 17, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
 In act two, the party discovers that an evil wizard, Black Garius, is plotting to subsume the power of a powerful entity known as the King of Shadows. The party interrupts Garius during the scheme and Garius is apparently killed. As a reward, the protagonist earns a title of [[nobility]] and is awarded a stronghold, Crossroads Keep, by Neverwinter's political leader, [[Lord Nasher]].<ref name="ignreview">{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/11/03/neverwinter-nights-2-review|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Review|last=Onyett|first=Charles|date=November 3, 2006|publisher=IGN|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref> After tracking down Ammon Jerro, the warlock who fought the King of Shadows and the grandfather of Shandra Jerro, the player character learns that the King of Shadows was once known as the Guardian, a powerful creation of the ancient fallen empire of [[Illefarn]]. The Guardian was corrupted after tapping into a dark magical energy called the Shadow Weave. Thereafter the Guardian destroyed Illefarn in a misguided attempt to protect it. Ammon is initially unwilling to help the player character, but after inadvertently slaying his descendant Shandra, he repents and joins the party.<ref name="GBwalkthru">{{cite web|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 @ GameBanshee|url=http://www.gamebanshee.com/neverwinternights2/walkthrough/ammonjerroshaven.php|publisher=GameBanshee|accessdate=June 20, 2010}}</ref>
-Act three introduces the Shadow Reavers, a sect of powerful undead mages that include a revived Garius, still intent on resurrecting the King of Shadows.<ref name="ginformer">{{cite web|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/6E014E5B-0855-4B0A-968F-9C3B74E785EC.htm|title=Neverwinter Nights 2|last=Biessener|first=Adam|publisher=Game Informer|accessdate=March 11, 2009 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20071111040705/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/6E014E5B-0855-4B0A-968F-9C3B74E785EC.htm |archivedate = November 11, 2007}}</ref> The player must prepare Crossroad Keep for imminent battle by fortifying its troops and lands. After additional shards are retrieved by defeating Shadow Reavers, the shards are reformed into a powerful unique weapon for the player character, the Silver Sword of Gith. The sword, stolen by Ammon Jerro in the first battle against the King of Shadows, is the only weapon that can resist the enemy's power. The army of the Shadow Reavers lays siege to Crossroads Keep and is repelled by the occupants.<ref name="gdaily2" /> After making their way through Garius' new stronghold, the party engages the mage in a second confrontation. After Garius is defeated, good members of the party begin the final fight against the King of Shadows. Evil and neutral characters (including the player character, if applicable) can decide to attack the King or fight alongside him. A [[cutscene]] afterwards details the battle's effect on the world, and ends on a [[cliffhanger]] which is continued in the [[Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer|''Mask of the Betrayer'']] [[expansion pack]].<ref name="1upmbpreview">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3161334&p=1&sec=PREVIEWS|title=Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Preview from 1UP.com|last=Lee|first=Garnett|date=July 16, 2007|publisher=1UP|accessdate=March 24, 2009}}</ref>
+Act three introduces the Shadow Reavers, a sect of powerful undead mages that include a revived Garius, still intent on resurrecting the King of Shadows.<ref name="ginformer">{{cite web|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/6E014E5B-0855-4B0A-968F-9C3B74E785EC.htm|title=Neverwinter Nights 2|last=Biessener|first=Adam|publisher=Game Informer|accessdate=March 11, 2009 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20071111040705/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/6E014E5B-0855-4B0A-968F-9C3B74E785EC.htm |archivedate = November 11, 2007}}</ref> The player must prepare Crossroad Keep for imminent battle by fortifying its troops and lands. After additional shards are retrieved by defeating Shadow Reavers, the shards are reformed into a powerful unique weapon for the player character, the Silver Sword of Gith. The sword, stolen by Ammon Jerro in the first battle against the King of Shadows, is the only weapon that can resist the enemy's power. The army of the Shadow Reavers lays siege to Crossroads Keep and is repelled by the occupants.<ref name="gdaily2" /> After making their way through Garius' new stronghold, the party engages the mage in a second confrontation. After Garius is defeated, good members of the party begin the final fight against the King of Shadows. Evil and neutral characters (including the player character, if applicable) can decide to attack the King or fight alongside him. A [[cutscene]] afterwards details the battle's effect on the world, and ends on a [[cliffhanger]] which is continued in the [[Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer|''Mask of the Betrayer'']] [[expansion pack]].<ref name="1upmbpreview">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3161334&p=1&sec=PREVIEWS|title=Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Preview from 1UP.com|last=Lee|first=Garnett|date=July 16, 2007|publisher=1UP|accessdate=March 24, 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020092015/http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3161334|archivedate=October 20, 2007|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
 == Development ==
@@ Line 72: / Line 72: @@
 * ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer|Mask of the Betrayer]]'', the game's first expansion pack, was announced in April 2007 by Atari and Obsidian Entertainment.<ref name="mbpress">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13492|title=Atari Announces Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer|date=April 12, 2007|publisher=Gamasutra|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref> It was released on September 28, 2007 in Europe, on October 9 in the United States, and on November 1 in Australia.<ref name="mbrelease">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/data/939027.html|title=Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Release Information for PC|publisher=GameFAQs|accessdate=March 12, 2009}}</ref> ''Mask of the Betrayer's'' story begins shortly after the events of ''Neverwinter Nights 2'' and is set in the country of [[List of Forgotten Realms nations#Rashemen|Rashemen]], a [[matriarchy]] near [[List of Forgotten Realms nations#Thay|Thay]].<ref name="gsmb">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/neverwinternights2maskofthebetrayer/news.html?sid=6168937&mode=all|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 expands|last=Boyes|first=Emma|date=April 12, 2007|publisher=GameSpot|accessdate=March 12, 2009}}</ref> The expansion contains several new options for character development, including additional races and prestige classes.<ref name="mbgsreview">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/neverwinter-nights-2-mask-of-the-betrayer-review/1900-6180828/|title=Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Review for PC|last=Ocampo|first=Jason|date=October 11, 2007|publisher=GameSpot|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref> It received favorable reviews from critics.<ref name="mbmetacritic">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/neverwinternights2maskofthebetrayer?q=mask%20betrayer|title=Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Reviews|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=March 12, 2009}}</ref>
-* ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir|Storm of Zehir]]'' was announced in June 2008.<ref name="gszehir">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/neverwinternights2maskofthebetrayer/news.html?sid=6192338&mode=all|title=NWN2 Rides Storm of Zehir|last=Magrino|first=Tom|date=June 10, 2008|publisher=GameSpot|accessdate=March 12, 2009}}</ref> The pack is set on the Sword Coast and Chult areas of the Forgotten Realms and was released on November 18, 2008 in the United States, on November 21 in Europe, and on December 11 in Australia.<ref name="szr1up" /> Despite being released after the introduction of the ''D&D'' 4th edition ruleset, ''Storm of Zehir'' made use of the 3.5 ruleset like its predecessors.<ref name="gszehir" /> The expansion featured gameplay with similarities to previous D&D video game series ''[[Baldur's Gate (series)|Baldur's Gate]]'' and ''[[Icewind Dale (series)|Icewind Dale]]'' and received mixed reviews.<ref name="szr1up">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3171538&p=1|title=Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir (PC)|last=Wilson|first=Jason|date=November 26, 2008|publisher=1UP|accessdate=March 12, 2009}}</ref><ref name="szmetacritic">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/neverwinternights2stormofzehir?q=zehir|title=Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir Reviews|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=March 12, 2009}}</ref>
+* ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir|Storm of Zehir]]'' was announced in June 2008.<ref name="gszehir">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/neverwinternights2maskofthebetrayer/news.html?sid=6192338&mode=all|title=NWN2 Rides Storm of Zehir|last=Magrino|first=Tom|date=June 10, 2008|publisher=GameSpot|accessdate=March 12, 2009}}</ref> The pack is set on the Sword Coast and Chult areas of the Forgotten Realms and was released on November 18, 2008 in the United States, on November 21 in Europe, and on December 11 in Australia.<ref name="szr1up" /> Despite being released after the introduction of the ''D&D'' 4th edition ruleset, ''Storm of Zehir'' made use of the 3.5 ruleset like its predecessors.<ref name="gszehir" /> The expansion featured gameplay with similarities to previous D&D video game series ''[[Baldur's Gate (series)|Baldur's Gate]]'' and ''[[Icewind Dale (series)|Icewind Dale]]'' and received mixed reviews.<ref name="szr1up">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3171538&p=1|title=Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir (PC)|last=Wilson|first=Jason|date=November 26, 2008|publisher=1UP|accessdate=March 12, 2009}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="szmetacritic">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/neverwinternights2stormofzehir?q=zehir|title=Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir Reviews|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=March 12, 2009}}</ref>
 * ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate|Mysteries of Westgate]]'' was announced in October 2007. Atari referred to it as an "adventure pack", comparing it to the [[Neverwinter Nights#Premium modules|premium modules]] of ''Neverwinter Nights''. The game was developed by Canadian-based [[Ossian Studios]], the designers of the cancelled premium module ''[[Darkness over Daggerford]]''.<ref name="ghatari">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamershell.com/companies/atari/380253.html|title=Atari – Press Release: Atari Announces Neverwinter Nights 2 Adventure Pack|date=October 22, 2007|publisher=GamersHell|accessdate=March 12, 2009}}</ref> It is set in the [[List of regions in Faerûn#Dragon Coast|Dragon Coast]] city of Westgate.<ref name="ossiangame">{{cite web|url=http://www.ossianstudios.com/pages/games.html|title=Games by Ossian Studios|publisher=Ossian Studios|accessdate=March 12, 2009 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080822041928/http://www.ossianstudios.com/pages/games.html |archivedate = August 22, 2008}}</ref> Atari's initial press release gave a release date of fall 2007 for ''Mysteries of Westgate'',<ref name="ghatari" /> but it was not released until April 29, 2009.<ref>{{cite news
 | title =Atari Releases Neverwinter Nights(TM) 2 Adventure Pack | date=April 29, 2009
@@ Line 93: / Line 93: @@
 | award1 = Best Story (2006)<ref name="gsaward" />
 }}
-Reception of ''Neverwinter Nights 2'' was generally favorable.<ref name="metacritic">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/neverwinternights2?q=neverwinter%20nights%202|title=Neverwinter Nights 2|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=March 11, 2009}}</ref><ref name="gamerankings">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/922154-neverwinter-nights-2/index.html|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 for PC|publisher=Gamerankings|accessdate=March 15, 2009}}</ref> It placed number 6 on Amazon's video game pre-order list the week before its release,<ref name="edgesalespre">{{cite web|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/news/weeks-top-sellers|title=This Week's Top Sellers|date=October 24, 2006|publisher=Edge Online|accessdate=March 14, 2009}}</ref> and was a best-seller for several weeks afterwards.<ref name="edgesell1">{{cite web|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/features/current-best-sellers-11?page=0,1|title=Current Best Sellers|date=June 11, 2006|publisher=Edge Online|accessdate=March 14, 2009}}</ref><ref name="edgesell2">{{cite web|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/features/current-best-sellers-12|title=Current Best Sellers|date=November 14, 2006|publisher=Edge Online|accessdate=March 14, 2009}}</ref> It received [[GameSpot]]'s "Best Story" award for 2006, beating out the reader's choice, ''[[The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion]]''.<ref name="gsaward">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/best-and-worst-of-2006/1100-6163270/|title=Best Games and Worst Games of 2006|publisher=GameSpot|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref> It was also nominated for a [[Golden Joystick Award]] for Best PC Game of 2006.<ref name="edgegolden">{{cite web|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/news/golden-joystick-shortlists-announced|title=Golden Joystick Shortlists Announced|date=January 8, 2007|publisher=Edge Online|accessdate=March 14, 2009}}</ref> The editors of ''[[Computer Games Magazine]]'' presented ''Neverwinter Nights 2'' with their 2006 "Best Writing" award, and it was a runner-up for their list of the year's top 10 computer games.<ref name=cgm16th>{{cite journal | author=Staff | journal=[[Computer Games Magazine]] | title=The Best (and Worst) of 2006; The 16th Annual ''Computer Games'' Awards |date=March 2007 | issue=195 | pages=46-51 }}</ref>
+Reception of ''Neverwinter Nights 2'' was generally favorable.<ref name="metacritic">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/neverwinternights2?q=neverwinter%20nights%202|title=Neverwinter Nights 2|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=March 11, 2009}}</ref><ref name="gamerankings">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/922154-neverwinter-nights-2/index.html|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 for PC|publisher=Gamerankings|accessdate=March 15, 2009}}</ref> It placed number 6 on Amazon's video game pre-order list the week before its release,<ref name="edgesalespre">{{cite web|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/news/weeks-top-sellers|title=This Week's Top Sellers|date=October 24, 2006|publisher=Edge Online|accessdate=March 14, 2009}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and was a best-seller for several weeks afterwards.<ref name="edgesell1">{{cite web|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/features/current-best-sellers-11?page=0,1|title=Current Best Sellers|date=June 11, 2006|publisher=Edge Online|accessdate=March 14, 2009}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="edgesell2">{{cite web|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/features/current-best-sellers-12|title=Current Best Sellers|date=November 14, 2006|publisher=Edge Online|accessdate=March 14, 2009}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It received [[GameSpot]]'s "Best Story" award for 2006, beating out the reader's choice, ''[[The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion]]''.<ref name="gsaward">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/best-and-worst-of-2006/1100-6163270/|title=Best Games and Worst Games of 2006|publisher=GameSpot|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref> It was also nominated for a [[Golden Joystick Award]] for Best PC Game of 2006.<ref name="edgegolden">{{cite web|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/news/golden-joystick-shortlists-announced|title=Golden Joystick Shortlists Announced|date=January 8, 2007|publisher=Edge Online|accessdate=March 14, 2009}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The editors of ''[[Computer Games Magazine]]'' presented ''Neverwinter Nights 2'' with their 2006 "Best Writing" award, and it was a runner-up for their list of the year's top 10 computer games.<ref name=cgm16th>{{cite journal | author=Staff | journal=[[Computer Games Magazine]] | title=The Best (and Worst) of 2006; The 16th Annual ''Computer Games'' Awards |date=March 2007 | issue=195 | pages=46-51 }}</ref>
-While some reviewers considered ''Neverwinter Nights 2'' superior to its predecessor, ''Neverwinter Nights'',<ref name="gdaily2">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamedaily.com/games/neverwinter-nights-2/pc/game-reviews/review/3511/1396/?page=2|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 on PC Review (page 2)|last=Atkinson|first=Greg|date=November 2, 2006|publisher=GameDaily|accessdate=November 7, 2013|archivedate=August 17, 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817180339/http://www.gamedaily.com/games/neverwinter-nights-2/pc/game-reviews/review/3511/1396?page=2}}</ref><ref name="ginformer" /><ref name=isthmus/> the sequel received lower overall review ratings.<ref name="metacritic" /><ref name="gamerankings" /><ref name="metacriticnwn">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/neverwinternights?q=neverwinter%20nights|title=Neverwinter Nights|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=June 10, 2010}}</ref><ref name="gamerankingsnwn">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/188666-neverwinter-nights/index.html|title=Neverwinter Nights for PC|publisher=Gamerankings|accessdate=June 10, 2010}}</ref> Implementation of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' 3.5 ruleset was praised as faithful to the pen-and-paper version,<ref name="palgn">{{cite web|url=http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=6112|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Review|last=Marrow|first=Mark|date=November 23, 2006|publisher=PALGN|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref><ref name="vgamer2">{{cite web|url=http://www.videogamer.com/pc/neverwinter_nights_2/review-2.html|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Review for PC (page 2)|last=McCafferty|first=Iain|date=November 30, 2006|publisher=Videogamer.com|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref> with [[GameDaily]] stating "The 3.5 edition ruleset is in full swing in Neverwinter Nights 2, where critical hits can devastate your entire party."<ref name="gdaily">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamedaily.com/games/neverwinter-nights-2/pc/game-reviews/review/3511/1396/|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 on PC Review|last=Atkinson|first=Greg|date=November 2, 2006|publisher=Game Daily|accessdate=March 11, 2009|archivedate=November 21, 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121020058/http://www.gamedaily.com/games/neverwinter-nights-2/pc/game-reviews/review/3511/1396/}}</ref> The game's representation of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting was also well received.<ref name="jadventure">{{cite web|url=http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/NWN2/NWN2.shtm|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Review|last=Giovetti|first=Al|date=December 13, 2006|publisher=Just Adventure|accessdate=March 11, 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309080601/http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/NWN2/NWN2.shtm <!--Added by H3llBot-->|archivedate=March 9, 2009}}</ref> The storyline was widely considered one of the game's strong points and an improvement over ''Neverwinter Nights''.<ref name="gamespot" /><ref name="euro" /> [[GameSpy]] stated that the single–player campaign was "worthy of its exhaustive pedigree",<ref name="gamespy" /> and ''[[Game Informer]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s reviewer said "This title easily trumps the original NWN’s campaign with a vastly superior story and characters".<ref name="ginformer" /> Another reviewer declared it "one of the best written games in history".<ref name="gdaily2" />  Aaron R. Conklin of ''[[The Wisconsin State Journal]]'' said, "It'd be very easy to be turned off by the first mundane chapters of the game's sprawling plot.... Stick with it: Once your party hits Neverwinter (and reaches level seven or so), the proceedings become significantly more interesting—especially in terms of character interaction and development.... NWN2 is a masterpiece of storytelling and scope."<ref name=wsj>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-154321121.html | author=Conklin, Aaron R. | title=Story Shines in Neverwinter Nights 2 | work=[[The Wisconsin State Journal]] | location=Madison, Wisconsin | date=November 12, 2006 | accessdate=May 19, 2013}}{{subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref>  Conklin and Matt Slagle of ''[[Deseret News]]'' were pleased with the ethical choices in the game, with both noting approvingly that diplomacy was a very valid option that could succeed in place of combat.<ref name=wsj/><ref name=deseret>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-5779403.html | author=Slagle, Matt | title='Neverwinter Nights' Sequel Brings More Dungeon Exploration to PC | work=[[Deseret News]] | location=Salt Lake City, Utah | date=January 18, 2007 | accessdate=May 19, 2013}}{{subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref>
+While some reviewers considered ''Neverwinter Nights 2'' superior to its predecessor, ''Neverwinter Nights'',<ref name="gdaily2">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamedaily.com/games/neverwinter-nights-2/pc/game-reviews/review/3511/1396/?page=2|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 on PC Review (page 2)|last=Atkinson|first=Greg|date=November 2, 2006|publisher=GameDaily|accessdate=November 7, 2013|archivedate=August 17, 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817180339/http://www.gamedaily.com/games/neverwinter-nights-2/pc/game-reviews/review/3511/1396?page=2}}</ref><ref name="ginformer" /><ref name=isthmus/> the sequel received lower overall review ratings.<ref name="metacritic" /><ref name="gamerankings" /><ref name="metacriticnwn">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/neverwinternights?q=neverwinter%20nights|title=Neverwinter Nights|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=June 10, 2010}}</ref><ref name="gamerankingsnwn">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/188666-neverwinter-nights/index.html|title=Neverwinter Nights for PC|publisher=Gamerankings|accessdate=June 10, 2010}}</ref> Implementation of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' 3.5 ruleset was praised as faithful to the pen-and-paper version,<ref name="palgn">{{cite web|url=http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=6112|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Review|last=Marrow|first=Mark|date=November 23, 2006|publisher=PALGN|accessdate=November 7, 2013|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124205641/http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=6112|archivedate=January 24, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="vgamer2">{{cite web|url=http://www.videogamer.com/pc/neverwinter_nights_2/review-2.html|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Review for PC (page 2)|last=McCafferty|first=Iain|date=November 30, 2006|publisher=Videogamer.com|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref> with [[GameDaily]] stating "The 3.5 edition ruleset is in full swing in Neverwinter Nights 2, where critical hits can devastate your entire party."<ref name="gdaily">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamedaily.com/games/neverwinter-nights-2/pc/game-reviews/review/3511/1396/|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 on PC Review|last=Atkinson|first=Greg|date=November 2, 2006|publisher=Game Daily|accessdate=March 11, 2009|archivedate=November 21, 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121020058/http://www.gamedaily.com/games/neverwinter-nights-2/pc/game-reviews/review/3511/1396/}}</ref> The game's representation of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting was also well received.<ref name="jadventure">{{cite web|url=http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/NWN2/NWN2.shtm|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Review|last=Giovetti|first=Al|date=December 13, 2006|publisher=Just Adventure|accessdate=March 11, 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309080601/http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/NWN2/NWN2.shtm <!--Added by H3llBot-->|archivedate=March 9, 2009}}</ref> The storyline was widely considered one of the game's strong points and an improvement over ''Neverwinter Nights''.<ref name="gamespot" /><ref name="euro" /> [[GameSpy]] stated that the single–player campaign was "worthy of its exhaustive pedigree",<ref name="gamespy" /> and ''[[Game Informer]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s reviewer said "This title easily trumps the original NWN’s campaign with a vastly superior story and characters".<ref name="ginformer" /> Another reviewer declared it "one of the best written games in history".<ref name="gdaily2" />  Aaron R. Conklin of ''[[The Wisconsin State Journal]]'' said, "It'd be very easy to be turned off by the first mundane chapters of the game's sprawling plot.... Stick with it: Once your party hits Neverwinter (and reaches level seven or so), the proceedings become significantly more interesting—especially in terms of character interaction and development.... NWN2 is a masterpiece of storytelling and scope."<ref name=wsj>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-154321121.html | author=Conklin, Aaron R. | title=Story Shines in Neverwinter Nights 2 | work=[[The Wisconsin State Journal]] | location=Madison, Wisconsin | date=November 12, 2006 | accessdate=May 19, 2013}}{{subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref>  Conklin and Matt Slagle of ''[[Deseret News]]'' were pleased with the ethical choices in the game, with both noting approvingly that diplomacy was a very valid option that could succeed in place of combat.<ref name=wsj/><ref name=deseret>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-5779403.html | author=Slagle, Matt | title='Neverwinter Nights' Sequel Brings More Dungeon Exploration to PC | work=[[Deseret News]] | location=Salt Lake City, Utah | date=January 18, 2007 | accessdate=May 19, 2013}}{{subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref>
 Other reviewers were less convinced,<ref name="vgamer">{{cite web|url=http://www.videogamer.com/pc/neverwinter_nights_2/review.html|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Review for PC|last=McCafferty|first=Iain|date=November 30, 2006|publisher=Videogamer.com|accessdate=March 11, 2009}}</ref> with Australia's [[PALGN]] referring to the story as "rather predictable and clichéd".<ref name="palgn" /> Jonathan Parkyn of ''[[Personal Computer World]]'' wrote, "Dialogue is NWN2's key component.... but those who favour fisticuffs may find it tiresome after playing for several billion hours."<ref>{{cite journal | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-157060800.html | author=Parkyn, Jonathan | title=Neverwinter Nights 2 | work=[[Personal Computer World]] | date=December 29, 2006 | accessdate=May 19, 2013}}{{subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> Similarly, reception of ''Neverwinter Nights 2's'' graphics was mixed. Some reviewers referred to the visuals as "new age" and "beautiful",<ref name="gdaily" /><ref name="jadventure" /> but others noticed inconsistencies in their rendering and performance, especially on lower-end PCs.<ref name="gamezone" /><ref name="1up" /><ref name="ginformer" /> The ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]'' said "The detailed 3D engine allows for lush scenery, giving you a greater sense of exploration as you poke around the rustic villages and murky swamps".<ref name="smhreview">{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/game-reviews/neverwinter-nights-2/2006/12/10/1165685544735.html|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 – Game Reviews|last=Fish|first=Eliot|date=December 11, 2006|publisher=''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]''|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref>  Several comments on the audio and voice acting were positive,<ref name="gamespot" /><ref name="gamezone" /> though one reviewer expressed disappointment that some sound effects had apparently been recycled from ''Neverwinter Nights''.<ref name="vgamer2" />  Conklin called the in-game camera "abysmal" and said the game had many graphical glitches.<ref name=wsj/>  Slagle agreed, writing, "I had a lot of stuttering graphics and voiceovers that were out of synch with the characters' on-screen animations."<ref name=deseret/>
-The most common criticism of the game was its numerous [[Software bug|technical glitches]].<ref name="gdaily" /><ref name="1up" /> Adam Diamond of ''Isthmus'' was not happy with the [[pathfinding]], writing, "I often found myself traveling solo through a dungeon, my companions spread out far behind me, leaving me vulnerable to attack. What's the point of having henchmen if they're not there to protect you?".<ref name=isthmus>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1190770771.html | author=Diamond, Adam | title=Deadly Dungeons | work=Isthmus | date=December 15, 2006 | accessdate=May 19, 2013}}{{subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref>  Some reviews compared ''Neverwinter Nights 2'' to ''[[Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II]]'',<ref name="palgn" /><ref name="vgamer2" /><ref name=wsj/> a previous Obsidian game that had received similar complaints.<ref name="kotorign">{{cite web|url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/586/586154p4.html|title=Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords Review (page 4)|last=Butts|first=Steve|publisher=IGN|accessdate=March 11, 2009}}</ref><ref name="kotorgs">{{cite web|url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic-2/585574p1.html|title=Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords Review|last=Rausch|first=Allen|date=February 4, 2005|publisher=GameSpy|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref> The bugs were described as disruptive to gameplay and "downright infuriating",<ref name="palgn" /><ref name="vgamer2" /> and one reviewer encountered a "showstopper bug" in the initial retail version that prevented him from playing the game past a certain point.<ref name="gsbox">{{cite web|url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/neverwinter-nights-ii/742925p2.html|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Out of the Box|last=Lopez|first=Miguel|date=November 2, 2006|publisher=GameSpy|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref> The bugs were said to negatively affect NPC [[artificial intelligence|AI]], camera operation, and pathfinding.<ref name="1up" /><ref name="euro" /> One review stated "The launch–to–load time is fairly long so be prepared to wonder if the game has crashed or is loading."<ref name="gamezone" /> Obsidian was quick to release fixes for several bugs,<ref name="gsbox" /> but later reviews still described the glitches as a serious problem.<ref name="1up" /><ref name="1upbug">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3155682|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Patched, Still Buggy|last=Dormer|first=Dan|date=December 6, 2006|publisher=1Up.com|accessdate=March 11, 2009}}</ref> [[1UP.com]]'s review, written two weeks after the game's release, stated "But the sad truth is that NWN2 shipped in a pretty messy state, and even after a couple patches (as of this writing), the biggest problems remain."<ref name="1up" />
+The most common criticism of the game was its numerous [[Software bug|technical glitches]].<ref name="gdaily" /><ref name="1up" /> Adam Diamond of ''Isthmus'' was not happy with the [[pathfinding]], writing, "I often found myself traveling solo through a dungeon, my companions spread out far behind me, leaving me vulnerable to attack. What's the point of having henchmen if they're not there to protect you?".<ref name=isthmus>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1190770771.html | author=Diamond, Adam | title=Deadly Dungeons | work=Isthmus | date=December 15, 2006 | accessdate=May 19, 2013}}{{subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref>  Some reviews compared ''Neverwinter Nights 2'' to ''[[Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II]]'',<ref name="palgn" /><ref name="vgamer2" /><ref name=wsj/> a previous Obsidian game that had received similar complaints.<ref name="kotorign">{{cite web|url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/586/586154p4.html|title=Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords Review (page 4)|last=Butts|first=Steve|publisher=IGN|accessdate=March 11, 2009}}</ref><ref name="kotorgs">{{cite web|url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic-2/585574p1.html|title=Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords Review|last=Rausch|first=Allen|date=February 4, 2005|publisher=GameSpy|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref> The bugs were described as disruptive to gameplay and "downright infuriating",<ref name="palgn" /><ref name="vgamer2" /> and one reviewer encountered a "showstopper bug" in the initial retail version that prevented him from playing the game past a certain point.<ref name="gsbox">{{cite web|url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/neverwinter-nights-ii/742925p2.html|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Out of the Box|last=Lopez|first=Miguel|date=November 2, 2006|publisher=GameSpy|accessdate=November 7, 2013}}</ref> The bugs were said to negatively affect NPC [[artificial intelligence|AI]], camera operation, and pathfinding.<ref name="1up" /><ref name="euro" /> One review stated "The launch–to–load time is fairly long so be prepared to wonder if the game has crashed or is loading."<ref name="gamezone" /> Obsidian was quick to release fixes for several bugs,<ref name="gsbox" /> but later reviews still described the glitches as a serious problem.<ref name="1up" /><ref name="1upbug">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3155682|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 Patched, Still Buggy|last=Dormer|first=Dan|date=December 6, 2006|publisher=1Up.com|accessdate=March 11, 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927214305/http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3155682|archivedate=September 27, 2007|df=mdy-all}}</ref> [[1UP.com]]'s review, written two weeks after the game's release, stated "But the sad truth is that NWN2 shipped in a pretty messy state, and even after a couple patches (as of this writing), the biggest problems remain."<ref name="1up" />
 The level editor and design toolset were widely praised,<ref name=wsj/><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-1167070908D84C28.html | author=Campbell, Chris | title='Neverwinter' Sequel Boxed Set is a Winner | work=[[Post-Tribune]] | date=December 14, 2006 | accessdate=May 19, 2013}}{{subscription|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> with ''Deseret'' referring to them as "insanely powerful and complex".<ref name=deseret/> The Mac version received mixed reception, and reviewers complained about its lack of the editor toolkit and its high system requirements.<ref name="imgreview">{{cite web|url=http://www.insidemacgames.com/reviews/view.php?ID=986&Page=3|title=Inside Mac Games Review: Neverwinter Nights 2 (page 3)|last=Wuerthele|first=Michael|date=September 17, 2008|publisher=Inside Mac Games|accessdate=March 13, 2009}}</ref><ref name="macworlduk">{{cite web|url=http://www.macworld.co.uk/digitallifestyle/reviews/index.cfm?RSS&ReviewID=2854|title=Neverwinter Nights 2 review|last=Joseph|first=Cliff|date=October 10, 2008|publisher=Macworld UK|accessdate=March 13, 2009}}</ref><ref name="maclife">{{cite web|url=http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/neverwinter_nights_2|title=Neverwinter Nights 2|last=Stern|first=Zack|date=July 17, 2008|publisher=MacLife|accessdate=March 13, 2009}}</ref>