Also new in Storm of Zehir is a trading system. I also thought it was fun to explore the countryside and find hidden locations and random objects, and Obsidian even threw in a few special encounters, such as meeting One of Many from the Mask of the Betrayer campaign. But in Storm of Zehir, assuming that you have a competent rogue or ranger in your party, you can pretty much pick when you want to fight, and so you don't have to worry about every trip getting bogged down with a string of battles. The downside to overland maps is that they usually force you into combat when you just want to get somewhere (anybody who played Arcanum knows how frustrating this can be). There are actually lots of skill checks involved in the overland map (including everything from detect traps to craft alchemy), and so the more skilled you can make your party, the better. If your spot skill is high enough, then you'll detect where enemies are, and you'll also find some random goodies, like abandoned wagons and lost cargo. For example, if your hide and move silently skills are high enough, then the enemies roaming the map won't detect you, and you'll be able to move freely. That gives the game a new dynamic, plus a reason to keep certain skills high. The overland maps look like regular Neverwinter Nights 2 maps, except that instead of clicking on a location and instantly traveling there, you have to walk around. There are somewhere around 50 locations that you can visit, including ruined temples, haunted crypts, and friendly towns, and there are also two huge (overland) maps for you to explore. The main questline is rather short and straightforward, but that's because Storm of Zehir has one of those open-ended campaigns where the emphasis is on side quests and random encounters. You then decide to repay the merchant by doing some field work for her, and this gives you an excuse to explore Samarach and later the Sword Coast, as you first discover that somebody is trying to sabotage the merchant, and later that more evil things are afoot. In fact, you're so unwelcome that you're first attacked and then arrested, and you only get to walk around freely when a merchant champions your cause. The ship ends up wrecking, and you land on the unwelcome shores of Samarach. As the campaign opens up, you find yourself on a ship in a storm. The first companion will join you without restrictions (although you might need to complete a quest or pay a fee first), but for the second companion somebody in your party will have to learn a special Leadership feat. You'll also meet some potential companions during your travels. If you're examining arcane symbols, you might bring your wizard front and center. If you're traveling in the wilderness, you might select your rogue or your ranger. So if you're trying to negotiate with a quest-giver, you might put your paladin in charge. These characters form the bulk of your party, and you can switch between them at any time. In Storm of Zehir, you create four characters. They usually come up with good ideas, but can they actually develop games? Can they finish a project on time and without a plethora of bugs? Recent evidence suggests that the answer to these questions is (no,) and Storm of Zehir, their latest expansion pack for Neverwinter Nights 2, is at best a black eye for them. But something just seems to be wrong with Obsidian. I'd much rather champion a developer who tries new and interesting things but sometimes fails, rather than simply going along with a developer who clones ideas and succeeds. From reading the forums here, I know that there are some people out there who hate Obsidian Entertainment with a passion, and who for some reason think that Knights of the Republic 2 and Neverwinter Nights 2 are an affront to western civilization.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |