RPG Vault

На Worthplaying з`явилось рецензія на NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer. Оцінка 8.1/10.
Частина:
“It wasn't far from the end of the first chapter that I became completely overwhelmed: Enemies had gained the ability to slay my level 19 Barbarian/Weapons Master in one hit, and dumping every spell Safiya had in her inventory didn't seem to be helping matters any. Even with other characters doing support duty during the epic fight at the end of Act I, things often came to a bloody and brutal end. I ascribe a lot of this to my inexperience with high-level characters and monsters. Based on this, I really have to suggest that players interested in Mask finish NWN2 first, simply so they have a smooth grasp on the intricacies of the game…

…The manual takes great pains to point out the interface changes, optimizations and overall improvements to the engine, but to be very honest, I didn't see much of it, aside from a few new color and lighting effects. Mask still has one of the most severe problems I noted with the original package: In many ways, the graphics are just a notch above average, but even with a relatively powerful machine (more substantial than when I reviewed NWN2 last year), frame rates are rather low, the characters look strictly okay, and there is a lot of stuttering and slowdown when things get hectic. Again, I have to question an engine that has this many issues running adequately on a dual-core system with a strong video card…

The module itself, as with the original campaign, helps to move focus past the technical foibles and back to the game itself. Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer is every bit as tightly written as the original, though it moves much faster and is a fair sight shorter. I do, however, like the characters, and it's pretty awesome that your lead character can, in theory, be something completely horrific that you can embrace, if you feel the need. I've always been fond of wide-open forks in the plot, where a decision really does seem to have some impact on how the story unfolds. Mask of the Betrayer, as an extension of the original Neverwinter Nights 2 campaign, is a strong RPG and something any D&D fan should check out. “

Трохи похваливши, YouGamers поставили в своїй рецензії на NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer 77/100.

“While the original campaign told a story written and paced for teenage gamers, Mask of the Betrayer is better suited to more mature gamers: there are many disturbing themes, and the player is faced with tough decisions. A world of shadow hides unspeakable secrets, and the player will have to make choices between corrupting power and personal integrity. In some ways the story reads out like a drug addict's: after a certain point in the story, the player will constantly fight an urgent, consuming desire, and giving into it is destructive to both the player and whoever they face. This can get pretty creepy, and at times frustrating; Mask of the Betrayer is much more of an adult's game than the original campaign was [odd, considering ESRB gave it a teen rating - Ed]
The story is told mostly through interaction with Rashemen's various inhabitants, living and incorporeal. The writing is of high quality throughout, although I have to say it's somewhat wordy. To really get into the plot, you'll have to read page after page of dialogue, books, notes, and so on with a fair bit of focus. Perhaps then you get the satisfaction of guessing the various possible outcomes behind dialogue options, and make informed rather than random or alignment-dictated decisions…

…Mask of the Betrayer is a great epic level fantasy role playing campaign, based on aging and limited technology, with two glaring flaws: a dysfunctional multiplayer mode and a very high barrier of entry. That said, if you finished Neverwinter Nights 2, this expansion is definitely worth getting.”

Kevin Saunders з Obsidian дав інтерв΄ю сайту FiringSquad про NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer.

Частина:

FiringSquad: What other new features will the expansion pack have?

Kevin Saunders: There’s one major gameplay system that we’ve developed with Wizards of the Coast. It’s not something from D&D, but it’s D&D flavored. This new feature has both combat and conversation implications and is intimately tied into the story and characters. We’ll be releasing more information in the near future.
We implemented many other new features, most of which are to further polish the NWN2 experience for both the player and for the content creator using the toolset. For example, we added the ability to use any 2D graphic as a custom portrait for creatures instead of the automatically generated 3D portraits.
And, of course, we added a lot on the gameplay side, including over 50 new spells, over 50 new feats, new items, crafting system enhancements, etc. 

На сайті Worthplaying з΄явилось 2 нових скріншота з гри NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer - 2.

Зменшений вар

Feargus Urquhart з Obsidian розповідає сайту Eurogamer про NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer.

Частина:

However while promising a hugely increased level-cap, new races and classes as well as a full stand-alone campaign, Obsidian are keeping many details close to their chests. So when offered the chance to exchange e-mails with Obsidian’s very own Elite-class level CEO Feargus Urquhart, we clearly grasped it and tried to resist the urge to just descending to a conversation about how much we liked Planescape Torment when he was back at Black Isle.

We fail, rapidly, when we ask him what other game does the 15-20 hour included campaign feels most like, in terms of experience. “This may sound strange, but the other character based RPG that I can think of is Planescape: Torment,” Feargus notes, “Both of them are character focused, but in different ways. Torment was about discovering who you were, while Mask of the Betrayer is more about saving yourself. Another difference is the focus on combat with Mask being more about fun combats and Torment more about your relationship with your companions.” 

На сайті Game Daily з΄явилось коротке прев΄ю на NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer.

Частина:

Mask of the Betrayer provides more than just a new storyline. With that come new quests and rewards, but also a great deal of new content from plenty of new foes, loads of new gear, buckets of new companions and, of course, new land to explore. The adventure primarily takes place in the lands of Rashemen, near Thay in the lands of Forgotten Realms. 

На сайті Gamespot з΄явилось нове інтерв΄ю з головним дизайнером NWN2 Kevin Saunders. Говорили про NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer.

Частина:

GS: What details can you share regarding the story beyond the basics that we know? The game starts immediately after the events of the first game, and it starts with the character deep underground. What’s going on?

KS: The story in Mask of the Betrayer isn’t about saving the world. It’s an epic story, but it’s a very personal one. You awaken in a pool of your own blood. Your immediate goal is survival. The shard of the Sword of Gith has been ripped from your chest and in its place is a dark hunger, a craving that threatens to consume you. The early part of the game involves determining the source and implications of this craving.