Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

100 or More Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Masterpiece"

Neverwinter Nights is, simply put, one of the greatest RPGs ever to grace a computer.

GRAPHICS
The graphics are good for what they are -- graphics in a game that came out in 2002. You won't be knocked off of your feet, but they are actually quite good, not bad in any way, shape or form. The lighting is superb, and some of the spell effects really will make you gasp. The environments themselves have been constructed with exceedingly rare care, and provide a very immersive experience.

GAMEPLAY
This is where the game truly shines. It uses the D&D 3.0 ruleset, which was kind of meh for us tabletop RPG players, but turned out fine in video game form. Although combat can seem daunting at first, the game sets you up slowly while introducing the plot and guides you along step-by-step, similar to the World of Warcraft tips (thank you Blizzard!). Combat is fast and intense, questing is extremely fun and they are all very varied in their objectives and help advance the plot, the dialogue options are sometimes witty, sometimes serious, but always enjoyable, and make you wonder what will happen next in the scenario. All in all, nearly flawless.

PLOT
The plot is excellent, comparable to many of the best novels. Fantastic, I don't want to spoil anything.

CONCLUSION
Neverwinter Nights, as the Gamespot reviewer said, is one of those exceedingly rare games that seems to appeal to everyone. He is spot-on. No matter where you are in your life, what types of games you like to play -- pick up Neverwinter Nights... this is one adventure you won't want to miss out on. Trust me.