Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide Review
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The online aspect of the expansion seems to have been BioWare's primary focus. Upon SoU hitting the shelves, patch 1.30 was also released. Although there were a variety of fixes, many of them had to do with the DM client and Toolset. The changes made only add to the sense of control and ability to create the best role-playing experience possible for players. The changes made to the Toolset now allow for a greater level of scripting control and freedom, giving the truly adventurous creators in the community much more to work with and creating more immersive modules for downloads. I didn't encounter any real nasty bugs or glitches, which is a positive sign that BioWare has been able to address and fix many of the original gameplay and compatibility issues that plagued the initial release. One glaring aspect of the game that stands out, however, is the simplicity to gain levels and rise in power. Upon playing for little over an hour, and finishing only a few significant battles, I was capable of rising to level four. Being able to attain power this easily seems awkward, and seems to cater more to the impatient and power-gaming players of the community. While it is not necessarily a bad thing, it is something that may possibly be a turn off-for those of us who wish to experience a more true aspect of tabletop Dungeons & Dragons.
Shadows of Undrentide bodes well as an expansion to Neverwinter Nights, featuring a stronger story and improved gameplay aspects, as well as increased freedom and control over both the DM client and Toolset. The only facets I feel it suffers from is the still somewhat outdated Aurora engine and some questionable feats and skills, some of which should have been placed in the original, and others that probably shouldn't have been included at all. Overall, however, Shadows of Undrentide is a quality expansion, with many worthwhile additions to the original game.
