Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition Review

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Enjoying the thrill of casting spells, stealthily maneuvering, and battling monsters never gets old, and in 2006, one of the top games to experience this was Neverwinter Nights 2, a sequel by Obsidian Entertainment following BioWare’s original. Fast forward 19 years, Aspyr, who previously worked on the high-definition remasters of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, is now delving into the Forgotten Realms with a fresh Enhanced Edition launch for Neverwinter Nights 2. After spending some time with this revamped version, I can confidently say that it has its flaws, but it still provides enough appeal to warrant a look – provided you don’t already own the game.

Neverwinter Nights 2 follows the rules of the 3.5 Dungeons & Dragons version, which might seem familiar if you’ve played recent Pathfinder CRPG games because Pathfinder was designed to resemble the 3.5 system. Although titled as “Neverwinter Nights 2,” its story isn’t linked to the first game’s events and can be enjoyed independently without any prior knowledge of the series. The Enhanced Edition of Neverwinter Nights 2 includes the original game, along with its three primary expansions – Mask of the Betrayer, Storm of Zehir, and Mysteries of Westgate – all previously found in the Complete Edition. These expansions deliver the classic fantasy adventure that Dungeons & Dragons is recognized for, and their stories and characters remain as memorable today as they were back in 2006.

This package comes loaded with numerous games for your entertainment. If you have the GOG version of NWN2 Complete, you can transfer your saved games to this edition as well. Yet, be aware that saves from the Enhanced Edition cannot be imported into the original Complete Edition. I managed to run some fan-created modules and campaigns without any trouble in this updated release, although not all may work seamlessly right away, it’s encouraging news. However, I did experience issues with the PRC mod, which includes new classes and additional features, causing the game to hang and crash. In contrast, the fan campaigns I tested ran smoothly without any problems.

To begin with, as I previously stated, Aspyr’s release isn’t perfect, as I encountered several bugs and problems while playing it. One of these issues surfaced immediately after launching the game, which is generally a concerning sign. In this game, you can select your character’s voice, but in reality, this only translates to different quotes and sounds during gameplay. However, the choices didn’t align with my selections. Instead, it seemed like the options had been moved one spot, so I was hearing the previous selection, and one of the early choices was even duplicated. While not a game-breaking problem, it did create an awkward start for the game.

In the opening minutes of the game, I encountered numerous minor flaws: the absence of sound effects for hits in combat, immovability of characters when moving forward with keyboard, absent or non-existent selectable items, strange visual glitches on textures, and a hypersensitive camera while using mouse (even after adjusting sensitivity settings). However, I found that none of these issues were present in the GOG version of Neverwinter Nights 2 Complete Edition. This discrepancy was confirmed by playing both versions and verifying the problems weren’t there. While these flaws don’t break the game, encountering them right away was annoying, much like having to tolerate pesky mosquitoes ruining an outdoor barbecue experience.

In this “Enhanced Edition”, Aspyr has addressed the common expectations for enhancements like higher resolution textures and upgraded UI, but the execution leaves something to be desired. Although technically the resolutions have been boosted, I didn’t notice a significant difference compared to the Complete Edition, except perhaps when closely inspecting armor details like chainmail. The UI overhaul, particularly the menus, is a step back from the original release. The unique charm and aesthetics have been replaced with a generic layout featuring white text, which might be easier to read on contemporary monitors, but at the cost of losing the distinctive menu boxes. This sterilization becomes apparent as soon as you launch the game; the epic music track, background art, and icons are gone, replaced by an image of a skeleton knight, white text, and barely audible music.

The Enhanced Edition comes with two notable improvements, making it a compelling choice for players. Firstly, it allows gamers to enjoy Neverwinter Nights 2 using a controller, which is complemented by an intuitive UI and menu system designed specifically for controllers. Despite my past experiences exclusively playing this game with mouse and keyboard, I was genuinely impressed by how effortlessly Aspyr has simplified navigating menus with a controller, barring the occasional instances where the “confirm” action could be any of three face buttons.

I got to test out this new version on both PC and PS5, and using a controller brought back memories of playing RPGs from the mid-to-late 2000s, such as KotOR2. Switching between mouse and keyboard or the controller on PC was smooth and hassle-free – all you had to do was connect a controller and press a button.

Aspyr showed initiative in enhancing this edition for contemporary players by incorporating native controller support and streamlining the interface for one-handed navigation. However, they stopped short of extending these improvements. It’s unfortunate because adding features like a fast-forward button for faster gameplay or an option to highlight interactable items would have made a significant difference. If minor quality-of-life enhancements such as these had been included, I might have overlooked the inconveniences mentioned previously and enjoyed playing the game more. Unfortunately, these improvements were not incorporated.

The primary attraction for playing Neverwinter Nights 2 Enhanced Edition lies in its multiplayer mode. Although it was initially present in the original game versions (and can be reinstated through fan-made mods), the official way to play the game, such as with the GoG version of Neverwinter Nights 2 Complete, no longer works. If you and your Baldur’s Gate 3 companions yearn for another immersive CRPG adventure, Aspyr has made it possible again with the Enhanced Edition. The multiplayer feature comes equipped with numerous customizable settings to regulate player levels and other adjustable options. Furthermore, it offers crossplay multiplayer, meaning you can play together regardless of your platform, as long as you’re in the same geographical region as your friends, making the process simple and swift.

If you’re considering playing Neverwinter Nights 2 for the first time, it would be beneficial to consider two factors before making a purchase: Do you prefer playing this game with companions, and is using a controller or console version significant to your gaming experience?

If your response to either question is affirmative, then the Enhanced Edition is undoubtedly the best choice for you. However, if neither multiplayer nor controller support are of great importance, you can save ten dollars by opting for the GoG Complete Edition instead. Neverwinter Nights 2 continues to be an immersive and intricate CRPG that fans of the genre should explore, even though its visuals and feel may seem outdated. With the standard edition, you can bypass the multiplayer and controller support issues entirely.

In summary, the Neverwinter Nights 2 Enhanced Edition boasts a return of multiplayer and decent controller support, but falls short in other areas. While it’s great to see games becoming more accessible, the presence of minor yet irritating bugs, uninspiring menus, and insufficient quality-of-life updates make it seem that the “Enhanced” title may be a stretch. To put it simply, this edition is just adequate; it didn’t crash during my playthrough (as it wasn’t designed for certain mods), but that’s not much to write home about. If you wish to play Neverwinter Nights 2 with friends without the need for additional mods or on a console/with a controller, then this Enhanced Edition might be your choice. However, if those features don’t appeal to you and you can find the Complete Edition at a lower price, it would be wiser to opt for that instead.

6

Versions tested: PlayStation 5 and PC

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2025-07-15 17:56