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[Review] Neverwinter: An Astral Diamond in the Rough

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Comments

  • CoolitCoolit Member UncommonPosts: 661
    It's not a bad game but I found the cash shop a ripoff too and because of that haven't invested much time in the game and probably wont.  
  • quilloqtipquilloqtip Member Posts: 2

    Combat is very boring, cash grab is very obvious.

     

    meh.

  • VlackeVlacke Member UncommonPosts: 155

    Nice review, all the pros and cons are listed correctly in my opinion.

    The game itself is not bad by any stretch of the imagination, it's fun to play and if they ease up on the money grabbing which is at a horrendous level currently, add content at a frequent pace and patch up all the holes in the game that allow people to exploit, things will get better, if on the other hand this doesn't happen then the future is rather grim for Neverwinter.

  • MMOGamer71MMOGamer71 Member UncommonPosts: 1,988
    Pretty fair and accurate review IMO, pros and cons are spot on.
  • DataDayDataDay Member UncommonPosts: 1,538
    I think you are being a tad too generous with Neverwinter. Overall it should score closer to 5, maybe 6. The game is just bad, an insult to the franchise, horribly made (someone needs to fire their character artist) and out right simple minded. Its one redeeming value is the Foundry.
  • JediSeerJediSeer Member Posts: 21

    "Trickster Rogues can sneak around behind and pick off the strongest monster."

     

    So, you're one of those are you?! I see you far too often when I play! If you are playing a rogue this way, then you are doing it wrong!

     

    Sadly, you are one of my pet peeves...and I repeat, this is certainly NOT the proper way to play a rogue!

     

    People that play rogues, please understand, your job is NOT to go beating on the strongest monsters, bosses, or champions until after you've taken care of the squishies. Squishies or soft targets like casters, healers and trash mobs are your number one priority!

     

    Your job is NOT to go and tackle the toughest mob that the tank is trying to keep occupied while there are still adds running round (most likely harassing the clerics)!

     

    If you play your rogue this way, then I would imagine you may also be the same player that often complains that you're not getting healed properly. This is because the clerics are too busy trying to get the adds off of them, while you are incorrectly trying to attack the tank's target and allowing those mobs to preoccupy your clerics and control wizards.

     

    Let the tank hold the boss aggro, while the healer heals and wizard controls and take out the squishies/adds. You'll be amazed as to how much easier the party manages itself!

     

    Most players believe it is the healers that are the difference between a great party and a bad one; I'd argue that the rogue is the key to a successful party, not the healers. A rogue that knows how to properly do its job makes all the difference!

     

    ---

     

    Aside from that, great article and I agree with everything you said, particularly the overpriced Zen items. This absurd mentality of overpricing things and the negative effect it has is unfortunately something so many companies fail to see! It's the reason why Amazon and Walmart are two of the richest companies in the world as cheaper prices mean more customers and more frequent purchases, which in turn equals bigger growth and more sustainable profit.

     
  • kakasakikakasaki Member UncommonPosts: 1,205
    Originally posted by JediSeer

    "Trickster Rogues can sneak around behind and pick off the strongest monster."

    So, you're one of those are you?! I see you far too often when I play! If you are playing a rogue this way, then you are doing it wrong!

    Sadly, you are one of my pet peeves...and I repeat, this is certainly NOT the proper way to play a rogue!

    People that play rogues, please understand, your job is NOT to go beating on the strongest monsters, bosses, or champions until after you've taken care of the squishies. Squishies or soft targets like casters, healers and trash mobs are your number one priority!

    Your job is NOT to go and tackle the toughest mob that the tank is trying to keep occupied while there are still adds running round (most likely harassing the clerics)!

    If you play your rogue this way, then I would imagine you may also be the same player that often complains that you're not getting healed properly. This is because the clerics are too busy trying to get the adds off of them, while you are incorrectly trying to attack the tank's target and allowing those mobs to preoccupy your clerics and control wizards.

    Let the tank hold the bosses aggro, while the healer heals and wizard controls and take out the squishies/adds. You'll be amazed as to how much easier the party manages itself!

    Most players believe it is the healers that are the difference between a great party and a bad one; I'd argue that the rogue is the key to a successful party, not the healers. A rogue that knows how to properly do its job makes all the difference!

    ---

    Aside from that, great article and I agree with everything you said, particularly the overpriced Zen items. This absurd mentality of overpricing things and the negative effect it has is unfortunately something so many companies fail to see! It's the reason why Amazon and Walmart are two of the richest companies in the world as cheaper prices mean more customers and more frequent purchases, which in turn equals bigger growth and more sustainable profit.

     

    I was going to go full "who are you to tell people how to play" and "it's your opinion" but, honestly, you are 100% correct in your points. "Those" rogues bother the hell out of me too (I play a healer most of the time).

    A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true...

  • JediSeerJediSeer Member Posts: 21
    Originally posted by kakasaki
    Originally posted by JediSeer

    "Trickster Rogues can sneak around behind and pick off the strongest monster."

    So, you're one of those are you?! I see you far too often when I play! If you are playing a rogue this way, then you are doing it wrong!

    Sadly, you are one of my pet peeves...and I repeat, this is certainly NOT the proper way to play a rogue!

    People that play rogues, please understand, your job is NOT to go beating on the strongest monsters, bosses, or champions until after you've taken care of the squishies. Squishies or soft targets like casters, healers and trash mobs are your number one priority!

    Your job is NOT to go and tackle the toughest mob that the tank is trying to keep occupied while there are still adds running round (most likely harassing the clerics)!

    If you play your rogue this way, then I would imagine you may also be the same player that often complains that you're not getting healed properly. This is because the clerics are too busy trying to get the adds off of them, while you are incorrectly trying to attack the tank's target and allowing those mobs to preoccupy your clerics and control wizards.

    Let the tank hold the bosses aggro, while the healer heals and wizard controls and take out the squishies/adds. You'll be amazed as to how much easier the party manages itself!

    Most players believe it is the healers that are the difference between a great party and a bad one; I'd argue that the rogue is the key to a successful party, not the healers. A rogue that knows how to properly do its job makes all the difference!

    ---

    Aside from that, great article and I agree with everything you said, particularly the overpriced Zen items. This absurd mentality of overpricing things and the negative effect it has is unfortunately something so many companies fail to see! It's the reason why Amazon and Walmart are two of the richest companies in the world as cheaper prices mean more customers and more frequent purchases, which in turn equals bigger growth and more sustainable profit.

     

    I was going to go full "who are you to tell people how to play" and "it's your opinion" but, honestly, you are 100% correct in your points. "Those" rogues bother the hell out of me too (I play a healer most of the time).

    Thanks for the support!

     

    My intention is not to come off sounding like an arse. It's just that I've seen a few really good rogues in my day and noticed that this is what they do...and perhaps why everyone that plays alongside them notices how good they are. :)

  • PanzerbasePanzerbase Member Posts: 423
    The game had potential and I generally agree with the review, though that being said why didn't SWOTR get a similar opinion? I mean let's face it, PVP in SWOTR was even worse than Neverwinter.
  • MadDemon64MadDemon64 Member UncommonPosts: 1,102

    Originally posted by DrDwarf

    How is the detail "amazing" when it is repeated all over the world becasue they reuse the same skins and models ?

    How is the detail "amazing" when we compare it to what has come before in similar MMORPGs ?

    Simple: because it captures the feel of D&D.  

    Since when is Tuesday a direction?

  • crisisintimecrisisintime Member Posts: 4

     

    ok foundry is a good idea and concept, but if people want to plvl thur that let them, its in the game you put it there....

    gameplay: the game has ok game play its a button mashing style for sure, but why have a tank class that cant tank for crap when you have a cleric in the grp?? i mean come on fix it...oh wait they are looking into the issue and might have a fix for it after adding more crap to the zen market to pad there pockets.

     

    this game is lacking so much, and i agree it defiantly doesn't even do the D&D name justice, looks like they just threw something out there and said lets see if they like this.

    i wouldn't even score this game a 5 with all the exploits bugs and issues in game not mention the support team isn't in game yet :P

  • BlazeyerBlazeyer Member UncommonPosts: 562

    The only thing I personally dislike about this "f2p" game are the companions.

     

    I get that you can use them for soloing etc. That's all well and good. But when you go into a dungeon and have 5 NPCs just running around doing YOUR job (heal/tank) it's frustrating. I stopped playing as soon as I ran the level 15 dungeon and as a cleric didn't have to heal even once.

  • DrakynnDrakynn Member Posts: 2,030

    I agree with most of your pros and cons but feels the rating is slightly high.Personally I would give it a 6 - 6.5 not quite a 7 IMO.It's a perfectly serviceable game and fun can be had but it's by no means great and prices are ridiculous.

    But a lot better than an IGN review where they will say mostly positive things about a game then give it a low score or the opposite where they harp on about all the negatives then give it a 8

  • GravargGravarg Member UncommonPosts: 3,424

    Agree with 100% of this review except the Social part.  The social part isn't the fault of the game.  I mean they could force parties and have absolutely no solo play at all, but nobody really wants that, right? The problem with newer games and their Social score is 99.9% the fault of the community and it's players.

     

    For instance, I run around almost always with at least one other close friend, if not a whole group.  This makes Neverwinter and just about any other MMO a billion times more enjoyable for me.  MMOs rely on the community to be sociable in order to be fun.  If you play a social game solo, and don't like it, that's your own fault.  It's like going to play an FPS, but thinking about playing it like an RTS...the two genres just don't mix and the game would be horrible.  You'd be like, "I can't even build or train units, all I can do is control this one guy and shoot things, what a horrible RTS game!"  The same goes for MMOs and RPGs.

  • AxewielderxAxewielderx Member Posts: 96
    I think this game deserves way lower. Any game where they take your money and fail to respond to a support ticket is simply scamming people.

    If we fail to change the things of today, they will become the lucid nighmares of tommorrow.

  • OmiragOmirag Member UncommonPosts: 276

    I agree with the person that said MMORPG has a baseline bloat of 5 except scarlet blade got a 2. 

    I love how they attacked that game, but went neutral on this turd. Seriously the game has nothing new, innovation 3-5 I would say. Foundry you say? They nerfed it and  discouraged people playing it. community 7? Where? Where is this community? The people I met were terrible or mutes. The gameplay is like any other game that has been released action combat wise.  

    I wonder how much NW paid to get this OK review. Surprisingly when they gave Scarlet blade a 2, all the ads on this site disappeared. NW's are still up so they must march on whistling a happy tune so they get their paychecks. 

    image
  • SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
    I wonder how much NW paid to get this OK review. Surprisingly when they gave Scarlet blade a 2, all the ads on this site disappeared. NW's are still up so they must march on whistling a happy tune so they get their paychecks.

    This is such a tiresome argument for a review with which you do not agree. Come take a look at my bank account if you think otherwise.  

    For the record: Social scored a 5 not a 7. 

     

     


    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 


  • picommanderpicommander Member UncommonPosts: 256
    I stopped playing after 2 of my chars exceeding level 35. Quests where just too generic and boring at this time (up to that point I had a blast and I found quests generally better in the beginning). Even old school titles like EQ2 have a lot more diversity in their quests. Since I judge gameplay over graphics at any time I don't see an improvement in this game. The game is also too easy for my taste, no reason to group up at this point. The foundry is the only "diamond" here.
  • AxewielderxAxewielderx Member Posts: 96
    Originally posted by SBFord
    I wonder how much NW paid to get this OK review. Surprisingly when they gave Scarlet blade a 2, all the ads on this site disappeared. NW's are still up so they must march on whistling a happy tune so they get their paychecks.

    This is such a tiresome argument for a review with which you do not agree. Come take a look at my bank account if you think otherwise.  

    For the record: Social scored a 5 not a 7. 

     

     

    Perhaps, but I did note you failed to respond to my response. Guess it is hard to argue with plain FACTS.

    If we fail to change the things of today, they will become the lucid nighmares of tommorrow.

  • ThorbrandThorbrand Member Posts: 1,198
    Scored kind of high given all the broken mechanics and useless classes in the game. They have a long way to go to make this a game to play. I paid for the founder's pack and also have spent money on Zen but just stopped playing because it just isn't at all balanced for all types of game play and melee shouldn't be the weakest classes in the game. This includes being able to take a hit.
  • furbansfurbans Member UncommonPosts: 968

    Well I'm a bit surprised with the score, thought MMORPG had their rose-hued glasses on they way they continuously trumped NW being all this n that.  Still a little high imo but closer to fair than brown nosing.

    Combat is most certainly beyond a doubt not a 9.  Many dislike the rooting in place and that it causes issues in responsiveness.  WoW has as much tactical elements as does NW.  Problem with WoW is that is has continuously been dumbed down, doubtful they went back to their old ways in tanking but I know tanking was a friggin joke ever since Wrath.  And then there is the whole fact that they completely trashed the classes and did not even attempt to make them like in the rule books.  Then there is the issue of the "soft trinity" which the review ignores.  Not to mention how one can essentially play P2W with healthstones and rez scrolls.  And lets not forget the whole forced AD store for enchants via the stellar 1% success rate for the top enchants.  Yeah Cryptic's "vanity and time saving items only" statement on the store is utter BS.  Not to mention that there are WAY to few abilities that makes it boring as hell which is one of the common remarks on the combat by those that played and hanged it up.

    Foundry is poorly implemented.  Like PvP it's included for the sake of having it while being lackluster at best.  The NWN series gave players the capability of creating persistent worlds and immersive stories that utilized voiced dialogue and custumizing music or creating cut scenes.  None of which they gave the leveway to the creators.  People keep on forgetting that it was not the modules that carried the NWN game through the years but the persistent worlds.  And having an instanced style of world was a very poor move on Cryptic's part as it ruins the immersion which is key to modules.

    And customization... THERE IS NO CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION!!!!!!  Feats got completely shat on by making them talent trees just like in WoW pre-MOP.  The so called "feats" which are so iconic in D&D got completely discarded and ignored.  Wanna talk bout char customization?  DDO is character customization, Rift is character customization, hell even GW2 has more character customization than NW.  You are locked in a playstyle with now way to change it.  Swapping out powers, with what few powers one can utilize, is not customization as essentially the playstyle remains the same.  At least with GW2 one can change up their playstlye within their profession.

    Really though one thing that the review completely ignores is how that the game is far fetched from ever delivering the promise of making a game of D&D for D&Ders.  The game is nothing more than a mediocre MMO in a D&D skin and setting that is taking advantage of D&D fans desperation for a modern D&D MMO.  DDO is by far the truest MMO to D&D.

    Also on the whole terminology of what to categorize the game as, Jack has already done that.  He used the term OMG (Online Multiplayer Game) which is a true description as it distinguishes enough from an MMO to give people a better ideal of how the game will feel.

    Personally I would have scored NW no better than a 6.

  • SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
    Originally posted by Axewielderx
    Originally posted by SBFord
    I wonder how much NW paid to get this OK review. Surprisingly when they gave Scarlet blade a 2, all the ads on this site disappeared. NW's are still up so they must march on whistling a happy tune so they get their paychecks.

    This is such a tiresome argument for a review with which you do not agree. Come take a look at my bank account if you think otherwise.  

    For the record: Social scored a 5 not a 7. 

     

     

    Perhaps, but I did note you failed to respond to my response. Guess it is hard to argue with plain FACTS.

    Your personal "facts" as opposed to mine. Each has his/her own opinion. That's what a review is: One person's opinion. 

    Did you know that MMORPG offers a way for players to write their own reviews? Maybe you should try it. ;)


    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 


  • FluxiiFluxii Member Posts: 184

    I was a HEAVY AD&D player and WANTED to love this game but seriously?  This is one of the most horrendous releases I can think of in recent times.  I won't even play it for free.

     

    The combat is clunky, the graphics are "OK" at best for this generation, the social interaction is crap, the quests are generic, it's a total cash grab, and customization... really?  You call that innovative?

    As compared to what?  Everyone's darling Guild Wars?  Since it barely has any?   Try The Secret World if you want Customization.

     

    And with the latest exploit that could have wrecked the economy... I dunno 7 is pretty freaking generous...

     

    I'd give it a 4 and that's being nice.

  • GrakulenGrakulen Staff WriterMMORPG.COM Staff LegendaryPosts: 894

    Originally posted by SBFord

     

    Your personal "facts" as opposed to mine. Each has his/her own opinion. That's what a review is: One person's opinion. 

    Did you know that MMORPG offers a way for players to write their own reviews? Maybe you should try it. ;)

    This link allows users to create their own reviews of the game. I highly encourage it. The more we can aggregate a score the better off we will all be.

    http://www.mmorpg.com/settings.cfm?subaction=myFeatures

  • TheMaahesTheMaahes Member Posts: 185

    To be quite honest, that review was too generous. You were right in saying this game is a stepping stone through the MMORPG space, but I wouldn't build hope by calling it a diamond in the rough. Very few people will be coming back to this game as more games begin to release in the hybrid-F2P market (or just in general).

     

    I invested the time I did in Neverwinter because of two big things: It's free and The Foundry. As a hybrid-F2P game, it's attractive as a stepping stone but not a main game. Many games are either already out or are arriving soon that do many things far better. It's biggest calling card, The Foundry, is great but the excitement wears off quick when you realize you are constricted to creating the same old fashion MMORPG content that you have seen for years. The tools don't allow for anything truly dynamic, a sad thing really and necessary in some cases nowadays.

     

    If they really want to push this game to the next level they should start rapidly creating new and different tools for their "mod" community.  They also need to start capitalizing on the IP they have. These walled-in zones are far too constrictive for such a great setting. Helm's Hold and the Neverwinter Graveyard (two zones I was excited to see) disappointed me greatly.

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