Neverwinter Nights
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (18 June, 2002)
list price: $19.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Neverwinter Nights isn't simply another computer game. It's aDungeons & Dragons computer game, as well as all the tools you'll need to create your own Dungeons & Dragons adventures. Neverwinter Nights is an achievement. It accomplishes what computer role-playing games set out to do when Wizardry debuted in the late '70s: re-create the social, hands-on experience of tabletop gaming.

Neverwinter Nights uses the Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition rules in (nearly) all their complex glory. It's the first game to attempt to fully support D&D 3E's customizable features, and more significantly, it's the first game designed to re-create the experience of playing tabletop D&D. You can play BioWare's extensive campaign alone or online with your friends, or you can use the included Aurora toolset to build your own adventure module and run it for your buddies with all the control you'd have if you were running a tabletop game. The powerful Dungeon Master client lets you put words in nonplayer characters' mouths, control monsters, alter the game world, and customize your adventure on the fly. If playing is your thing, you can join other people's games and play through encounters with other gamers around the world.

Everything works as it should and the game is beautiful to behold. BioWare has used a limited 3-D engine to allow you to spin your viewpoint around your character and zoom in on the action. During combat, Mages unleash spectacular spells, Priests raise their symbols to drive undead hordes back, and Rogues tinker with locked chests, while Fighters dodge, parry, and strike ferociously at any attacking beasts. The sound is topnotch, with BioWare's typically high-quality voice acting and music from composer Jeremy Soule.

But all isn't perfect.

The game makes a great effort of implementing the full D&D 3rd Edition rules, but doesn't quite succeed. In NWN, Paladins lose their Detect Evil and Mount abilities. Druids can shape change into animals, but can't change back to human form at will. Darkvision has no noticeable in-game effect. Troublesome issues for hard-core D&D fans, but it's understandable that some changes would have to be made in order to shoehorn a freeform tabletop RPG into a computer program.

Other issues are not so easy to understand: the camera controls are simple and will not allow the user to lower to decrease the camera angle--you'll never get anything approaching a character's-eye view of the world. Moving to a new section within a building or going from an indoor to an outdoor area takes you out of the game and presents you with a (mercifully short) "Loading" screen. There is an artificial limitation on how many henchmen you can hire in the single-player game: you're limited to one hireling, and Baldur's Gate fans will miss the squabbling party from earlier games. More significant are the problems that arise from trying to re-create a social experience like D&D in a computer game. Multiplayer games with strangers are confusing and not as fun as they sound and, like the tabletop game, they're really only as fun as the players and especially the DM you're playing with. Multiplayer NWN is only worthwhile if you have a dedicated group and a DM that knows what he or she is doing. The last drawback is the documentation. The manual is large and detailed but it omits key help in module creation; you have to buy a separatestrategy guide if you want that information.

But though slightly flawed, NWN has indisputably won the holy grail of RPG gaming: getting the Dungeons & Dragons experience into a personal computer. The included campaign is fascinating and the tools are powerful enough to ensure a steady stream of module content from devoted fans. Make no mistake, Neverwinter Nights is an achievement and will likely change the way CRPGs are played from now on. It's a game no RPG fan, no D&D fan, should miss. --Bob Andrews

Pros:

• Almost perfect implementation of D&D 3E rules
• Deep single-player game
• Intriguing multiplayer game
• Powerful module creation tools

Cons:

• Not quite perfect implementation of D&D 3E rules
• "Loading" screens
• Inflexible 3-D camera
• Only one henchman
• Multiplayer is dependant on quality players and DM

... Read more

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Reviews (298)

Not very entertaining.
NEVERWINTER NIGHTS is a very derivative, stale game that does not live up to the standards and expectations of Bioware Studios. It has an equal amount of pros and cons, which I will address and compare.

The Pros:
-Neverwinter contains a large amount of quests and items to use, and introduces several interesting customization options.
-Neverwinter also, rather boldly, strays from the easier to use 2nd edition Dungeons and Dragons, and becomes possibly the first ever 3rd edition RPG to hit the market.
-Neverwinter also attempts to cover a lot of ground with its skills and feats. The leveling up of characters is translated into a simplified, much more rapid system.
-Neverwinter introduces the most easy to use editor in a game so far.

The Cons:
-Neverwinter does not contain nearly enough skills or feats. Far too many have been grievously oversimplified.
-The story, especially after Baldur's Gate, is a little too lukewarm.
-NPC's* are now much less competent in your party. Since you can only have one, and you can't control them or access their inventories, my NPC felt all too static. Plus, I cannot tell you how indescribably annoying it is when you die ten thousand times, when the fight would be over in two seconds if they would just cast the right spell. Also, they don't know when a battle is coming, so they can only use their magical power-ups** in the middle of combat. It's usually too late.
-The game's editor is still too difficult to use well. There has to be a better system for using scripts***.
-The game is far too short. It did not take very long too finish the game. And I play on the harder difficulties.

Overall, the game is disappointing. It attempts to block out the all-important NPC element, and over-stresses cosmetic and pointless changes in your character and NPCs. I do not recommend this to a fan of the genre. Stick with the classics, or pick up KOTOR**** instead.


*Non Player Character: A character that you do not create, usually not a protagonist.
**A spell that helps your party by temporarily making you stronger or more able.
*** Bits of code that direct characters and events. For instance, a script tells the game to make an NPC attack you if you attack him, or makes the gargoyle come alive when you pick up the statuette.
****Knights of the Old Republic. Critically acclaimed Role-Playing game made by the same company.

P.S. Do not check the box saying that the review was unhelpful unless it actually is. Please, do not mark it just because you disagree.

Typical RPG problems, disappointing toolset.
While the game itself is fairly entertaining, it still has those typical design flaws programmers just can't seem to see. Inspite of being told to stay put, characters with you magicly show up next to you as you pass through some doorways, often right into a scene best handled alone. More often, very imaginative strategies will gather fewer experience than rushing blindly into battle. "Scripted events" (where your character is magicly thrown into a new situation or plot line which he or she has the power to control, but can not) can make thinking gamers feel cheated.
The much hyped toolset is a disaster for imaginative Dungeon Masters as the vast majority of "monsters" are of the humanoid type. If as game creator, you don't mind using the same basic type of creaures over and over, the toolset will work for you. Anyone very creative however, will see that most of those fantastic creations from the Monster Manuals can not be included in their game. Professional graphic artists may (in a conciderable amount of time) be able to create unique creatures. Anyone else however, is out of luck. Even if one would be satisfied using the provided monsters, they will be bombarded with the program language "scripting" needed to make events happen within their world. NWN had the potential to be great, but falls victim to typical computer RPG problems and unproductive tools for one's own imagination.

Surprisingly mediocre single-player campaign
This review is based solely on my experience with the single-player campaign of Neverwinter Nights.Thus, I can't comment on the on-line capacity of the game.I bought this game thinking that it was the successor of Bioware's excellent Baldur's Gate series, which are among my all-time favorite video games.In a few ways it does improve upon these earlier masterpieces, but in many more ways it proved to be an inferior gaming experience.Unless you have the time and patience to explore this game's on-line side, don't bother getting it.There are many better computer roleplaying games out there (e.g., Morrowind, Baldur's Gate, Diablo 2, etc.).

Gameplay: This is a D&D-style fantasy adventure that Bioware has made a reputation for presenting well.You create a character at the beginning and build him/her up with experience points during a 70-80 hour main quest.The basic idea is similar to other such games, but the implementation here is unexciting.First, this is a single-character game in which you don't have a party.You can hire a mercenary, but for the most part you are on your own.It makes for a rather uninteresting experience, since your hired hand does not have much of a personality and specializes primarily in poor pathfinding and suicidal behavior while in combat.Unlike great games by Bioware such as Baldur's Gate and Knights of the Old Republic, you virtually have no control over your mercenary, who is often a liability.

Another problem with the game is its structure.It is largely comprised of dungeon crawl after dungeon crawl after dungeon crawl.A few of the dungeons are well done and memorable, and the game does pack in an awful lot of monsters.But the experience is rather claustrophobic insofar as your adventures are boxed into four chapters in which you simply explore a town, its countryside, and underground areas.Unlike Baldur's Gate, you can't revisit towns that were in previous chapters, and there is really no reason to since they are rather generic in feel.

The story itself is not a bad one, but is full of cliches and rather predictable.You can take the noble good-guy route or be an outright villain, but the main story will unfold in the same way.The main deficiency with the single-player campaign is the almost utter lack of connection that you feel with your character and the other NPCs you'll encounter.There is none of the banter, bickering, and cameraderie that made the characters so memorable in Baldur's Gate.Here, your mercenary has no stories to tell and even main characters like Aribeth and Aarin Gend are just there to push the story alone.

Perhaps even more distressing is how unstable this game was on my computer.I had the 1.23 patch and it crashed to desktop about every 30 minutes.The current patch (1.65) is available at Bioware's website, but it's 66MB!If you have a dial-up internet connection like me, you know what that means (hours of waiting to download).It's really a shame that Bioware has fallen into the pattern of other developers and has begun releasing games that still have technical issues (I had similar crash problems with Knights of the Old Republic, but the Baldur's Gate games were models of stability).I hope that they avoid this with Neverwinter Nights 2.

Graphics: The game looks good, but not great.Graphics are largely an evolutionary improvement over Baldur's Gate.There are a few interesting changes, such as more combat moves, spell effects, and so forth. You can zoom the camera in close to the action, but things get blocky looking.Those who do use the Aurora toolset that comes with the game should have a lot to choose from, though this game is not the best looking RPG available.

Sounds: The music was good and set the atmosphere.Voice acting was hit-and-miss, with the whiny main character, Aribeth, being the worst offender.Overall, the sounds in the game served their purpose, but didn't rescue the otherwise mediocre plot or excuse the lack of real character development.

Replay/value: Since I don't play games on-line or have an interest in downloading mods by others, Neverwinter Nights had a short shelf-life for me.Due to the ho-hum story, bland characters, and crashing, I won't be rushing out to buy Neverwinter Nights 2.If you like dungeon crawling for dungeon crawling's sake and haven't played some truly extraordinary games like Morrowind or Baldur's Gate, then this game might be worth a try (be sure to get the latest patch).Otherwise, skip this one, since it doesn't begin to measure up to the high standards previously set by Bioware. ... Read more

Asin: B00004TSXC
Subjects:  1. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)    2. Great Deals (Outlet store)    3. Fantasy (FRPG)    4. Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG)    5. Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D)    6. Wizards of the Coast    7. Bioware    8. Computer Games    9. Strategy (Strategic)    10. Fantasy   

Neverwinter Nights: Shadow of Undrentide Expansion Pack
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (18 June, 2003)
list price: $19.99 -- our price: $19.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (41)

Great new adventure
Shadow of Undrentide is a great new expansion pack for Neverwinter Nights. Rich plot, long storyline and gameplay that will keep you glued to the monitor until the end.

I can relate to it more than Hoard
First off, if you have NWN and HoUD get this too, you are missing out if you don't.Some of the Paladin's key abilities are in only this expansion pack(Divine Powers)Although Hoards has some more difficult challenges, Undertide has a better story and dialogue and is more about a small time student becoming a grand adventurer and less about the Darth Vader dark side of the force knock-off and all that God/deity B.S. in so many FRPGs (like Hoards of Underdark).In this you are an inexperienced youth unsure of what to do and either good or evil but in a more subtle sense.Unlike NWN original you have alternatives to fighting, but fight you will and thier is plenty of action(though Hoards is more fun in that reguard).As in Ultima 6-7.5 thier is comaradry amoung your party and other NPC's lots of dialogue unlike NWO which is cardboard by comparison.The Three that can join you have lives of thier own however(unlike NWO) and will leave if thier is too much conflict.(much like Iolo did when I stole that roast mutton from a ship I did not have a deed for o'those many years ago).Character generation is like NWO but with better abilities for all classes + some new classes(which I don't care for) evil characters can pick Blackguard which is a stealthy paladin(not at all appropriate for a black knight of evil)Archane Archer is for elves(hate elves) and the other is for bards(hate 'em for my PC)The campaign is the reason to get this(and some of the extra feats).Your starting class is what people will referr to you as(even if you have higher levels in other classes) My 4 level fighter 8 level paladin is considered a fighter (personally I think I should be able to role play a fighter/paladin with the status quo of a paladin if I want to, it is suposed to be open-ended you know!)Same can be said for rogues, if you start out a fighter you are a fighter(according to dialogue) even if you have 20 levels rogue and 1 of fighter.(most reference dialoge is not present at level 20)Shiza(if I spelled it right) is not the only one who referrs your specific class.Deekin the bard blabs about it a lot, and so does Xanos and Dorna up on occasiion(if you are a rogue) at least you can multi-class as ANY character(not excluding paladins and monks) with no penalties outside the race penalty of other classes which is nice IMO.The only other 3rd game I know of with this feature is Icewind Dale II and only if you follow the path of your Deity.
everybody's favorite compainions made his start in this one. So if you have Hoards and wonder what Deekin is talking about in his "story" get this game and live his tale.

Pretty good expansion
A verynice second campaign if you already finished the main campaign and want to take you character up a few more levels, buff up on eq and even change your character by the new prestige classes. (Or even head over to bioware and download some ultra buffed pre made characters.) Very similar to the NWN. Three chapters in different worlds with unique creatures. The eq in this sequel was very impressive and may even tilt the game, but it is for high level characters. ... Read more

Asin: B00007M57T
Sales Rank: 541
Subjects:  1. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)   

Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark Expansion Pack
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (02 December, 2003)
list price: $19.99 -- our price: $19.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Features

• 2 new tilesets and additional content for the Neverwinter Nights Aurora Toolset
• Expansion for Neverwinter Nights
• New 20-hour single-player campaign
• Epic levels allow characters to advance as far as level 40
• New prestige classes, feats, weapons, spells, and voice sets

Reviews (38)

Great addition
There's a lot of things I think make this expansion pack worthwhile. Just another game to play, that alone would be a deal. But you can sort of "pick up" where you might have ended in NWN:OC or SoU.

I haven't had any crashing problems, and have a general run-of-the-mill system: XP2100+ with 512mb, XPSP2, DMA133 hard drive. The only thing that might be considered sub-par is the graphic card, which is an older NVidia MX420 which I've had for about three years now (64mb). But even with the video, I get good response, except in those areas where there are a huge number of scripts running, such as one battle scene near the end. luckily, those are few.

Other than that, the plot is fun, and full of unexpected twists and turns. But it allows you to follow those plot twists, such as betraying your allies. The ultimate goal seems to be the same, no matter which way you play it.

Graphics and sounds are fine, as in the original NWN. They did add a lot more cut-scenes to HotU, tho, which can get kind of annoying. Some of the cut-scenes add depth to the story, but some are just seemingly put there for eye-candy.

There's also lots more puzzles in this expansion. Some are fun, but one in particular got extremely tedious very fast. I knew exactly how to solve it, but I had to wait for in-game timing events before I could move on to the next step. I honestly cheated at that point, and just solved the puzzle. Otherwise I'd probably waste 30 or so minutes.

You can start HotU with a new character, and you'll immeadiately level him up to level 15. I'd really recommend that you play straight from OC to SoU and then HotU. You get a good feel for your character, his strengths and weaknesses. It's easy to take your newly made level 15 character and assume invicibility. I ended the OC with a level 15 half-orc barb, took him thru SoU to level 18, and ended HotU around level 22. Quite a bit of growth in there. Besides, I'm an XP hunter and level monger, so I like that kind of stuff.

Great
Overall, NWN and the expansions are the best D&D roleplay game ever.Period.

Best MMORPG as well !
If you want to know how NWN is in single player, read all the other reviews. Now the game is out for some time now, had its bunch of patches (easy and automatic install) I decided to look at the online community. I was totally amazed what people have done using this engine. If you enjoyed the single player go at use Multiplayer over the Internet. There are worlds out there and most of them beat any of the "pay to play" MMORGS by miles. With NWN you only invest once for months on months of fun. ... Read more

Asin: B00009MGVH
Sales Rank: 311
Subjects:  1. Computer Games    2. Strategy (Strategic)    3. Fantasy    4. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)   

Icewind Dale 2
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (27 August, 2002)
list price: $9.99 -- our price: $9.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Return to the Spine of the World, that famous mountain range deep within Dungeons & Dragon's official world, the Forgotten Realms, for party-based adventure par excellence. Icewind Dale II is a throwback to an earlier time when D&D simulation meant six party members, 2-D graphics, and a heavy focus on story and real-time strategy game tactics.

Icewind Dale II plays like Baldur's Gate with one major difference: you create and control your entire party, which leaves you free to experiment with the huge array of options D&D 3rd Edition makes possible. Halfling paladins, wizards with thieving skills, it's all possible because Black Isle dutifully added all the new skills, rules, options, and feats given to D&D characters in the tabletop game.

The story line is long and epic and maybe too focused for its own good. You can experiment with any character combination you want, but you can't really range far and wide, adventuring as you wish. The story concerns a goblin army that is threatening human settlements far to the north. Infernal implications quickly surface as you learn that the goblins' masters might not be of this prime-material plane. The combat is fast, furious, constant, and extremely challenging. One of the reasons Baldur's Gate II worked so well was that your priest always had enough healing powers and Raise Dead spells handy. In Icewind Dale II, you begin at first level, so for half the game you must trudge homeward whenever somebody dies, which is frequent. The enemy appears in large numbers, usually with a spell caster in tow--and just beyond one group of enemies is another one. It's relentless and strategically satisfying, if more than a little frustrating too.

Fans of the earlier games who were perhaps a bit unsatisfied with the single-PC focus of Neverwinter Nights will delight in another chance to play party-based D&D. --Bob Andrews

Pros:

• Full implementation of D&D 3rd Edition rules
• Same old glorious tactical gameplay as the Baldur's Gate series

Cons:

• Retro looking in this 3-D age of Neverwinter Nights
• Often too difficult for its own good

... Read more

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Reviews (75)

Sad Sad Sad...
I just don't understand why a group of developers would let such a pathetic plot line be the driving force behind this game. OMG.

The 3rd edition rules are quite interesting to play with - I would love to take a hack at BGII:SoA with the new rules. Like previously pointed out, this is where the good stuff stops dead in its tracks.

The storyline can be summed up into one sentence: Two kids pissed off cause they were different growing up and now wanna f' over the world with their own ideas. Add a few technicalities, like they are half demon blood, etc etc... Pretty damn indepth if you ask me. I can seriously sit here and think about how this storyline was band aid'ed together in a 15 minute meeting one Friday afternoon. So you run around... and around... and around... get up to +5 enchantment levels (gotta love the consistency), and FINALLY get to fight the end boss, and what happs? No other than a massive Summon Creature IX portal going over and over and over again... COME ON!!! I hate it when developers make their boss hard by making it !!!CHEAT!!!. So, I did the only thing I cared to do in a situation like that, enabled cheat keys, and CTRL-Y'ed the (...) off.

Also, wth is up with this nastalgia, going back to places you visited in Icewind Dale I about? Severed hand, you go back there in chapter 6 (that big building with the Astrolabe, ya know, the one part of Icewind Dale I that had a decent storyline attached to it), even the Lizard's den and Kuldahar... Oh, lets add three pilars and a stone, map done. Yay, another blotched attempt to create something not stupid.

In the end, the game has some strong points - really only for the hardcore D&D player and even then prepared to not be overly impressed with the plot line (or lack thereof).

I wonder if the developers ever said to themselves "I knew we shoulda done that other kickass plot with batman" - I know I ask.

Graphics like it's 1995...
While this game is a critically acclaimed RPG for its gameplay it fails to meet minimum graphics standards. This has to be one of the ugliest games I have ever played, despite the fact that 2002 (Neverwinter Nights, Morrowind, Arx Fatalis)was a strong year graphically for many great RPGs. Why settle for Icewind Dale II when you can get so much more for the same price?

Short and Sweet
I enjoyed this game and spent time beating it.The problem is that it is too one directional. The play is better than say baldur's gate, mostly because of the new d and d rules.But, baldur's gate was more free, you could roam the country and chose your path. In icewind dale you did what it told you, that was it, I suggest Baldur's gate 2 if you want a great game ... Read more

Asin: B000065DGH
Subjects:  1. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)    2. Havas   

Planescape: Torment
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (14 December, 1999)
list price: $49.95
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Editorial Review

In Planescape: Torment, you play a nameless, scarred, immortal on a quest to discover his past, his identity, and his role in the conflict over the nature of reality. The brilliant role-playing and adventure game focuses on the "Planescape" campaign setting of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, and combines the best elements of Interplay's phenomenally successful Baldur's Gate with an enthralling story line, well-written dialogue, and beautiful artwork and graphics.

In an inspired choice, Black Isle Studios, the developer of Planescape: Torment, has chosen to provide the player, at least initially, with as little details about the story as possible. After viewing a mysterious introductory movie, players guide The Nameless One on a journey through the bleak city of Sigil and its underground catacombs. The story leads from there to the bizarre realities of alternate planes of existence, where belief and thought determine the laws of physics. Through dialogue with hundreds of nonplayer characters, puzzle solving, and point-and-click combat, The Nameless One discovers clues about his identity and the circumstances surrounding his condition.

Gamers overwhelmed by detailed role-playing games will find Planescape: Torment easier to grasp; players can freely switch between three different character classes (Fighter, Mage, Thief) for The Nameless One as the game progresses, and learning the combat and magic system--with a simple point-and-click interface--takes only a few minutes. Literally hundreds of weapons, items, spells, and "tattoos" can be collected and affixed to The Nameless One or any of the several party members acquired during the course of the game. If you're a fan of role-playing or adventure games, Planescape: Torment's engrossing world creates a must-have gaming experience. --Doug Radcliffe

Pros:

• Fascinating, unique setting
• Engrossing story
• Rich graphics and spell effects
• Intriguing dialogue

Cons:

• Zoomed-in perspective tends to limit combat to close range
• Long load times

... Read more

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Reviews (159)

Great story, good game
This is a good game, but a few warnings:

1) The story is great but I built it up in my head a little too much after reading the reviews.It is well-written, and written with the end in mind.Unlike most games which are kind of written as they go, things will make MORE sense as the game goes on until everything does at the end.Minor complaint:There were a few things that were either continuity issues, or just explained poorly IMO.Mainly to do with what order things were done by past incarnations and when they lived.Major complaint:Without giving away too much, suffice to say that there are a few characters you meet in the first half of the game who have much more information about you than they let on initially, and EVEN after you become aware of this you will NOT get dialog choices to follow this line of questioning much further.People who would know what you did, where you went, why you did it, and you can't ask.That's just dumb and really took me out of the game, I set it aside for a few days and almost didn't finish it.I would have much preferred it if meeting such people was a difficult side-quest with a big payoff in terms of story, instead of just being there but you can't use them.

2) The game is LINEAR, it's really more of an interactive novel than anything.Your main form of interaction with the game is choosing dialogue.While the dialogue choices are generally diverse and this is a fun part of the game, it didn't make seem to make much impact on the game.Your choices affect your alignment, but as far as I could tell your alignment makes a superficial effect on the game at best, and NO difference in the ending.So it's not that big a deal.Also I suspect most people will end up being "neutral good" (and I think the game encourages that alignment), so what's the big deal.Compare this to a game like Fallout, where decisions you make are constantly affecting the ending in subtle ways and how people respond to you later in the game.

The other thing to consider is that your main quest in the game is figure out how to die.It can be hard to get into character when your goal is so weird.Personally I was far more interested in figure out WHO I was in my first life and WHY I was immortal and made the choices I did.You can't really pursue this goal by itself however.Without giving away spoilers, suffice to say by the end of the game, this is all covered at a high level, but not near what I was looking for.For me the whole payoff of the game was the story, so I was hoping for a little more meat than that and some concrete examples would have made the ending easier to accept.

3) Other than the story, the game is pretty bland.I HATED Baldur's Gate and the D&D combat system, which is basically just 1) attack 2) use healing potion/spell 3) use your best spells 4) repeat.1000 battles later, it's not fun anymore, just a nuisance.Torment uses the same battle system but more like maybe 300-400 battles, so not as bad, but still not fun.Spell effects are cool but freeze the game and take FOREVER which can be frustrating if you're playing as a mage and are playing the same battle over after dying a few times.

Overall I really enjoyed the game, but more for the story it told than the game itself.Playing the game will get you into the character and make the story more meaningful, but will also be frustrating since your actions are so limited.Overall my complaints were over implementation, this was a darn good game that could have been one of the best ever.

FUI
Thought people might like to know that this game was made for Windows 95/98 BUT plays even better on XP!It requires DirectX 6 but recognized I had DirectX 9.1 already installed.I have a 2.5 mgh processor, Pen IV, Radeon 9700 Pro video card.

Get this RPG if you love having an involving, dramatic story told to you while you play.

I miss Black Isle Studios...*sigh*

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4
Planescape: Torment is a rarity among computer and video games.Rather than focusing on combat, the game is largely centered on roleplaying.I suspect that many people reading this review have played the Baldur's Gate and/or Knights of the Old Republic games.I did too, several times, before playing Torment.As such, I'll gear my review to this audience.

If you're looking for white-knuckled battles and powerful magic items, don't bother.That's not the point of Torment.The RPGs you've already played will sate your cravings.On the other hand, if you want an interactive graphic novel, you'll love this game.

The story is the centerpiece, and it's all to do with The Nameless One--your character.The game is a journey of discovery as Nameless slowly learns what he is.I never found an excitingly powerful weapon or suit of armor; I only found three fights in the entire game to be somewhat memorable--and even then, only because of who they were against, not because they required any great strategy.Yet I was consumed by the story.Without giving too much away, I can say that Nameless is caught between life and death, never truly experiencing either.Each dialog presents you with a variety of moral choices, making this a great game for pure roleplaying.On the downside, character creation is pretty inflexible.You set Nameless' stats, but everything else about him is predetermined.The story kind of requires it.

Fortunately, the story is a very well-written one, and the dialogue is sharp and clever.The graphics are 2D sprite-based, not 3D, so some players may feel as if they've been thrown back into the age of Super Nintendo--but not to worry.The environments are lush and deeply detailed, the characters are well-illustrated, and animations (such as spell effects) are interesting to watch even now.The user interface is rather clumsy and irritating, but the game is so dialogue-heavy that the UI isn't your primary concern.The sound and music are adequate--no more, no less.Given the copious amount of dialogue, it's a shame Black Isle didn't see fit to record more voice acting.Fans of Fallout, Baldur's Gate, and Knights of the Old Republic will recognize a few voices--and, I suspect, wish for more audio to properly convey these characters' emotions.

It is a small cast.In all, seven characters can join Nameless in his trek (as opposed to the 25 of Baldur's Gate).However, each character has his or her own unique set of sprites and animations, special items and talents, and backstory.KotOR fans are already familiar with a cast who have all been affected by the player character in some way--in that respect, this game is much the same.

To be completely honest, I think the concept of Planescape: Torment is better suited to a novel than a game.There is a novel, in fact, but the reviews are unimpressive.So play the game!

(Oh, and one more thing--crank Nameless' Intelligence way the hell up.Trust me.) ... Read more

Asin: B00002EPZ2
Subjects:  1. Fantasy (FRPG)    2. Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D)    3. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)   

Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (26 September, 2000)

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

It's not easy being a child of a god. Your character quickly comes tothis conclusion after being imprisoned and tortured by a wizard with anunhealthy interest in your parentage. So begins Baldur's Gate II: Shadows ofAmn, an ambitious role-playing game based on the Advanced Dungeons &Dragons game.

Shadows of Amn is not really a sequel to Baldur's Gate. Instead,Baldur's Gate was merely a prelude to Shadows of Amn. Shadows ofAmn develops the plot lines, characters, and events introduced in the firstgame into a mature, genuinely interesting fantasy tale. Players who thought theoriginal game shallow will be pleasantly surprised by Shadows of Amn'sbold story arcs. Major events are afoot, and the characters' choices have a realimpact on the Forgotten Realms.

In the same way, Baldur's Gate served as a proving ground for the refinedgame mechanics evident in Shadows of Amn. The game's artificialintelligence has been vastly improved, and players have many more choices forNPC AI scripts and party communication. Keeping with Shadows of Amn's moremature theme, the party interaction even includes possible love interests foryour character.

Those who played through the original Baldur's Gate can import theircharacter into Shadows of Amn, or can choose to create a new character.Character kits such as the Mageslayer and Swashbuckler add variety, and the gameeven includes the Monk, Sorcerer, Barbarian, and Half-Orc options from the newDungeons & Dragons 3rdEdition rules. Whether you import an old character or create a new one,you'll begin the game as a fairly advanced character--unlike most RPGs, youwon't have to spend hours slaying puny critters and instead are plunged into ahigh-stakes plot against powerful foes.

A strong plot backed by strong technology makes Shadows of Amn stand outas one of the best RPGs we've ever played. Fans of AD&D will love the classicAD&D feel, and fans of the popular Forgotten Realms setting will delight in thepeople, places, and politics found in Shadows of Amn. --MichaelFehlauer

Pros:

• High-level power gaming
• Quality voice work
• Improves the already great Baldur's Gate interface
• Character kits and D&D 3rd Edition races and classes add variety
• Advances the plot begun in Baldur's Gate

Cons:

• Based on obsolete AD&D 2nd Edition rules
• Character animations are stiff
• Player's character starts out less powerful than other party members

... Read more

Reviews (231)

Incantus Pulchur Imperium!
This is easily the best game i have ever played. You can rank a game in many ways, i give this game maximum points in every single category...

Voice Acting

Probably the games strongest area was it's character development giving the game an extra dimension of realism and gravity, integral to this was the awesome voice acting which was/is the best i have ever known, this game showed that voice acting in computer games can be incredibly powerful, the actors who played the characters are real pro's. My favourite was Irenicus, he breathed a realism and a menace into the character which truly brought that villainous character to life. Also in this category is dialogue, which is equally incredible, occasionally i can still here a reedy voice in my head saying...."you should not have come to this place", unforgettable.

Graphics

For their time, these graphics were top of the range, the outdoors are particularly impressive, wether it's the temple district or the wilderness, no two trees look anything alike.

Sound/Music

The sound effects in the game were amazing, when you are in a city you here murmurings (of street traders/hawkers) which blend wonderfully into the background complementing everything. When you enter Suldanesselar you hear the frantic almost deranged chirpings of the birds which convey a sense of order-disrupted. The games musical score is absolutely gorgeous! The main theme (which kicks up when a fight starts) is rousing and exciting and a pleasure to listen to, it adds even more grandeur and scale to the game.

Gameplay

Top marks here too, there are so many ways you can play the game, so many paths you can take, the challenge level varies but overall is suitably balanced. The games replayability was awesome (i won it at least 10 times and each time i was amazed at how new the experience was). When you add to this the extraordinary value for money you get because the game is extremely long, yet it never becomes repetitive.

Overall this game showed me for the first time what the computer role playing genre was capable of, playing this game was like starring in a movie combined with reading a wonderfully gripping novel. You really feel for the characters. I had thought Planetscape Torment was good, this game introduced an entirely new experience. Easily the best game i have ever played (and i have played a lot).

How did they pack it all into five cd's?

sort of.... dreary
It is difficult to stand against the onslaught of love and respect for this game. And I'm not saying don't try this game. Too many people loved it for me to expect you to go by my experience, but I do want to share with you my different perspective.

First off, looking back, I don't hate Baldur's gate. It has it's virtues. Its just that after 20 or so hours it began to weigh on me, leaving me with a feeling heavy, bleak, and insistent.In taking up computer games as a hobby a year ago it was one of the first games I played or really got into.Fascination rolled into addiction and addiction rolled into a kind of dread and tedium.Finally I realized I didn't actually have to play this game anymore.So I didn't.This may seem like an obvious solution to you, but then you don't actually know me so well.

Enough preamble. I like to rate games based on categories that I find important to me and so I will do that below on a scale of say 1 to 10. How's that?

Story:4, I'll admit my predispositions here, and also that not actually getting more than a third of the way through this game limits me a little, but I do feel I got the main idea.My predisposition is that I long for a computer game that is story driven effectively and actually works as a good story. Story is always such a distant second to gameplay that you end up with these half hour stories built into 15 to 60 hour games.Generally they either make little sense, or fade into a weird sequel nothingness in the end (hello half life 2, beyond good and evil (good games both nevertheless)). I have tried so many, do actually like many games, but have been underwhelmed repeatedly as far as story.Baldur's had the advantage that I was new to gaming and so hadn't seen all it's conventions before, even if they were familiar.In this game you wake up in a prison cell and have a secret destiny.Yeah yeah yeah.It's actually not too bad though and the quality of some of the characters helps, but, and I think this might be the key problem, in order to create an open ended world, provide a variety of quests, and give the good/evil option as it were, the whole thing comes completely apart at the seams.The story falls apart into ridiculousness except the game pretends it hasn't and you're supposed to too. Just to start you spend hours struggling to break out of a dungeon you have no knowledge of even though a member of your party broke in to get you.Wouldn't she have some helpful information?How did she manage it in the first place? So much of this game is full of stuff like this. Its been awhile so I'm fuzzy, but could come up with quite a few more examples, like places where the sense of what is good and effective to do in the game defies the reality of your characters as actual people.In my opinion you can have a very linear game (problem is too few options as a player unless it's done perfectly), or a completely wide open, basically questless game (problem is it feels kind of pointless unless it's done perfectly and beautifully) or you can have a reality defying muddle in the middle of the two. Baldur's takes this last path I am afraid.Still, I would have sort of liked to see how it all turned out if I didn't have to slog through so very much stuff and time to get to it.

Characters: 7 or 8,very good.Love the pictures. Voices excellent. Really nicely done, though after awhile hearing them say the same phrases hundreds of times was hard to take.Also the story caused them to do things completely out of character at times.

Gameplay:5, I prefer less difficulty in games and would have appreciated a difficulty level system very much.There is a lot of fighting, managing your stuff and fighting some more and its that d and d dice rolling fighting that can look very strange (big guy with huge sword swings at weakened creature just standing there and misses wildly). It often left me feeling faintly like it wasn't working and that the game didn't do what was in the queues for my characters even though I suppose it really was.

Graphics: 6, nice general visual design and though its dated now its pretty powerful in the sense of mood it imparts (though see below). I mean it really did affect me in an almost dreamlike way for awhile.It was a bit of a letdown in terms of giving me a sense of wonder though.

Dreariness factor:1,cold, chill and frequently joyless.That's how I found it.Some of the character humor helped a little, especially the nicer characters, but so much killing and grim characters and so little relief or oasis or real rewards or lightness in comparison. Plus I felt burdened by the way the quests could just sort of pile up on you and all be emergencies.

Technical issues:I always feel this is so subjective as you never know what will be a problem with your computer, but a few small or weird glitches were really awful for me.I couldn't get downstairs in one place, something crucial disappeared in another.

Learning factor:4, had a tutorial level which maybe I wouldn't find too confusing with the experience I have now in games, but I really wish it had been more clear and specific.

Product materials:5,a nice start, decent book, but really quite incomplete.

Chore factor:2, well, you know, so many rooms of so many monster things to really get anywhere.I really did feel burdened.

Difficulty:3, kind of already discussed but I'll add that everything seemed either kind of hard to kill or quite hard to kill, it would have been nice and even appropriate if some things had been very easy too. I will repeat I might have lasted longer with an easy or moderately easy setting, but it still would've gotten to me in the end.

Game saves:7,a pretty good save anytime system only flawed by an inability to save in combat, which, if I recall, could sometimes sneak up on you and then it was too late.

Conclusion:I find when I write negative reviews of really popular and respected games (gta vice city is a good example) people tend to say its not helpful, and if I like them its very helpful,but sometimes I think they maybe already played the game and think it's some kind of contest these reviews (then of course, maybe they just think its not a very informative review).I'm just telling you my reaction here and my thoughts. A lot of people gave this classic game 5 stars. I really think this game could've been alot better.

Baldur's gate made me think maybe I don't like rpgs too much, but I am currently pretty far along in star wars knights of the old republic and very much like it.

Not verymuch changed...luckily
Baldur's Gate is a first-class game, so why change the formula in the sequal? Yea, you can fight with two weapons at a time now, but who cares? I still use only one. Graphics didn't change that much in my eyes, so it's actually the same game with another story-line. But the story - because of that I fell in love with BG - is again very good. I saw someone complaining that the bad guy (I forgot his name) is too evil..well, did you expect that the bad guy just sold illegal armor or something? I didn't really like that beginning part - there in those underground mines - but the rest is again amazing. Someone complained you don't know how strong the monsters are if you want to attack... doesn't that make it more real. It's kind of silly if you see a number above his head or something.. It's an addictive game and I wished my copy of it didn't brake (just like my copy of BG1). I love this game (maybe because it's one of the few games I'm really good at), it's perfect just like the first BG. Buy it, the game is cheap these days.. ... Read more

Asin: B00004KHB7
Subjects:  1. Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)    2. Fantasy (FRPG)    3. Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D)    4. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)   

Baldur's Gate 2 Expansion: Throne of Bhaal
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (20 June, 2001)
list price: $19.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

BioWare's Baldur's Gate II is the game that keeps on giving.Already one of the most massive role-playing games in memory--especially if youadd the original Baldur's Gate and Tales of the Sword Coastexpansion pack--the Baldur's Gate series has provided, easily, 300 hours ofAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons Second Edition role-playing genius. Now, just whenyou've got your life back, and, maybe, finished BGII, the company goesand releases the new BGII expansion pack Throne of Bhaal.

BGII is already so huge one might wonder why you would need or want anexpansion. Is it because there are hordes of additional monsters to fight, acouple new classes and kits to explore (the Wild Mage, for example), newtreasures and artifacts, new quests and dungeons, and the ability to reach anunprecedented 40th level? Well, yes, those are pretty much the reasons why. Whywouldn't you want to meet strange new creatures, unleash strange new spells, andlisten to even more bizarre voice acting from the lovable Minsc? But the realreason to get this one is to see the massive story finally reach a conclusion.There won't be a Baldur's Gate III folks, and Throne of Bhaal letsyou see the fate of the character that debuted as Gorion's young ward so manyyears ago in the original Baldur's Gate.

This is an expansion, not a sequel, and thus the game mechanics and animationare pretty much the same as in Baldur's Gate II. With no new animation,save the new spells, and only a handful of new beasts, this game doesn'tinnovate--it adds to the overall experience. Naturally, it's fully playable inmultiplayer mode, and you can start anew with one of the new classes or continuewith your old character. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• More, more, more of the bestselling Baldur's Gate experience
• A fitting conclusion to the epic story line

Cons:

• Same tried-and-true gameplay, which makes it feel dull at times
• After 200 hours of BGII, do we need more?

... Read more

Reviews (60)

Fun, though leaves some problems
If you are going to buy this game you will need to go to Baldurdash's page and download some of the things on his site for it.You can increase the difficulty of the battles (actually makes for a truely epic and HARD final boss) and also fixes some plot points that were removed (Imoen's bhall taint finally manifesting, Saravok dialogue options).

The quests in this game are definately a challenge, and for the most part very fun.The biggest problem is that there really are not any side quests worth talking about.The plot is very see through, I thought, and really you don't see many new things that will take your breath away.

With that said the game does have its merrits.If you like BGII and don't mind a more liner plot then you will love this game.The addition of feats allows everyone to continue getting stronger and helps remove the problems of a ceiling for fighter types (after all, once you get to a certain point you just always hit).

The ending battle, when not modified, is not too terribly difficult.On the other hand, the modded end battle is definately not for those who are easily frustrated as you will most likely try and fail many MANY times.

If you want a definate ending to the game then you should give this game a try.However, if you don't feel to strongly about it then consider avoiding it since it is pretty much just more of the same.Don't expect a plot that will draw you into what is going on.

Excellent! (4 1/2 stars)
This expansion is a great conclusion to an excellent computer game.Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal gets right everything that was good about the first 2 games.The character development and party dynamic are still the best in any computer RPG that I have played.The story centers around discovering your destiny as the offspring of an evil god. You and your band of adventurers will go through towns, forests, mountains, dungeons, and even another plane of existence.There are many new spells, magic items, weapons, armor, and monsters, and the pocket plane idea is a really nice touch.The isometric view and graphics are still pleasant to view, and the dramatic music is among the best in any game I've played.The story is well told and measures up to the high standards set in the first 2 games.Actually, the suspense in this expansion really draws you in, sort of like the final chapter in part 1. I docked the game a half star for two reasons: one of the levels of Watcher's Keep had a maze and a couple of puzzles that were too frustrating to be fun.Also, when I kill something/somebody I want it to be dead, not to come back again and again (a problem that I had with Shadows of Amn).There were no real bugs that I noticed, besides a few spelling errors, one frozen cut-scene, and a few cases in which spell casters simply would not cast spells at key times during combat.This last problem was especially frustrating since magic use is so central to winning fights in this expansion.Otherwise, this is a grand conclusion to one of my favorite computer game series.Highly recommended.

This should have been a whole new game!
I love BSG II. And when I got this, it was such a let down. It has cool battle's and a decent plot but I think BlackIsle could have put a little more effort into this and make this a new game (aka BSG III). I give this two stars because it does have potential. But overall, a big disapointment. ... Read more

Asin: B000059L4Q
Subjects:  1. Fantasy (FRPG)    2. Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)    3. Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D)    4. Baldur's Gate 2: Shaows of Amn    5. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)   

Baldur's Gate Original Saga with Tales of the Sword Coast Expansion Pack
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (13 November, 2001)

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (28)

Still a masterpiece
I will keep this review short and sweet.The game is an absolute masterpiece.The fact that this was only the second attempt by Bioware to make a game (Shattered Steel was their first) is astounding.There isn't a single weak point to be found in the game.Everything, from the music, characters, storyline, to the well-paced action and RPG elements, have made this game a classic.

The reason I am reviewing this game now is because I picked it up again for old times sake.The game is as good as it originally was, if not better, because I am picking up on a bunch of details I missed the first time.The artistic graphics for this game still look fantastic, which is simply amazing when you consider how fast the graphics age for computer games.

In conclusion, Baldur's Gate is my second favorite RPG game of all time.Only the sequel is superior, as it should be (It's like comparing the first 2 Godfather films).If you have not played this game, you are not a fan of RPG games.

I love it
This is by far the best game I've ever played. This was my first rpg and I think it spoiled me. After playing all of the Baldur Gates for computer I looked for more games just like it thinking this was a standard for how rpgs are. This isn't, but should be. This is the kind of game you don't leave the computer for. I stopped eating so I could maintain focus on this game. In the second game I noticed they even tell people to rest a while and go eat. Obviously, I am not an individual in the fact that I stopped eating because I was so engrossed. You have to play this game.

It was the best game back then...and it still is!
I admit, the nowaday's games have impressive graphics, sound and gameplay and all that crap. But BG is still my favourite game all time (BG 2 is great too, although I like the first one more). Alot of people think this game is boring, and bad combats and all. Those people just couldn't beat the game I suppose without using cheats. Most people are in for the combats and the fighting, those are the same people who think this is a boring game. The best thing of this game are the large maps, the beautiful enviroment but especially the dialogues (you schould read them, it adds alot to the game). I also like this game because there is no pressure, you don't get depressed with it. There are no time-limits, you can play the game as long as you want. I did every thing on the game, also did the minor things that have nothing to do with the important things you have to do to finish the game. It took me 2 years (I don't play like 24/7 you know...) to get in Baldur and finish the game. Aftyer that I was hooked on BG 2, wich I almost finished, but I just wasn't skilled enough. To all the spoiled kids, go play your GTA San Andreas and your Halo 2 or other stupid games wich are just to heavy for a normal computer. Play Morrowind if you want the bad version of Baldur's Gate, but this is truhly the best game ever made. Modern games don't even come close. The only that came a little closer then the rest is Unreal Tournement (I know, it's a whole different type of game), but I got to boring after a while. This is a game that's fun because of what it is, not because of the graphics or something else. Although my copy is broken these days and I'm looking for a new one, but I can find one, maybe I schould buy it back on Amazon. ... Read more

Asin: B00005S8J2
Sales Rank: 70
Subjects:  1. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)   

Deus Ex
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (23 June, 2000)

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Deus Ex combines so many of the elements found in otheraction-adventure titles that it's almost like getting several games for the price ofone. You slip into the trench coat of J.C. Denton, an operative with the topsecret UNATCO antiterrorist organization. Denton's body and mind have beenaugmented with nanotech implants that help him fight, think, and sneak his waythrough a completely interactive world filled with intrigue, conspiracies, andencounters withother characters. The plot is ripped straight outof a bad X-Files episode, but the decent cutscenes and complex mission environmentskept us coming back for more.

Deus Ex's real achievement is that players are free to complete missionsas they see fit. As the game progresses you can upgrade your character with avariety of bioenhancements that dramatically impact gameplay. Focus on yourcombat skills and you'll be the Terminator by the end of the game. Upgrade yourcomputer know-how and you'll be the equivalent of Data from Star Trek:TNG, busting into computer and security networks with ease. We wereexpecting a game that let us role-play a little, opting for a brute-forceapproach or one that required a little more stealth, but we had no idea thedesigners would do such a fine job of pulling it off. The experiences of bothmethods are unusual enough that we found ourselves revisiting level to trydifferent tactics.

The individual components of Deus Ex--like the targeting system,inventory controls, and enemy viewing radiuses--are a little clunky when viewedindividually, but they converge into an overall game that is much greater thanthe sum of its parts. It's easy to compare the game to titles that obviouslyinfluenced it (Thief, System Shock, and RainbowSix immediately come to mind), but Deus Ex really stands on its own asa unique title that should appeal equally to action games, adventure lovers, androle-playing fanatics. It's just too bad players without a Voodoo card will havea hard time gettingplayable frame rates, since the game uses theDirect3D-unfriendly Unreal engine. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Several ways to complete each mission, and all are equally fun
• Game world is highly interactive, and exploration is rewarded
• Ability to tailor a character to match your gameplay style is a huge plus

Cons:

• Doesn't run well on non-Voodoo video cards since the game is optimized forGlide 3-D rendering
• Most of the voice acting is bad
• Enemies aren't very smart

... Read more

Reviews (184)

A Spellbinding Classic
There is nothing else quite like Deus Ex.

I have a long history with video games, but have never encountered such a detailed, immersive experience as this. The player is thrust into a palpable, decaying technological society of the near future. It's a dark world where secret conspiracies spin incredibly plausible schemes for world domination, where a plague is ravaging the populace, and where fear is cunningly manipulated to further terrifying power-grabs. Deus Ex is a classic for many reasons, but this latter point is as prophetic and well-executed as any warnings handed down to us from Orwell.

I won't recount the vast, epic storyline of this remarkable game. Suffice to say these are the points that make it a must-have, must-play, and rightly deem it a classic video game.

1. The amount of exploring that can be done throughout the awesomely-rendered settings of New York, Hong Kong, Paris, and other locales is amazing. Each is highly atmospheric and immersive... from the rotting catacombs below Paris to a futuristic Hong Kong district to an abandoned fortress once belonging to the Knights Templar.

2. Actions have consequences. This is a highly intelligent game, demanding that characters do more than shoot at everything that moves. You can play through many times and each will be different, depending on things you choose to do or say.

3. This is storytelling at its best. An ingenius hybrid of conspiracy theories, technological innovations, philosophy, political theory, and sheer imagination makes for the most rewarding video game experience I've ever encountered.

4. The sweeping cast of characters is memorable, well-acted, and unique.

5. The attention to detail is unsurpassed. Everywhere you go there are books, newspapers, datacubes, emails, and messages that can be snooped into. Sure, they can be ignored easily enough, but it is fascinating to pay attention to them because they each spin ongoing, miniature story-arcs. Again, this has little to do with the story-at-large, but as you proceed with the main tale you can keep abreast of the unfolding events of this futuristic universe, read succeeding chapters of in-game novels, learn relationship dynamics between minor (and sometimes unseen) characters.

6. A combination of many game genres is to be found here: stealth, exploration, FPS, roleplaying, etc.

My first time playing Deus Ex still burns vividly in my mind years after playing it, and it possesses an addictive quality for all the reasons listed above and many other ones that can't be articulated. I still play through it once a year, like returning to a favorite book or film.

Naysayers may point out that the game's graphics are dark and grainy. Graphics do not make a game, and I found them appropriate enough in the context of the future this game creates.

This is the kind of game that should be saved, and relished, by generations now and to come.

Four years on...and STILL at the top of it's game!
Combining aspects of both FPS and RPG (First Person Shooter and Role Playing Games), Deus Ex promises a genuine gaming experience like no other, but let's face it; the game is now outdated in practically ever technological aspect. The graphics are showing their age, the sounds don't have the quality compared to newer titles, and the engine is almost redundant. Now you might say, "Yeah, without a doubt!" - But there is something in the game that to masses changed their perspective of gaming when it was released. Some spark, some hint of ecstasy that brought the game out into the open, and inspired a generation.

No doubt many of you have played the latest and greatest of gaming technology. Titles that made you drool over the astonishing graphics, map design, physics systems...but as you sat down and glued yourself to the monitor, you began to realise that it lacked the ability to immerse you into its environment, storyline and overall game play. Very soon it became `just another game' that promised everything, but delivered nothing but poor results, and frankly, was just another mediocre game packaged into impressive visuals.

However what Deus Ex now lacks in visual `eye-candy' it more than makes up in game play. It has the undeniable ability to draw the player into its chaotic world and immerse them deep within the corruption. The fact that your actions reflected the outcome of a situation or even the entire, game allowed us to think long and hard about what we really desired to achieve; and also questioned our very own morals - AND for four years it has continuously captivated me personally.
Few games have ever had the capacity to bring about such empathy and judgment in casual and hardcore gamers alike - and is becoming clear that it's something we are lacking in the gaming industry; INSPIRATION. What Ion Storm created was nothing other than a masterpiece, pure and simple. Regretfully the studio has now collapsed, and so their work has become but cherished memories of a company striving to become something more than just `average'. They yearned for remarkable results, and hence in my opinion they have triumphed!

Deus Ex will forever be the landmark of gaming brilliance, and I so I only hope that the reader of this review not blindly take my word for it, but download the demos - experience the game for yourself! There are copies of both the original and GOTY Edition (Game Of The Year) still lingering about; I should know - I only just purchased a NEW copy the other day. So do yourself a favour; if you haven't yet experienced the genius that is Deus Ex, or are looking to rekindle the old flame, DO IT! You won't regret the decision!

Best.Game.Ever.
It all happened about an hour ago...

Liberty Island, New York City. The near future, 2055. A fatal wasting disease called the Gray Death is decimating the world. About an hour ago, terrorists highjacked a shipment of the only known treatment for the ailment, a substance known as Ambrosia. The terrorists are part of a group known as the National Secessionist Force, or simply NSF, a group who have long been rebelling against the U.S. government, a government that has begun to stray from the core of the U.S. Constitution, eliminating personal freedoms and reshaping society in the name of safety and security. Faced with a swelling tide of worldwide terror, American President Phillip Mead supported a charter to create a worldwide police force to combat terrorism, a force that knows no geographical boundaries, that answers to no one but itself, a force called the United Nations Anti-Terrorist Coalition, or UNATCO. UNATCO's worldwide central headquarters is located on Liberty Island, on ground donated by the United States, fittingly situated in the shadow of a shattered monument to freedom: the headless, crumbling Statue of Liberty, victim of a previous terror strike. It is a time of widening arcs between classes, a time of ambiguity and of teetering on the brink of societal collapse, where the gap between the haves and the have-nots is becoming unbreachable. Even as technological advancements and scientific breakthroughs make the wonders of far-flung science fiction a reality for the chosen few, the common man sinks lower and lower into poverty and obscurity as the middle classes are systematically eliminated. Six million American citizens are on an undesirable list and due to be rounded up and put into "reeducation" camps. Many more Americans are already there. Nonconformists and those who question the motives and actions of the government are summarily arrested and sometimes just disappear. Citizens are encouraged to spy on their neighbors and report any behavior that could possibly be deemed questionable or sympathetic to the terror cause, such as visiting national monuments, spending time on the internet, debating politics or speaking with a foreign accent. Big business-spearheaded by the likes of renown entrepreneur Bob Page and his Page Industries-has a stranglehold on the world, even inching its fingers onto the control pads of world government. There exists the worldwide mining and profiling of all communications. And behind it all, like omniscient, invisible puppetmasters pulling strings from dark alcoves, are the whispers of grandiose conspiracies and shadow organizations and ancient secret societies that are finally making a grab for world domination: Majestic 12, the Illuminati, the Templars. And combating these forces, aware or not of how deeply the strands run, is the NSF and its allies around the world, such as the Silhouette faction in France; dismissed as common terrorists by UNATCO, they see themselves as freedom fighters fighting governments grown corrupt and diseased on an incomprehensible scale.

You are a newly appointed, nano-augmented UNATCO agent named J.C. Denton. You arrive on the Liberty Island docks via a New York City Police boat, tasked with the removal of the NSF forces who have taken refuge inside the Statue of Liberty. Nano-augmentation is a new science-you are only the second augmented agent-and its implementation consists of the placement of microscopic machines inside the body that can enhance certain elements of an individual's natural senses-vision, strength, lung capacity, healing abilities-or create altogether unique, distinctively unnatural abilities far beyond what a non-augmented person could imagine. Nano-augmented individuals have a slightly altered appearance from regular people, with a telltale glowing of the eyes and strains of raised bluish-silver lines crosshatching parts of their skin. Previous UNATCO experiments with enhancing field agents before nano-augmentation evolved bore a more archaic signature: removing natural body parts-such as arms, legs, or even parts of the skull-and replacing them with purely mechanical, robotic, metallic pieces that enhanced abilities, yet sometimes were uncomfortable and rendered the subject something of an outcast by appearance.

Via InfoLink-a communications device implanted inside your head-your liaison inside UNATCO HQ, Alex Jacobson, informs you to hook up with your brother, Paul Denton, who happens to be the first UNATCO agent to have been nano-augmented. Paul is nearby on the dock. With him, you're able to ascertain the background and tactical situation of the terrorists at Liberty Island and the missing shipments of Ambrosia. You briefly sidestep into some detailed personal reminiscing about your parents and upbringing centering around the shared fact of the augmentations, then bid Paul a transient farewell as you begin to formulate a plan of action. The charcoal night sky is teeming with ominous, cold, grayish-white clouds in steady, unrelenting motion. The moon, the remote vault of stars, the wind, the fluttering seagulls-all are indifferent observers to the folly of men. Live or die, succeed or fail, it's all the same to them; the world will still roll on regardless of the outcome. Harbor waves lap at the dock moorings, a surprisingly delicate sound. Across the water, on either side, the distant brilliance of the New York City night skyline twinkles on the periphery. There are people there in those buildings, you know there are, real people going about real tasks in their real lives-working, eating, sleeping, loving, dying from the Gray Death, hoping for a better tomorrow-and even as they are unknowing of you and your current dilemma, you must carry on just the same. As a UNATCO agent, it's your job. To protect them from the forces of terror and evil in the world, to protect them from threats they don't even realize exist.

And really, after maybe 15 hours of playing, this is just the beginning. Deus Ex launches from here into its prolongation of winding, protracted, expansive gameplay, a springboard into theretofore uncharted realms of the interactive medium; a living and breathing gaming universe that mirrors our own in so many ways, so compelling and immersing that the experience can become ingrained in your very psyche. You spend the rest of the game unraveling a complex and multifaceted storyline woven together with a deft conspirator's touch, globetrotting repeatedly to various world locations-New York, France, Hong Kong, the American southwest-in an effort to bring down the machines trying to twist and mold the world to their own purposes. At the top, in the end, sits billionaire Bob Page, yet he is representative of only one of three distinct factions vying for world control by the end of the game. And you must choose amongst them.

The game itself is a hybrid of genres: part first-person shooter, part role playing game, part adventure game. To that end, gameplay itself reflects a given player's personal choice of progression, anything from dawning the guise of a pitiless killing machine to morphing into an invisible shade on the wall who employs surreptitiousness and cunning and eradicates nobody-or anything in between. Level designs are ingenious and inspired, offering the player the illusion of nearly limitless strategic and tactical options to approach the completion of each objective. And they're calculated in such a way that they make you feel clever for discovering some new way of doing something; no betraying neon arrows are in place pointing you in any particular direction. Worlds turn within worlds in this game, large orbiting story arcs-as great as the world itself with Tracer Tong, Bob Page, Morgan Everett, Nicolette DuClare and Helios, the construct AI revealed late in the proceedings-supporting smaller and smaller story arcs turning within, as exemplified by the reoccurring minor characters of Harley Filban, Joe Greene, Sandra Renton, Maggie Chow, Max Chen, Juan Lebedev, Jock and Smuggler. Conversation trees appear during key NPC interactions, and in the choosing you're able to directly affect NPC loyalties and sometimes the chronological order of unfolding events. I've played the game to completion at least six times over five years on two different platforms, and I've never gotten tired of the experience. Indeed, even today, I'm still discovering new things here and there I'd somehow missed all the times before. The graphics, state of the art in 2000, are understandably beginning to show their age now, five years later. But they're still darkly striking and engrossing at 1280x1024x32 and offer some of the longest view distances and largest wide open levels ever seen in gaming. Deus Ex continues to astonish and boggle me at every turn. I don't just play this game; I'm captivated by it.

Skill points are acquired at measured intervals as rewards for achieving certain objectives or discovering new areas. These skill points are used to enhance regions of a player's profile: a particular type of weapon (heavy weapons, melee weapons, rifles, explosives and so on), lockpicking skill, computer hacking skill, swimming ability, and much more. Each area of expertise can be upgraded through four tiers of enrichment. But there are only a limited amount of points distributed throughout the game, so the choosing of which area of performance to upgrade becomes a fundamental part of the experience, effectively conferring upon the player the ability to create their own strengths and weaknesses. Working hand-in-hand with these skill point upgrades are your nano-augmentations, physiologically altering enhancements to various portions of the body: Arms: Combat Strength or Microfibral Muscle, Legs: Speed Enhancement or Run Silent, Subdermal (1): EMP Shield or Ballistic Protection, Subdermal (2): Cloak or Radar Transparency, Torso (1): Aqualung or Environmental Resistance, Torso (2): Regeneration or Energy Resistance, Torso (3): Synthetic Heart or Power, Recirculator, Cranium: Aggressive Defense System or Spy Drone, Optics: Targeting or Vision Enhancement. Only one upgrade in each category can be chosen, and once upgraded the process is irreversible. Used in combination with skill point upgrading, you have complete control as to the nature of your character and-by extension-which particular pathways through the intricate webs of each mission scenario are best suited to your abilities. The audio potion is itself a further star; the ambient music behind the scenes alternatively bounces with irresistible futuristic techno rhythms or lays low and refracts the atmospheric surroundings. Sometimes, as in the main Hong Kong market theme, the music itself is worth just stopping and listening to it. During conversation cut-scenes, the background music alters to appropriately intriguing themes that underscore the mood and implications of the dialogue.

Deus Ex was released by developer Ion Storm in the summer of 2000 for PC and later ported to the PlayStation 2 under the revised title of Deus Ex: The Conspiracy. The world prophesized by this game, evidenced before you, on the monitor right in front of you, didn't exist in 2000. Yet after 9/11/2001, it has begun to exist: the terror, the paranoia, the American government that chooses to lead its people with hollow slogans and the perpetuation of fear, that implores you to give up personal freedoms-the cornerstones the country was founded on-in the name of security in this, the bravest of new worlds. Throughout the game, you see it time and again; what were futuristic science fiction dream concepts in 2000 are hard realities in 2005, are indeed torn from the headlines of tomorrow's newspapers. And the game plays out in real-world locations, places that exist today, places with their own inherent sense of reality. It makes Deus Ex more than a game world, it makes it a real world, three dimensional, tangible, a place you can step into and become lost inside of. There has never been a game like it before, and there may never be one like it again. Without question, my favorite game experience ever, a place where I can go time and again, year after year, and become something more than I am, a real character created within the realms of real world, a place capable of supplanting other realities. ... Read more

Asin: B00003OPES
Subjects:  1. Science fiction (scifi sci fi)    2. Desuex    3. First Person    4. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)   

Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (21 February, 2001)
list price: $29.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter is the first expansion pack for the role-playing game Icewind Dale. Like all expansion packs, it requires you to own the original title in order to play. Heart of Winter shares the same time frame with Icewind Dale--the year 1281, the Year of the Cold Soul--and its five new major areas are located just north of the original game's locale. Players can take their ninth level or above Icewind Dale characters to Heart of Winter via a small house in the great tree town of Kuldahar. Alternately, players who have beaten Icewind Dale can import living or deceased characters to Heart of Winter, as long as at least one character survived with the same ninth level or above restriction. Or players can simply generate a new party.

Both Heart of Winter and Icewind Dale use AD&D Second Edition rules; however some of the special powers and abilities in the third edition are available in the expansion. For example, thieves have access to sneak attack and crippling strike abilities, and the new spell progression tables for rangers and paladins have been taken from the third edition rules. In addition to new areas, powers, and abilities, Heart of Winter features: new portraits, new character sound sets, new monsters, 50 new spells, 800 x 600 resolution, drop-away interface, gem bags, potion bags, scroll cases, hot keys that highlight normal doors and ground items, and the ability to buy multiple items from stores. The biggest change is the ability for all character classes to reach 30th level, and druids can advance higher still. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Amused me somewhat
I'm not going to talk about the gameplay, linear plot, etc., we all know about that... But here are some aspects of the game I found amusing: The artwork on the new character profiles was excellent and fit very well with the theme of the game-- Very moody with watercolor-like graphics!You get to choose new voices for your characters, and one of the female voices sounds very seductive...some of what she says has double-meanings. Quite naughty!This voice works perfectly with the blonde cleric. It's listed as "HOW-female3",(or is it 2?) Also there's some male voices that actually don't sound dorky.The addition of limited 3rd-edition rules with the expansion is especially cool.With the proper cheat code, you can now create that elven Fighter-Mage-Thief that you always wanted to- with the Sneak Attack ability.Just use the cheat code to give him XP "supplements" so it doesn't take you a year to level up... I've found that with prudent use of the cheat codes and use of certain magic items, you can emulate many 3rd-edition prestige classes.For $$- it's certainly worth the risk.But don't try to play the sountrack during a romantic evening with your significant other-- that's NOT worth the risk!

Not bad at all...
Icewind Dale is a fun game, and I like the expansion quite a bit.True, it is a hack & slash game without a lot of opportunity for roleplaying, and I would not put it on the same level as any of the Baldur's Gate games, but the storyline is interesting, the items that you can acquire are neat, and just because a game is not real complex doesn't mean it is no good.If you find a good price on this game (probably under 25 dollars), by all means check it out.

Really enhances Icewind Dale!Well worth picking up!
Most expansion sets only give you new characters and some new maps, but Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter actually IMPROVES the gameplay system and interface of Icewind Dale!

How so?Inventory screens are now streamlined and allow you to carry more stuff by giving you scroll and gem bags to keep non-essential items out of your main inventory.The interface is great in that you can maximize your viewing screen by using BGII-style hot keys to drop away unnecessary status panels.More areas have been added as well as some tweaking of the AD&D rules and some more spells!If you want to max out your party's experience, you can configure the mode that allows you to score max experience at the expense of dealing with some really tough enemy AI.

What's cool is numerous ways you can start a game in the Heart of Winter universe.Installing the add on, you can enhance your current in-progress Icewind Dale game that you're still playing and immediately jump to HOW at the conclusion.Doing this gives you the benefits of the HOW enhancements while still playing the first game.You can opt to import your previous party ifyou've already beaten IWD and start right at the HOW story, or you can use your existing game and access HOW through the locked door in Kuldehar.Pretty cool, but in any event you'll need the first IWD game to use this!Not a standalone product!

Great game and well worth picking up.I happen to think IWD was the better of the BG series of games thanks to the heavy combat and minimal exploration.HOW will keep you busy until IWD II comes out very soon! ... Read more

Asin: B000058A57
Subjects:  1. Fantasy (FRPG)    2. Advanced Dungeons Dragons (AD&D D&D)    3. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)   

D&D: Eye of the Beholder
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (01 November, 2002)

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (20)

Eye of Beholder D&D GBA
This game is too boring and not as good as the real board game. DONT BUY IT. You would have more fun buying the board games and actign them out.

For hardcore fans only
Graphics below par
Sound below par

Gameplay is good
Nostalgic of the good ol' days when D&D games first came out on the 386

Overall a good game made mostly tailored for D&D fans.

For the love of God don't buy this game!
I've seen alot of crappy games come out for game boy, but this is positively the worst yet! I have never played the PC version of this game and I bet it is good in its own right, but unless you plan on burning money for the hell of it don't buy this game. The graphics suck bigtime and the levels are too easy!

Heres some advice for you people who plan on re-making old games: Give the game better graphics, different levels than the original, hidden levels and a player friendly interface.

This game does not include any of these things!

P.S. I only gave this game one star because Amazon wouldn't let me put zero stars! ... Read more

Asin: B000067DPE
Sales Rank: 5680
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    3. GBA    4. Role Playing Games (Game, RPG, RPGs, CRPG, CRPGs)   

WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos Collector's Edition
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (02 July, 2002)
list price: $69.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

To commemorate the premiere of the next chapter in the world's greateststrategy game, WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos Collector's Edition willbe available in limited quantities for those who demand the ultimateWarCraft III experience. Available at select retail outlets only,WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos Collector's Edition features severalexclusive items, including:

The Art of WarCraft, a high-quality coffee-table book featuring rareand never-before-seen images from the WarCraft universe. Art from every stageof game development will be included, from early concepts to finished pieces,along with behind-the-scenes commentary from the Blizzard development team.

The official WarCraft III cinematic DVD, including complete WarCraft IIIin-game cinematics, digitally remastered in widescreen format for TV viewing.Exclusive special features include concept art, storyboards, original cinematictrailers, and audio commentary from the Blizzard cinematics team.

Also included is the WarCraft III soundtrack CD, a commemorative collector'sedition manual signed by the WarCraft III development team, and four limited-edition8 by 10 prints featuring rich artwork portraying battle-hardened veterans fromeach of WarCraft III's races.

WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos Collector's Edition will be created in a one-timelimited run, and once they're gone, they're gone forever. Reign of ChaosCollector's Edition will be available during the first half of 2002coinciding with the launch of WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos. --Blizzard Press Release ... Read more

Reviews (100)

Great title
Warcraft 3 is a great new title in Blizzard's the Warcraft universe. The realtime strategy game brings new races to the table, these being the night elves and the undead. The plot thickens, the action is intense.
The cinematics are breathtaking, the new game engine is great and so is the gameplay.
Battlenet also gets a facelift.
All in all, a great title. Even if you're a newcomer to the Warcraft universe but you enjoy real-time strategy game, you should definitely get this game.
The collector's edition is awesome. It comes with the game, the soundtrack of Warcraft III on CD, 8x10" posters of the Humans, Undead, Night Elf and Orc and also a fairly thick and detailed book called the Art of Warcraft which is basically a "behind the scenes" look at the work that went into the creation of this masterpiece.

Orcs are friends, not goons
I have to admit that I've killed many orcs over the years and never felt an ounce of remorse about it--and who could blame me? They smell bad, they drool, have terrible dental hygiene, steal the jobs of hard-working dwarves and gnomes, and of course...they eat people. Or so I was told. (*Mild Spoiler*) You can imagine what a shock it was to learn in Warcraft III that not only are the orcs not enemies; they are allies you need to save humanity's collective bacon. So as you play the game, you'll need to drive that Lord of the Rings propaganda out of your mind and find peace with your inner orc.

Warcraft III is a terrific real-time strategy game that goes farther in blurring elements of role-playing and strategy than any game that's come before it. The inclusion of heroes as role-playing characters is terrific and provides extra incentive to explore the entire map because you never know what items or quests are hidden in remote corners. It just makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside when you find those hidden magic boots or that ring of protection. Warcraft III also marks the best story to date for a Real-Time Strategy game. In the third campaign of the single-player, I tell you that I was an orc...for about an hour. It's also worth mentioning that the tale cleverly unfolds in a way to allow you to play each of the factions (Human, Undead, Orc, and Night Elf) in a compelling progression.

Anyone who has played RTS games before will be familiar with the interface and gameplay of Warcraft III. All of the usual unit types are there--it's just that in Warcraft III they seem more polished than in other games. Whether it's the endearing signature responses when you click on them or the way the units intelligently form up, move, path find, and attack, every aspect of every unit has obviously been thoroughly tested and balanced. Not once when I gave an order did a unit wander off from the pack to explore some random corner of the screen and cause me mouse-crushing, game-cursing rage (see how well I found my inner orc?). It may not sound like much, but those of you who have played many real-time strategy games know that this is not a given. When I ordered a unit to march to a certain place and kill, they did just that.

I realize that the game is over a year old now, but it's worth noting how technically sound this game is. I did not have a hiccup in this game. Never in my single-player campaign did the game crash to desktop, freeze, stutter, spit or delay. The load times were very reasonable and there were also no graphical problems changing resolution or color depth. The graphics themselves are probably the weakest element of the game; all of the units certainly look very blocky and dated. But of course, for a real-time strategy game, who really gives a crap? You don't need state of the art graphics for an RTS. I certainly didn't find that it affected my experience.

I only played the multiplayer a couple of times and I got stomped like the kid in my elementary school who used to wear cardigans that looked like they'd been swiped from Mr. Rogers' closet. It was that bad. This game has been out long enough that even if you seek out a so-called newbie game, you're dealing with people who obviously eat, slept and breathe Warcraft. But there was no problem finding a game and I didn't have any problems with lag or people bailing out of games. It just so happens that I stink.

On the whole, this is a beast of a game: fun to play, compelling, balanced and technically sound...and I think it's time we thought about an orc for president.

Very dissappointed
The presentation was good.I bought this Collection to get a behind scences on the making of Warcraft etc. I was dissapointed that the DVD wasn't more than the game. No running commentary, no behind scences. I will be selling it as soon as I can. ... Read more

Asin: B000063UZ1
Subjects:  1. Computer Games    2. Strategy (Strategic)    3. Fantasy    4. Macintosh (Machintosh)    5. Mac    6. Apple    7. Adventure    8. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, crpg, crpgs, rpg, rpgs)    9. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)    10. Havas