Neverwinter Nights: Diamond Compilation Pack (DVD-ROM) Reviews

• Still One Of The Best

  
  By A2D39GNPWHT0KN on 2006-04-05
  This game is almost 4 years old - I got it the day it came out, and I'm still playing and enjoying it a lot. The story here is not quite as good as in Bioware's Baldur's Gate series, but its still better than almost anything else out there. And the real plus is the fan-made content - there are literally hundreds of downloadable adventure "modules" for this game, some of them truly excellent. To the guy who complained about the portraits, I haven't used them in years - there are many very fine ones you can download for free.
  
  There is an issue with this Diamond package - Atari, the producer (not Bioware) altered the main program with some sort of copy protection scheme, which screws it up. But all you have to do is run the update program (included on the DVD), and all is well - the correct file is downloaded and installed. If that worries you, or you don't have a DVD drive, or just want a printed manual, get the Platinum version instead - you can get the "Kingmaker" modules later. But don't miss NWN - this is a really great game!
  
  
  

• Unmatched Gaming

  
  By A1ILEVGCZXRTC7 on 2007-02-07
  Neverwinter Nights (NWN) stands alone amidst a rubble-strewn field of fantasy games. There are too many aspects to NWN to reveal in a simple review, but I must lay out the basics to aid my fellow gamers!
  
  Some general warnings and guidelines for prospective buyers:
  - NWN is huge. It is time-consuming. If you want to have fun expect to spend a lot of time doing it. My friend bought the game at my recommendation and he has recently forgotten his girlfriend's name.
  - There is a lot of dialogue and reading in NWN. There are books about the history of the world and everything in between. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of characters in the world to interact with. If you don't like reading or story development (i.e. you prefer action) then avoid NWN like the finger of death.
  - NWN is Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) in electronic format. If you don't like magic, monsters, and swords then don't bother. Your character in the game will earn points and increase in power, requiring you to manage his skills and abilities - if you don't like managing stats and inventory then don't bother.
  
  The storyline is immersive. This Diamond Edition comes with so much game it's hard to explain. The original campaign alone is vast - I mean VAST. The Diamond edition comes with the original campaign and two expansion packs (both like the original campaign in size and scope); in addition, the Diamond gives you three premium modules (official add-on adventures) and several smaller adventure packs. For the price you CANNOT find a better deal - if this is your style of game.
  
  Technical notes: your computer should exceed the recommendations on the box. The game runs good at those specs, but the engine is beautiful if your hardware can support it. Dynamic lights, environment shadows, surround system, etc - all the technical goodies to make the world of NWN come alive. Update your video and audio drivers for compatibility; and follow the guidelines from the publisher about installing the patches. The patches add some great features to the game.
  
  Take care
  
  

• Excellent

  
  By AHPRJ53MDR07T on 2006-04-14
  Excellent game, excellent value for the price. Very nice to have it all on a DVD.
  
  They get reduced 1 star for the copy protection: I typically have to launch the game 2-3 times before it will start without a "can't find original disc" complaint.
  
  Update: if you run the v1.66 patch program on the DVD, it will disable the DVD protection-checking, and enable download of a v1.67 patch. This did not seem to fix the "error 110623" messages that prevent me from playing the Kingmaker modules however.
  
  

• Amazing game, great package!

  
  By ANFU2BUP9LSA6 on 2006-02-11
  This game is incredible!
  
  The original game is truely a classic.
  
  Quick story outline: The city of Neverwinter is falling under seige from, not a person, but a disease. You must find the cure by battling your way through the streets of Neverwinter and defeating your foes. Very open-ended game lets you choose which direction you want to take next.
  
  Undrentide Story: Your mentor has had some very important, magical artifacts stolen from him. In your quest to return them safely, a foe has found a way to use one of the artifacts to raise the ancient city of Undrentide back to the skies.
  
  Underdark Story: A seige of the City of Waterdeep has come from below. All manners of ungodly creatures come up from the Underdark and you must stop it all. Amazingly open-ended, you can choose up to 4 different sub-missions once you're there, and you only get to do three before the final battle happens. A great closure to a wonderful epic.
  
  The expansions both are incredible addons to the orginal game, allowing a completely new story to follow, and totally new classes, feats, skills, and levels that act to enhance your control over the character. The replayability of this game is very high, as you can choose hundreds of combinations of classes, feats, weapon specializations, every aspect of the game and character development is in your hands.
  
  Warning: To those hoping to pick up, easily learn a game, and play it will be disappointed. A player must make very precise decisions on character development to get the most out of the character. But if you are; 1) familiar with D&D; 2) have played other D&D games, like Icewind Dale or Baldur's Gate; 3) really want to sit down and learn the vast things to learn about the game, then you are in for a huge treat that will be played over and over.
  
  A true gem!
  
  

• This game has stood the test of time

  
  By A2GIWPD3P2UZFL on 2006-03-28
  First, this game has come the closest to my memory of "pencil and paper" D&D implemented on the computer. The NPC scripting and depth of the quests and storylines are excellent in the single-player campaigns. Side quests round out the main adventures.
  
  I'm somewhat astounded at complaints of the game interface and coding. I have a 1.8GHz machine with 1 GB RAM and a 128 MB GeForce FX 5200 card and I can run it at highest quality at 1024x768. The only slowdowns are if I neglect to shut off file sharing software. Beyond that, the interface is good, the gameplay is solid, and most of all fun.
  
  I highly recommend this game, and can't wait to see what NW2 will have to offer.
  
  
• Installing Neverwinter Nights Diamond
  By A1GV5IFOWWWCK9 on 2006-08-22
  This is a great game! However Atari managed to send out a whole shipment without install codes. After amazon sent me the second version without codes I contacted Atari and was informed of this mistake. Once I emailed them a photo of the area missing the codes they sent them to me. Since then I have had a lot of fun. I would have given the game five stars but even with the latest patches it still has a tendancy to crash every once in a while. I highly recomend saving frequently.
  
  
• Immersive, expansible, and a great community around it
  By A3DOL5R0GHGA1Q on 2005-12-23
  Neverwinter Nights, besides being great under almost all aspects (i.e., gameplay, sound, expansibility, one of the best communities I've ever seen), runs quite well on Linux, provided you have a well-supported (nowadays that means nVidia) video card.
  
  The only thing that is a little let down in NWN is its graphics, it show its age; on the other hand, that means you don't have to have the latest and greatest SLI-capable video card; a GeForce 4 can run it without glitches or hiccups.
  
  Another thing that let me a little down was the packaging. The DVD of the Diamond Edition didn't come in a jewel case, and there is no hardcopy of the game manual (it is a PDF file on the DVD).
  
  Those nits aside, Neverwinter Nights Diamond is a great game, a great purchase.
  
  
• A nice alternative to World of Warcraft
  By A3B2336TVBEJRP on 2006-01-03
  Some people will tell you to wait for Neverwinter Nights 2 (NVN2) but the on-line community for NVN1 is so robust that it will take a long, long time for NVN2 to catch up. Plus, this Diamond edition is so packed with modules and features (it would cost you over $100 if you were to buy this for the Mac b/c they sell each module separately)that the bargain is hard to pass up. And, while the graphics aren't "cutting edge" they are more than adequate to allow you to immerse yourself.
  
  I have to agree with all of the previous reviews. Great replayability and the community support is unbelievable. The support community is so large on-line that you will find a niche that suits you.
  
  The best part, of course, is that all the extra modules and on-line play time are free. While World of Warcraft (WOW) beats Neverwinter Nights (NVN) on graphics and features, it costs $15 a month to play! Definitely not in the realm of affordability for the casual gamer.
  
  When I was younger, I played the pen and paper D&D game. It was always a chore to get everyone together and find a DM. With NVN, there is ALWAYS a game going on....even PVP!
  
  Another great part of the game is character development. You bring your experience and equipment with you from module to module...there are even some modules that allow you to create any level character with any mix of equipment and skills so you can instantly play some of the tougher modules.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Great game - BAD DISTRIBUTION!
  By A3U9U1N4928G4G on 2006-08-07
  This is a great game for RPG fans. But, due to a manufacturing error, these $20 Diamond packs DO NOT COME WITH CD KEYS.
  
  This means you have to email tech support, send in photos, and wait several days to get your keys.
  
  Buy this somewhere else.
  
  
• Can't Beat the price...buy it!
  By A2N0DU1ZZ597HY on 2006-04-09
  I bought this pack over two months ago and am finally working on the 'premium modules'. It's got so many hours of gameplay! Each 'module' is like a whole new mini game, as the storylines are different, and you can start a new character for each if you're getting bored with your original one.
  No problems with running it at all, and my computer's two years old.
  
  
• DO NOT PURCHASE!
  By A1MUU8JUB2LRD8 on 2007-11-26
  THE GAME WILL NOT RUN ON YOUR COMPUTER.
  
  The Diamond edition that I bought here had a known error -- NO CD KEYS. I've tried support at Bioware and Atari, to no avail, and am now returning the item. DO NOT BUY THIS ITEM! Without the CD keys, you have a useless disc in a pretty box.
  
  See the link below -- dated 2006 -- regarding this issue:
  http://nwn.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=490294&forum=49
  
  
• Great Game though amazon listed the features wrong
  By ATU94VMNFKTLO on 2005-11-23
  NWN is a great game and at amazons price getting it is a great value. The one mistake i see is that it as labbelled as "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons" which it is not AD&D is the 2nd edition of DnD. NWN is based on the 3rd which is nolonger called AD&D
  
  
• Incredible game! Still playing it after 2 years
  By AYT8P4E85GT34 on 2005-12-02
  I bought the game when it came out about 2 years ago and I still play the game every week. The graphics are average by todays standards, but good enough that they don't get in the way of your enjoyment. (NWN2 will fix that next year) The original campaign is average, but the campaign in the two expansion pack are great. But what Bioware really did right was include an editor and game master client. There are 100s of free and really well done modules you can download. You can play on-line with or without a game master - with friends on your own server, in an organized group, or part of a persistent world (module that is always left running) Hours and hours of fun.
  
  
• Slight dissapointment
  By A2J8ZAWRH4KQPB on 2006-08-25
  I purchased this game hoping to play it as soon as I got it, but as luck would have it there were no CD keys for the game in the box. The page was there in the manual it was just blank. So it took we over a week of playing e-tag with Atari before I could play :( Otherwise it's been great
  
  
• Don't buy this game.
  By AVSPOAFTX8BLU on 2006-10-08
  So I'm at Target browsing through the computer games and I come across this game. I think great, a Forgotten Realms game with 2 expansion packs and the updated patches all in one disc for only $20!
  And of course when I get home I come across all of the problems everyone else reviewing this game has. The disc wont even read, and if it did theres no CD key to even get it started.
  If you really have to go through all this: "email tech support, send in photos, and wait several days to get your keys", Bioware and Atari don't deserve your money.
  
  With such a huge market for this stuff, why are all the D&D PC games coming out with so many bugs and problems. From Temple of Elemental Evil to Pool of Radiance to D&D Online, they need to stop selling us short. If you haven't played Baldurs Gate, go buy that game. It's a classic, and there isn't very many tech problems.
  
  
• The best game ever made
  By AK55R793DY3UR on 2005-12-04
  I don't have to write this here to prove that this is a great game, but I feel I owe it to the people that made it and made my past 2 years a lot more fun. If you never played NWN, i suggest buying this Diamond edition. It'll give you more than 150 hours of gameplay, and you'll enjoy all the time spent with it. For me, it's the best game ever made, followed close by Diablo 1&2 on second and third place. I'm lookin' forward to NWN 2 in 2006
  
  
• NOT A CD
  By A2UFXXWHS8UZV2 on 2006-03-09
  Amazon has this listed as a CD... it is NOT!!! It's a DVD!!!
  
  
• Missing Keys
  By ANSC6KCJ3DL85 on 2006-07-23
  Ignore the rating. I gave it average because it won't let me give it no rating.
  
  I have no idea at this point whether the game is fun or not, as I've fallen victim to the missing keys problem. There is this nice glossy white fold-out page with nothing on it. Wonderful quality control. I guess it's time to contact Amazon, but the Atari forums are not showing things to be very promising as it seems replacement products through Amazon all (most?) have the missing keys problem.
  
  
• NOT COMPATIBLE WITH VISTA
  By A352VFF88CH5CM on 2007-03-10
  I bought the original neverwinter nights years ago awhile after it came out. The Diamond edition is well worth the money to get all the updates and expansion packs.
  
  BUYER BEWARE! NOT COMPATIBLE WITH VISTA!!!!!
  
  Luckily I have a desktop with xp to play, but it will not run at all on my new vista laptop :(
  
  
• Beware!! Atari ships defective product!!
  By A3S6XIUP41EHXN on 2007-12-07
  Many copies of this game were shipped with missing or defective CD keys. Often three copies of the same CD key are in the manual--a combination which does not work. This is an Atari issue not an Amazon issue. Atari tech support is awful but they can be coerced into giving you new keys. Take a photograph of the manual and the disk showing the defective keys. Start a tech support ticket with Atari. They will send you a confirmation (that says do not reply). Reply anyway (as they will likely never write again) and include the photograph of your manual. This may work. If it doesn't, you may have to include the addresses of the Atari board members and other email addresses culled from Atari web pages. This certainly works and I have had to do it twice when the other methods did not work. Good Luck! Be nice: it's not one person's fault.
  
  
• This Game Is Not Worth Your Time
  By A28F6DE63BC4RY on 2006-12-15
  Neverwinter Nights is a disappointment and at best an average RPG. One thing I enjoy about D&D games is being able to play with four or more party members whose abilities harmonize to overcome my foe. But this game only allows me to play one created character along with just one henchman. I also enjoy non-linear games. Why not let my first level character take on that ninth level monster if I choose to do so? But this game is really a linear quest in a non-linear shell. I have played RPGs with truly memorable plots and characters but those in this game will fade into obscurity. The "Bosses" I fought in this game are hardly worth mentioning. And that tremble of greed that runs through me as I stand over my slain foe's weapon and see that it has the glint of magic is noticeably absent as I play this game. An RPG that demands as much time as this must be enjoyable. But after playing this game for a while others will also realize that Neverwinter Nights is more drudgery than fun.
  
  
• No CD Keys!!!!
  By A3QWVCAE5ZWVS5 on 2007-02-07
  This game came with a blank cd key page. Went to Atari's support website, and this is a known issue. They requires you to send a scan of the blank cd key page, and wait 7 to 10 days for a response. They also state that telephone support is no longer available. Extremely poor quality control by Atari, in my opinion.
  
  
• An exceptional game, even for the casual gamer
  By A176BF6FFMUIV4 on 2005-12-22
  This game is a phenomenal effort put forth by a company that thought of the customer at every stage of the development process:
  
  Visually-stunning 3D graphics, effects
  Friendly user-interface
  Unlimited replayability (customer-developed modules have kept me playing this engine for years)
  Phenomenal Community Support (nwn.bioware.com, nwvault.ign.com)
  Quest-directed non-linearity (Choose quests to complete, how to complete them, etc.)
  
  As a very casual PC gamer, who only buys a game every few years, I highly recommend investing in this one. Bar none, this is the best community-supported, company-supported game I've ever owned.
  
  This game beats Dungeon Siege (on replayability alone!). In DS, it was so linear and hack-n-slash, that 15 minutes into the game I was extremely bored. The game was visually beautiful, no doubt. But it certainly lacks the plot elements and replayability of Neverwinter Nights.
  
  Bottom-line: if you are a casual gamer and cannot distinguish between the myriad of RPG games out there, Neverwinter Nights tops them all.
  
  
  
  
• Beautifully rendered, poorly programmed
  By A3JE3KOM53WUSJ on 2006-03-22
  I loved Baldurs Gate 2, so bought this game thinking it would be an even better version and was sorely disappointed. While the game is beautifully rendered, the user interface is unusable. I have a 2.7 GHz processor, 40 GB of free disk space, 1 GB of RAM and my machine crawls even when I turn off all the nifty graphics and sound options and kill off other processes. Don't even think of following the instructions to kill off ALL processes as per Atari's web site: your machine will reboot. I would recommend at least a 4MHz machine to play the game.
  Beyond the usability, there are only a few NPC's in the game, making single user mode inferior to their previous game (Baldurs Gate 2.) On the plus side, the Dungeons and Dragons rules are nearly completely implemented in the game, and you may want it just for the PDF rules as a compact version of the D&D 3.0 rules!
  
  
• Truly A Diamond !
  By on 2006-05-05
  [...] Neverwinter Nights takes place in the Fantasy world of Faerun. Its based on the dungeons and Dragons Boardgame, and quite naturally it blows you away the first time you play it. The graphics are awesome for its time. This edition includes the entire series all sqeezed into one DVD. You wont notice the time passed while playing this game. It is that fun! Buy this game while stocks lst. It is Definitely worth your money and time. Overall- one of the best games I have ever played.
  
  
• Very addicting game...
  By AZ0361VP2FC1L on 2006-07-04
  First off, this is a real, top-notch RPG. Warning: it is extremely addicting. Single player is quite fun itself, but it really gets interesting in multiplayer where different character's abilities can complement each other nicely.
  
  There are some cons, though. Replayability isn't spectacular. While the environments are fairly large and can take quite a while to fully explore, things don't really change from one game to another. Though it can be interesting to play it over again, say as a wizard instead of a fighter.
  
  Also, I'm pretty annoyed by the authentication system. First of all, you have to enter three CD-keys (that are 35 digits each) upon install, and re-enter the first key when you start up the game for the first time. I got this game with the idea in mind of playing LAN games with my buddy. Well, guess what? Each person needs a different set of valid CD-keys to play on LAN. (It took us several hours, but we finally found a workaround. Hint: even though it tries to authenticate usernames etc. online, it isn't necessary for LAN...)
  
  All in all, it's a pretty darn good value for the price, considering that the first chapter of the original game still took me ~8 hours to complete (I'm thorough).
  
  
• Duplicate CD key
  By A1PQVD2YM7U3P5 on 2007-11-13
  The product came with three identical CD Keys, which means I cannot play the game after installation. I had read about this issue before, but thought I was in the clear when the game installed without any problem. Atari support is difficult to contact, and requires picture evidence to get corrected keys. That would be alright, except that their online form does not allow for attachments! This is the last Atari product I will ever buy, and I hope Amazon stops selling this before Atari is able to work this out.
  
  
• Very frustrating trying to install! Buyer Beware.
  By A2H6W49C25IMJ6 on 2007-12-03
  I bought this game and the geniuses at Atari printed the same product key for all three games, instead of a different product key for each game, effectively rendering this game useless. I spent 3 hours trying to install it only find under the online FAQ that apparently Atari shipped a lot of these games with either no product keys or the same product key replicated three times. Bioware and their cursed product key!! Anyway, this game is buyer beware! I sent an E-mail to Atari requesting new product keys, if I don't hear from Atari in a few days, I'll be returning the game to Amazon and I'll let Amazon deal with it.
  
  I've played this game before and it's a great game, but if I can install it, it's just a shiny drink coaster.
  
  
• Best RPG I have played
  By A3OPDNXV8BKYI2 on 2006-03-10
  i have played MANY RPG's, and this is far most the best. From the Graphics to the gameplay, to the storyline. I would recommend this to my most diehard Dungeon Master Friends to friends who are novices. I have not even scratched the surface on all I can do with the game, and I have played many hours.
  
  
• Excellent game
  By A1W74XRZ0E2REB on 2006-11-27
  I have been playing it since it came out but only got the diamond edition about a year ago. I didn't have a single problem with getting it to play and have been able to update to v1.67 and add on extras through the bioware.com site. I am also able to play on-line and get help with situation in the game. Knock on wood that my luck stays up there. Good luck to the rest of you. For those of you who like RPG's this is the game for you.
  
  

• PC Gamer (1-year)

• Baldur's Gate 2: Ultimate Collection (Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal)
• Neverwinter Nights 2
• Neverwinter Nights 2 Expansion Pack: Mask of the Betrayer
• The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind Game of the Year Edition
• Icewind Dale Ultimate Collection