Neverwinter Nights was easily one of the most highly anticipated games of last year. It had the powerful backing of BioWare (who was responsible for the best-selling Baldur's Gate series), as well as the publicity of every major gaming resource. It boasted the usage of the 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons ruleset, a strong 3D graphics engine, and unprecedented online play with an embedded Dungeon Master Client. The true question, though, is did it really deliver everything that was expected?

NWN is the first game that utilizes BioWare's new Aurora engine. It did have its share of issues and complaints, but that is to be expected with all new engines. When I initially loaded up the game, though, I was let down relatively quickly. I was expecting the rich, textured details, like those of the previous Infinity engine. While the color and lighting effects are well done, it still seems somewhat pale in comparison to other games released around the same time. Granted, the game was in development for five years, which does give it a good reason to have somewhat outdated graphics. The camera itself has three options: Chase, Directional, and Top-down. After experimenting with each, the one that hindered the game play the least turned out to be the top down view. However, by choosing this option, I felt the detail that was present in the characters and environment in the other two options was then almost unnoticeable. Even though the engine seems outdated, NWN is not without its graphical benefits. As I had said earlier, the lighting and other special effects are some of the most impressive I've seen in a game to date. No matter what type of environment the character is in, the lighting is appropriate, and sets the atmosphere nicely.

As always, BioWare did an outstanding job on the sound. The opening score for both the cinematic and game itself sets the mood and compliments the story. Once in the game, the environmental sounds are clear and add an extra bit of depth to the game. During the introduction chapter, it is clear by the ambient noises and music that there is a sense of urgency. Both facets of the sound adjust to the situation currently being faced, and imply the correct mood - something that is very lacking in games these days. Also, as is with all of BioWare's previous games, the voice acting is very impressive. For every bit of text that is spoken, it only does more to draw the player into the story. From the simple voices of random NPCs, to that of a stalwart Paladin, each voice suits the speaker which greatly enhances the story-telling aspect of the game.

The gameplay in Neverwinter Nights is simple to get into. Upon initially starting the game, you will move through a detailed (but swift) tutorial brought to you through the guise of trainers at an academy. The movement is very much like that of Baldur's Gate - you point and click to where you wish to go. From time to time, the limited camera angles may cause some navigation trouble, but nothing too major. The integrated combat system is rather impressive, with the 3rd edition D&D ruleset making for some interesting combat options. The number of attacks is based on combat rounds, making it a step up from the Diablo-esque hack and slash combat system. The animations for combat are also pleasing to the eye. During a battle, your character will take a new stance, and will move around the enemy, occasionally dodging an attack and making an attack of his or her own. This alone makes the combat more detailed and visually appealing than that of other CRPGs.

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The online play is definitely where Neverwinter Nights shines, and where it puts many similar titles to shame. The interactive Dungeon Master ability allows for players to enjoy a vast assortment of fan-created adventures online with ease. Each online character is unique in its own way - from feats and skills to stats and appearance. While the multiplayer aspect of NWN is not persistent like MMORPGs (EverQuest, Dark Age of Camelot, etc.) are, it is still capable of sixty-four simultaneous players and of tracking the progression of everyone's character.

Even though Neverwinter Nights boasts many strong qualities, the original release did have its issues. At the time of release, many people who originally purchased this game were plagued with glitches - some serious, others minor. Bugs like these are what turned some people off from the game initially (myself included). Luckily, however, BioWare has done an outstanding job at releasing many patches since the game's release that have cleared up a vast majority of the bugs.

Neverwinter Nights is a game of epic proportions, but one that fails to draw me into the single-player story. Although the graphics are fully 3D and produce some spectacular special effects, they do not compare to those of recent CRPGs like Morrowind. However, it does have compelling online components, which allow for virtually unlimited replayability, and the dynamics of the game are well thought out and implemented. Although it may not appeal to all gamers, I would definitely recommend Neverwinter Nights to CRPG and Dungeons & Dragons fans.

A year following the release of Neverwinter Nights, the game is still going strong. There are numerous player-made modules, custom files, and even persistent worlds now available, due to the ease in which people learned the Toolset wizards incorporated with the game. The full year has come around, and BioWare and Floodgate Entertainment have released the first official expansion for Neverwinter Nights, entitled Shadows of Undrentide. Will it be enough to garner a new wave of gamers?

Before starting, it is important to note that Shadows of Undrentide is a parallel story to Neverwinter Nights, meaning that you can not import your level 20 character and start from the beginning. This can cause for a bit of frustration, as those players who were able to endure the entire original campaign worked hard on developing their characters. With that said, Shadows of Undrentide initially gives you the familiar character creation screen. Along with it, though, you have the opportunity to begin a new character with some of the many new feats and skills added with the expansion. Some of these skills and feats are well placed, and deserving to be placed into the game. For example, Appraise, which helps establish a positive or negative image for your character when bartering with merchants, is a welcome addition. Others, such as Tumble, seem to have been incorporated just to satiate specific gamers. Depending on how you view the game, and what you as a player search for in a game, the inclusion of these feats and skills can either be a boon or a bane.

The game begins easily enough, and you learn you are one of four students for a Dwarven mage named Drogan. You're given a brief idea of what sort of people your future henchmen (in this case, it would be fellow students) are like. The conversation, though, is cut short as the sounds of battle are heard below. Being faithful students, you all flock to help protect Drogan. This is where the premise of the story is laid out, as you find Drogan fighting against a large number of Kobolds. Drogan inevitably falls to the numbers, but not before they are fought off by you, your fellow students, and a Harper named Ayala. Ayala explains that artifacts placed in Drogan's keeping had been stolen during the attack, and being Drogan's eldest student, you are to recover them. Early in, the story establishes a plot similar to the original campaign, in the sense that you're recovering items for the greater good (much like the collection of items for the Neverwinter plague).

BioWare's track record in the sound department goes unhindered with this expansion. Once again, the voice acting, music, and sound effects are splendidly incorporated into Shadows of Undrentide. The character voices seem real and believable, and convey subtle emotions effectively. Although many of the basic sound effects and music have been reused from the original game, they are tried and true tools.

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The online aspect of the expansion seems to have been BioWare's primary focus. Upon SoU hitting the shelves, patch 1.30 was also released. Although there were a variety of fixes, many of them had to do with the DM client and Toolset. The changes made only add to the sense of control and ability to create the best role-playing experience possible for players. The changes made to the Toolset now allow for a greater level of scripting control and freedom, giving the truly adventurous creators in the community much more to work with and creating more immersive modules for downloads.

I didn't encounter any real nasty bugs or glitches, which is a positive sign that BioWare has been able to address and fix many of the original gameplay and compatibility issues that plagued the initial release. One glaring aspect of the game that stands out, however, is the simplicity to gain levels and rise in power. Upon playing for little over an hour, and finishing only a few significant battles, I was capable of rising to level four. Being able to attain power this easily seems awkward, and seems to cater more to the impatient and power-gaming players of the community. While it is not necessarily a bad thing, it is something that may possibly be a turn off-for those of us who wish to experience a more true aspect of tabletop Dungeons & Dragons.

Shadows of Undrentide bodes well as an expansion to Neverwinter Nights, featuring a stronger story and improved gameplay aspects, as well as increased freedom and control over both the DM client and Toolset. The only facets I feel it suffers from is the still somewhat outdated Aurora engine and some questionable feats and skills, some of which should have been placed in the original, and others that probably shouldn't have been included at all. Overall, however, Shadows of Undrentide is a quality expansion, with many worthwhile additions to the original game.