Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition Review – Nostalgia Hits Hard, But the Flaws Remain
Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition brings back the classic Dungeons & Dragons 3.5e vibe, but don’t expect it to fix the original game’s long-standing issues. If you’re a fan of CRPG nostalgia and D&D rulesets from years past, this edition offers a familiar trip down memory lane — though the camera and user interface still leave a lot to be desired.
- A look at what Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition improves and what it doesn’t
- How the camera and UI affect gameplay, especially on consoles
- The lasting appeal of the expansions versus the main campaign
- Why the game still matters for D&D 3.5e fans despite newer editions
Mixed Feelings About the Enhanced Edition
When Aspyr announced Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition, many hoped it would polish up the original’s rough edges. Promises of better graphics, improved audio, smoother gameplay, and revamped UI sounded great. However, the reality is a bit more complicated. While the update offers some visual improvements, the infamous camera problems remain. Unlike the smoother camera work in Neverwinter Nights or Baldur’s Gate, this one is frustratingly sensitive and requires constant manual adjustment. The “Strategy Mode” helps by locking the camera into a top-down view, making it more manageable, but it’s still not perfect.
Controller Woes and UI Frustrations
Playing on PlayStation 5, the user interface shows its age. Translating a mouse-driven UI to a controller is tricky, but other games like Baldur’s Gate 3 have done it well. Unfortunately, Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition struggles here. Menus are clunky, information is hard to find, and extra button presses slow down the flow. For example, selecting a character in the party menu with the X button doesn’t automatically switch control to that character — you have to exit the menu first with another button. It’s a small detail, but it adds up and can get annoying quickly.
Expansions Still Shine Bright
The expansions Mask of the Betrayer and Storm of Zehir remain the highlights. They fix some technical issues and deliver better stories and gameplay variety. Mask of the Betrayer stands out for its narrative and polish, while Storm of Zehir offers unique gameplay focused on exploration and trade, plus the ability to create your whole party. These expansions show what Obsidian Entertainment could achieve when given enough time, unlike the rushed main campaign.
For Fans of D&D 3.5e and Nostalgia
If you’re into Dungeons & Dragons 3.5e rules and want to experience them in a digital format, Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition still delivers that authentic feel. However, keep in mind that 3.5e’s complexity is much higher than the current 5.5e rules used in games like Baldur’s Gate 3, which might be a hurdle for newcomers. The game’s steep learning curve and dated mechanics could be off-putting if you’re used to modern RPGs.
Neverwinter Nights 2 also didn’t enjoy the same vibrant modding community as its predecessor, partly due to its more complicated Electron toolset. This edition doesn’t change that much, so don’t expect a massive revival of custom content or multiplayer activity, even though some fans still keep the spirit alive despite official servers shutting down years ago.
All in all, Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition is a solid nostalgia trip for fans of classic D&D CRPGs, but it doesn’t reinvent or significantly improve the original experience. If you missed it the first time or love the Forgotten Realms setting, it’s worth a look — just be ready for some quirks along the way.
