Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir
Encyclopedia
Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir is an expansion pack
for the computer role-playing game Neverwinter Nights 2
, developed by Obsidian Entertainment
and published by Atari
. It was released in late 2008 in North America, Europe, and Australia. Like previous entries in the Neverwinter Nights series, Storm of Zehir is based on the paper and pencil
fantasy
role-playing game
Dungeons & Dragons
, and uses the game's 3.5 edition ruleset.
Storm of Zehir was inspired by older computer games like the Baldur's Gate
and Icewind Dale franchises. The storyline foreshadows the events of the fourth edition of Dungeons & Dragons and follows the adventures of a group of merchants in the Samarach and Sword Coast areas of the Forgotten Realms
campaign setting
.
Storm of Zehir received mixed reviews from critics. Reviewers were pleased with new features introduced in the game, like more options for party
customization and an overland map, but were not impressed with the game's storyline and technical achievements.
of Neverwinter Nights 2
and continues the formula of a role-playing game played from an overhead third-person perspective. Players first create a character
along the lines of the Dungeons & Dragons
3.5 rules by selecting a variety of traits, such as a race, class
, and feats. New character creation options include the yuan-ti
pureblood and gray orc races, the swashbuckler class, and the hellfire warlock
and doomguide of Kelemvor
prestige classes. The rest of the player's party
can also be created, unlike Neverwinter Nights 2, but pre-made characters are available if the player is not interested in complete customization. The party can then explore several regions on the Forgotten Realms
continent of Faerûn
. The game provides an overland map that is used to move between different areas like towns and dungeons. While on the map, characters can use various skills
to identify treasure, monsters, and other points of interest, such as side quests
and secret locations. The party can rest while on the map, but doing so puts them at risk of random encounter
s in the form of wandering monsters.
In combat, players have access to a variety of abilities and magic spells, based on the makeup of the party. Storm of Zehir uses the dice-based
d20 System
of Dungeons & Dragons and each action requires a random number generated by a die roll. The player can control a character individually by selecting specific actions to be taken against enemies, or allow the game's artificial intelligence to fight by using a pre-selected set of behaviors for each character. Defeating monsters and completing quests bestows experience point
s on the party, which are used to gain levels
and become more powerful.
The player character can engage in other activities outside of combat, such as completing quests and interacting with non-player character
s. While in conversation with other characters, the player character can influence them by using several skills, such as "Intimidate" or "Diplomacy". The entire party can assist in this process if they have the appropriate skills. Characters can create weapons, armor, and other goods with raw materials through a system of skill-based crafting. Storm of Zehir also includes a regional economy whereby players can establish trading outposts in various towns and create caravan routes between them, providing merchandise to consumers along each route. The caravans can be personally observed and managed by the player, such as providing security if attacked by bandits.
. It is set mostly in the Samarach and Sword Coast regions, with visits to locations featured in previous games such as Crossroad Keep and the city of Neverwinter
. Since the Shadow War depicted in Neverwinter Nights 2 and the subsequent disappearance of the game's protagonist, the Knight–Captain, Neverwinter and the surrounding area have been declining economically. Several merchant companies have been attempting to establish a foothold in the region, with limited success.
' s story begins with the player character escorting a ship called the Vigilant, sailing from the Sword Coast to Samarach. Halfling
captain Lastri Kassireh quickly advises the party to go belowdecks in anticipation of an impending storm. The violent storm, coupled with a possible act of sabotage, culminates in the Vigilant becoming shipwrecked on the shores of the xenophobic nation of Samarach. The captain is missing, but the party quickly sets to work organizing the survivors, such as finding defensible positions nearby and salvaging equipment from the wreckage. Before long, a tribe of goblins discovers the group, and their leader issues a challenge in an unknown language. One of the other passengers of the Vigilant, the bard
Volothamp "Volo" Geddarm, claims to speak the goblin tongue but inadvertently insults the goblins and instigates a battle. After the goblins are defeated, a group of humans approaches and arrests the party on suspicion of treachery, escorting them to the Open Palm market in the nearby city of Samargol. There, a local merchant named Sa'Sani intervenes on the party's behalf, revealing herself to be the recipient of the goods traveling aboard the waylaid Vigilant. She subsequently recruits the party to investigate the ship's demise and the whereabouts of Captain Kassireh.
After rescuing the captain from goblins, investigating the wreckage of the Vigilant, and recovering some of Sa'Sani's goods, the merchant offers the characters employment in her trading corporation. The party undertakes various missions throughout Samarach for her, establishing trade routes through the jungles of Chult and protecting caravans along them. As the group continues to expand their trading operation, they eventually discover a large plot involving followers of the new yuan-ti
god, Zehir
. They learn that the yuan-ti, evil serpentine humanoids, have been infiltrating human settlements from their temples in the jungles of Chult and posing as merchants. After Sa'Sani commits an act of murder at Crossroad Keep, the party learns that she is a yuan-ti priestess of Sseth who has adopted this guise. The characters are given the option of aiding Sa'Sani against a powerful yuan-ti House Se'Sehen that shifted its attention to the new god, Zehir. In order to stop the House Se'Sehen's plot to conquer Sword Coast, the party has to infiltrate the House's stronghold, the Temple of the World Serpent, and assassinate N'Safa, the high priest, and a powerful being called the "Herald of Zehir", which is a gift from the God himself. Afterwards, the party has the opportunity to slay Sa'Sani as well.
' s first expansion, Mask of the Betrayer
, and was initially referred to as "NX2" by its designers. The game was formally announced by Atari in June 2008. It would be developed by Obsidian Entertainment
, creators of Neverwinter Nights 2 and Mask of the Betrayer, and was given a release date of the fourth quarter of 2008. Despite being released after the fourth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, Storm of Zehir would continue to use the 3.5 edition rules. The design team for Storm of Zehir was smaller than that of Mask of the Betrayer and was given a shorter development period.
Like Neverwinter Nights 2, Obsidian was inspired by older computer role-playing games for Storm of Zehir, such as Fallout and the Baldur's Gate series
. Assistant producer Rob McGinnis said "[The game] plays more like a classic CRPG". The game was intended to be "more authentic" to pencil and paper
Dungeons & Dragons by offering players a light-hearted approach to adventuring and a focus on exploration. The designers included a party system they felt was more teamwork-oriented, such as the ability to custom-make the entire party and allowing party members to collaborate on social interactions. The game's programmers were instructed to include the ability to change party members whenever the player wished.
Storm of Zehir' s storyline occurs concurrently with Mask of the Betrayer, which was set in the Rashemen region of Faerûn. The story was shaped by lead designer Tony Evans and written by Obsidian designer Annie Carlson
. The team leads decided to create an adventure that they considered more in line with the roots of Dungeons & Dragons by departing from the more serious, epic stories presented in Neverwinter Nights 2 and Mask of the Betrayer. Evans said "This direction for the title can be seen throughout - finding random (and not random) goodies while searching the overland map, the addition of the Swashbuckler class, the variety of personalities in the cohorts..." The game's music was composed with this in mind; Evans wanted themes that would portray the feel of a "light-hearted adventure". Audio director Alexander Brandon
collaborated with composers of games like the Heroes of Might and Magic series
and Primal
, as well as "rookie composers" from Rogue Dao Studios. Brandon had the option of using a live orchestra, but decided against it to include more music in the game.
Obsidian implemented an overland map feature to allow players the opportunity to explore the areas of the game in great detail. Designer Nathaniel Chapman said "Furthermore, it provided an opportunity to increase the effectiveness of various skills that, frankly, were underutilized in previous Neverwinter Nights titles". Obsidian created the map with a design philosophy centered on "interstitial space". Chapman explains:
The map's first prototype was inspired by the map seen in the Indiana Jones films. It behaved similarly to normal gameplay, and Obsidian decided to revamp it to create a "more dynamic and reactive interstitial space". Characters would be able to avoid monsters by having a high enough Survival skill and could find hidden items and locations with high Search skills. Groups of adventuring NPCs could be observed and interacted with by players, including helping them fight aggressive monsters. Trade caravans created within the game's economic subplot are visible and the player can actively protect their own investments. The overland map feature was created with the modding
community in mind, and players using the Neverwinter Nights 2 toolset
can modify the map's options on an individual basis.
Storm of Zehir was ready for mass production on November 1, 2008 and was released on November 18, 2008 in North America, November 21 in Europe, and December 11 in Australia. It was also made available for download on digital distribution
service Direct2Drive
.
's Best of E3 Awards at the Electronic Entertainment Expo video game convention
in 2008.
Reviewers were in favor of Storm of Zehir' s focus on exploration and the ability to postpone or ignore the game's main storyline, and they compared the gameplay to older role-playing video games such as Icewind Dale II
and Fallout. GameZone
's reviewer said "This is a game that harkens back to the good old days of adventure D&D video-gaming", and IGN
said "this feels like an homage to the old school D&D games of the past". The ability to handcraft an entire party instead of just the main character was welcomed, with GameSpot
's reviewer noting "Rather than playing as a solo hero chosen for some great destiny, you roll up a party of four average joes just like you did way back when in D&D classics like the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale franchises," (It should be noted that Baldur's Gate did not actually contain the ability to create the entire party in single player mode; however, in multiplayer, this was possible) and IGN saying "There's a strange kind of nerd joy when it comes to creating a D&D party". Reviewers also appreciated the "Party Conversation System", which allows typically underutilized social skills to be used by the entire party during conversation. GameSpy
said "It's a terrific convention in which the game responds not to one but to every member of an adventuring party. [Characters] have the option to interject some special comment into a conversation that might open up otherwise unavailable avenues". Reviewers were grateful that the time-based, "spirit-eating" gameplay mechanic of Mask of the Betrayer was not included.
Reviewers generally praised Storm of Zehir' s use of the Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition rules with the exception of GameSpy, who expressed skepticism of the ruleset in a preview of the game. The game's handling of character death was not well received, despite being more faithful to the pencil and paper version than previous Dungeons & Dragons video games. Unlike Neverwinter Nights 2 and Mask of the Betrayer where defeated characters would be automatically revived after a battle, Storm of Zehir requires a powerful spell or a "Coin of Waukeen
" to resurrect dead allies. Reviewers considered this requirement unforgiving; GameSpy said "This merely forces the player to troop back to town through a zillion meaningless random encounters. This may be "realistic" (whatever that means in a world where players fight against newborn gods and sentient snakes), but it's simply not fun. Baldur's Gate had this all worked out over a decade ago. Why do we need to re-invent the wheel?"
Critics gave the game's technical achievements a lukewarm reception. Several reviewers described the Electron engine as aging; IGN Australia said "The two year-old engine is surprisingly sluggish for something that looks dated. The simplistic Overhead Map adds nothing to the visual attractiveness, but this isn't a bad-looking game". GameZone referred to the graphics as "serviceable", and IGN said "The world map is a bit ugly, but otherwise Storm of Zehir looks slightly better than its predecessors". Critics widely panned the voice acting, but praised the music.
The focal point of criticism was Storm of Zehir' s story. Critics considered its focus on trade and economics shallow compared to the epic adventures presented in Neverwinter Nights 2 and Mask of the Betrayer. GameSpy referred to the storyline as a "boringly generic adventure", and GameSpot said "The quests reflect this mundane storyline. You run a lot of lame errands to kill specific monsters and recover lost or stolen merchandise, and you clean out a bunch of formulaic dungeons, caves, graveyards, and the like". Other complaints included the presence of random encounters on the overland map, which were considered excessive, as well as long load times
.
Expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
for the computer role-playing game Neverwinter Nights 2
Neverwinter Nights 2
Neverwinter Nights 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari. It is the sequel to BioWare's Neverwinter Nights, based on the Dungeons & Dragons pencil and paper fantasy role-playing game...
, developed by Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
and published by Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
. It was released in late 2008 in North America, Europe, and Australia. Like previous entries in the Neverwinter Nights series, Storm of Zehir is based on the paper and pencil
Paper and pencil game
Paper-and-pencil games are games that can be played solely with paper and pencil .In some board games, including some abstract strategy games like Gomoku, a piece once played will not be moved on the board or removed from the board...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
, and uses the game's 3.5 edition ruleset.
Storm of Zehir was inspired by older computer games like the Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate (series)
Baldur's Gate is a franchise of action role-playing games released under the Dungeons & Dragons Video Game Licenses. It is set in the fictional campaign setting of Forgotten Realms and takes place in its fictional continent of Faerûn. It takes place mostly in the Western Heartlands, but has also...
and Icewind Dale franchises. The storyline foreshadows the events of the fourth edition of Dungeons & Dragons and follows the adventures of a group of merchants in the Samarach and Sword Coast areas of the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
campaign setting
Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings
The flexibility of the Dungeons & Dragons rules means that Dungeon Masters are free to create their own fantasy campaign settings. For those who wanted a pre-packaged setting in which to play, TSR, Wizards of the Coast , and other publishers have created many settings in which D&D games can be based...
.
Storm of Zehir received mixed reviews from critics. Reviewers were pleased with new features introduced in the game, like more options for party
Party (role playing games)
A party is a group of characters adventuring together in a role-playing game. In tabletop role-playing, a party is composed of a group of players, occasionally with the addition of non-player character allies controlled by those players or by the gamemaster. In computer games, the relationship...
customization and an overland map, but were not impressed with the game's storyline and technical achievements.
Gameplay
Storm of Zehir is an expansionExpansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
of Neverwinter Nights 2
Neverwinter Nights 2
Neverwinter Nights 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari. It is the sequel to BioWare's Neverwinter Nights, based on the Dungeons & Dragons pencil and paper fantasy role-playing game...
and continues the formula of a role-playing game played from an overhead third-person perspective. Players first create a character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
along the lines of the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
3.5 rules by selecting a variety of traits, such as a race, class
Character class (Dungeons & Dragons)
A character class is a fundamental part of the identity and nature of characters in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. A character's capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses are largely defined by his or her chosen class; choosing a class is one of the first steps a player takes in order to...
, and feats. New character creation options include the yuan-ti
Yuan-ti
The yuan-ti are a fictional species of evil snakemen in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The species comprises a number of castes. In some campaign settings, the yuan-ti are descended from evil human cultists who mixed their bloodlines with those of serpents...
pureblood and gray orc races, the swashbuckler class, and the hellfire warlock
Warlock (Dungeons & Dragons)
The warlock is a playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was introduced as a non-core base class in the supplemental book Complete Arcane for the 3.5 edition of Dungeons & Dragons...
and doomguide of Kelemvor
Kelemvor Lyonsbane
Kelemvor Lyonsbane, Lord of the Dead and Judge of the Damned, is a god in the fictional Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game....
prestige classes. The rest of the player's party
Party (role playing games)
A party is a group of characters adventuring together in a role-playing game. In tabletop role-playing, a party is composed of a group of players, occasionally with the addition of non-player character allies controlled by those players or by the gamemaster. In computer games, the relationship...
can also be created, unlike Neverwinter Nights 2, but pre-made characters are available if the player is not interested in complete customization. The party can then explore several regions on the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
continent of Faerûn
Faerûn
Faerûn is a fictional subcontinent, the primary setting of the Dungeons & Dragons world of Forgotten Realms. It is described at a relatively high level in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting from Wizards of the Coast, and various locales and aspects are described in more detail by separate...
. The game provides an overland map that is used to move between different areas like towns and dungeons. While on the map, characters can use various skills
Statistic (role-playing games)
A statistic in role-playing games is a piece of data which represents a particular aspect of a fictional character. That piece of data is usually a integer or, in some cases, a set of dice....
to identify treasure, monsters, and other points of interest, such as side quests
Quest (gaming)
A quest in role-playing video games — including massively multiplayer online role-playing games and their predecessors, MUDs — is a task that a player-controlled character or group of characters may complete in order to gain a reward...
and secret locations. The party can rest while on the map, but doing so puts them at risk of random encounter
Random encounter
A random encounter is a feature commonly used in various role-playing games whereby encounters with non-player character enemies or other dangers occur sporadically and at random...
s in the form of wandering monsters.
Dice
A die is a small throwable object with multiple resting positions, used for generating random numbers...
d20 System
D20 System
The d20 System is a role-playing game system published in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast originally developed for the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons...
of Dungeons & Dragons and each action requires a random number generated by a die roll. The player can control a character individually by selecting specific actions to be taken against enemies, or allow the game's artificial intelligence to fight by using a pre-selected set of behaviors for each character. Defeating monsters and completing quests bestows experience point
Experience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
s on the party, which are used to gain levels
Level Up
Level Up was a UK children's TV programme that was broadcast on CBBC. It was launched on the 3rd April 2006, replacing Xchange. The show was an hour long and during the school year broadcasting from 7:30am until 8:30am...
and become more powerful.
The player character can engage in other activities outside of combat, such as completing quests and interacting with non-player character
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
s. While in conversation with other characters, the player character can influence them by using several skills, such as "Intimidate" or "Diplomacy". The entire party can assist in this process if they have the appropriate skills. Characters can create weapons, armor, and other goods with raw materials through a system of skill-based crafting. Storm of Zehir also includes a regional economy whereby players can establish trading outposts in various towns and create caravan routes between them, providing merchandise to consumers along each route. The caravans can be personally observed and managed by the player, such as providing security if attacked by bandits.
Setting
Like other games in the Neverwinter Nights series, Storm of Zehir takes place in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, on the continent of Faerûn on the planet Abeir-TorilAbeir-Toril
Abeir-Toril is the name of the fictional planet that makes up the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting, as well as the Al-Qadim and Maztica campaign settings and the 1st edition version of the Oriental Adventures campaign setting.The name is archaic, meaning "cradle of life." It...
. It is set mostly in the Samarach and Sword Coast regions, with visits to locations featured in previous games such as Crossroad Keep and the city of Neverwinter
Neverwinter
Neverwinter is a fictional city-state in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Neverwinter was founded by Lord Halueth Never...
. Since the Shadow War depicted in Neverwinter Nights 2 and the subsequent disappearance of the game's protagonist, the Knight–Captain, Neverwinter and the surrounding area have been declining economically. Several merchant companies have been attempting to establish a foothold in the region, with limited success.
Story
Storm of ZehirHalfling (Dungeons & Dragons)
The halfling is a fictional race found in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Halflings are similar to humans except about half the size...
captain Lastri Kassireh quickly advises the party to go belowdecks in anticipation of an impending storm. The violent storm, coupled with a possible act of sabotage, culminates in the Vigilant becoming shipwrecked on the shores of the xenophobic nation of Samarach. The captain is missing, but the party quickly sets to work organizing the survivors, such as finding defensible positions nearby and salvaging equipment from the wreckage. Before long, a tribe of goblins discovers the group, and their leader issues a challenge in an unknown language. One of the other passengers of the Vigilant, the bard
Bard (Dungeons & Dragons)
The bard is a standard playable character class in many editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The bard class is versatile, capable of combat and of magic . Bards use their artistic talents to induce magical effects...
Volothamp "Volo" Geddarm, claims to speak the goblin tongue but inadvertently insults the goblins and instigates a battle. After the goblins are defeated, a group of humans approaches and arrests the party on suspicion of treachery, escorting them to the Open Palm market in the nearby city of Samargol. There, a local merchant named Sa'Sani intervenes on the party's behalf, revealing herself to be the recipient of the goods traveling aboard the waylaid Vigilant. She subsequently recruits the party to investigate the ship's demise and the whereabouts of Captain Kassireh.
After rescuing the captain from goblins, investigating the wreckage of the Vigilant, and recovering some of Sa'Sani's goods, the merchant offers the characters employment in her trading corporation. The party undertakes various missions throughout Samarach for her, establishing trade routes through the jungles of Chult and protecting caravans along them. As the group continues to expand their trading operation, they eventually discover a large plot involving followers of the new yuan-ti
Yuan-ti
The yuan-ti are a fictional species of evil snakemen in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The species comprises a number of castes. In some campaign settings, the yuan-ti are descended from evil human cultists who mixed their bloodlines with those of serpents...
god, Zehir
Zehir
Zehir is a god in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition :Zehir appears as one of the deities described in the Players Handbook for fourth edition .-Description:...
. They learn that the yuan-ti, evil serpentine humanoids, have been infiltrating human settlements from their temples in the jungles of Chult and posing as merchants. After Sa'Sani commits an act of murder at Crossroad Keep, the party learns that she is a yuan-ti priestess of Sseth who has adopted this guise. The characters are given the option of aiding Sa'Sani against a powerful yuan-ti House Se'Sehen that shifted its attention to the new god, Zehir. In order to stop the House Se'Sehen's plot to conquer Sword Coast, the party has to infiltrate the House's stronghold, the Temple of the World Serpent, and assassinate N'Safa, the high priest, and a powerful being called the "Herald of Zehir", which is a gift from the God himself. Afterwards, the party has the opportunity to slay Sa'Sani as well.
Development
Development of Storm of Zehir began during the end of development of Neverwinter Nights 2Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer
Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer is a computer role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari. It is an expansion pack for Neverwinter Nights 2. It was released in Autumn 2007 for the PC in North America, Europe, and Australia...
, and was initially referred to as "NX2" by its designers. The game was formally announced by Atari in June 2008. It would be developed by Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...
, creators of Neverwinter Nights 2 and Mask of the Betrayer, and was given a release date of the fourth quarter of 2008. Despite being released after the fourth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, Storm of Zehir would continue to use the 3.5 edition rules. The design team for Storm of Zehir was smaller than that of Mask of the Betrayer and was given a shorter development period.
Like Neverwinter Nights 2, Obsidian was inspired by older computer role-playing games for Storm of Zehir, such as Fallout and the Baldur's Gate series
Baldur's Gate (series)
Baldur's Gate is a franchise of action role-playing games released under the Dungeons & Dragons Video Game Licenses. It is set in the fictional campaign setting of Forgotten Realms and takes place in its fictional continent of Faerûn. It takes place mostly in the Western Heartlands, but has also...
. Assistant producer Rob McGinnis said "[The game] plays more like a classic CRPG". The game was intended to be "more authentic" to pencil and paper
Paper and pencil game
Paper-and-pencil games are games that can be played solely with paper and pencil .In some board games, including some abstract strategy games like Gomoku, a piece once played will not be moved on the board or removed from the board...
Dungeons & Dragons by offering players a light-hearted approach to adventuring and a focus on exploration. The designers included a party system they felt was more teamwork-oriented, such as the ability to custom-make the entire party and allowing party members to collaborate on social interactions. The game's programmers were instructed to include the ability to change party members whenever the player wished.
Storm of Zehir
Annie Carlson
Annie VanderMeer Mitsoda is an American video game designer best known for her writing work on the 2008 PC title Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir....
. The team leads decided to create an adventure that they considered more in line with the roots of Dungeons & Dragons by departing from the more serious, epic stories presented in Neverwinter Nights 2 and Mask of the Betrayer. Evans said "This direction for the title can be seen throughout - finding random (and not random) goodies while searching the overland map, the addition of the Swashbuckler class, the variety of personalities in the cohorts..." The game's music was composed with this in mind; Evans wanted themes that would portray the feel of a "light-hearted adventure". Audio director Alexander Brandon
Alexander Brandon
Alexander Brandon is a US musician, former member of Straylight Productions, who composed music mostly for games produced by Epic Games, or games based on Epic technology, including Unreal, Unreal Tournament, Deus Ex, Tyrian, Jazz Jackrabbit 2 and the cancelled game Jazz Jackrabbit 3D...
collaborated with composers of games like the Heroes of Might and Magic series
Heroes of Might and Magic
Heroes of Might and Magic is a series of video games originally created and developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing. As part of the Might and Magic franchise, the series changed ownership when NWC was acquired by 3DO and again when 3DO closed down and sold the rights to Ubisoft...
and Primal
Primal (video game)
Primal is an action-adventure video game released in 2003 for the PlayStation 2. It was developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe aka SCE Studio Cambridge. It tells the story of Jennifer Tate, a 21-year-old woman searching for her boyfriend through a series of demonic realms...
, as well as "rookie composers" from Rogue Dao Studios. Brandon had the option of using a live orchestra, but decided against it to include more music in the game.
Obsidian implemented an overland map feature to allow players the opportunity to explore the areas of the game in great detail. Designer Nathaniel Chapman said "Furthermore, it provided an opportunity to increase the effectiveness of various skills that, frankly, were underutilized in previous Neverwinter Nights titles". Obsidian created the map with a design philosophy centered on "interstitial space". Chapman explains:
Mod (computer gaming)
Mod or modification is a term generally applied to personal computer games , especially first-person shooters, role-playing games and real-time strategy games. Mods are made by the general public or a developer, and can be entirely new games in themselves, but mods are not standalone software and...
community in mind, and players using the Neverwinter Nights 2 toolset
Electron toolset
The Electron toolset was developed by Obsidian Entertainment and is included in the computer role-playing game Neverwinter Nights 2. It allows people to design their own adventures and distribute them for others who own the game to play...
can modify the map's options on an individual basis.
Storm of Zehir was ready for mass production on November 1, 2008 and was released on November 18, 2008 in North America, November 21 in Europe, and December 11 in Australia. It was also made available for download on digital distribution
Digital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
service Direct2Drive
Direct2Drive
Direct2Drive is an online game store offering PC videogames via direct download. On May 25, 2011, Gamefly acquired Direct2Drive from IGN Entertainment Group .- Competition with Steam :...
.
Reception
Storm of Zehir received mixed reviews. Critics were generally pleased with the departure from previous games in the series in terms of open-ended gameplay and its similarities to "old school" computer role-playing games, but they criticized the game's story and frequency of random encounters. It was a runner-up in the RPG category for IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Best of E3 Awards at the Electronic Entertainment Expo video game convention
Convention (meeting)
A convention, in the sense of a meeting, is a gathering of individuals who meet at an arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon industry, profession, and fandom...
in 2008.
Reviewers were in favor of Storm of Zehir
Icewind Dale II
Icewind Dale II is a role-playing video game developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment, released on August 27, 2002. Like its 2000 predecessor Icewind Dale, the game is set in the Forgotten Realms fantasy setting in the Icewind Dale region...
and Fallout. GameZone
GameZone
GameZone is an American multiplatform video game website. GameZone's daily coverage includes reviews, previews, news, hints & cheats, and editorials. Additionally, GameZone offers downloads, a child-targeted website and in association with GameStop, hosts GZGameShop, an online retailer...
's reviewer said "This is a game that harkens back to the good old days of adventure D&D video-gaming", and IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
said "this feels like an homage to the old school D&D games of the past". The ability to handcraft an entire party instead of just the main character was welcomed, with GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
's reviewer noting "Rather than playing as a solo hero chosen for some great destiny, you roll up a party of four average joes just like you did way back when in D&D classics like the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale franchises," (It should be noted that Baldur's Gate did not actually contain the ability to create the entire party in single player mode; however, in multiplayer, this was possible) and IGN saying "There's a strange kind of nerd joy when it comes to creating a D&D party". Reviewers also appreciated the "Party Conversation System", which allows typically underutilized social skills to be used by the entire party during conversation. GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
said "It's a terrific convention in which the game responds not to one but to every member of an adventuring party. [Characters] have the option to interject some special comment into a conversation that might open up otherwise unavailable avenues". Reviewers were grateful that the time-based, "spirit-eating" gameplay mechanic of Mask of the Betrayer was not included.
Reviewers generally praised Storm of Zehir
Waukeen
Waukeen , is the fictional goddess of coins and wealth in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:...
" to resurrect dead allies. Reviewers considered this requirement unforgiving; GameSpy said "This merely forces the player to troop back to town through a zillion meaningless random encounters. This may be "realistic" (whatever that means in a world where players fight against newborn gods and sentient snakes), but it's simply not fun. Baldur's Gate had this all worked out over a decade ago. Why do we need to re-invent the wheel?"
Critics gave the game's technical achievements a lukewarm reception. Several reviewers described the Electron engine as aging; IGN Australia said "The two year-old engine is surprisingly sluggish for something that looks dated. The simplistic Overhead Map adds nothing to the visual attractiveness, but this isn't a bad-looking game". GameZone referred to the graphics as "serviceable", and IGN said "The world map is a bit ugly, but otherwise Storm of Zehir looks slightly better than its predecessors". Critics widely panned the voice acting, but praised the music.
The focal point of criticism was Storm of Zehir
Loader (computing)
In computing, a loader is the part of an operating system that is responsible for loading programs. It is one of the essential stages in the process of starting a program, as it places programs into memory and prepares them for execution...
.
External links
- Official site
- Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir at Obsidian EntertainmentObsidian EntertainmentObsidian Entertainment is an American video game developer founded in 2003 after the disestablishment of Interplay Productions' Black Isle Studios, for PC and console systems...