Second Exp. that continues into the Underdark of Faerun.
18 Months after the initial release of Neverwinter Nights, comes Hordes of the Underdark which adds a lot of different types of content for the NWN module makers out there.
Hordes adds 5 new tilesets consisting of: Exterior Underdark, Drow Interior, Mind Flayer Tunnels, Beholder Tunnels, and a new outside winter ruins tileset. Bioware also included 16 more creatures, over 50 new feats, over 40 new spells, new voice sets, new Music by Jeremy Soule, new toolset functionality, and the ability to have your character have epic adventures now being able to reach 40th level. After the release of this game on December 2nd, many people have already started making new modules to further their own adventures.
New to the game is the idea of cutscenes which were shot with the in-game engine which made the game run more smoothly and also made you feel like you're apart of the game more. This adventure starts your character off from where you left off after Shadows of Undrentide which left you off at 12th level. If you didn't have a character from the previous game, it lets you level up your character to level 15 if you'd prefer. Modules were also made to fit in between the two games and were then judged upon by the people at nwvault.com and I believe that they've made their decision on which one was th best.
There's three chapters in this expansion that take you from the streets of Waterdeep to the ruins of Undermounation, and then into the Underdark battling the denizens and creatures within the shadowless darkness, until you finally end up back in Waterdeep to end it all. Although you're able to level up to level 40, at the end of the expansion, you'll probably only be around 26th-28th level and that leaves room for homemade modules to further the experience of leveling your character.
The six new prestige classes that are introduced into HOTU are: Red Dragon Disciple, Dwarven Defender, Pale Master, Champion of Torm, Weapon Master, and the Shifter. All of these classes can reach epic abilities going to 20+ levels. The only prestige class which cannot go epic would be the harper scout from the SOU expansion because of some kind of license agreement with Wizards of the Coast I believe.
The graphics have been improved with more polygons raising the minimum requirements from 450 mhz. to 800 mhz. This may seem steep but I was able to play with my computer consisting of a 600 mhz. with 384 RAM and a Gefore MX420 so if you could play the original and the first expansion, you should be able to play this one. Just with some graphics turned down a little.
The storyline of the new expansion has improved in storytelling since the original companion and players will finally get the type of story that they've been wanting from the start. This expansion should take anywhere from 15-25 hours depending on how many side quests that you undertake and how much you want to go around searching through the tunnels of the Underdark.
Although you don't need the first expansion(XP1) to play this expansion(XP2), you won't be able to choose the prestige classes and spells from XP1, and you also won't be able to play modules made with materials from XP1.
The music has slightly improved with the help of more from Jeremy Soule, who also made the music for games like Icewind Dale, a favorite of this reviewers.
Although it has been stated that there won't be any more expansions off NWN, the guys at Bioware have said numerous times that they plan on still making new material for NWN and the community it has created. Also, one can never forget the amount of material that the community will make with the new tilesets and other goodies given to them.
Required install of NWN to operate
Hordes adds 5 new tilesets consisting of: Exterior Underdark, Drow Interior, Mind Flayer Tunnels, Beholder Tunnels, and a new outside winter ruins tileset. Bioware also included 16 more creatures, over 50 new feats, over 40 new spells, new voice sets, new Music by Jeremy Soule, new toolset functionality, and the ability to have your character have epic adventures now being able to reach 40th level. After the release of this game on December 2nd, many people have already started making new modules to further their own adventures.
New to the game is the idea of cutscenes which were shot with the in-game engine which made the game run more smoothly and also made you feel like you're apart of the game more. This adventure starts your character off from where you left off after Shadows of Undrentide which left you off at 12th level. If you didn't have a character from the previous game, it lets you level up your character to level 15 if you'd prefer. Modules were also made to fit in between the two games and were then judged upon by the people at nwvault.com and I believe that they've made their decision on which one was th best.
There's three chapters in this expansion that take you from the streets of Waterdeep to the ruins of Undermounation, and then into the Underdark battling the denizens and creatures within the shadowless darkness, until you finally end up back in Waterdeep to end it all. Although you're able to level up to level 40, at the end of the expansion, you'll probably only be around 26th-28th level and that leaves room for homemade modules to further the experience of leveling your character.
The six new prestige classes that are introduced into HOTU are: Red Dragon Disciple, Dwarven Defender, Pale Master, Champion of Torm, Weapon Master, and the Shifter. All of these classes can reach epic abilities going to 20+ levels. The only prestige class which cannot go epic would be the harper scout from the SOU expansion because of some kind of license agreement with Wizards of the Coast I believe.
The graphics have been improved with more polygons raising the minimum requirements from 450 mhz. to 800 mhz. This may seem steep but I was able to play with my computer consisting of a 600 mhz. with 384 RAM and a Gefore MX420 so if you could play the original and the first expansion, you should be able to play this one. Just with some graphics turned down a little.
The storyline of the new expansion has improved in storytelling since the original companion and players will finally get the type of story that they've been wanting from the start. This expansion should take anywhere from 15-25 hours depending on how many side quests that you undertake and how much you want to go around searching through the tunnels of the Underdark.
Although you don't need the first expansion(XP1) to play this expansion(XP2), you won't be able to choose the prestige classes and spells from XP1, and you also won't be able to play modules made with materials from XP1.
The music has slightly improved with the help of more from Jeremy Soule, who also made the music for games like Icewind Dale, a favorite of this reviewers.
Although it has been stated that there won't be any more expansions off NWN, the guys at Bioware have said numerous times that they plan on still making new material for NWN and the community it has created. Also, one can never forget the amount of material that the community will make with the new tilesets and other goodies given to them.
Required install of NWN to operate