Planescape: Torment or Neverwinter Nights?

FuryV

Having played most of the isometric RPGs out there, including BG, PoE, Divinity etc. I'm now looking for my next fix. I've never played Planescape: Torment or either of the Neverwinter Nights games, so I'm just wondering which to get next.

If I were to go the Planescape route then I'd play the original first, and then give Torment: Tides of Numenera a go as well.

If I were to go the Neverwinter Nights route, I'm not sure whether it'd be worth playing NWN1 first or just going straight to NWN2. Obviously graphics aren't everything about a game, but the NWN1 graphics just look appalling, which is kind of putting me off. I like the NWN2 graphics a lot more, but obviously if NWN1 is worth playing first then I'll just put up with the graphics.

I know that Planescape debatably has worse graphics than NWN1, but considering I recently played BG1 and BG2 I can easily put up with it if the gameplay itself is good... There's just something about NWN1 though that's making me think "ugh" when I look at it.

Oh and I don't plan on using any mods at all for any of these games, as I like to try a game out in its original state.

Thanks all.

Vrika

Planescape: Torment has really good story, but compared to NWN I think the gameplay isn't that good.

Whereas Neverwinter Nights story is imho just average, but the gameplay is good.

For Neverwinter Nights personally I'd suggest NWN 1 instead of NWN 2. Even if NWN 2 has better graphics, NWN 1 was excellent game whereas NWN 2 was only a decent game.

If you end up liking Neverwinter Nights, after completing the campaigns you should also check fan created content. There are a lot of fan created adventures/small campaigns that are good.

AlBQuirky

First of all, thanks for reminding me I needed to re-install NWN 1 & 2!

Secondly, both games were "enhanced" by Beamdog. I'm not sure if that is something you may want to look into. I don't have either of these.

For me, I never got out of the first starter area for Torment. I've heard many praises for the game's story. I never got far to find out if I agree

Neverwinter Nights is a long ass game. I've completed it once. I've played it many other times, though. It has been long while since I played it last, I do recall it liking the number 4. A lot. In the city (Neverwinter), you have to find 4 creatures in 4 areas. I think this pattern went on throughout the game.

Neverwinter Nights 2 was made to be a continuation. You start at level 15(?). So start off by making your character from scratch to level 15. It's kind of fun to try out different builds that way I don't recall ever finishing that game, though I'm sure I did at least once.

Also, https://neverwintervault.org/ still has some of the modules that players created available, if you want to keep on playing after you're done with the main game. I recall spending lots of time with the "Citadel of Blood" module.

I hope that helps a little, and thanks again for reminding me of these games

PS: OH! I forgot to mention that Torment does have Imoen as a party member, if that matters to you

FuryV

Thanks for the replies, that's a great help. I think I might go ahead and try NWN1 first as it's got an enhanced edition.

lahnmir

I hated NWN 1, but NWN 2 and the first Planescape are some of the best games of all time, imo of course.

/Cheers,
Lahnmir

Scot

NWN1 graphics would be too much of a show stopper for me, modern gaming has made us jaded in what we expect from graphics and indulgent of poorer gameplay as long as the graphics are good enough.

FuryV

Scot said:

NWN1 graphics would be too much of a show stopper for me, modern gaming has made us jaded in what we expect from graphics and indulgent of poorer gameplay as long as the graphics are good enough.

Would I be missing out on anything lore related if I just went straight to NWN2 and skipped the first one?

Scot

FuryV said:

Scot said:

NWN1 graphics would be too much of a show stopper for me, modern gaming has made us jaded in what we expect from graphics and indulgent of poorer gameplay as long as the graphics are good enough.

Would I be missing out on anything lore related if I just went straight to NWN2 and skipped the first one?

Played them so long ago that's a really hard call, in fact the only one I am certain I played is the second one! Maybe someone who has played them more recently can answer?

AlBQuirky

FuryV said:

Scot said:

NWN1 graphics would be too much of a show stopper for me, modern gaming has made us jaded in what we expect from graphics and indulgent of poorer gameplay as long as the graphics are good enough.

Would I be missing out on anything lore related if I just went straight to NWN2 and skipped the first one?

I believe NWN 2 used the same engine as NWN 1, so the graphics were pretty much the same (low poly-count), if I recall correctly.

lahnmir

AlBQuirky said:

FuryV said:

Scot said:

NWN1 graphics would be too much of a show stopper for me, modern gaming has made us jaded in what we expect from graphics and indulgent of poorer gameplay as long as the graphics are good enough.

Would I be missing out on anything lore related if I just went straight to NWN2 and skipped the first one?

I believe NWN 2 used the same engine as NWN 1, so the graphics were pretty much the same (low poly-count), if I recall correctly.

They use different engines. And NWN 2 looks much, much better. Still not pretty by todays standards by any means though.

/Cheers,
Lahnmir

Vrika

AlBQuirky said:

FuryV said:

Scot said:

NWN1 graphics would be too much of a show stopper for me, modern gaming has made us jaded in what we expect from graphics and indulgent of poorer gameplay as long as the graphics are good enough.

Would I be missing out on anything lore related if I just went straight to NWN2 and skipped the first one?

I believe NWN 2 used the same engine as NWN 1, so the graphics were pretty much the same (low poly-count), if I recall correctly.

The engine was heavily upgraded. If I remember correctly NWN 1 was isometric or fixed viewpoint, whereas NWN 2 was full 3D.

I remember it mostly because I remember how NWN 2 camera control was bad.

TwistedSister77

Planescape and Neverwinter 1 are on Android play store... if you want to play on cell/tablet.  

Planescape got 4.1 stars, NWN got 3.4 stars.

Asm0deus

NWN:E  had a HD texture pack btw but I Dunno how much difference it makes.

https://files.beamdog.com/

Adamantine

Of these, IMHO NWN2 would be the best. Cant say its a groundbreaking game or anything, but it was okay. I hated the Mask of a Betrayer addon with a passion though, I do NOT enjoy playing with time constraints and making your main character go useless wasnt fun at all either. Storm of Zehir was very different, but kinda sorta fun.

PS:T was a good game, but the ***load of text dumped on you, the primitive interface, the fact you cannot design your character all wore me down, so I never finished it. Especially annoying was for example that your character was always at the front and would be attacked by everyone, despite the fact you had people with better defenses. I also didnt liked that playing mage I made an error and was blocked from ever getting certain important spells.

NWN1 is pure blandness. You 100% depend upon getting good player modules from the internet. No idea if anybody is still making those. There is an editor to make modules yourself, but it SUCKS BIG TIME. Amusingly I tried an editor for Oblivion to do much the same and guess what, it was waaay better, despite the fact it wasnt a game feature in the first place.

AlBQuirky

Vrika said:

AlBQuirky said:

FuryV said:

Scot said:

NWN1 graphics would be too much of a show stopper for me, modern gaming has made us jaded in what we expect from graphics and indulgent of poorer gameplay as long as the graphics are good enough.

Would I be missing out on anything lore related if I just went straight to NWN2 and skipped the first one?

I believe NWN 2 used the same engine as NWN 1, so the graphics were pretty much the same (low poly-count), if I recall correctly.

The engine was heavily upgraded. If I remember correctly NWN 1 was isometric or fixed viewpoint, whereas NWN 2 was full 3D.

I remember it mostly because I remember how NWN 2 camera control was bad.

Oh man! I was thinking of the Hordes of the Underdark expansion! Thanks for correcting my error

Scot

AlBQuirky said:

Vrika said:

AlBQuirky said:

FuryV said:

Scot said:

NWN1 graphics would be too much of a show stopper for me, modern gaming has made us jaded in what we expect from graphics and indulgent of poorer gameplay as long as the graphics are good enough.

Would I be missing out on anything lore related if I just went straight to NWN2 and skipped the first one?

I believe NWN 2 used the same engine as NWN 1, so the graphics were pretty much the same (low poly-count), if I recall correctly.

The engine was heavily upgraded. If I remember correctly NWN 1 was isometric or fixed viewpoint, whereas NWN 2 was full 3D.

I remember it mostly because I remember how NWN 2 camera control was bad.

Oh man! I was thinking of the Hordes of the Underdark expansion! Thanks for correcting my error

You are not the only one having problems with "what did I actually play" in this thread.