I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate press event in Los Angeles on May 8th. Alan Miranda and Russ Davis (Tiberius) from Ossian Studios were on hand to talk about Atari’s first Neverwinter Nights Adventure Pack, Mysteries of Westgate After a short overview of the game from Alan and Russ, we actually had a chance to play the game for a couple or three hours. More than enough time to get hooked and not enough time to finish the game. *sigh*
Suzie Ford (Kalia) from Warcry, Errol Pinto (Maximus) of NWN2Vault, Tom Chick of IGN, Michele Sandusky (Liso) of NWNPodcast, Robert Stock of Just RPG and Mikel Tidwell from RP Gamer were also in LA - so keep an eye out for their previews of the game as well. You can click on the site names to jump to their reviews as they become available.
About the game
Mysteries of Westgate is compatible with either NWN2 or NWN2 with Mask of the Betrayer installed. Having MotB installed will allow you to access all of the additional expansion content including the new base and prestige classes. The Mysteries of Westgate Adventure Pack will include the following:
new VO - done by Giant Sandbox, and recorded at Blackman Productions, who also did the VO for Mass Effect, Jade Empire, KotoR and HotU
25 minutes of new music
a new sewer tileset
3 optional companions
4 new creatures including the Quelzarn and Wererat
over 100 new and unique items; available from merchants or as loot
The new content will initially be locked but will be made available in the future (except for the custom items) most likely via a free downloadable hak pak.
Creating a character
;return false;">You can either import an existing charcter or create a new character. There is no level limit enforced at import so you can bring in a higher level character from the OC or your Epic level character from MotB if you wish. Doing so will destroy the challenge of the game, but the option is there if you want to use it.
If you opt for a new character, you will start at level 8 (adjusted for ECL). You can either let the game auto level for you or you can level up manually. Characters are given equipment appropriate for their class and feats. I created an aasimar paladin from scratch and received a set of half plate, a +1 longsword, medium shield, pot helm, and +1 boots of striding and some additional items including a torch or two (which definitely come in handy later on) - all of the items were stored in a nearby trunk.
The Story
;return false;">The story revolves around a cursed mask that you have come across in your travels, which now afflicts you with terrible nightmares that started from the moment you first tried it on. The nightmares are increasing and threaten to drive you insane, so discovering the secret to this mysterious mask is the only solution. A wise sage in Cormyr has informed you that it is the emblem of the Night Masks, the thieves’ guild from the vile city of Westgate, so you immediately set out for the port city by ship.
The mask itself has a number of abilities (both positive and negative) that improve as you gain experience. It's up to you to decide if you want to utilize the abilities and pay the costs. It is impossible to get rid of the mask - no matter what you do it will always return to you.
Note: From here on, there are some VERY mild spoilers with descriptions of some locations within the city and some of its inhabitants. Absolutely no quest solutions, boss details, combat details or any additional monster or item details are included however. If you want to totally avoid any additional information on the game and skip to the final summary, simply click here.
The Companions
After a short cinematic and dream sequence cutscene which details the background of the mask, your character arrives at the docks in the harbor loop district of Westgate. Almost immediately, you'll meet Rinara - a rogue and a former member of the Night Masks, the first of 3 possible companions in the game. The other two companions are Mantides - a fighter (fallen paladin), located in the Black Eye Tavern in the Harbor Loop district; and Charissa - a cleric of Tyr, located at the Temple of Lathander in the Arena District. (You can see more details on the companions in the MoW Companion section). Each companion has their own individual sidequest and all of the companions are totally optional - use as many or as few of as you wish and leave the others behind.
I was surprised by the lack of a wizard/sorceror companion, but Alan explained that "back in the fall of 2006 the AI for spellcasters was 'iffy' so we felt it was safer not to include one. However that's something we would do differently in the future." Additionally, there are no romance options in the game. Alan explained that "Romances can be tricky to get approved (that's why you didn't see them in the NWN1 premium mods) so we had to set them aside even though we REALLY wanted to do them. Again, that's something we would change in the future."
The City
;return false;">Westgate is compromised of four districts, all of which are accessible in the game: The Harbor Loop, Market Triangle, Arena District, and the Undergate. Undergate is even scummier than the city itself and adventurers who wander in are considered easy prey. There is also a fifth area inside the city which is accessible but I was unable to get to it due to lack of time). A number of locations from the official sourcebooks are included such as the Black Eye Tavern, the Bent Mermaid Inn, Minatassan's Mysteries and the Quivering Thumb. The developers told us that roughly 30% of the buildings can be entered, however many appeared to require special keys that I had not yet acquired. (a skeleton key perhaps? related to an as yet unopened quest?)
;return false;">As you begin exploring the city, you can not help but notice the level of detail that Ossian has introduced. The sign in front of the Black Eye Tavern showing a man's face (including a nicely blackened eye) reflected in a bottle; the crud leaking from the pipes in the sewers; the miniature diorama of the city of Westgate inside the Bent Mermaid Inn in the Arena District are just a few of the many examples of how much detail has been added. The inside of the Bent Mermaid Inn actually looks like a rough and tumble tavern; a busted table here, broken chair there, and some scattered bottles and trash all make you feel like you are actually in a seedy dive. That level of detail extends throughout the entire city and into the sewers and Undergate as well.
There are tons of clickable objects scattered throughout the city and in various buildings. Minatassan's Mysteries is a virtual treasure trove in that regard and some of the objects on display have some very interesting, and incredibly funny, descriptions. There is simply a LOT to see, so explore everything! You'll never know WHAT you might find.
;return false;">The population of Westgate is extremely diverse and counts dwarves, elves, lizardmen, orcs, ogres, and perhaps a drow or two among its inhabitants. There are numerous npcs worth talking to. There is a belligerent mage giving a free magic show who loves insulting his audience and is extremely good at it (the insults that is). You can also encounter a roaming pickpocket that will attempt to lighten your purse but can be chased down. There is also a group called the "The Shady Hucksters", who offer to sell you items of great value; but are the items really what the Hucksters claim? And last but not least there is Salty Jack. Jack is a Noober-esque old tar, and just like Noober from BG, you are either going to love him or start reaching for your sword. All I can say is don't miss him. As you continue to explore the city, you also start to receive occassional warnings that you have caught a fleeting glimpse of someone "watching you from the shadows". The Night Masks perhaps? The Ebon Claws? or someone else?
Dialogues, Voice Overs and Music
;return false;">The attention to detail doesn't stop with the visual effects. The writing and dialogues are extremely well done with liberal doses of humor and sarcasm thrown in, and show the same attention to detail found throughout other aspects of the game. Some of the dialogue exchanges are simply inspired while others had me almost convulsing in laughter. Dialogues frequently offer more than just the simple "yes, no, let me think about it, let's fight" options with some branches showing 7 or 8 possible choices. Various Skills, beyond the simple "talk" options of diplomacy et al, can open a number of potential dialogue paths.
;return false;">An early 3 way exchange between Charissa, Mantides, and Rinara had me recalling the exchange from the OC between Qara, Khelgar and Neeshka in the Sunken Flagon, but with considerably more depth and "bite" to it - thanks in large part to Charissa's acerbic personality. The accompanying voice overs for the companions and the major NPCs are simply perfect. They have just the right edge to them. You can almost taste the contempt in Charissa's voice when she talks to Mantides.
That same 3 way exchange also gave a good glimpse of the MoW influence system, which closely resembles the system from the Original Campaign.
There is a lot of new music within the game - 25 minutes to be exact. It's well done, never grating, blaring or obtrusive - it simply fits with the game. There is a nice touch where the background music changes within a given district when you enter a certain area, and changes back when you leave. It's a nice piece of scripting and one more little touch that just adds to the overall flavor of the game.
All of this detail brings Westgate and the adventure to life. It's a living, breathing city not just a collection of buildings thrown together to fill space.
Quests and Combat
;return false;">There are 16 sidequests in the game. They vary in type from hack and slash to role play. There is a special "Tourist Quest" which offers a lot of valuable information by visiting various city landmarks such as the statue of Kisonraathiisar and a special reward if you visit all of the locations. One of the quests is appropriately called "Deathtrap", which involves a building that explodes into flames as you enter the area. As one might expect it takes a while for the fire to burn itself out, and that is reflected in the game which requires you to return at a later date to explore the ruins.
;return false;">Combats tend to be highly tactical. Making use of your companions special abilities, spells and skills is paramount to survival. One of the reviewers tried repeatedly to defeat one of the early bosses without success until a simple change in tactics made the encounter manageable. Encounters are NOT scaled to your group party level, so it is entirely possible to run into situations where you are simply outmatched. Running away to fight another day IS a viable option in this game - IF you can escape.
Good versus Evil
;return false;">The game offers multiple paths and multiple endings. Depending on where you choose to explore, you can actually meet the leader of the Ebon Claws early on. The choice you make during that conversation or a conversation with the head of the church of Lathander will determine whether you follow The Path of the Ebon Claws (evil) or The Path of Lathander (good).
As to how that choice plays out ... you'll simply have to buy the game to find out.
Summary
Quite simply, this is a must have for NWN2 fans. This is an extremely polished and superbly crafted adventure, and the attention to detail is simply astounding. The game draws you in from the start and doesn't want to let go. I had a hard time tearing myself away from it, it's THAT good. I simply can't find anything to criticize, except perhaps that I wish it was longer.
When asked what they were proudest of with Mysteries of Westgate, Alan Miranda replied that "City Adventures are tough to do. The team likes this one." The Ossian development team can take a well deserved collective bow: they NAILED this one. Be patient folks, this is worth the wait. You are in for a real treat.
The only bad news is that release date for the game is now June, 2008. This is entirely dependent on the release of the v1.113 patch which will introduce a new encryption system. Although the game has been finished since September, Ossian has been "updating" the game since then to take into account changes introduced in the v1.11 and v1.12 patches.
However, just to tide you over until the release we have 10 new screenshots for you to look at. (You can either jump to this link and scroll thru the screenshots or click on the new screenshots above and open them up in a new window).
And if those aren't good enough to satisfy you, here's a little teaser for you. We don't have all the details yet but Alan Miranda indicated that Ossian was working on additional projects for NWN2 and other CRPGs. Stay tuned for more news from Ossian in the Fall of 2008. Now you have something ELSE to wonder about.
Special Thanks
And finally, a special thank you to Jennifer Chong, Steven Khoo, and Laura Weir of fortyseven communications and Alissa Bell of Atari who were simply fantastic. Had a great time and hope to meet all of you again soon.
You can either import an existing charcter or create a new character. There is no level limit enforced at import so you can bring in a higher level character from the OC or your Epic level character from MotB if you wish. Doing so will destroy the challenge of the game, but the option is there if you want to use it.
The story revolves around a cursed mask that you have come across in your travels, which now afflicts you with terrible nightmares that started from the moment you first tried it on. The nightmares are increasing and threaten to drive you insane, so discovering the secret to this mysterious mask is the only solution. A wise sage in Cormyr has informed you that it is the emblem of the Night Masks, the thieves’ guild from the vile city of Westgate, so you immediately set out for the port city by ship.
The mask itself has a number of abilities (both positive and negative) that improve as you gain experience. It's up to you to decide if you want to utilize the abilities and pay the costs. It is impossible to get rid of the mask - no matter what you do it will always return to you. 
Westgate is compromised of four districts, all of which are accessible in the game: The Harbor Loop, Market Triangle, Arena District, and the Undergate. Undergate is even scummier than the city itself and adventurers who wander in are considered easy prey. There is also a fifth area inside the city which is accessible but I was unable to get to it due to lack of time). A number of locations from the official sourcebooks are included such as the Black Eye Tavern, the Bent Mermaid Inn, Minatassan's Mysteries and the Quivering Thumb. The developers told us that roughly 30% of the buildings can be entered, however many appeared to require special keys that I had not yet acquired. (a skeleton key perhaps? related to an as yet unopened quest?)
As you begin exploring the city, you can not help but notice the level of detail that Ossian has introduced. The sign in front of the Black Eye Tavern showing a man's face (including a nicely blackened eye) reflected in a bottle; the crud leaking from the pipes in the sewers; the miniature diorama of the city of Westgate inside the Bent Mermaid Inn in the Arena District are just a few of the many examples of how much detail has been added. The inside of the Bent Mermaid Inn actually looks like a rough and tumble tavern; a busted table here, broken chair there, and some scattered bottles and trash all make you feel like you are actually in a seedy dive. That level of detail extends throughout the entire city and into the sewers and Undergate as well. 
The population of Westgate is extremely diverse and counts dwarves, elves, lizardmen, orcs, ogres, and perhaps a drow or two among its inhabitants. There are numerous npcs worth talking to. There is a belligerent mage giving a free magic show who loves insulting his audience and is extremely good at it (the insults that is). You can also encounter a roaming pickpocket that will attempt to lighten your purse but can be chased down. There is also a group called the "The Shady Hucksters", who offer to sell you items of great value; but are the items really what the Hucksters claim? And last but not least there is Salty Jack. Jack is a Noober-esque old tar, and just like Noober from BG, you are either going to love him or start reaching for your sword. All I can say is don't miss him. As you continue to explore the city, you also start to receive occassional warnings that you have caught a fleeting glimpse of someone "watching you from the shadows". The Night Masks perhaps? The Ebon Claws? or someone else?
The attention to detail doesn't stop with the visual effects. The writing and dialogues are extremely well done with liberal doses of humor and sarcasm thrown in, and show the same attention to detail found throughout other aspects of the game. Some of the dialogue exchanges are simply inspired while others had me almost convulsing in laughter. Dialogues frequently offer more than just the simple "yes, no, let me think about it, let's fight" options with some branches showing 7 or 8 possible choices. Various Skills, beyond the simple "talk" options of diplomacy et al, can open a number of potential dialogue paths. 
An early 3 way exchange between Charissa, Mantides, and Rinara had me recalling the exchange from the OC between Qara, Khelgar and Neeshka in the Sunken Flagon, but with considerably more depth and "bite" to it - thanks in large part to Charissa's acerbic personality. The accompanying voice overs for the companions and the major NPCs are simply perfect. They have just the right edge to them. You can almost taste the contempt in Charissa's voice when she talks to Mantides. 
There are 16 sidequests in the game. They vary in type from hack and slash to role play. There is a special "Tourist Quest" which offers a lot of valuable information by visiting various city landmarks such as the statue of Kisonraathiisar and a special reward if you visit all of the locations. One of the quests is appropriately called "Deathtrap", which involves a building that explodes into flames as you enter the area. As one might expect it takes a while for the fire to burn itself out, and that is reflected in the game which requires you to return at a later date to explore the ruins. 
Combats tend to be highly tactical. Making use of your companions special abilities, spells and skills is paramount to survival. One of the reviewers tried repeatedly to defeat one of the early bosses without success until a simple change in tactics made the encounter manageable. Encounters are NOT scaled to your group party level, so it is entirely possible to run into situations where you are simply outmatched. Running away to fight another day IS a viable option in this game - IF you can escape.
The game offers multiple paths and multiple endings. Depending on where you choose to explore, you can actually meet the leader of the Ebon Claws early on. The choice you make during that conversation or a conversation with the head of the church of Lathander will determine whether you follow The Path of the Ebon Claws (evil) or The Path of Lathander (good). 
