Product Description

Expansion pack; Requires Neverwinter Nights & Hordes Of The Underdark to function
Neverwinter Nights: Kingmaker gives you the chance to rule a guild -- assuming you can prove that you're worthy of such an honor. When a keep is under siege, you rush to its defense. The lord of the keep has disappeared, and you've been recommended as a possible replacement. An election will take place to decide who will be Lord of the Keep -- go on the quests set for you by the guildmasters to show you deserve the title.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7339 in Video Games
• Brand: Atari
• Model: 26820
• Released on: 2005-09-20
• ESRB Rating: Mature
• Platform: Windows XP
• Format: CD-ROM
• Dimensions: .25 pounds

Features

• Choose from two of your four companions and go on multiple quests
• Go off and kill monsters to prove yourself, or try to bribe or blackmail the guildmasters into voting for you
• Interactive henchmen with distinct personalities, situational interjections, and the possibility of romance
• Written and developed exclusively by BioWare writers and designers
• Over 500 lines of new professional voice-acting

Customer Reviews

Kingmaker is short but sweet, others not so great
First of all, it should be noted that this is a compilation of modules created by Bioware for their digital distribution system. Atari, as the published of the original Neverwinter Nights, has the right to distribute these also, and has apparently opted to do so. You can buy Kingmaker, or a bundle of Shadowguard and Witch's Wake, at Bioware's online store, probably for less money, and just download them. The Bioware store versions have an irritating copy protection mechanism which requires that you have an active internet connection when you start the game, and each time you load a saved game, in order to verify the legitimacy of the module. The word on the Bioware Forums from Derek French, Bioware's Live Team Producer, is that this boxed version will not require a live internet connection to play. With those details out of the way, I have to say: Kingmaker is a fantastic module. It has an excellent story line, good voice acting, interesting characters, new content, new art, new music, and is fun to play. The drawback is the short length. Bioware rates Kingmaker as 5-8 hours of gameplay; I'm inclined to agree. I'd say it has some replayability: I think you could certainly replay it at least one extra time and have it be novel, as the module does provide a lot of mutually exclusive choices. Kingmaker is basically all you'd expect from a great module, except that it is short. Witch's Wake is a remake. It has a handful of new goodies, but it is essentially a repackaging of a free module. You can download the original, free Witch's Wake. It lacks the music track and the subrace system, but the core of the game is the same. Shadowguard I'm going to have to be extremely critical of. I would recommend anyone interested in Bioware modules avoid it. The module itself is excellent, but it plays like the first chapter of an epic book. The second chapter is not for sale, nor has there been any indication that it will be. As such, when you complete the module, your almost certain reaction will be: what happens next?! It is well done, with memorable PCs and good production values, and that makes it all the more painful when the story ends abruptly just as the conflicts created are escalating. In conclusion, if you want Kingmaker, and the Internet-connection requirement is not a deterrant for you, go buy it from the Bioware store. If you can't download it or despise the copy protection mechanism, then only buy Kingmaker if you are a rabid NWN fan... the short length will likely be a disappointment to anyone else buying it on CD.

Overpriced Expansion?
Amazon is selling this expansion for $19, which is somewhat expensive. For new player who never play NWN, Neverwinter Nights: Diamond Compilation Pack is a better deal. It includes Kingmaker plus original game and two other expansions for $20. For experienced player who already have SoU and HotU, you could buy the modules directly from BioWare. Shadow Guard + Witch's Wake cost $5 total and Kingmaker costs $8. The download not only saves you money, but also saves you the delivery time.

Enjoyable But Calibast?
I'm a lady gamer and enjoyed Kingmaker a lot. I downloaded the digital download version from Bioware's website, which DOES require a live connection to save and load. Overall, the mod was fun, but I found the romance with Calibast (who is a dwarf with flame on his head), something called an Azer, a little over the top. I prefer my romanceable henchmen to be more than just comic relief. Still the game was fun and engaging, and I would recommend it if you are waiting for NWN 2 to come out and are experiencing a lull.

4 stars. Read the mod requirements carefully to make sure you have the required software and hardware before installing.