➤ Damn curses 🎮

Mysteries of Westgate is the third official expansion for Neverwinter Nights 2 following Mask of the Betrayer and Storm of Zehir. Developed by Ossian Studios, a group of modders who also worked on the first Neverwinter Nights, it tells a story that has no bearing on that of the main game, nor with the other expansions. Once the main character has been chosen or created, we will find ourselves embroiled in a dense web of intrigues and curses (due to a kind of private club mask) that involves the highest spheres and the occult powers of the city of Westgate, the exclusive setting of the entire game.

Who cursed us and why? Where is he hiding? What are the relationships between a secret organization that wants us dead and the new comrades in arms we will meet during the adventure (three in all)? Was there ever a time when one could get off a fantasy game ship and get drunk at the local pub in peace. As in Storm of Zehir, it is also possible to import a character from those saved by other campaigns here. The only factor to consider is that the game is designed for characters ranging from the fifth to the fifteenth level, so using higher level characters risks making the fights really easy, also because all the other characters that can be inserted in the party will be adjusted to the level of the hero. That said, let's see what Mysteries of Westgate has to offer in concrete.

We were four friends in the pub

Once the group is formed, it will be necessary to make the first decisive choice for the continuation of the narrative, or to work for a secret society based in the sewers (in Westgate the price of houses has reached unprecedented figures), or for the temple of the god Lathander.

The decision made will affect most of the quests that make up the main story, which will be completely different, thus ensuring a good level of replayability for the title. Furthermore, it is only by replaying twice that you arrive at the fifteen hours of longevity promised by the developers. In addition to the main quest, there are sixteen secondary missions of a good level, some long and complex, others shorter and more linear. In general they are well done and interesting and, to give a few examples, they will involve us in a feud for the acquisition of a shop, a scam attempt at dog racing and an investigation to find a missing diamond. There is no lack of the classic arena in which to participate in individual or team battles, and there is no shortage of shops full of junk to buy.

Piccolo Mondo Antico

The main plot, despite some twists, is rather linear and all focused on gathering the information necessary to get to track down the final boss. The scenario is not very vast, with four main locations (three districts of the city plus an underground district) to which all the other locations are connected.

In more general terms, it is a work that suffers a little from the small size of the game world, but which can be appreciated for its classicism and for the wisdom with which it was made: it is clear that the developers are of RPG fans and it is hoped that in the future they can work on larger projects, as they have all the qualities to make promising titles.
From a technical point of view there is little to say: it is Neverwinter Nights 2, with all its strengths and weaknesses. The graphics are always the same, with lots of problems in the management of the camera that plague the game since its release. The new music is worth mentioning, made with wisdom and beautiful to listen to.

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Unlike the expansions developed directly by Obsidian, this one follows a more conservative path and does not try to turn the cards on the table in any way. The purpose of the developers is obviously to propose an interesting adventure and an unprecedented setting, rather than to tackle the base title from another playful point of view. In conclusion, Mysteries of Westgate is a clean and solid product that manages to achieve the objectives it sets itself, but without surprising too much and often betraying its nature as a big mod. For what it costs, it's still worth a look.