THERES NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO VISIT NEVERWINTER
What’s going on, boys—and maybe some girls. Apprentice here with another post about a game most people have probably never played. Imagine that—it must be a weekday.
Lately, I’ve been in a bit of a gaming lull. Getting farmed in extraction shooters with the boys made me start reflecting on older games—ones I wanted to revisit just to feel good again. One of those games is a small MMO called Neverwinter. If you’re a D&D fan (which I assume you are if you’re reading this), Neverwinter is probably a familiar name—but maybe not a familiar game.
Neverwinter is what I’d call a theme park MMO, meaning it’s built around hubs and points of interest rather than a single massive open world. Where the game really shines, though, is its combat system. The game is a little old, it’s not perfect, and like many MMOs, it’s definitely pay-to-win—or at least pay-to-be-as-powerful-as-possible. That said, outside of PvP, that doesn’t really matter much.
The graphics are dated, but in my opinion, the game still holds up thanks to its timeless characters, its setting, and what I genuinely believe is one of the best combat systems ever put into an MMO—second only, maybe, to Elder Scrolls Online (which basically just copied the same style). And considering Neverwinter launched in 2013, it’s impressive that its combat still earns it a spot in my Steam library over a decade later.
Cryptic Studios has continued to support the game with regular updates, and every time I check back in, there’s always a new event or challenge running. Despite the monetization, the game is completely free to play, and I’ve never spent a dime on it. The dungeons are fun, watching damage numbers explode when you land well-synergized abilities is satisfying, and overall the gameplay just feels good.
If you’re looking for a way to spend more time in Faerûn, level up a character, and enjoy fast-paced combat, this is a game worth keeping on your radar. Another bonus: for an MMO, the install size is surprisingly small—looking at you, Call of Duty.
I’ll drop some photos below along with a short gameplay clip from a skirmish I jumped into after not playing for about four years. I definitely don’t know what I’m doing in the video, but you’ll get a good sense of how chaotic and fun the combat can be. At higher levels, you’ll queue as a healer, tank, or DPS like a traditional MMO, which adds another layer of enjoyment. I’m planning to get back into the game and work toward dungeon queues again—my gear is way too outdated right now—but the skirmish queue has been a blast.
One thing I really like is how the game separates its content into adventures and campaign modules. You can select what you want to play and jump right in. I’m not sure when this system was added or if it replaced the original campaign structure, but when I logged back in and saw an Underdark campaign, I jumped straight into it. As long as your item level is high enough, you can play campaigns in almost any order, which I think is a great touch.
Lastly, part of what drew me back was the Bard class. After previewing it, it looks fluid, fast-paced, and genuinely fun. I’ve even seen players perform real songs on their lutes and instruments in town hubs. The performance mode is something truly unique, and I can’t think of another MMO that’s done anything quite like it.
We try to highlight games—both video and tabletop—that tend to fly under the radar, and this one definitely qualifies. If you weren’t deep into gaming five or ten years ago, I think Neverwinter is absolutely worth a look, especially within the space we occupy.
Take a look, have a great night, and I’ll see you very soon!
