City of Heroes developer Cryptic Studios is at it again with its latest project, Neverwinter. Taking advantage of the latest trends, Neverwinter will be a free-to-play MMORPG set in the well known Forgotten Realms campaign setting. If that sounds at all interesting, the open beta will begin later this month on April 30th. Anyone looking to get in a little early can choose to become a Founder. Throwing down some cash ahead of time lets you start playing April 12th.
While taking place in the city of Neverwinter, the new MMO has no connection to the acclaimed Neverwinter Nights series. Players will create characters based on one of five core classes, using abilities from a modified version of Dungeons and Dragons’ 4th edition rules. Neverwinter aims to create more of a narrative driven experience, moving away from the packed landscapes of most MMOs in favor of a more intimate experience. The most ambitious aspect, however, is The Foundry.
Players will be able to create their own dungeons and stories, similar to the process used in its tabletop inspiration. Everything down to the NPCs that populate homemade areas will be built by creator. These adventures can then be uploaded, played and rated by the community. If The Foundry’s toolset is complex enough, it could be quite fascinating.
Neverwinter is only scheduled for release on PC, and expects to launch later this year.
Will you try Neverwinter? Or am I the only DnD nerd in these parts?