Neverwinter has just released their latest module for the game that promises to take adventurers on an interstellar journey unlike any they've experienced before. We were provided an early access look into the expansion dubbed Spelljammer, a widely known Dungeons & Dragons campaign, that thrusts players into the vast expanse of the Astral Sea and beyond. Here’s our first look at what’s in store!
Admittedly, I haven’t been the most ardent player of Neverwinter. Over the years I’ve hopped in a handful of times, and it certainly doesn’t help that my Dungeons & Dragons tabletop experience didn’t touch the aforementioned campaign Spelljammer: Adventures in Space. Yet I was enticed into the Spelljammer module because it’s a major departure from what I’ve seen in Neverwinter thus far, and is set against a backdrop of cosmic chaos, with falling stars leading to a summoning of adventurers across Toril. With the city of Neverwinter facing its own threat as an astral seed crashed into its heart, and with an approaching battle against the Astral Elves of the formidable Xaryxian Empire looming, there’s a lot to take in for even the most battle hardened Neverwinter player.
But I, taking on the guise of the developer provided Bard, Eliza Windsailor was certainly up against it, as I had never played a Bard in Neverwinter before, and that breeds its own challenges, In the midst of all the surrounding turmoil. Still, I muddled my way through the first major quest area, battling Lieutenant Zerixar which took way longer than it should have due to my virgin Bard-ism, and finally made by way to the Moondancer, which is a Spelljammer Ship. Moments later I was among the stars.
The first thing that really struck me was how strange the theme of a space-faring fantasy world played out. Afterall, the Moondancer looks like just another boat, despite its propensity to float across the sky. Captain Sartell isn’t exactly a space captain either, as she’s humbly dressed in leather and cloth instead of some highly advanced spacesuit. By the second major quest, I was already boarding a Star Moth ship, and was set to defend the Moondancer from Captain Zoor’Lar. This battle went far more swiftly as I started to understand the flow of combat a little better. It wasn’t until I landed on my first planet, Remachi, before I understood the true power of song, and was able to quick play some ballads that proved that the bard was as powerful as it was versatile.
Wildspace, which is what the zone that comprises the various landing spots is called, is aptly named. There’s a lot of unique locales, and I think one of the biggest strengths of Spelljammer is that there’s so much you can expand on here. In fact, Cryptic has stated that what I’ve gotten to play thus far in Spelljammer is only the tip of the iceberg, as there will be yet another module to expand the story and bring the entire arc to a close.
Still, in the meantime, Wildspace has so much content, and I was only able to truly experience the story throughout Remichi and Beloria, which still left at least two more major landing sites, an invasion site, and multiple off-shoot landing sites which includes an abandoned space dock, and a mining expedition gone awry.
There were also several other updates in Neverwinter meant to enhance the gaming experience. The Boon System has been updated, allowing for the unlocking of various master boons and offering more potent customization options. There is a revamped Trial Interface, which I didn’t get to try as I was predominantly solo, and some updates to the Paladin class and Barbarian Sentinel have been implemented, refining gameplay with some included improvements where applicable. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to test those either, as much of my time was spent slapping my lute with righteous fury.
As Neverwinter prepares to chart a course through the stars, I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement. As someone who has had trouble getting into the game, Spelljammer has grabbed me in a way that my previous play sessions haven’t. Cryptic has certainly made use of their Star Trek Online experience, because there’s some old Trekky charm among the worlds I’ve visited. It's still unclear exactly what's going on at Cryptic with recent reports of layoff's and restructuring, but one thing is for certain, the Spelljammer module feels like it’s more than just an expansion, but it’s a cosmos of possibilities. Neverwinter’s Spelljammer module is available now on PC, PlayStation and Xbox.
