If you are looking for the highest-quality audio you can get of these tracks, look no further. You get 320kbps audio rips, which is about two and a half times the quality of the originally released versions (128kbps). If you like the music and want a version of it that isn't run through a tin-can, grab this. It's $3, which is less than 3 songs off iTunes, but includes 16-tracks to enjoy. I got it for less than $1.25, so there was almost no excuse to not grab it; and I'm very happy I did. If you don't want high-fidelity versions of these tracks, simply don't purchase the add-on.
These songs really fit the tone and atmosphere of Darkness Over Daggerford. For $3 (or less on sale) you get 18 tracks, in the highest quality possible, lossless (flac). The sound quality is amazing, and you can really hear a difference even between the included mp3 and flac versions, let alone the in-game version. If you like the music in DOD enough to think about purchasing the soundtrack I don't think you'll be disappointed. Given that this soundtrack was not available before and a large amount of effort went into finishing it and restoring all the music back to near-master quality, it is worth the small investment; especially when you consider this whole soundtrack is cheaper than buying 3 individual songs off a platform like iTunes. I got it for less than $1.25 and am extremely happy with the purchase. If you aren't interested in owning these audio tracks in high-fidelity, skip this one; it does exactly what it's supposed to, you just aren't the target audience.
Anyone who owns the original Neverwinter Nights on here knows you get the soundtrack with it. The original soundtrack, ripped at 128kbps; which is as low as you can possibly get without completely obliterating the audio fidelity. For a long time that was the only available source for the soundtrack, unless you wanted to shell out serious cash for a physical copy and rip the audio yourself. Why is this important? Because you are buying a lossless (flac) version of that physical copy. It has zero loss in fidelity from the original source. If you are listening through a tin-can you might not notice, but anyone with ears can tell the difference right away between the recordings. So no, you are not getting "the same thing that used to be free", far from it. Like you would spend the money on a "Remastered" version of a game, this is no different; there is almost 8x as much audio data in these recordings as the free version (From 128kbps to over 900kbps). Considering you get the free version when you buy the base Neverwinter Nights Enhanced (it comes with your copy of Neverwinter Nights Diamond), I don't see why anyone would complain about being offered a high-fidelity version of the soundtrack. You'll almost always notice these people are non-owners of the title, although they'll claim to own it on another platform which is a definite lie. So if you want a copy of the super-rare and expensive soundtrack in a bitrate which is significantly higher than the low-quality one that comes free with your purchase, this is it. And it is very much worth the purchase, if you are interested in the music enough to want higher quality copies. If you want tin-can quality, stick to the free one you get with your free copy of Diamond Edition you get for buying the base Enhanced Edition. "Boo hoo, I get a free complete game set and a free copy of the same low-quality rip that's always come with it, but I also want the Enhanced Edition soundtrack for FREE! Boo hoo!" - Non-Owners
I absolutely love the idea of new Dungeons and Dragons adventures being turned into Neverwinter Nights modules. I will happily buy anything that is in the 10 hour range, or more, at this price. Some people will probably disagree, or see it as "gouging for mod content", but that is not what this is. I love how polished the campaigns have been, and how I can easily enjoy them without putting effort into getting them to run. Sure, when I was younger I didn't mind putting effort into getting more out of a game title, but now I have so many options that trading a small cost for the convenience of it being available and in working order have outweighed the effort to save that coin. I want more stories, more adventures, and I appreciate getting them. As for this particular adventure, I am about 4 hours into it and have really enjoyed the investigation aspect of it. The story allows you to be on one of two sides to an internal conflict plaguing the city; and you can choose to side with the rule of law, or choose to aid the rebels to overthrow tyranny. It's an age old tale, but this one is told through interacting with people and accepting the correct people into your aid to accomplish your end-goal. The day-night cycle forces you to plot out your daily investigations to make sure you are in the right place at the right time for your story to unfold the way you want. The only way to be sure of where things are going down is to talk to everyone, break into buildings, read secret documents, learn the spoken codes among citizens, and then bring all of it together. Some people will need to be spoken to persistently to get them to loosen up; some people will get suspicious and attack you, making it harder to do business with their associates. What you get is a new module, designed for early-game characters, with an interesting take on adventuring. It offers multiple story-options, and major interactive choices along the way. If you are looking for more D&D, you found it.
Monster Boy tells the story of a town whose inhabitants have been magically turned into animals by the uncle of our protagonist. It is your quest to assemble the animal orbs, gain their power, and use it to stop your uncle Nabu. The game is a solid Metroidvania title, where each new ability unlocks secrets or new pathways in old areas. Each area in Monster Boy is a unique biome with its own enemies and scenery. As you explore these areas you will come across fast-travel locations making it easier to move between them; and eventually you find a wand which allows you to fast travel at any time. The bosses are pretty straightforward. Once you get the wind power you can steamroll just about any boss that gets in your way; with the exception of the Lion boss since it has a specific method to defeating it. Fire, Wind, Lightning, Boomerang, Bomb; these are some of the magic powers you will gain to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Your equipment can also give you unique powers, such as the ability to double-jump, glide, or walk on water/lava. Exploring as you gain new abilities is typically met with upgrade materials or increases to your abilities use count; this is similar to Zelda titles where you increase your heart count, or increase the amount of bombs you can hold. The six animal forms include: Lion, Dragon, Frog, Pig, Snake, and Human. Each one has a specific ability that will help you solve puzzles or traverse new ground. The puzzles can seem obtuse, but almost every puzzle I found spelled out what I was supposed to do using hints (which can be found using the pig). I see a lot of people say the puzzles are confusing, but I have yet to come across one where I needed trial and error to solve it. The rotation puzzles are the most obscure, and they only require you to think semi-logically for a second. Monster Boy is a fun throwback to the original series, while taking chances to bring something new to the franchise. This one easily stands on its own.
That's a mouthful of a title, but World of Horror fits the bill. With a heavy emphasis on single-run playthroughs this game is meant to take about an hour of your time to tell you a unique horror story with absolutely tons of original events. With art inspired by Junji Ito and thematic elements taken from HP Lovecraft, you have a truly unique looking and feeling game. You will not feel "settled" while you play, even the music uses binaural frequencies to elicit unsettling feelings, and absolutely nothing in the game wants to help you. This means almost every character interaction is more about how little you get screwed over, rather than 'if' you do. Sure, if you stack a certain trait you may get passed one or two unscathed, but the reality is you are not supposed to beat the game easily. You are meant to suffer and fail. Over and over again. And this is where the Rogue-Like comes in, each time the events are randomly chosen, and if you die, that's it. Game over. Saving is almost not an option as you have to choose between sacrificing all of your skills or possibly also items in order to load the save back up. Truly a twisted option, but with games lasting the 1-hour mark you should be safe as long as you know you aren't going to be interrupted; otherwise treat it like it is 1984 for real (the year the game is based) and leave the window running. It is a small game and switching between the graphics options, including windowed modes, didn't seem to impact the title at all. The Adventure elements come from your ability to choose your investigations, hold a limited amount of items which may or may not interact with environmental or story factors, and it is all controlled through point and click input. The RPG elements come from the health and skill points, as well as magic and talents. Combat is turn based, and you select options which each have a "cast time" to fill an active battle gauge. Once it is full of commands you activate and your turn is over. Really great!
Great game that takes a lot of influence from Zelda, but wraps it in a healthy dose of grown up themes and violence; without ever taking anything too far. Highly enjoyable, and fans of 3D Zelda style games will be pleasantly surprised. The Warmastered Edition really helps bring this title up to date, as the gameplay and story were already good, but the graphics were becoming dated quickly. It was never an ugly game, but now it has a shiny coat of paint and graphical enhancements that really make it stand out. If you didn't experience the original release, this version is the perfect time to jump in and enjoy the world of Darksiders. Includes the Legacy version of the game as well, so you can experience the way it was originally; and the soundtrack, which is a nice addition for free. Highly, highly recommend this one.
This game is an example of where people really were upset about new issues that were not in the original release of the game. The game plays much better now and the improvements really shine. Integrating the DLC is always a welcome addition as it makes everything feel like one coherent piece. I thought the game was good, even though it was less like the first one; it plays a lot more hack and slash than a Zelda game. More Prince of Persia now. I dig it, and now that it's available DRM Free in its complete form it is absolutely worth grabbing. Fans of the original game, and newcomers alike will find lots to enjoy here. The only con I have is that it does not come with a "Legacy" version like Darksiders 1 Warmasters Edition does, although unlike the original there isn't a lot of changes to substance that may warrant a separate version. This was more of a Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin compilation than it is a Dark Souls Remastered; if the comparison makes sense. They consolidated what they had and increased texture resolutions; other than visually there aren't many engine enhancements.
The soundtrack is great, the quality is exactly what you would expected; good. I wish it would have come with the game, but it's a small price to pay to have such a nice collection of music to round off a perfect collection for Darksiders 2. Obviously it isn't a requirement to buy the soundtrack so I don't think it deserves to have points taken off for it being extra. Well worth the price if you can get it on sale, otherwise fans of the in-game music will not be disappointed.
