Neverwinter Nights 2 Preview

The guys at GameSpy have put together a two-page preview of Neverwinter Nights 2, after checking out an updated build of Obsidian's ambitious RPG sequel.
When gamers bring the camera in tight to the main character, they'll see the individual links in his chain mail, the ornamental carvings on his helmet and the texture of his boots. When players walk indoors, they'll see the weave of a rug or the stones that make up a humble fireplace. When they walk outside, they'll see trees with individual leaves and grassy plains that'll make them want to take off their shoes and run barefoot like a little kid. But all that is nothing once they start casting spells. The Shield of Faith spell results in a transparent bubble that surrounds the player, and it looks as if you could reach into the screen and pop it with your finger. Eye-popping 3D effects will turn any magical spell-slinging battle into a fireworks display straight out of the 4th of July. I can't name all the snazzy particle and lighting effects being used, but I can tell that they're spectacular.