Mountain of Flame reimagines a classic zone in a fun new way – Destructoid

As an MMORPG fanatic, I try to dip my toes into ongoing games in the genre at least once every few years to see how they fare in the somewhat tumultuous landscape of MMORPGs. One of my most memorable experiences in the genre dates all the way back to 2013 and the release of Neverwintera D&D 4th edition action MMO set in, well, the world of Neverwinter.

More than ten years later, Neverwinter is still going strong, and just last month got a brand new expansion module called Mountain of Flame. I recently had the chance to dive into the latest expansion and take a look at the new content released with the Mountain of Flame expansion module, as well as get a little insight into the general direction of Neverwinter.

In the mountain of flames

My view of the Mountain of Flames placed me in the shoes of a Bard, a class that didn’t even exist when I last played NeverwinterTo bring me up to speed, my character was already at the highest level and wearing some late-game gear, so I would get a similar experience to those actively playing. Neverwinter. Brett Norton helped me on my journey into the new expansion content, Neverwinter Executive Producer and Christopher Frenton, Neverwinter Artistic director.

In NeverwinterOld content that is a bit dated and not as relevant anymore due to recent expansions is being put away. While this may seem negative at first (content disappearing from the game), it actually makes a lot of sense with NeverwinterThe MMORPG is constantly getting massive amounts of content added through its expansions and seasonal updates, and to keep the MMORPG moving forward, it is simply a necessity.

The main feature of Neverwinter: Mountain of Flames is the renewal and reworking of a classic vaulted zone, Mount Hotenow. The fiery volcano was actually a release zone all the way back when Neverwinter launched in 2013, and while I only vaguely remember the zone, the rework it received in this expansion has completely changed it. Not only has Mount Hotenow gotten a fresh coat of paint in the form of visual upgrades, the zone itself has been completely overhauled with new quest hubs, enemies, and a variety of new activities for new and returning players.

Action fight that still holds up

One of the biggest things I realized while playing the Mountain of Flame expansion was how much fun the combat was in Neverwinter is. Even over a decade later, the action combat system still felt fresh, fun, and rewarding. As I cycled through my rotation, my enemies’ telegraphed attacks would reveal areas and cones of attack where incoming damage was about to land. With the Alt key, I could tumble out of the way. It felt like a hybrid of Final Fantasy XIV boss fights with Tera-style real-time action combat. It’s a great system, and the more I played, the more I wanted to keep going, learn the nuances of the Bard, and explore the harder content that Mount Hotenow had to offer.

As we crossed the mountain, exploring the fiery rivers that flowed across its surface and the vast fissures between them, an alarming sound began to play. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but it was ominous. The developers told me it meant that Gommoth, the mad Fire Giant, had unleashed his powerful lieutenants into the area, who would lay waste to any adventurers who came near them.

Gommoth sends his regards

Determined to take down this threat, we ventured from the nearby quest hub into an area of ​​Mount Hotenow we weren’t questing and came across one of the lieutenants. The developers were very upfront with me from the start: this is normally a fight where everyone in the zone has to work together to defeat it, not just our small group.

They weren’t kidding. At first I felt confident, carefully sparing my dodges to avoid the lieutenant’s telegraphed attacks, while throwing what damage I had at the enemy when I could. Slowly his health bar was draining, but our tank’s health bar was dropping much faster. The attacks were getting faster and harder, to the point where I found myself tumbling around in panic like a fool. I was starting to see why this was meant to be a larger group effort instead of the small team we had.

After some divine (dev) intervention the enemy was defeated and we were rewarded with some spoils of war. I had a lot of fun during the hour or so part of the Neverwinter: Mountain of Flame expansion that I was allowed to experience. Surprisingly enough, this was only a small part of the revamped Mount Hotenow, and the expansion also includes a reworked and improved dungeon that was also vaulted, the Lair of the Mad Dragon.

With so many MMORPGs out there these days, it can be easy to overlook one because of its age. But you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you Neverwinter. At its core, the gameplay is just fun, which is an important part of jumping into an MMORPG knowing it demands serious playtime. And the Mountain of Flame expansion seems like a good time to immerse yourself in the massive world of Neverwinter.