Sorry my intention was not to be as RUDE as I sounded (saying WoW clone makes you look like a fool" or to rile up anybody that way.. more a "there was stuff before WOW"
but back to NWN.. got on last night (no Q? after the 7000 one the day before- GOOD SHOW if you fixed it that fast). As for the game it most resembles.. I have to say TERRA or COH ..its made by Cryptic so the combat is faster paced then most of its "clones". its fairly fast combat that some actual aiming is required.. its not lock on like most, but you don't have to be terribly accurate either, there is an amount of auto targeting too.. I find it slightly fun and slightly annoying, groups of mobs are tricky.. or bothersome.. most have 2-3 trash mobs with a harder mob, targeting the trash to clean it up quick can be annoying as its hard to single um out. most combat it based on the dodge /roll (action) formula many of the newest games use. The Boss or sub boss mobs all have wind up animation or targeting circles on the ground, your job is dodging or "blinking" out of them, managing your own attacks.. I like the added skill required, but its not much deeper then the old "lock and button press" of the Old school clones you need to mind full you don't dodge into more mobs, and your skills while just spamming one will work, you are rewarded for some combo like attacks. example: mage has ice beam, longer its on target the slower it gets until its FROZE (which is just a ruoot/stun of 3 or so seconds).. the mage also has a 30 second cool down major ice shard attack.. if you FREEZE them attack with the Major Ice Shard and then hit freeze ray again, they freeze quicker the 2nd time.. but you can only do this once as the cool down on the ICE Shard attack is to long.. so there are some combo attacks (much like almost any game).
In about 3-4 hours i was 18 the first few levels where lightning.. then some slow down.. I didn't notice the standard F2P speed level till about 10 then slow it to a grind so you will pay to speed it up method most use (is this one F2P when released or monthly?) of course they may start that at 20?
I did all quests solo with zero problem (have not died yet) even did my my first group quest solo (blackbeard or something?) but I did do it 2 levels after i was supposed to do it.
Overall its fast paced, more then enough quests to start. Graphics on the Players is not real good (opinion) but the buildings and landscape are well done (but I have not left town, only sewers, ruins and basements so far). they look nice enough, not ground breaking but very "OK".
Do i see the next big thing? NOPE, do i see a fun diversion for us that love to play MMORPG's, yes.. nothing new here, but you take some tried and working game mechanics and paint um with a new coat of paint, its different enough to take a look.