Atari and Obsidian Entertainment announced earlier this week that the official website for Neverwinter Nights II has gone live, and that the game is scheduled for a release later this year in September. On the official website, gamers can expect to find regularly updated news about characters and other game information. "The Neverwinter Nights II forums have been going strong for more than a year and a half, so get involved and stay in touch," said the CEO of Obsidian, Feargus Urquhart.

Set in the world of the Forgotten Realms (a self-contained world in the popular Dungeons & Dragons game), Neverwinter Nights II will take players back to the city of Neverwinter as originally seen in the first Neverwinter Nights. Highlighted portions of the game that were mentioned include:

• Power, Responsibility, and Renown: As players journey through Neverwinter Nights II, both personal power and political power expand accordingly. A player may rise through the ranks of society in the city of Neverwinter, even to the level of a lesser noble, becoming a knight with both land and an accompanying title. Gamers will control their own households, command their own personal army, and defend Neverwinter against enemies.
• Living Cities: Cities in Neverwinter Nights II will having a life of their own, with children playing and passersby moving about on business. Numerous one-time events can occur that a player might be witness to, such as a thief robbing someone. Also, certain locations that are frequently visited, such as the city of Neverwinter, will change from chapter to chapter as the story unfolds.
• Epic Battles: New boss battles will be introduced in Neverwinter Nights II. Plenty of battles requiring brute force for victory will transpire throughout the game, but other "memorable boss battles … will provide defining game moments." These key boss battles should be more challenging.

Stay tuned to RPGamer as more information becomes available, and as the release date for Neverwinter Nights II approaches.