Neverwinter Nights is more like the old Balgur's Gate and Icewind Dale series, whereas Oblivion is ... uh, Elder Scrolls, there's no real comparison.

Oblivion is, essentially, complete freedom. Follow the story or not, your choice, it also tends to be more action oriented.

On the other hand, NWN is more limited, linear, one might say, but those parts tend to be more filled. Unlike Oblivion, the story drives the whole thing forward, opening up new areas, closing off others.

I had some dislike for the original NWN (this was later absolved by the modules) because the story had a lot of parallels (to other game stories) and cliches to it, but it nevertheless was a good game.

I dislike the whole one party member only system, but that seems to be gone. It was next to impossible to play a wizard. You need a fighter to guard you, but you also need a cleric to heal you, and, of course, a rogue is useful for opening doors and chests ... and you can only pick one.

I like both, but my loyalty is to NWN and the like over Oblivion. A more immersive plot that drives things forward. Oblivion has everything at the starting point (changing only a little), whereas the other actually alter the enviroment. That, and I can't help feeling that characters are better in NWN.

A good example is Oblivion's Siege of Kvatch. You pass by, a guy tells you the city was overrun last night. You play on for a few weeks in-game, and later nobody knows Kvatch is in trouble, despite it being barely a day's journey from the nearest city. You even get soldiers who run up and say they saw smoke from their patrol.

Whereas NWN and the like will put you in a city, then, when all hell breaks loose will replace the city set with a different one depicting the situation.

That said, the stores here are out-of-touch ... they still haven't gotten NWN 2.