[Game] The Witcher 2

[SheepDip]

You mean you havent even finished Witcher 1? DUDE!


I didnt purchase Witcher 1 until it was on sale at this last big Steam sale, so fortunately for me I played the enhanced version for a really nice price. Great game all the way through. My current PC is woefully inadequate for Witcher 2 so I'll be waiting a while to buy it, and I really cant wait to use my save from W1 to continue on in W2 - that's such a cool feature.

Dcode.. get in there and finish it man. Do it before you start part two.

The Witcher 1, runs a bit like arse on my 2 year old setup.
The Witcher 2, runs fine on medium settings, and it looks fantastic for it too.

Phenom X4, 4850 Toxic, 4GB DDR2-800

Edit: So I finished my Witcher 1 game and imported my save, pretty nifty as it imported the 2 special swords I'd picked up by the end of first game and I started with them in the second.
My only issues so far are:

The combat doesn't really present the Witchers significant advantages (speed of movement/complex parry etc) in the way the first game did - at the moment it's either press space to roll away Batman Arkham Asylum style or a stationary parry, it can get quite frustrating. It's very frustrating when surrounded by a group of enemies not to be able to use something similar to the group style that the witcher 1 had. I've found myself just running away from enemies to get distance and then re-engage, which just feels stupid.

The unsophisticated system in the Witcher 1 at least admitted to itself that it wasn't possible to present a complex swordfighting system (certainly not the style of swordplay portrayed in the literature, at least) in a game and went for the traditional RPG style "hit"/"miss"/"parry" notification.

Also, quick time events. I don't mind the odd quick time events, but sticking them in the middle of cutscenes

Spoiler!

Like the bit with Foltest and the dragon on the walkway

is a ****ing nuisance. I can watch a cutscene, damn it!

Those are small niggles however, as I have a universally good impression about everything else.

 

[Mr. Explosion]

Object highlighting is done with that amulet pulse, rattus. Also, would you recommend the gamepad controls? Combat works well enough without it, and browsing menus with the shoulder buttons is rage-inducing, yet I'd still consider it an option for a future playthrough.
The manual lists 'insert' as a switch between both input options, but it doesn't work. Wouldn't really make use of it after GTAIV though, was so very annoying but absolutely necessary, a real stain on an otherwise great game. Mouse+keys = ****ty driving, gamepad = ****ty shooting, and shooting while driving = FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

SheepDip, you'll get your advantages later on, if you unlock a few skills. The number of QTEs can be reduced in the game's settings, thankfully.

Some rough edges, but if you're just slightly interested in RPGs, it's easily the GOTY 2011. Sorry Duke, but you were supposed to arrive last year anyway

 

[[-project.rattus-]]

Object highlighting is done with that amulet pulse, rattus.

oh, I better read the manual then... as the tutorial isn't that helpful.
That's what you get from buying on steam: no manual to read while on the loo...

 

[Fedorov]

Some rough edges, but if you're just slightly interested in RPGs, it's easily the GOTY 2011. Sorry Duke, but you were supposed to arrive last year anyway

Duke is not an RPG, and there is still Skyrim...

Update:
http://www.bluesnews.com/s/121903/the-witcher-2-patch-next-week

 

[karhuwaari]

I finished the game yesterday on easy and without doing any side-quests and I'm now playing it on medium and trying to do all side-quests. I found the prologue and first 2 chapters awesome but after that it was kinda *meh* as pretty much nothing is solved in Witcher 2 but left for the upcoming sequel.

Spoiler!

Most of the bossfights were insanely hard on medium and some even on easy, like 1st encounter with Letho, Kayren, Draug and the dragon in the end. Especially the Letho fight which made me change difficulty from medium to easy

Overall the game is great and I'm thinking about actually finishing Witcher 1 soon as I previously only got to 2nd chapter or something

 

[Apos]

 

[Reddog]

Just got my box from the UK, played the tutorial, loving it so far.

Runs great on med-high settings on my modest set up, I really don't get the people complaining about difficulty. Once you get the combat worked out it's pretty easy.

 

[LightsabeR]

Great game, just finished it today. Did most (if not all) the alternative endings as well. No idea how big of a role my choices will play tho, gotta wait for the next installment in the series for that.

But I have my save files nicely tucked away with all the different endings.

PS! Apos, great pic!

 

[hockeywarrior]

Ugh WHY DID THIS GAME HAVE TO BE SO GOOD?!

This means I might have to buy it. This is a problem considering I have two more games to buy this year: RO2 and Skyrim. Oh and to my surprise Gametrailers actually liked the crap out of it:

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/review-the-witcher/714183

Damn you 2011 for being such a great year for gaming!

 

[I. Kant]

Oh, how I now regret not having played the first time when I should have. Oh, how torn I am between picking it up from a friend and playing like a madman to get through to the second installment faster and just short-circuiting to the sequel right away. Curses!

 

[Nenjin]

Get the first, take your time and when you're ready, Witcher 2 will probably be discounted somewhere. The Witcher 1 is worth playing seriously, IMO.

 

[Dcode]

I have just jumped straight into number 2 and I don't feel bad about it. Play this game - you owe it to yourself.

 

[hockeywarrior]

Get the first, take your time and when you're ready, Witcher 2 will probably be discounted somewhere. The Witcher 1 is worth playing seriously, IMO.

I already own Witcher 1. I got into the second act and realized I was terribly bored. The story was good but I found the sword combat which was nothing but clicking at the right time to be overly simple and lacking depth.

How does sword combat work in Witcher 2? Is there more to it than timed clicking?

 

[Nenjin]

The story was good but I found the sword combat which was nothing but clicking at the right time to be overly simple and lacking depth.

The sword play was never to my taste either. Different enemies requiring different styles however does it make it more interesting later on, as do enemies that explode on death and a few other things. In the end it didn't interfere with the game to the point where I had to put it down. By the time I hit the swamp and enemies got really thick, I actually become somewhat glad for the combat system, because I got the feeling if it was harder/more demanding I probably would have gotten my guts stomped out.

 

[[-project.rattus-]]

How does sword combat work in Witcher 2? Is there more to it than timed clicking?

Well, deep down on the basics, it's still clicking till enemies drop dead. Also, you have to time it right to string together combos.
But they ditched the rigid target lock and fighting styles, but introduced manual blocking and left click for a quick, weak swing, and right cklick for a slow, strong swing.

So now, the fights feel more "actiony" and require more attention than before, and dodging has become useful actually. The problem is though, that the new fighting system is more suited for fights against single enemies, but the game likes to throw up to a dozen enemies at you at once. Now that is annoying, because they didn't only ditch, along with the other styles, the "group style", but enemies have the chance to stunlock you when they hit you...
Add in that in some cases, when you save and reload, the enemies have respawned, and some dungeons can be quite a frustrating experience.

 

[I. Kant]

I suppose I'll just wait for a combo pack (I assume there's going to be one). I knew the 1st was well worth playing, and I've always been meaning to get to it; it's just that I never got round to doing it.

 

[Oldih]

Now that is annoying, because they didn't only ditch, along with the other styles, the "group style", but enemies have the chance to stunlock you when they hit you...

Sounds like aard spam isn't guilty pleasure tactic anymore.

 

[SheepDip]

Combat actually reminds me a lot of Gothic 3.

 

[Nenjin]

Apparently the game could use a patch or two to smash some bugs as well. Not as bad as what required the Witcher EE though.

 

[=GG= Mr Moe]

Damn, everytime I try to go onto the Witcher forums, they are down. I just want to see if I buy it off Steam here in the US, will I receive a cut version. Does anyone know?