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Simply put Witcher 2 is fucking awesome. If you've got anywhere of a decent pc you need to own this game. It is the best looking game made for the moment period!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0juU6jjEA1Y < this is it pretty much running at low settings on my week m11x.
1.3ghz
8GB DDR3 1066
350 mobile gpu
If I cant run it so can you and you fucking should be.
I'm curious as to why the esrb also rated an Xbox360 version of this game.
Hmm.....
For some reason, I have never been able to finish the first one.
It does look like a great game, but I think I'll hold off for now, at least until I can play through the original Witcher.
You dont nessarily have to play through the orginial witcher. They're both stories in there own right. Witcher 1 plays completly different and is totally a PC type game. I'd have to say there is a 95% chance Witcher 2 is coming to console. The controls, menus and gameplay are all very console like. You dont really use your mouse except to right and left click for attacks. It could easly be mapped to a 360 controller and feel fluid. I should of shown the menus. Instead of tradition to many items on a screen pc menu it has a picture menu thats very very simplistic.
Im gonna have to say Witcher 2 is great but, if you're looking for a PC style of game this almost isnt one.
That tree shaking in the title menu looks like a fekking Flash animation. WTF.
Drop in frame rate is horrible.
I have no doubt there will be a console version. I think it's doing the game a disservice though. There's a level of depth and field of view that the current consoles just don't have the horsepower to do anymore. Look at how far off you can see in the video above. On the console that would be obscured with fog, or rendered with very low res textures. These kinds of games are what keep the PC relevant to me.
I completely agree with this sentiment.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghost-Dog, presented by [Available]®
PC gaming is at the bottom of my priority of current gaming experiences. I always opt for console play first.
But with The Witcher, I experienced a game that I both cared about AND felt it could only turn out that way on a PC. There are other games that are clearly made for PCs, but I don't care about them. This one, however, is a purely PC based experience and I found it sublime.
I like the fact that there's a powerhouse series out there for me to experience solely on PC. It helps to give it a sense of identity. At first, I used to lament that The Witcher enver hit for consoles. Now, I'm really glad it didn't. Selfish, I know, but I like what the series represents to my personal gaming experience.
Im assuming you've never used fraps before. It cuts your frame rate substantially. Also on top of that the fact that Im running it on a 1.3ghz laptop. Cmon.Quote:
Originally Posted by bokmeow
haters gonna hateQuote:
Originally Posted by Clessy
Bump
Witcher 2 officially announced for Xbox360. (Linky)
Yeah, I saw that. Personally, I wish they would have just released a cleaned up version of the first one, a more intuitive version with a streamlined interface, on XBLA and PSN instead. The first game is still better than most of the other RPGs on the market, and would do well. And CDProjekt would be able to draw new money from an old title for a market that hasn't experienced it yet.
Still, good news for console fans.
Bump Here we are, less than a month away from the console release.
I'm quite excited. As I watch various trailers for the game it reminds me of the Two World series.
But I'd imagine the production values will be a cut above those games.
This was my GOTY for 2011. Even though I like The Witcher solely because of its uniquely PC experience, I have to admit that after having played the game to completion, I'm curious to see how it'll turn out on Xbox with all the enhancements. I'm probably going to break down and buy this again.
Bump, today's the day. The Witcher 2 is here. The metacritic is holding strong at 90 (as of this post).
Should be a gas.
Y'know, I see why people might pay a bit of attention to metacritic, but to me it's a relatively minor detail.
Anyways. I got this for 360 yesterday and logged an hour or two.
I have no idea what's going on, the interface is very clunky, and there's a lot of texture pop-in so far. But the narrative seems very interesting and I've very curious to see what's going on.
I have a feeling this one might wind up in the 'flawed masterpiece' column -- excellent narrative/story, but needlessly complex gameplay. I guess that's PC gaming for you, though.
I'm about ten hours in now. I can see why this won awards last year. The presentation is slick, the voice work is quite excellent and the narrative is more than interesting. The combat system took a little getting use to. There's a timing, a cadence, required when swinging your sword; if you button mash it may feel as though the system is slow. Also, the system (due to the number of enemies it throws at you) demands that you mix in usable items, signs and potions.
To me, this feels like Dark Souls-lite, only with less exploration. Good stuff.
lol Clessy
Just started playing The Witcher. Collecting all the sex cards. Being a boss :glee:
This is why I disagree with criticisms, like Ninny's above, that the game engine is needlessly overcomplicated.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magician
Play the game on a respectable difficulty and you see how traps, potions, signs and tight understanding of the combat mechanics are all required to overcome challenges. You are well served in this game by stuff questing and working on more efficient gear on harder difficulties.
The easier difficulties are included for the people that only want to enjoy the (magnificent) story or who don't care about using all the mechanics given to them.
Game holds up. Best of 2011. It's a complete experience and is as much an 'all things for all people' game as I've ever seen. Glad Xbox players are having fun with it.
Well... Maybe overcomplicated was the wrong word.
I'd say it's busy. There's a lot of shit going on all the time, and it's not very smooth. I find it's a bit difficult to execute my commands to Geralt: A lot of the time I wind up targeting the wrong guy, swinging my sword at empty air while four guys stab me in the ass, whiff a spell, etc.
Now, that said, it's a long way from bad. I guess I've just been a bit spoiled by Dark Souls and the like (which, let's be fair, is vastly superior on the combat end). And one ought to take into account the fact that it's a PC port that was not planned for in the outset, and those can be a little rough around the edges. I'm just glad to have the opportunity to play the game.
Because yes, the story is excellent so far. I like how it doesn't hold your hand -- it reminds me of Game of Thrones in that sense. And it's been extremely addictive so far. A few of the quest objectives I've run across have been a bit vague, but otherwise I was telling myself "Just one more" well into the night yesterday.
So yeah. It's not flawless, but is it a great game so far? Yes. Fuck yes.
I found the targeting system to be initially a little loose myself. I would definitely agree that it could be a little more natural to use, like Dark Souls. I found myself fighting with the targeting elements of The Witcher 2 for a long while, and that's definitely not what players should be doing when it's time to fight. You don't want it to be counter intuitive.Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
I would totally agree that Dark Souls has the superior control. The game plays very tight. I think I prefer the variety offered to me in The Witcher 2, but there is no denying that the core mechanics of Dark Souls' combat are as refined as a game of its type and pace will ever be.Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it, at the very least. This is another area where I feel The Witcher 2 succeeds over Dark Souls (since it's been brought up.)Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
And it's not just in the narrative. It's in the environments. You go into living communities, interact with NPCs, experience the world of the game's politics and social structure as you make your way through the chapters. The World of The Witcher 2 is alive with enough of the strengths and weaknesses of a medieval civilization that you are able to experience more emotional highs and lows as you progress.
RPGs, for me, are about narrative, primarily. I can't play a RPG if the only good thing about it is the combat. Dark Souls has a narrative, but it's bleak and monotonous. It's perfect for what that game's trying to accomplish, but it's also dead and cold. All the characters are soft spoke and morose. The air itself is oppressive and melancholy in Dark Souls. I always feel alone in it. Again, that's the point. But it's also the main reason I can't put it over The Witcher 2 for 2011. It's got one long, icy emotional pitch.
I love walking into taverns in The Witcher 2 and gambling or getting caught up on rumors or getting into fistfights. Even just hearnig the tavern music. It's a dangerous, dark world, but it's also one with life and possibilities and people making what they can out of it. That's what I want to experience, more often than not, when I play a RPG.
Sounds like we're pretty much on the same page, then -- and I'd add that I'm still in the midst of Chapter 1. I reserve the right to change my mind over time. :)
You raise a good point with the whole atmosphere thing. Personally, I absolutely loved the foreboding loneliness and melancholy of Dark Souls (and Demon's Souls too). I would even say that so far, I prefer its barebones bleak-ass story to Witcher 2's. But again, I'm early on and I may well change my mind. So we'll see.
And there is one other thing... In Witcher, you can get laid. Like a boss, no less. :lolz:
Just finished this up a little while ago. Want an absolutely fantastic game. Although, I also admit that Witcher 2 had the most adult scenes in a video game that I've ever played. And I'm not talking about T&A, I'm refering to the gratuitous amounts of violence, it's borderline gag-worthy. Why this game didn't get an "A" rating from the ESRB is beyond me, but I'm extremely glad I played it none the less.
Good god, man. How do you find the time to finish all these games so quickly? Your house must be filthy. :)
I'm not kidding when I say that The Witcher 2 is the Game of Thrones of video games.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magician
In terms of story, themes, politics and intrigue, it's every bit as Machiavellian and engrossing as Game of Thrones is.
The game's just that fucking good.
Don't forget to play through it a second time for the alternate endings. There are seven variations.
Already, I'm noticing some of the differences between PC and 360 builds, although all the Enhanced stuff is free to PC owners who have the game already.
And another great thing is that in terms of storyline and intrigues, the first game's pretty damn good, too.
My estimation of this game has just dropped massively. Overwhelmingly. All but absolutely.
I just got to a boss fight and it's fucking horrible. Yeah, I love encounters where you die in two hits and there's no discernible way to even harm your foe. Fucking fantastic.
Fuck this game. Challenge is one thing but if I have to watch a YouTube video or check a FAQ just to know what the fuck to do that's fucking stupid.
I assume you're talking about the Kayran?Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
If the challenge is too much there's no shame in cranking back the difficulty you know.
Fuck - well now I have to give this game a whirl. I think it was Ninny who was crying the same blues about Dark Souls and it was damn good. I just figured Witcher 2 would be another cake-walk game like all the rest.Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
Compared to Demon Souls, yeah, Witcher 2 is easier. If you're playing on easy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ninjatemper
I tried playing on Dark difficulty yesterday and couldn't even make it out of the prologue.
I didn't have to go to any other source to beat a single boss in this game.Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
Nor is this a widespread complaint about the game.
The fault is yours. Not trolling. Just saying.
Ninjatemper:
If you're looking for a challenge, crank it to Dark level. It's merciless.
Good call. I'll do just that. The last rpg style game I played was Kingdoms of Amalur and even on the hardest difficulty, that game was a joke.Quote:
Originally Posted by Taiso
Just bear in mind that this game is not Dark Souls. The combat is not as tight and flows differently. But if all you want is challenge, Dark mode offers that.
You are, and maybe I will, I guess. I'll try it a couple more times first.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magician
Well, I'll be the first to admit I was wrong about Dark Souls. That game was extremely punishing in the beginning, after all. Having beaten it I can say that I still think the beginning was the toughest in terms of skill requirement. Stuff like the Crystal Cave just needed a bit of trial and error while the beginning of Dark Souls tests your skill and your patience.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ninjatemper
But yeah. Never let it be said I don't admit when I was wrong, because I was wrong. Very wrong. About as wrong as you can get, really...
It's all right, I know you're not trolling me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Taiso
In my own defense I watched a YouTube vid before I hit the sack last night and the guy used the trap signs to stun the tentacles. WTF? I probably would not have tried that tactic, and I use that sign all the time (it's way more powerful than other signs -- if it works).
It is not clear what you're supposed to do. Attack the body? The tentacles? Who knows? I tried both and got spanked. Like I said, I die in two hits and I'm wearing the very best armour I've seen in the game so far (with diamond armour upgrades, no less). The dodge roll is of questionable use in this fight, too. I roll right before the tentacle comes down, but get hit anyway. Awesome.
I don't like it when games are so uneven. I can fight an endless stream of normal enemies with no problem. Then you fight a boss that kills you in two hits. Dumb. To me this is a bad learning curve. It just is!
If I were rating this game out of ten, I'd drop it at least two points for this. So far I'd say this went from a 8 or 9 to a 6 or 7. Obviously I'll wait 'til I'm done for final judgment but so far I am not impressed with this boss bullshit.
And you know what, I have seen some complaining about it. Perhaps it's not widespread, but it's out there, and it's not just one or two dudes. So... nyah nyah nyah! :lolz:
Well, there you go:)Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
I don't recall having any of these issues with this boss. It was a harder fight than anything I encountered to that point but I still beat it on first playthrough on normal.Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
I die more to regular enemies than bosses in this game.
Not really. I did it without having to watch Youtube. I just remembered my entire arsenal and stayed alive until I figured it out.Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
Your original rating is more accurate.Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
By the same token, I've seen other people call those complainers shit Witchers.Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
Which isn't a crime. But they are shitty at The Witcher 2's boss fights. They just are!:D
For the videos is this game Skyrim?
One thing that fucks me good is that I don't have a clue of the best weapon, the best armor, the best energy/power/mana/soul strategy to follow and I always end up getting fucked by some small rat lv 20 in the first 3 hours of gameplay.
Is rpg knowledge a requirement to play this one?
Your character build in The Witcher 2 depends on what you want to do. Want to focus on magic or melee? A mixture of both?Quote:
Originally Posted by Fandangos
As you go through the game, you get to pick which abilities to raise. This allows you to customize your character as you see fit. You can overspecialize in one branch of development but will be anemic in the others. Or you can spread it out evenly and be okay at everything but not to great at any one of them.
As for weapons and gear, it's really as simple as looking at the stat of the weapon on the eqiupment screen and comparing it to what you're currently using. You can see how much damage they do comparatively and what abilities the weapons have on them. Armor works the same way.
You can also customize your gear with modifications that can enhance various capabilities, such as poison resistance, bleeding, magic resistance and so forth. Or you can make weapons that inflict greater of those same conditions.
So, for example, you can have one sword that does 22-34 points of damage but that's all it has. Another weapon may do 13-18 damage but inflicts poison, stuns a foe , and crits a greater percentage of the tiem. Which one do you equip? Depends on your character's build and how he'd benefit from it.
If you are don't want to take the time to learn the game's mechanics, then you can just make a melee build and pick the top damage and defense stat for all your gear and just drink potions for temp buffs.
But if you take the time to gather the mats to craft the pimp gear, it can be extremely rewarding. The game is thick.
You know I respect the hell out of ya, Taiso, but it seems to me that this time you're saying, "Well, I loved it! Therefore you ought to as well."Quote:
Originally Posted by Taiso
I'm saying, "This game's narrative is superb, but its game mechanics are wack. Sometimes."
So it's not really a debate, I guess. Just sayin'. :)
Yeah, I think I'm more a God of War kind of player. I always envy my friends that get so good in games like Diablo, Skyrim and now Witcher 2.
You know, I can't help but think it's a similar skill set.
I'd like to think I'm a decent God of War player (I can usually clear the hard difficulty levels and beat the challenges) and a decent hand at RPGs as well.
I find that with games like Witcher 2 it takes me a bit longer to get good at it, but when I do, I do all right. For all my complaining now, I wouldn't be too surprised if I didn't attempt a Dark difficulty run at some point (and maybe even beat it, who knows).
And I'm saying you're wrong, you sucked at the boss fight, got angry about it and suddenly the problem's not yours, it's the game's.Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
There is nothing wrong with the boss fights in this game. You're just terrible at one of them.
Well... Having now beaten the boss in question, I can say that in the end, I did have fun with it.
But I still think my initial point is valid: you don't get much help from the game as to what you're supposed to do. I game like this shouldn't hold your hand or anything, but vague goals make for frustrated gamers.
And falling back on the ol' "you suck at it" argument don't add up to much, mein freund. I'll admit I got pissed off, but I don't need to prove my skill to anyone -- it speaks for itself. I'm no grand master or anything, but I'm pretty solid, especially when it comes to RPGs. My frustration was born from the fact I didn't know what to do, not the fact I couldn't do it. The difference is slight, but it's there.
The argument holds up perfectly well.
You were doing bad at a boss fight which in simple terms can be called 'sucking' at it, and suddenly the game dropped 2-3 points in rating. It was now no longer a 8 or 9, but a 6 or 7. Because YOU couldn't figure out a boss fight that is not that hard to decipher.
All due respect, but that is an asinine position to take. It lacks any sort of objectivity at all and that's why I rightly called you on it.
Why is it whenever someone says, "with all due respect", it feels as though they're being disrespectful?Quote:
Originally Posted by Taiso
Because people have long misinterpreted the phrase through years of misuse. Mass consciousness has redefined it as distatse for a human being.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magician
The verbiage, however, is meant to imply the opposite. It is meant to show respect for the person but disregard for the argument they're stating.
Which is what I'm doing here.
All right, you got me here. My temper caused me to exaggerate, which is one of the reasons I usually don't truck in scores. A 6 for a game like this is too low. I suppose I'd give it an 8 -- so far.Quote:
Originally Posted by Taiso
I'm still a bit mad about some of the mechanics. I stayed up late playing the game (probably a bit unwise), and I got into another boss fight...
Spoiler:
So far, I stand by my analysis that this game has an excellent story but questionable game mechanics. Some magic is all but useless and some destroys your foes wholesale... Some buffs are essential and some do more harm than good. This problem is rife in this game, and while I'd hardly say it's bad overall, it definitely suffers from a lot of problems. Thankfully this doesn't get in the way of the overall experience, but I wish they'd done better -- a few tweaks and this could have been a masterpiece.
I find this assessment to be far more objective and fair, and I don't disagree with it.Quote:
Originally Posted by HeartlessNinny
I think the problem here is the application of much of this to the combat engine, which I think shows CD PRojekt's inexperience with action combat engines.
You can give a PC game dev studio a ton of credit for seeing what worked in other games and trying to duplicate that. But that doesn't mean they should get a pass on the stuff they ultimately produce.
My take on the combat engine is it their attempt to emulate the kinds of things they see in games like God of War, Darksiders and even Assassin's Creed (there is a direct tribute to Assassin's Creed in the prologue chapter, if you can find it-it's the corpse of a man dressed like Altair that looks as though he fell from a high altitude through a cart filled with straw and the whole thing shattered to pieces when he hit).
But if you play the first Witcher, it plays a lot like Diablo or DUngeon Seige, that typical 'top down-isometric' style gameplay. Just like in The Witcher 2, you can augment your abilities with magic and potions, but Witcher 2 tries to merge PC dungeon crawl style combat with console action style combat. Unfortunately, this is where their inexperience as a studio working on action games comes through. It feels like I'm still playing a dungeon crawl style combat engine rather than something more cinematic. There is something muddy about it.
That said, I still personaly love the combat engine in this game. I like what CD Projekt tried with it and I see how they tried to appeal to both PC gamers and console gamers with it. But ubiquity isn't always going to turn out how you want, and the game sort of shows its green parts in this.
I think an 8 is a fair review from someone who finds the experience uneven.
The only thing I hated, to be truthful, was the massive infodump at the end. For a game to have such an artful narrative, so perfect in its reveals, plot points, characterizations and gravitas, only to fuck it all up at the end with a single conversation that answers pretty much every question, is a massive slip. It makes the game feel rushed, like it could have gone on two more chapters to allow the knowledge to be revealed more organically and in a decompressed format. I wasn't ready to leave Geralt's world, but CD Projekt was pushing me out the door. It felt like they ran out of time and packed it all in at the end. A shame, really.
Heh, I knew we'd come to an understanding sooner or later. :)
I'll add two more points: First, I didn't know that Witcher 1 didn't use this combat engine. So, in the knowledge that this is CD Projekt's first go at this kind of thing, I think it's a very worthy attempt. Like I said, it's far from bad. The refinement of a sequel, which is probably inevitable, might be just what they need to tighten it up to the status of a true AAA game. That goal is definitely in reach.
My second point is that even veteran studios mess up game balance all the time. Take Skyrim, for instance: It's a great game, and a worthy contender for GOTY, but I thought the different character builds were wildly uneven. I only have personal experience with a sneaky thief build and a pure melee combat build, but melee combat is way, way more effective in that game. Way more. Sneaking eventually becomes better, since you can kill pretty much anything with a single backstab, but that's long after the power creep of your character makes the whole game really easy. From what I've heard from some friends of mine (and here too, I think), magic isn't that great in Skyrim either. I only have a low level mage-type, and I find that destruction magic isn't nearly as good as a sword. All in all that's kind of dumb if you ask me.
As for the end of the game, well, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I don't mind hearing that it's a bit rushed, though... Might stave off some disappointment in what's otherwise a stellar narrative.
man this thread scared the shit outa me, for a second there I thought clessy was back.
I hate to say it but my opinion of this game continues to decline.
It's chock full of utterly stupid designs when it comes to the fights. For one I had to fight a knight and all five of his best friends in a broom closet. Well, it's a good thing Geralt's combat technique relies heavily on movement and agility, isn't it? Yep.
Then I got to fight a stupid fucking golem on a narrow pathway. Yeah. I'm so glad he doesn't immediately recover from every one of his attacks to fucking kill me in one blow. And I'm delighted you have to hit him about 9000 times with the best spells/weapons in the game to defeat him while two blows from him kill you. And I love when he recovers from my immobilizing trap to kill me without any warning, no recovery required.
Time and time again this game smacks of pure amateurishness. Either they didn't bother to properly play test this game or they're really terrible at giving you a proper arena to fight in.
On top of that the story stagnates heavily in the second act. A bunch of questions and mysteries are introduced, then nothing happens until the very end of the act. Dumb.
I'm quickly reaching the point where I would not recommend this game to anyone other than a serious RPG enthusiast. We'll see how act 3 goes... But it better be good, or I'm going to be very disappointed.
Beat the game this afternoon.
All in all I'd have to give this game a thumbs down. I was having fun in the beginning but a lot of factors really spoiled my enjoyment of this game. Shall I list them? Don't mind if I do.
I've already mentioned the uneven combat engine. This problem really gets exacerbated later -- as you fight tougher enemies, it gets more and more frustrating because Geralt seems intent on doing the attacks he wants to do, not what you want him to do. Sometimes his combos come out quick, and sometimes he decides to spin around like an idiot, using attacks that take markedly longer. Why? I have no idea. It seems random. Even better the lock on system got wonky later in the game for some reason. I can't tell you how many times I locked onto an enemy only to have Geralt start to swing at empty air like an idiot. Again.
Some of the enemies you come across are extremely cheap. The Gargoyles, for instance, spawn all around you. Most of the time when they hit you, you get knocked to the ground and pummeled before you can get up. If there's one thing I hate in games it's getting knocked down and killed before I can even get up again. It's just cheap bullshit. I tried to make sure my gear was appropriate but there really isn't much to choose from -- old gear becomes obsolete quickly and there are only one or two options to replace it at any given moments, if that. I used the same gloves for 80% of the game.
Normally I don't complain that much about graphics, but in this game they're pretty incompetent as far as clipping goes. I don't understand it. You always play Geralt. There is no other option. There is no other main character the player is going to use -- ever. So why make all his armour have big collars and such that his hair goes right through? This is endemic in pretty much all characters. I haven't seen a game with so many lazy clipping mistakes since the PS1 days.
Finally, and this is a big one, you have the story. I'll try and stay spoiler free.
I don't think the story was that great. It had a lot of promise in the beginning -- you find yourself in a world full of intrigue and back door dealings. Well, as it happens they don't really count for anything. The main plot of the game is actually pretty simple, and all the carrot-and-stick business just strings everything out and generally wastes your time. Worst of all none of the characters have any real development. None of them are all that interesting either.
I could go on but I don't see the point. I appreciate the effort on the developer's part, but I think this game is bogged down by its many, many flaws. It doesn't do anything I haven't seen before, and done much, much better. We talked a bit about Dark Souls earlier in this thread -- now there's a game that thoroughly outclasses this one from top to bottom. As far as action RPGs go, this is middling fare at best.
There are much better RPGs out there. I say play those instead.