Death March. Lovin it. Thx CDPR

[BlackWolf500.298]

Death March. Lovin it. Thx CDPR

Playing on "Death March" difficulty. Died only 3 times so far but I have a terrifying consume of potions and consumables.
Loving every minute of it.
In the beginning I failed hard with monster combat, but after a few times you really get the flow and start being more confident. Using signs intelligently to support the combat situations was never better and more intuitive (without being OP IMO) and the dodge and roll as two slightly different variations of evasion are just amazing. Yes, sometimes a hit misses, but that is hardcore gameplay, just like in Dark Souls. Also love the changing enemy patterns in terms of frequency of attack, fighing styles, as how many they attack and how intelligent they are (some more, some less).

The only thing I don't like are potions. Duration is way too short (especially for potions like Tawny Owl) and toxicity almost doesn't rise at all.
Didn't use a decoction so far though.... so maybe that's how to get toxicity up. I want to have the chance to see Geralts toxicity face without having to fear to waste time because the potions only lasts for a few seconds. I mean come on. It doesn't really give you big advantages having increased endurance regen if it is only for 30 seconds, you can maybe get an additional 2 sign uses out of it, but not much more.....

Anyway, love the rest of the game. Atmosphere, story, voice acting, dialogues, graphics, quests, contracts, interactions, lore. Great stuff.

PS: Why he hell are some people talking about downgrade? I saw PS4 footage and it is better than ANY PS4 game I have seen so far. As for PC, I am playing on ultra and I have not a single complaint (aside from HairWorks, but IMO that is Nvidias problem, the system and the hardware are just not yet ready for something so demanding (unless you have a Titan X))

 

[BlackWolf500.298]

*cough*

 

[sz0ty0l4]

on death march you will need decoctions and oils later, there are several monsters that are too hard to defeat. I've just faced a vampire and it's healing himself like hell. it was like level 14 and Geralt lvl 16 and still i had to reload the fight at least 4 or 5 times becase i didn't have the alchemy ingredients

By the way i don1t understand this downgrade bullshit aswell... they had to compromise on something to make it like this that's normal with everything in the world.
And to be honest the game looks stunning and runs totally smooth. i have constant 60 fps with my 980 on maxed , but hairworks off... and really graphically thegame looks so stunning.

 

[Ouroboros612]

Like dragon age inquisition nightmare difficulty - the game is actually hardest early game and then becomes easier.

Once you have the general skill that increases toxicity by 30 and you're about 15 points into the alchemy tree things get easier.

Mainly: 2 x Mutagenic concoction, 25% damage mitigation from oil, potions healing you for 25% hp etc.

 

[FreeFall24]

Playing on Third difficulty setting, for a second playthrough I plan for DEATH MARCH! My inner Souls' and Bloodborne masochist wants to experience Death March.

Playing on harder difficulties is my new thing for a fresh play, as many games, even on Normal, are just too bloody easy for me. Ever since Demon's Souls I CRAVE for challenge with every game! I NEED IT!

Broken Bones, is it? Offers a solid balance to story and difficulty. I've failed, yes, but mostly cause I forget to use potions and bombs, which are just as essential as ever, and with easier access to replenishing what you've already got? No excuse for not always being prepared.

I agree on the duration of potion effects. On the harder difficulties the effects should at least last longer then they do now, and since we still have means to cancel the effects and lower Toxicity, those items feel so useless as the potion effects don't last long whatsoever. Unless they can be upgraded for longer duration? That may be a possibility.

Playing on PS4 as I need to upgrade my PC, I await to see what the 300x series offers before making my decision. I prefer tressFX over HairWorks or NVIDIA Fur, as seen with FaCry 4. No idea why CDPR went with Hair over tressFX - Not only does tressFX actually work, It's not anywhere near as demanding, and works just fine with NVIDIA as far as 2.0 goes.

Visually the game looks amazing, even on PS4, and does indeed look better on Ultra for PC. The downgrade was a disappointment to those who can afford to play at that level of graphical awesomesauce. I feel for the PC Enthusiasts when comes to downgrades.

 

[Amioran]

Like dragon age inquisition nightmare difficulty - the game is actually hardest early game and then becomes easier.

Once you have the general skill that increases toxicity by 30 and you're about 15 points into the alchemy tree things get easier.

Mainly: 2 x Mutagenic concoction, 25% damage mitigation from oil, potions healing you for 25% hp etc.

Try to do a DM run with a DPS glass cannot build, with cat + fast attack + critical dmg. Alchemy makes DM much easier for the greater increased vitality.

 

[TheMorbidAtheist]

Death March here...
49 hours in, still level 11, and no fast traveling whatsoever.

I still WANTS the PERMADEATH MODE!!!

 

[dasega]

Death march is how this game should be played otherwise its hack n slash. Lot of ppl compliant about combat but they should play on hardiest level where you have to use strategy and different signs to win only then you will have a fun and will realise how brilliant is combat system in wtcher 3. Also I do think levelling on lower difficulty setting is to quick and you end up with loads undone quest below your level.

 

[Anelikital]

I started with the broken bones one, but eventually Death March won me over, and i am not joking when i say i am afraid sometimes to venture too far off course.

 

[schinderhannes.999]

I particularly like how long battles can go on, especially if you're feeling cocky and take on boss creatures a couple of levels above yours. The face off with the Shrieker must've lasted for a good 15-20 minutes for me, only with using signs and chugging down 1 or 2 charges of Swallow. And when it finally fell it was glorious.

 

[mvdeckard]

Agreed. Death March is the way the game was meant to be played. Especially for anyone that's a fan of the Souls games and Bloodborne.

Death March isn't really that HARD, per se', it just requires a bit more thought than going in and mashing attack in the monster's face until its dead. Enemies are actually a threat and you actually have to jump out of the way.

I also can't imagine playing this game with auto-regeneration health. That would ruin it. But I realize the customer base includes a lot of young kids on consoles and so I understand why they made health auto-regen a thing on the lower difficulties.

 

[Anelikital]

I particularly like how long battles can go on, especially if you're feeling cocky and take on boss creatures a couple of levels above yours. The face off with the Shrieker must've lasted for a good 15-20 minutes for me, only with using signs and chugging down 1 or 2 charges of Swallow. And when it finally fell it was glorious.

I know what you mean i was fighting a Cockatrice, the fight lasted 15 min, it was flying or was trying to land on me, all while the lele music playing, simply epic moment when i killed it

 

[yayodeanno.831]

Hey, I changed difficulty to Death March mid White Orchard quests. Any chance I'll get the "Death Path" achievement when I finish the game?

 

[Finnbhennach]

I know what you mean i was fighting a Cockatrice, the fight lasted 15 min, it was flying or was trying to land on me, all while the lele music playing, simply epic moment when i killed it

"Lele music" ahahahahaha. You made my day sir

People who complain that the game is too easy should try basic builds like only combat branch and no alternate sign etc. I am level 12 at the moment. Have fast, heavy attack and arrow deflection fulled. The game still required a lot of concentration and was challenging, however, when I unlocked Alternate Yrden sign (just one point spent) the build already became too op. Place one regular and one alternate Yrden on top of each other and watch the world burn.

Ever since than, I haven't increased even one skill whatsoever because I want the game to remain challenging. I just use regular signs, basic combat techniques and oils & potions and I love the combat. Yesterday I came across a Fiend and oh my god such thrill! For the first two minutes I didn't receive a single blow and started to think "well, that's easy" and then bam! One mistake and I took a hit and 3/4 of my vitality was gone.

I love how correct strategy works like a charm and one little mistake punishes you so mercilessly.

 

[REDDorigen]

Hey, I changed difficulty to Death March mid White Orchard quests. Any chance I'll get the "Death Path" achievement when I finish the game?

In order to get this trophy/achievement you need to play on that difficulty from the start.

 

[Exentryk]

I think I'm getting the best experience of this game in Death March. Using potions, raw meat, meditating and preparing before fights, planning out various strategies for various monsters... it's great.

I particularly like how long battles can go on, especially if you're feeling cocky and take on boss creatures a couple of levels above yours. The face off with the Shrieker must've lasted for a good 15-20 minutes for me, only with using signs and chugging down 1 or 2 charges of Swallow. And when it finally fell it was glorious.

I know what you mean i was fighting a Cockatrice, the fight lasted 15 min, it was flying or was trying to land on me, all while the lele music playing, simply epic moment when i killed it

Didn't last that long for me, but I enjoyed it a lot too

[video=youtube;pFjt-9B1pA0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFjt-9B1pA0[/video]

 

[GeraltUfRivea]

there are console users who prefer no health regen. Stop being superficial.

 

[Mekc]

Well Death March mode is fun until you craft some good gear set (Cat's Gear, etc.) and good potions / oils. After that, Death March is easy as a piece of cake and I actually want a harder difficulty.

In early game (first 10 levels) Death March is a Hardcore thing. But after - nothing special. The big bosses give you a hard time of course, but it's usually just the problem of time (I was killing the last boss in the main story lane for 10-15 mins I think - but nothing difficult, just very long).

 

[Karoleusz]

Game becomes very easy later, so no thx for cdpr for game being too easy.
Death march is more like normal later on.
Game needs new difficulty.
Or better balance.

@mvdeckard since when pc players are those "mature" and "hardcore" ones?

 

[uthvag]

i would love better AI

Started out with death march , found it easy( but the boss battles were long drawn out, a lot of baiting and dodging) , turned it back a bit to blood and broken bones as the difficulty increase only made health /damage changes , no AI ones.

cruising through blood and broken bones using just swordplay and quen. Also took down a wyvern lvl 14 ( really bad moveset) at level 4 , while a lvl 14 Cockatrice is really tough ( one hit KO)