Disclaimer:I love the Witcher totally, it's simply best cRPG I've played in looooong time (now if only Bethesda won't screw up Fallout 3 next year I'll be a happy gamer). All the moaning and picking below is coming from my desire to make Witcher even better, more versatile to suit needs of gamers of all ages.Aha, and it's going to be a long one, please read it carefully, You'll make my day that way ;DHi.Yesterday completed the game on Hard level.I know that to many Witcher is extraordinarily hard (omg Beast xP), but seriously - do You really think Hard level lets You finish finall battle without any Signs, in second available armor (not the Raven's one) and only on Swallow rubedo? True, I've used Perun rune (which is overpowered right now too, I mean c'mon, 2x damage, +60% to hit and +30% for precise strike? :
), but I thought it's going to be a challenge. It wasn't. I tried two times, firstly killing all fire elementals, at the second time going for Grandmaster straight away and it was even easier. I don't even mention the Wild Hunt, barely registered killing it.Now, I know that Witcher is not about fight only, storyline etc are very important factor too. But to me most important part of any game is challenge. To try oneself, realize that all obstacles on Your path can be overcomed and Your brain still functions properly
In this game challenge finished shortly after coccacidium on the Swamps in second chapter and the detective-style quest. Rest of the game was like killing ants (fun nonetheless ;D)I agree that first chapter and Swamps on the second are properly Hard (hope so, started again today to check how terrible Beast can be without Signs but with combat experience taken from finishing the game), so everything below is about further chapters.Thoughts:Signs are OVERPOWERED. They are great, I love their animations, I love finishing moves after knocking/stunning opponents, flames of Igni and power of Yrden (properly placed can kill like 3 Basilisks without player's action at all), but with them game is so easy it's amazing. From 4th chapter I stopped using Signs totally, that helped a bit to lift the challenge (quite often after conversation leading to fight Geralt stands surrounded by enemies without drawn weapon so without aard to push them away it's getting pretty warm sometimes), but still not enough.Friendly NPC's are nearly immortal (except Vesna/Abigail, last one can't die so it's not a problem). In Epilogue Triss was beaten by some Garkains/other vamps in total number of four monsters, and after like sixty seconds of beating she still had about 70% of health. I know sorcerors are powerful, but not in melee, right?.Whole idea to have NPC helping You in final stages of game is a bit... Weird. It's great to see those women and chat to them, but free medic, Adda and banshee? Thank goodness they disappear after a while otherwise I could read books instead of killing monsters. Btw, human-descendants mutant monsters should survive a bit more than 3-4 cuts of my sword, right? I mean, to live in such environment, always fight for food and survival should make them a bit... Harder, methinks. Group combat style is waaaaay to strong. Not only You get ability to attack all opponents at once (therefore interrupt/make attacks on Geralt harder to them), but also You get insane precise strike AND knockout. I started over this morning and even in Kaer Morhen it's way faster to kill even nimble mobs with Group (providing You have more than one opponent), than with Fast style. With Group it takes like 3-4 hits, Fast need to put 4-5. Later on it get's much, much stronger ??? There's not much equality between Group style and Fast style, especially that with enough bonus to attack/precise hit one can kill even fast mobs on Strong in 1-2 cuts. In chapter five I had to literally search every body on the graveyard near the Crypt with Adda to find trophys, because I killed those so called unique monsters without hardly noticing it :/I realize that Group is necessary and is an enormous fun (circles of spraying blood are awesome), but how on earth one can defeat more easily three opponents than one? If anything, Precise Strike should go to Fast style, that could balance it a bit.I also know that Geralt is polish Guts (Berserk), killing monsters on a daily basis but hey - he wasn't THAT good, otherwise he'd rule the world like Conan ruled Aquilonia ;D ;D, and there would be no monsters whatsoever it they would be so simple to kill. ...So all I'm saying is that it would be great to add another difficulty level, You name it, just make it truly hard. Like in Civilization IV - one has about seven different settings for that, and I didn't play on Deity (stopped on Emperor) yet and it's great - I know I can always increase the challenge.Simply - later in the game one gets better skills, better items, weapons, more ingredients, more potions, more everything and it makes whole gaming experience tad to easy. Don't even get me started on Dagon - I was like ??? what?? What was that?? Oh well, it's dead anyway :
Think about the story from The Last Wish with mermaid Sheenaz in it - Geralt fought the water folk, but inevitable death, abysmall darkness of ocean dephts were so close You could almost smell rotting fish. Dunno, more monsters for Dagon? Make him hit Geralt every now and then? Is there any chance on adding new difficulty setting in next expansion/sequel? Ok, thank You for Your attention, I hope others feel more-less the same.
