The interview I saw, said it worked by slowing time and allowing you to target weak points, or similarly with humans, knock the sign out of a caster by severing his arm. Then your action playing out at full speed. Sounds a lot like how MGR works. Hitman/Max Payne also have similar features it works well in all 3 games. I LOVE the idea, see someone about to cast a sign at you? Quickly slice off his arm. Adds some depth and strategy (I imagine you won't have unlimited resources for this mechanic in combat). From everything we've heard so far, it sounds an awful lot like a merging of Dead Space necromorph style killing tactics and Hitman/Max Payne/MGR, which if executed PROPERLY will make combat amazing.
It also fits with lore, Geralt's speed was never effectively communicated in TW2. When he is high as fuck on potions he is supposed to dance circles around fools, slowing time is the best way to show him doing this, without making it a button mashy hack and slash (Blizzard potions communicated it in TW1).
The ONLY worry I have is how it will be implemented resource wise.
Ideally for me it would work something like this:
- A Witcher should always go in prepared this includes pre-drinking long term effect potions (which wouldn't add to toxicity, you'd have a limited number of buff slots for these) which need to be consumed before battle as well as taking short term effect potions that can be used in combat.
- Blizzard would be one of these potions, and since most monsters (and the fact it will help in many human encounters) will need you to use this system, you will have to gather the ingredients yourself (make them somewhat rare, but respawning or something).
- In order to activate it you'd need to drink a Blizzard potion, which would MAX out your toxicity for a period, afterwords preventing the use of other short term potions (heals, quick vigor regen etc), and offer some negative effects on Geralt until the debuff went away.
- Each time you max toxicity in combat less of it will drop off(for example: first Blizzard potion you use at 0%, after the debuff goes away and you can use it again, you will now be at 25%, in this example after 3 potions you would still be at 100% toxicity even after the ending of the debuff and thus consuming any more potions would incapacitate Geralt and lead to a game over, OR alternatively, it just won't work and Geralt would have to fight the rest of the combat sequence with no potions and all the negatives of being max toxicity).
- For casters a Blizzard potion could allow multiple casts during the time frame. Alchemists may have an extra charge slot for it, or have it allow a secondary target for sword users.
- You could have talents make it have different effects/bonuses/penalties depending on offensive or defensive playstyles
- Easier difficulties could be more forgiving in the number of in combat potions you get.
This system would emphasis the preparation aspect of Witchers, while not making it grindy OR cause the combat to devolve into spamming this mode (by the fact of you can only use so many...you don't need to farm all day, because having 100000 potions won't trivialize a fight). It would also emphasis decision making and tactical choice (do I go for a limb removal now? or do I REALLY need a quick heal?...will I get another chance at removing this limb? etc), as opposed to a style of running around til the ability is ready again, and using it. All while making sure the rest of the combat mechanics (blocks, pirouettes, ripostes etc) are still incredibly important to have mastered on high difficulties, because you can't "Witcher Sense" everything in every fight. It also has a clear potential downside.
And again, the penalties would be less severe on lower difficulties, and also allow you more in combat potion usage. Which could also help difficulty scaling be less about adding health and dmg to enemies and be more about managing potion use correctly.
I HATE the idea it would be activated on a successful block and parry, cause it would promote a style of play that is passively waiting for it to proc. Similar to rolling around in TW2 using Aard until something is stunned...than one shotting it, or rolling around until you get behind something and killing it in 4 swings regardless of difficulty.
