Well I may as well put my little bit in...... :-[I LOVE THE WITCHER............LOL 
I find it refreshing to find an adult orientated game with an unhealthy balance of realism and fantasy + a good level of violence always helps.The way the game plays is comfortable and responsive, the story is sooooo engrossing and the characters are well thought out.A good beastery with a nice mix of combatants, different combat stances for different scenarios.It's all good yeah...... 8)
I find it refreshing to find an adult orientated game with an unhealthy balance of realism and fantasy + a good level of violence always helps.The way the game plays is comfortable and responsive, the story is sooooo engrossing and the characters are well thought out.A good beastery with a nice mix of combatants, different combat stances for different scenarios.It's all good yeah...... 8)i played through the witcher. overall, it rocked.I do think that the EE will fix what I currently don't like A) load times B) engine is a bit unwieldy (it would not run until I bought 2 more gig of ram, and did not run well until I got a new faster graphics card.) I think the weakest point was act IV. A slowdown could have been nice but since the big battle with the bosses of that level were so easy compared to the beast, I did not like act IV. after the wonderful town esp act 2, with so many plot diversions, I got kinda bored with the quests in act IV. especially since by that point I was rich and had nothing to spend money on, and also had more ingredients than I knew what to do with it.and what is up with the 1 point of exp drowners bugging around the last two acts?anyway, pro, act 1, and act 2 were FANTASTIC. awesome. act 3 an 5 were good. five picked up the pace and got better. liked the game.not sure about replay value. I would like to play on hard but espeially with mutlple opponents in fire I don't trust my ability to chain. I wish I could have higher difficulty with the flame symbol still there.
LOL....I'm so broke in game, during chapter two I wanted the leather jacket upgrade for 5000 orens, obviously gambling took for ever, quests didn't pay enough so I went hunting for alchemical ingredients, and thieving every little thing I could sell, I even sold my heavy weapon. I'm now at the end of chapter 2 and finished all the quests, I'm still short by 1000 orens but I figured out the problem......I spent lots of my gold on books, plus I had a sword forged......kelticpete said:
not happy. But the next time I will be more conservative with my gold and that jacket will be mine......Oh yes it will be mine............ You got to play the game at least twice to see both sides of the story, I know I'm looking forward to doing it all again.......hey but thats just me....... 8)Better than those is my opinion. I am absolutely in love with the game and I cannot stop playing. My sleep is suffering a great deal, but it's worth it. I haven't found a game to be this engrossing in a long, long time. Really hope there are some sequels/prequels, whatever. As long as there's more! I'm the type of player who likes to see and do everything there is, so it will take me ages to finish this one, but afterwards I want to be able to look forward to an addition to the game (besides the enhanced version, of course). And I'm sure I'll replay on hard or just go on normal again and take a different path. ;DAJRimmer said:
[size=10pt][size=10pt]Warning: a few minor spoilers ahead. [/size][/size]OK, I've been playing games for a long time now, since the Intellivision in the 80s, so I've seen my share of titles. Over the years, action-oriented, single-player RPGs have become my favorite genre, with the "Gothic" series being my all-time favorite example. Last night, I finally finished the Witcher. It's been a strange ride with this game. I bought the U.S. version in October, played it a little, and then realized I had the "censored" version. Well, that wouldn't do. I wanted to obliterate some nude monsters. So, I sold the game through Ebay and ordered the uncensored version. Then, before that arrived, I heard that a new patch was coming in Christmas, so I put off playing it until then. After getting into it for a couple months, I heard the news of the Enhanced Edition coming in May. I don't play games more than once very often, so I decided to wait for this version, which seemed like it would fix a lot of my issues with the game. Anyway, once THAT was delayed, I thought, "Screw this, I'm going to just finish the damn game as it is." So, that's what I did, and here are my pros and cons.PROS:The story. Without a doubt, the most involved, deep single-player RPG story I've ever encountered. The characters were memorable, the quests were usually very interesting. Loved the fact that the game was set up in chapters, like "Gothic." For me, I prefer a little structure. I want SOME open-endedness, definitely, but I stopped playing Oblivion and even Morrowind because there was just TOO MUCH open-endedness for me. I need to have some ultimate goals in mind, and this game was a perfect balance. The graphics and animations were spectacular. I loved the sword fighting animations - best I've ever seen, even though combat was a bit of a letdown for me overall (see "CONS"). The magic system was strong, too, although I found myself using the push and fire spells most of the time. The monsters were truly incredible. There was a great variety, and their design was fantastic. The Witcher himself - the best game character I've probably ever come across. Loved his look, his presence, his whole vibe. VERY, very cool character, and the actor for the English version was absolutely perfect. The adult themes of this game were incredibly welcome. I wish more developers would take this route, as there are so many "adults" playing games these days, not just little console-loving dimwits. So many tough decisions. There were times where I literally stared at a dialogue tree for minutes straight trying to figure out what choice to make. The things that "could have been" with different choices should add to the replay value. The general atmosphere in the whole game was just fantastic - I love the dark, gothic nature of the ambience, from the way the cities looked and felt to the incredible soundtrack to the way the people behaved. A sense of dread just hung over everything, and you really got the sense that you were in dangerous territory all the time. The leveling system was strong. A really solid, easy-to-grasp method of increasing your character's abilities. The world itself was a good size - not too huge and not too small. In fact, the game LENGTH was about perfect. Nothing worse than a game you can finish within a week, OR one that just seems to never end. This was perfect. I loved the alchemy system, because you didn't have to spend tons of time figuring it out. It was rich and deep, but it was also easy to understand and easy to use. THE CONS:Combat for me was a disappointment, though I did find it SOMETIMES enjoyable. I despise turn-based combat. I want full control over my character's actions. The Witcher's system was sort of a compromise. It wasn't turn-based, but it was still an advanced form of "point and click and watch". I love to be able to dodge and parry on my own, to put together combos on my own, etc. It gives such a feeling of satisfaction to be able to defeat opponents like that. I loved the Gothic series for that reason - the combat was completely based on YOU and how you controlled the character, and when you took something down, you knew you'd accomplished something. With the Witcher's combat system, I too often felt like I was a spectator and not the actual character. It annoyed me that I couldn't block or parry, but that these things were done for me based on my stats. Again, the animations were amazing to watch, and the final termination blows had amazing animations and were often pretty satisfying, but overall I really wish they'd developed a more interactive combat system here. TOO MANY BOUNDARIES. There were just too many places in this game where the Witcher found himself hitting an invisible wall, and this really lowers the immersion level. It seemed particularly bad in the swamp area, where Geralt would run up to a bush and not be able to get through it, or up to a small ridge and not be able to climb up it, but would instead have to run around and backtrack just to do something that any pathetic human should've been able to do (i.e., climb three feet or walk up a hill, up a flight of steps, etc.). CONFUSING DIALOGUE AT TIMES - I realize now that this is because so much of the English script was cut. They did a decent job of handling that and maintaining some level of sense, but there were MANY times where I really felt confused as to how the story was progressing, OR something would happen and I'd be like, "WHAT? How/why did that just happen?" Hopefully the EE will fix this. WAAAYYYY TOO FEW CHARACTER MODELS - I know, this has been beaten into the ground, but it was a real sore spot for me. It took a lot for me to just stop caring about it and finish the damn game. This was probably the main reason I decided at first to wait for the EE, as it seems they will address this, but really...SOME character model repeats I can understand and accept, but NOT repeats of any main characters (like the Preacher, Velerad, Carmen, etc.). Again, this really hurt the immersion level quite a bit for me. INVENTORY SYSTEM: I liked it overall, but the fact that nothing was sorted made it VERY difficult and time-consuming sometimes to pick the right potion, find the right item. A.I. reactions - one of the things that I loved so much about Gothic was the way the NPCs would react to just about every little thing you did. If you walked into one of their homes without being invited, they would chase you out or try to fight you. If you touched anything in their home or stole something, they would try to fight you immediately, and others would often help them. I was really disappointed that in the Witcher you could just go into anyone's house and pretty much rob them blind while they stood and stared at you, and that this changed absolutely nothing about how they reacted to you. The devs did a great job establishing A.I. routines that gave cities a realistic feel, but the lack of reaction to theft, etc. really counteracts that for me. Once again, an example of something that really lowers the main goal of an rpg, which is a high level of immersion. TOO EASY. The game just really wasn't that challenging. Only a few of the boss fights took more than one try. But with a limited combat and movement system like this, it's harder to make epic boss fights, I guess. There was some strategy involved, but it usually came down to trying to overcome the control limitations rather than USING the control scheme to your advantage. In general, I was usually underwhelmed by the boss fights. Javed was just so easy to kill, and that had been built up for the whole game...the Grand Master was also a breeze...FINAL THOUGHTS:OK, even with all those criticisms, the story of this game, the incredible amount of passion that obviously went into its creation, and the richness and uniqueness of the whole world STILL make this one of the best RPGs I've ever played. It still falls short of the Gothic experience for me, but if some of those "cons" had been improved on, this would probably be my favorite RPG of all time. The biggest compliment I can pay it is that I'm probably going to play through it again when the EE comes out, and I RARELY play long games like this twice. But the story hooked me, and I'm interested to see what other turns I could've taken the first time. I think the Witcher is a real :diamond in the rough" - I might even call it a flawed masterpiece. There is just so much that the developers did right with this, and their efforts in making this were obviously incredible. I'm truly happy that it seems to be experiencing so much success, as this is the type of game I want to see more of. In fact, I want to see more of The Witcher, and soon! I'm really happy that a lot of the "cons," including load times, will be addressed in the EE. Hopefully by the time a sequel comes around, they'll really have things even more together, as this could be one of the great RPG franchises of all time, and single-player RPGs are becoming a rarity these days. I just really hope on a personal level that they change up the combat system and make it more interactive, but I doubt that will happen....Anyway, I give the game a 7/10. If I do manage to finish the EE, I reserve the right to raise that score, and hopefully I will.
Doh !!! :wall:Three paths ? I thought it was human or non human......Oh well I don't really need another excuse to play through again LOLgamewidow said:Hey Karmarapture, there are three paths
I think I'm on the neutral path by mistake now, I keep getting moaned at by the NPC's for not choosing a side, sheeeesh are they mental, I'm a witcher not a peace keeper......'sniger'I want hot girls and gold man, not a long line of needy backstabbing scumbags trying to get a freebie out of me..........ermm.......Ahem............that would be the Geralt in me talking, I should take a break.. :evil:
Game Widow , I don't know what to say :-[...........I'm not just a mindless pervert ........and the Internet is not just for dirty pictures :angel:.......you can get films too..... Seriously, I do find myself intrigued at the possibilities and will be exploring them all, I just lack the time. I do have one small problem.......my inventory is always maxed out in game, I always carry loads of alchemical ingredients for some reason ?Oooo I got my leather vest upgrade........ ;D
, I don't know what to say :-[...........I'm not just a mindless pervert ........and the Internet is not just for dirty pictures :angel:.......you can get films too..... Seriously, I do find myself intrigued at the possibilities and will be exploring them all, I just lack the time. I do have one small problem.......my inventory is always maxed out in game, I always carry loads of alchemical ingredients for some reason ?Oooo I got my leather vest upgrade........ ;DI have to fight the urge to be a pack rat as well in the game, but i'd say you only need around 20-25 of any given substance (but maybe i go a bit light on potions) and the only secondary substance i like to have is albedo (though lots of good arguments have been made for rubedo)so really, you should only dedicate about 12 slots for alchemical ingredients, maybe another 6 for bases (4 for alcohol, 2 for grease). I never make white gull in advance, why clutter inventory ? Now , do *i* actually manage to follow my own advice ? almost never congrats on finally getting the excellent leather jacket
congrats on finally getting the excellent leather jacket Yeah it broke the bank of me....... :'(but I got my Swallow and Tawny Owl on the quick select, so I'm sorted.I will take note of your inventory volumes, thanks....
Thankx for you – indeed long and detailed review of the game. Though your cons it was a pleasure to read it as you worded your review with constructive critism. A few things you complaint will be revamped with the Enhanced Edition as you already mentioned in your review. For me too I hardly can wait to see the improvements but also the new content and... of course new character models. The current character models are impressive and catchy, in fact that much that the first appearance of the "fat merchant" model (Odo) was always Odo in the next chapters for me ;D Same goes for the "Abigail" model, the "Grandma" (Shani's) model and many more.Some things you compaint remain in the EE but if you wish to try something else of the Witcher world I recommand Strands of Destiny, the game features announce more freedom to move (Geralt may even swim), serious consequences for theft and a few new features more.About the combat system... well, I like it and of course the motion capture technic as well but I don't know if there will be changes that find favour with your liking. I have heard of an other RPG that is Elveon which offers that sort of combat you mentioned, omg... I'm talking of a competitive produkt ^__^ I think it will be released this year, maybe it's already out.
but I don't know if there will be changes that find favour with your liking. I have heard of an other RPG that is Elveon which offers that sort of combat you mentioned, omg... I'm talking of a competitive produkt ^__^ I think it will be released this year, maybe it's already out.Only just started playing - did a few Outskirts quests all on easy, and re-start on Medium So far:It's addictive enough to keep me hooked for a while. Balance seems good, I like the level up abilities, the characters and the plot are all imersive and fun, the few choices I've had to make are good. I hope it manages to keep this up all the way through to the end.I'm not so impressed with the gaphics. They're good, but not awesome and for somethign with these minimum specs I was expecting awesome. All the graphic capabilites must have gone on the annoying millions of cut scenes. I really don't like them. Especially for simple dialog bits. I've already completely filled my inventory. This is annoying. So far so good. I'll see how it progresses on medium.