http://beavers.it/2015/04/02/caccia-selvaggia/
Having been on the trail, I managed to find the report from the guy that made the aforementioned video. Couple of nice screens and a nice summary from Italy(Eng translation was necessary to understand
)
I had nothing to do so I translated almost the whole article.
The event
The third chapter of the saga of the witcher is one of the most anticipated games of the year, there is little to be there to sentencing, it's people's hype which is talking and also I expect and hope for a huge game. But, as everyone knows, for a
Caccia Selvaggia (Wild Hunt ... errr...), it is good to arrive early and, as I have this habit, probalby I exaggerate and I go there at 10:00, I immediately take a photo of the entrance with the poster, but an hour and a half early. The guy at the entrance tells me politely that I can also go around, and so, after seeing La Scala Theater surrounded by screaming Chinese, I return at 11:10 and I find that enough people came in and you can start to feel a warm atmosphere. Not by chance, to give me a nice smile, they place an envelope full of gadgets on my shoulder and invite me to come into a room where I felt comfortable, thanks to some known people's faces and with whom I exchange a small talk and laughs. After a juice orange from a light refreshment , I take some photos and I can only rejoice watching the beautiful statue of Geralt at the entrance, as well as I keep an eye on the board game. I notice that the playing wings include two beautiful powerful PCs and other 10 Xbox One, no PS4.
It all seems very casual and simple. The organization seems very good to me, in fact there are no delays, and I like this thing very much since I have to take a train after that...
Damien Monnier comes running and you see right away that it is a straightforward and fast guy. He says a few words about the project, make us to see one of the usual trailer already enjoyed long ago at E3 video, warns us not to lick the monster's tongue fighting with Geralt at the entrance and invites us to play and write on pre-printed sheets our opinion about the game, anonymous, with cons and pros, because it is of great importance for them.
Impressions
I try the game in two different times. In the first I only play for 10 minutes trying rapid combat system among the vegetation and a nice ride on horseback, to test commands, get a first impression; the second time around I have more time and I spend a whole half hour taking it easy, starting the game from the beginning of the demo without running. First of all I point out that the graphics on PCs were set up on "high", but if you want you could also go for very high and comparing the PC version and the Xbox One, I haven't noticed vast differences. Obviously something in the details of the environment and vegetation was noticeable and certainly with everything to the maximum on the PC you can taste with great enjoying, but the graphics are absolutely excellent. What is it immediately evident is that there is so much color, so many strong colors, little gloom, there is life and light in this game, maybe even too much in some places I explored, but I like this. Well, while running into this open world I remember that, months ago, the graphics seemed to want to seek a greater realism and now places appear more "watercolor", allow me this term. But this is not a cons at all and it should not be mistaken for a game with a cartoon graphics and colorful, partly because the more you play, the more you will melt, involved in these wild lands. I'm impressed by the details because often when I'm playing I look around, standing still to see the walls of the castle, the plants, the texture of the polygonal models and the care spent for Geralt's model is awesome. And indeed it's good to see.
The beginning
The demo has a difficulty level can be set between 4 modes: easy, normal, hard and super hard (?). The game begins in the fortress of Kaer Morhen with Geralt bathing in the tub, Terence Hill style. Cutscenes are well made and we can skip them pressing X. It soon becomes clear that there will be lot of different cutscenes and there will be a lot of dialogue in the game, which, in my opinion, it never hurts and enchances a good plot. Already in the first room you can familiarize with some commands and objects present in the environment, so much that by holding LT on the pad of X One, witcher's senses will activate and Geralt can better examine everything around him. Once took the key and opened the door we will then chasing little Ciri for the fortress until training camp, great way to make tutorials. We note therefore that holding down the A button, the witcher will trip and will run faster, while with L + B overrides walls and fences; but if you are already running and you are faced with an obstacle, just by pressing B instantly, he will jump right over it. Already from these brief easy phases of the game you can see, however, that the gameplay is very smooth, stable, there are no stupid things like in Assassin's Creed, where after 10 years still
impapina (slang for stumble) and falls, or if it bumps into a wall it will stand still , etc... (examples of some things he didn't like about AC). I like it.
The sword dances and fire as well
Yes, once arrived at the training camp, the tutorial for combat system is really well done and in a few minutes we will learn everything for good already, because it is well studied and perhaps because it does not differ much from the second chapter. The fact is that with the directional cross we can sheathe and unsheathe the sword, with X we'll deliver a light attack, while with Y a powerful attack. With the left analog stick + B instead we'll avoid attacks and we can even do somersaults on forward, hold down LT instead we'll parry with our weapon and if you guess the right timing, when the enemy attacks, pressing LT rapidly, you can ward off the blow and throw a punch or make a push to counterattack. In addition to the attacks with the sword, The Witcher is famous for the "signs" which you can learn and you'll need them against numerous enemies. During a fight, if you press LB a menu with various signs acquired and learned will open and we can choose what we like with A then return to fight and throw, if the stamina is not scarce, with all its power on the opponent. Very exciting for me was the fire, a classic symbol present from the first chapter, but that always gives so much satisfaction even with particles visual effects that I really liked. Besides this, Aard is worthy of note, also with excellent effects. There was also Axii, which will stun enemies' minds and they won't want to fight anymore, Quen sign which increases our defenses when activated; Yrden, a purple circular trap that slows the opponent if they walk inside the circle. Finally you can also throw bombs by holding RB, or hitting distant targets by holding RB and aiming, then releasing the bomb. In short, fighting style seems to be very fun and enjoyable.
Conclusions
After the tutorial session the player has a main quest to follow as always, but he can explore a bit what he wants. The spaces are large, if you will not have a horse, be ready to walk a lot, there are many NPC to talk with, interact and receive quests, yes, even in the demo. Also, it was also good the chance to trigger an "auto pilot" on the horse when it is on the main road, so the animal will follow the road without stopping and there you can warm up a hot chocolate, but then you wouldn't find yourself with the nag on the
Salerno-Reggio Calabria. (italian joke here, nevermind) The fights with enemies of higher level, or when you come across groups of monsters, are not too easy, there is always a good degree of challenge and you can approach them as you wish, if only by the sword, only with the signs and dodges, or mixing a bit of all. There is so much freedom. And fortunately there is always the map in the upper right corner that shows us what to do and where to go for the main quest, as always. The menu and inventory for the character and objects is very clear and clean and there were all different types of foods to recuperate, or herbs and ointments for alchemy. In this game session, that could comfortably last for another half hour or an hour, I did a bit of everything, including even throw myself into the water, swim and dive to catch the objects, I followed the trail of the hunter and other shady characters by holding LT to sharpen the witcher senses and discern the traces on the ground, I could defy the travelers in inns as well as talking with them and you'll be happy, or maybe not, knowing that there are still those mini games similar to checkers or drinking contests, as well as the fisticuffs ones. I finally could get up to a "final boss", the griffin, rather tough to deal with, but I had already thoroughly enjoyed this open world. Everything maybe I did not have special dips to the heart that made me crying miracolously, but I liked very much the strength of the title. I have not encountered any bugs and it was all very fluid, zero loadings and there really is so much to do it seems.