Magnificent.
I'll go as far as saying it looks considerably better than the 35 minute demo. Voice acting is a strong contender for the best in the history of video games. Those pauses, those silences. So evocative. And dialogue itself is no less tight, no less masterly. Mckee would nod.
Tiny, inconsequential, things I didn't particularly care for:
1. Slo-mo finishers. Personally, I find them repulsive. Same with slo mo decapitation on horseback. Regular speed or just a tickbox would be most welcome.
2. The bandit Geralt stuns, Axiis, is graced with a horrible looking white halo of sainthood. Please, kill the white halo with DDT.
3. Some of the iconography also looks unaccomplished. For example, those conspicuous question marks signalling undiscovered locations on the map aren't exactly easy on the eyes.
4. Blood splattering the corners of me screen? No thanks.
5. Regarding the inventory. Why, oh why, would you halve swords on a grid based inventory? Not only does it look cobbled, it defeats the purpose of a grid based inventory in the first place.
6. It should read «1 filter», not «1 filters». At least make it «1 filter(s)».
7. First encounter with the ghouls, at one point camera rotates and shows the sign apparently posted on the tree is actually floating in front of it. Second encounter, those crimson ghouls, not sure about that particular effect. Looks too stylized.
So far, TW3 seems to have the makings of legendary videogame. It is a labour of love and, as such, especially hard to emulate. So not only is it shaping up to be a phenomenal title per se, it also promises to apply the kind of gentle yet persuasive pressure the open world RPG industry niche dearly needs at this point in time.
REDs,
Bravo.