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Witcher 2: Can't recommend it (SOME SPOILERS)
Generally, Witcher 2 is a nice game. It looks good, it has a nice grim humor... but overall, I regret having bought it. There are a few reasons, which just drag down the game in my personal opinion.
(SOME SPOILERS)
- essentially almost everyone is evil, an asshole and a traitor, down to almost the last person; while I don't need unicorns and rainbows, I just lack the motivation. I KNOW in the end, no matter whom I trust, no matter what side I fight for, ALL will be evil, traitor using me for their power games. It is a VERY bad Dragon Age 2 deja vu, where I ended up with the same bleak feeling like "ok, why again did I stay here??"
- EXTREME difficulty: some fights are VERY tough, even on the easy setting, I had to reload PLENTY of times and when you hit reload button so often, I sorta lose the fun
- console-type timed reaction boss fights: I REALLY hate these; I suck at them, and the last thing I expect and want in an RPG are those timed reaction boss fights.
- I had to give up the game due to difficulty: in the last 3rd of the game, there was a boss fight... I just could not win it. You know there is a walkthrough in the game box, but still... I tried it netto over 3 hours, again and again... but I just wasn't able to defeat this boss. So, sadly, the story ended for me. Geralt is dead, his mission failed and the entire lands are in flames. How fun.
Why again did I pay this??
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
Comments
To be honest, hard games are something of the past, I think that's a good thing.
Sad to hear about the story though :, I thought choices were really supposed to effect the whole game start to finish.
And how many times did you play through? Supposedly there are 16 endings and it sounds like you played through once and got an ending that you just didn't like. Pity about it being too hard though, thats just personal preference.
Generally, The Witcher 2 is a great game. It's gotten great reviews, has improved on every aspect of play, and has stayed true to the novels of the master Polish storyteller Andrej Sapkowski.
1. The difficulty of the game. Remember when games were hard? When you couldn't roll your face on the keyboard while not using any sort of smart itemization or spec strategy and still win with 95% health remaining? When you had to actually pay attention and fight every fight like it was your last? This game takes it back to that time. Its HARD. A refreshing change for the gamer of today that would like an experience that isn't less intellectually challenging than eating a twinkie.
2. The orientation to both RPG elements (spec, story, progression) AND action. A true action RPG that has both elements in full. A good example is the timed-reaction skills ala God Of War, that force you to .. wait for it ... actually pay attention to the screen! Whoa dude, hold your surfboard!
3. You might not finish this game if you lack planning strategies, spec/talent makeup, change up your tactics to see what works and what doesn't, and are simply looking for a Diablo-like game where you blast through mobs without too much thought (not putting down Diablo 1 or 2, they are in my top 5 but this is definitely a different breed of game).
I HIGHLY reccomend The Witcher 2 because it is a true RPG for the RPG'er looking for top-notch visuals, a novel-worthy story (literally), highly tactical combat and a realistic atmosphere that will make you think about your decisions.
Not putting you down OP, just pointing out that there are two perspectives
I do agree that Witcher can get quite dark at times, indeed the novels were just the same - dark, real, intense. This isn't a game for the Zelda-megafan but that should have tipped people off when they saw the box art.
No I didn't GET to the end. I failed to kill a boss mob, so I have NO ending. I am just not good in anything that needs exactly timed reactions. I didn't expect that in an RPG. It is why I never finished Risen as well. I never was able to finish the endboss who also had a timed reaction sort of combat.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
Sounds like an ending to me. 1 of 16 in fact. Maybe you should play again and make some different choices. Although the choices you make probably have to be done by actually playing the game rather than a conversation scene that Bioware likes to do.
No. I die. The game says "you failed, game over, want to reload". The walkthrough inserted into the game says you have to defeat the boss mob to further the story.
EDIT: THe game uses words for genitals and human waste materials EXCESSIVELY. While I don't mind it once and then, it seems every 3rd sentence is like some sailor is supposed to talk. When even Kings can't use a single sentence without talking about feces or genitals... it's just absurd and disgusting.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
So you just aren't good enough to do it? Oh well, then.
Welcome to Witcher. People swear. There's racism. I find that refreshing in a world that tightens its you-know-what tighter than a snare drum whenever anyone says anything that isn't perfectly politically correct.
I also find difficulty refreshing. As much as I love it, Oblivion was prepostorously easy. It was beyond absurd - you could quite literally just spam your power attack on everything and just LOL your way through it unless you modded it out the wazoo, and that is generally the measuring stick nowadays for single player RPG's.
I haven't played the game, so I can't really comment on its difficulty. Still, if that guy has problems even on easy it kind of sucks. I mean sure, it's great when a game is challenging, but you can keep that for the 'normal' (and higher) difficulties, but not 'easy', which should be, you know ... easy.
Back in the day when I was still a kid I wouldn't get frustrated by difficult games and had no problem with trying again and again. But nowadays I just don't have the time, nor am I willing to do that anymore.
I used to love Donkey Kong Country for the SNES when I was a child. Now I got the new Donkey Kong for the Wii and I played it for an hour and already got frustrated. *lol* Well, now because my frustration threshold is so low I play it maybe once a week. One level at a time.
Err, where were we? Ah yes, the Witcher. Still haven't played through the first part. I should do that some day.
Ironically, you couldn't even get to the end of his post?
When I want a single-player story, I'll play a single-player game. When I play an MMO, I want a massively multiplayer world.
Novels?
There are books too?
Well, tbh kings using "flowery" speech is a thing typical for fantasy. Historically, kings were nothing like they are portrayed in official chronicle entries, which where usually written by their request and where simply propaganda.
What is more, kings where known for their harsh manners, the ability to quickly lose temper etc. In addition, in most cases in Witcher kings appear in not very public situations, like eg. parades, but during battles or small conversations where they are not bound by any protocols.
In addition, I'd like to point out, that the author who wrote the original Witcher story is interested in mixing history and fantasy, and this is why the themes in witcher are more gritty and dark and all characters are shades of grey instead of being good and bad. If you go and read history books you won't find many clealy black and white characters - every historical character is judged differently by different authors and that is I think what the developers of the Witcher wanted to convey.
Yes, the Witcher saga started quite long ago in fact. If i'm correct, the first story was written in 1992. The whole saga consists of 2 short story collections and five full length novels.
If you like the game, give the books a try.
Maybe you should read books instead of playing games.
Ever been in the military? Thats the culture. Kings do whatever the hell they want, they are kings. Especially militant kings like in the game.
I personally think its absurd (and mildly disgusting) that anyone would get so upset over words. The real world isn't a dandy place, regardless of what your reverend preaches to you on Sundays... and we're talking about a fictional world full of demons and monsters. I'd imagine there would be plenty of reason for colorful language.
While I truly agree with you, let's not take shots at people's beliefs. There's no reason for it, its a game forum man.
During the time that the first witcher game was released, none of the novels was translated. Here's te amazon link of the author of the original stories:
http://www.amazon.com/Andrzej-Sapkowski/e/B001ICAMAW/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1305784154&sr=1-1
Surprisingly enough none of the translated books is available on kindle for EU (non-UK) customers.
You are reading into a simple comment far too much. if I wanted to make a religious hypocrisy reference, I would do far worse.
I don't know what's "refreshing" about racism and swearing. I hear it every day in the underground railway already.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
Dude, I have a university degree in history. I know the REAL Middle Ages were bleak and... well terrible. That's why we have fantasy. As I see it in our world people are devolving back into medieval behaviour patterns again. Why would I WANT that?
I want to be the good guy, save the day, slay the monster, get the prince and have my statue in the kingdom and everyone lived happily everafter. I mean, being Shreck only is fun so many times, ya know. Or: Wolverine was cool before EVERY hero was turned into a Wolverine. It loses it's coolness when ALL is dark. Has to do with contrast and storytelling.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
Remember , Witcher 2 is not a mmorpg, it's a RPG!
Mmorpg's are basicly a lot easier then RPG's , that's why I like RPG's .
It has a story, no mmorpg could say that....Not kill 10 of these, gather 10 of those..
Ha! I'm done with mmorpg's ...Witcher2, DS3, D3 and Skyrim FTW!
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.
Edgar Allan Poe
Actually it's a mere action game with story.
There is no RPG element whatsoever.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
I asume you failed at killing the Kayran ?!? That`s like 15% into the Game. Read some of the books on the Boss scattered throught the gameworld , talk to the locals , craft/buy some traps , craft some potions etc ....
You are a Monster Hunter in the game , so do some research on the monsters you have to kill. The more books you read about them , the more damage you do and also take less dmg from them.
It pretty much just sounds like the themes and ideas and overall design of this game is not for you (gritty, realistic, vulgar, hard). It is fine if you do not like it. Just don't play it. Why do you feel the need to complain about it? It isn't for you. Play something that is.
Edit:
Also, the statement that there is no RPG element is patently false, and a little ridiculous.
"Gamers will no longer buy the argument that every MMO requires a subscription fee to offset server and bandwidth costs. It's not true you know it, and they know it." Jeff Strain, co-founder of ArenaNet, 2007
WTF? No subscription fee?
Character Progression , Talent Trees , branching decisions , crafting , loot ... sounds like an RPG to me.