Should I play The Witcher 2?

[otsego]

Good game well worth a bargain price. I was enamored with it and bought three copies (for myself and two friends), but its flaws are quite glaring early on. Namely the obvious consolification (horrendous inventory system, convoluted and unrewarding crafting, QTEs [the brawling QTE game didn't bother me so much]) and changes that affect the atmosphere established in the first (Triss is now a little girl is distress, drinking potions in a meditative state).

Worst offence committed: Lame cel-shaded cartoons that reflect your choices at the end of an act that replaced the beautiful paintings of the first.

Overall, once you learn to properly roll around and execute parries, the game becomes quite easy and should be played on a higher setting. Getting creative with traps and potions can be fun at times. The world is beautiful. While nothing special, the story itself is a welcome change from cliched super good guys vs super bad guys -- that's not to say it doesn't exist, its just slightly obscured.

After playing both and then reading the english-translated books, I say the first game is better. Kinda in the way we love Torment, ie. certainly not for the combat and more for the interesting surroundings and lore.

TLDR
2 is nice to look at, improves on physical and magical combat (yes yes I know, but its still better than twitcher 1 combat)
1 has a much better atmosphere and much better sense of grey areas
Roche is a bro

 

[DalekFlay]

The endless city and swamp slog throughout the middle of the game is a piece of shit and ruins what pacing there was.

That has fuck all to do with quest structure.

Good thing quest structure was only one thing I listed then.

 

[uaciaut]

In New Vegas, weight is something to consider when it comes to choosing to carry weapons and armors over others, whereas in Witcher 2 it isn't. Get your best steel, silver, and armor, a few miscellaneous items if you really want to use them, and dump the stuff you won't use too often in your stash.

This is because TW2 has fairly streamlined itemization in general so weapons go up in power in general hence you don't really get to do a lot of tactical decisions about what weapon or armor to keep on you and what to leave behind. If anything inventory management in TW2 was more of an immersion feature because they probably wanted players to get the feel that they're playing a badass with only 2-3 weapons on him rather than someone who can pull 20 sword out of his ass. I didn't really mind it that much to be honest. I'd argue that by the end of the game in NV itemization becomes a bit streamlined as well, though you get a ton of variety early-mid game. Weight's not really an issue in non-hardcore though.

Anyway re:OP - i think that environment/story-wise TW2 is actually fairly close to Game of Thrones which i really like and which isn't fantasy just for the sake of being fantasy and uses elements appropriately in creating something of a believable political/social world, unfortunately i don't think they really did a good job at properly presenting the story in 2 and unless you're probably very familiar with the books you're gonna miss out on some elements, at least till later on in the game. People say that TW1 was better but i think it was inferior in every way, there was much less emphasis on the story and it felt generic as fuck, gameplay felt arcade'ish and it somewhat fun at the start but got old fast. I enjoyed TW2 a lot more than the first and i'd actually recommend it.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

True, but Gothic has notably less stuff you can pick up, and bartering has a fairly minor role in the game anyway.

And there's a lot more where that came from.

THAT'S RISEN FFS GET YOUR GAMES RIGHT!

 

[DalekFlay]

Inventory and weight limits certainly have gameplay reasons and repercussions, but I would disagree they are needed to have a complete RPG experience. The impacts they typically have... how many weapons to carry, big versus small weapons, crafting scarcity, etc... can generally be achieved easily through other mechanics. For example a separate skill system for big guns or small, making that choice based on character building, or big guns making you walk and shoot slower. Weapons could be limited through specific weapon slots separate from inventory usable in combat.

This can go on and on. Usually for every "but you need a weight limit for X gameplay reason!" argument I hear there is a way to achieve that gameplay impact without limiting inventory.

 

[Great Deceiver]

I personally think it's the best of the recent popamole RPG-lites, by far. Combat was satisfying enough for me, even though the game got really easy eventually - this sort of inverse difficulty curve is a problem in many action RPGs, though. I don't recommend the recent Full Combat Rebalance mod at all, except for the increased potion duration aspect. World design was great, there's not really a lot of freedom at all, but it didn't bother me.

I really liked TW1's focus on preparation and lore, though. Having to research monsters before being effective in combat against them is a cool concept.

In any case, yes, TW2 is defintely worth a playthrough or two.

 

[otsego]

I personally think it's the best of the recent popamole RPG-lites, by far. Combat was satisfying enough for me, even though the game got really easy eventually - this sort of inverse difficulty curve is a problem in many action RPGs, though. I don't recommend the recent Full Combat Rebalance mod at all, except for the increased potion duration aspect. World design was great, there's not really a lot of freedom at all, but it didn't bother me.

I really liked TW1's focus on preparation and lore, though. Having to research monsters before being effective in combat against them is a cool concept.

In any case, yes, TW2 is defintely worth a playthrough or two.

This is pretty much it, in my opinion. It's hard on you at first and forces you to learn the system really quickly with limited equipment -- which I might add was VERY refreshing, though after dealing with popamole for years I (shamefully) admit that it annoyed me at first... then the game suddenly gives up this 'deal with it or die' mentality and you are a god. Sense of achievement is gone by the second act, the new items and levels you earn don't have much impact on your ability or sense of improvement, and that's a no-no in an RPG.

 

[Deleted member 7219]

The Witcher and The Witcher 2 are some of the best RPGs to come out in recent years. With the decline of Bioware, and Obsidian looking more at small Kickstarter projects, it is in CDProjekt we must put our hopes for 'mainstream' RPGs now. While their systems are a little sketchy (no different from Fallout, Torment, Arcanum or Bloodlines, then) the stories, writing, visuals (especially art direction) and music in those games are terrific.

 

[made]

it is in CDProjekt we must put our hopes

Amen, brother.

 

[Zed]

The Witcher and The Witcher 2 are some of the best RPGs to come out in recent years. With the decline of Bioware, and Obsidian looking more at small Kickstarter projects, it is in CDProjekt we must put our hopes for 'mainstream' RPGs now. While their systems are a little sketchy (no different from Fallout, Torment, Arcanum or Bloodlines, then) the stories, writing, visuals (especially art direction) and music in those games are terrific.

The Witcher is the worst of "mainstream RPGs" with a ridiculous take on maturity and grit. Nice graphics, yes, but with a forced PC so uninteresting you might die from boredom playing it and a combat system so bad it would even make the 80s arcade kids frustrated.

Obsidian have not entirely shifted gears towards smaller games. Alongside South Park (a major title) and PE, they are working on something else too (very likely a "mainstream RPG"). PE will probably do pretty well in the wider marketplace too. Word of mouth will sell that bitch like Baldur's Gate on Christmas eve. Bioware sucks a dick but even they could produce something better than Witcher in Dragon Age Inquisition, the mainstreamest of mainstream RPGs. Bethesda makes the most successful quasi-RPGs and they too are much better than the Witcher.

The Witcher is unplayable; FO Arcanum Torment Bloodlines are very much playable. Except Arcanum in turn-based which is completely broken.

 

[Roguey]

THAT'S RISEN FFS GET YOUR GAMES RIGHT!

All right http://misstoxia.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/g2-inventory1.jpg http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/195254-gothic-3-windows-screenshot-inventory-screen-s.jpg

 

[Darth Roxor]

Yeah, Gothic 3 doesn't count either

 

[Coriolanus]

TW1 was so bad it put me off trying new RPGs for a while.

 

[DalekFlay]

Obsidian have not entirely shifted gears towards smaller games. Alongside South Park (a major title) and PE, they are working on something else too (very likely a "mainstream RPG").

Please be a Fallout, please be a Fallout, please be a Fallout.

 

[Zed]

Obsidian have not entirely shifted gears towards smaller games. Alongside South Park (a major title) and PE, they are working on something else too (very likely a "mainstream RPG").

Please be a Fallout, please be a Fallout, please be a Fallout.

I would personally love to see their take on a TES game.

 

[DalekFlay]

I would personally love to see their take on a TES game.

Sure, could be very interesting, but I doubt Bethesda will hand their baby over. Especially with TES Online coming out, they don't want to saturate. Wouldn't mind seeing that "Bethesda style sci-fi" game they proposed happen either, sounded great.

In the end though I am a Fallout slut.

 

[ZagorTeNej]

I personally think it's the best of the recent popamole RPG-lites, by far. Combat was satisfying enough for me, even though the game got really easy eventually - this sort of inverse difficulty curve is a problem in many action RPGs, though. I don't recommend the recent Full Combat Rebalance mod at all, except for the increased potion duration aspect. World design was great, there's not really a lot of freedom at all, but it didn't bother me.

I really liked TW1's focus on preparation and lore, though. Having to research monsters before being effective in combat against them is a cool concept.

In any case, yes, TW2 is defintely worth a playthrough or two.

Can you elaborate on what you don't like about it (I assume you're talking about Semi Official Combat mod for Witcher 2) ? I haven't tried it out yet but some of the changes I read it makes sounded promising, maybe warranting another replay.

 

[Great Deceiver]

Yes, I'm talking about FCR2 that was made by someone who's now a dev at CDPR. I didn't like that he added an auto-parry and especially don't like the fact that there's no pushback stun when you attack a blocking enemy - the attack animation just goes right through. There's a new animation that replaces rolling (Geralt does a weird twirling motion), but the specifics on the trigger are vague and it looks derpy as fuck. I understand the reasoning behind it, since rolling was too powerful, but as it is right now it's just really weird. The potion duration increase is great, as I said.

I should say that I haven't finished the game with it yet, I'm currently on my 2nd Dark playthrough on chapter 2, so maybe I'll get used to it. I wouldn't recommend it for first-time players at all, though.

 

[Infinitron]

Yes, I'm talking about FCR2 that was made by someone who's now a dev at CDPR. I didn't like that he added an auto-parry and especially don't like the fact that there's no pushback stun when you attack a blocking enemy - the attack animation just goes right through. There's a new animation that replaces rolling (Geralt does a weird twirling motion), but the specifics on the trigger are vague and it looks derpy as fuck. I understand the reasoning behind it, since rolling was too powerful, but as it is right now it's just really weird. The potion duration increase is great, as I said.

I should say that I haven't finished the game with it yet, I'm currently on my 2nd Dark playthrough on chapter 2, so maybe I'll get used to it. I wouldn't recommend it for first-time players at all, though.

FYI, that "twirl" is a pirouette and Witcher 3 will be using those too

 

[Stonewolf]

That would make more sense book-wise than rolling, Witcher saga is filled with Geralt doing spins, piruettes and other retarded shit. Sapkowski can't into actual melee combat.

 

[Dreaad]

That would make more sense book-wise than rolling, Witcher saga is filled with Geralt doing spins, piruettes and other retarded shit. Sapkowski can't into actual melee combat.

You're totally right a story that is set in a magical world, with genies, vampires, ghosts etc. Where the main protagonist is a genetically mutated human with superman abilities should absolutely have a correct and proper depiction of medieval sword play, fully grounded in reality because that would be more realistic...

 

[Stonewolf]

Witchers in the books don't have superman abilities, they're just faster, better reflexes, more resistant to poison and do smalltime magic. None of those implies that a master swordsman would turn his back on the enemy in a fight to do pointless spins, also Sapkowski often tries to be fancy with using fencing terms and then he starts going on how Geralt does some ridiculous shit.

 

[Dreaad]

I still don't see the issue of having an exaggerated exotic fighting style in a fantasy setting where people can drink potions that make them super strong/fast. So what if the witchers use some ridiculous martial arts system? It's a fantasy setting. Have you read what kind of training Ciri recieved in a couple of months at the witcher fortress? It was like some sort ninja obstacle course. Frankly I wouldn't care if Geralt did backflips to disarm people with a kick.

 

[DalekFlay]

I still don't see the issue of having an exaggerated exotic fighting style in a fantasy setting where people can drink potions that make them super strong/fast. So what if the witchers use some ridiculous martial arts system? It's a fantasy setting. Have you read what kind of training Ciri recieved in a couple of months at the witcher fortress? It was like some sort ninja obstacle course. Frankly I wouldn't care if Geralt did backflips to disarm people with a kick.

Some people seem to have an issue with anything exaggerated. They like fantasy settings to be as real as possible, despite the fact there are dragons and whatever the fuck else. They react as if ninja kicks and such are "for kids." You can see this in complaints against all manner of games, from art style to animations, quest design and whatever else.

It's kind of annoying since that mindset is why we have endless Tolkien clones instead of more stuff like Arcanum and Fallout.

 

[Chaotic_Heretic]

Some people seem to have an issue with anything exaggerated. They like fantasy settings to be as real as possible, despite the fact there are dragons and whatever the fuck else. They react as if ninja kicks and such are "for kids." You can see this in complaints against all manner of games, from art style to animations, quest design and whatever else.

It's kind of annoying since that mindset is why we have endless Tolkien clones instead of more stuff like Arcanum and Fallout.

And shitty d20 rolls where the outcome is dependent more on real life luck than charactdr skill.