Getting Around Game Lag: Like it or not, combat hasn’t changed all that much from the original Witcher. While the new options for switching Signs, weapons or combat styles on the fly are nice, the fact remains that Geralt isn’t the fastest fighter in Temeria and unless you’re careful, he’ll get overwhelmed when facing multiple opponents. Everything from casting Signs to choosing a new target to blocking an enemy attack takes time and often leaves Geralt vulnerable to backstabs, arrows and sideswipes. Whether due to game mechanics or my own computer, in the worst case scenarios I had to make the same command multiple times, as incoming damage or Geralt’s own sometimes ponderous pace in battle aborted my efforts to cast Signs or change fighting stances.

There are a few things you can do to get around the game’s occasionally unforgiving combat lag. First, roll early and roll often. Rolling allows Geralt to slip under powerful enemy attacks or get behind enemies. The roll command can also be used to gain ground on the battlefield, or to close the distance to ranged opponents. Best of all, rolling seems to be faster than parrying, and at least on my computer had a higher success rate for avoiding incoming damage. Remember that the are two ways to issue a roll command. On the PC, you can hit the spacebar for a standard forward roll, or tap a directional key twice to have Geralt roll in the direction of your choice.
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