Preview The Witcher 2 - of Battles & Boobie Cards

[Jason]

Tags: CD Projekt; Witcher 2, The

Gamespot managed to score one of the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/thewitcher2/news.html?sid=6254071&mode=previews&page=1" target="blank">first previews</a> of the highly anticipated Polish history docudrama, <b><a href="http://www.thewitcher.com/" target="blank">The Witcher 2</a></b>.
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<blockquote>Though the combat system isn't finished, it currently lets Geralt dish out combination slashes with his sword by starting out with a few light slashes and then ending with a strong slash, similar to the combat systems of third-person console action games like the God of War series. However, the final version of the game will bring back different combat stances, just like in the original game, and let you mix and match various attacks from different styles freely, rather than having to manually switch styles. In any case, even the early version of combat we saw is brutal and bloody. After sending a dozen or so elves to meet their respective makers, we finally arrived at the outskirts of Flotsam, at which point Iorveth called off his archers and regrouped with the Kingslayer, who cryptically remarked that he had once ambushed Geralt while the Witcher suffered from amnesia. </blockquote>
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And more importantly, the preview answers the question that's on everyone's mind: what about the boobie cards?
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<blockquote>This scene set up the game's overhauled romance gameplay, which will be completely different from that of the previous game. In fact, the previous game's romance system, which rewarded you with collectible girlie cards for every woman you came to know intimately, has been scrapped. Instead, throughout The Witcher 2, Geralt can pursue relationships with various female characters through dialogue options and the occasional gift to unlock an ongoing cinematic sequence. In this case, with the two adventurers trapped in a buried elven ruin, Triss started a conversation by asking what should be done next--whether the pair should try to escape or wait to be found by their companions. Naturally, Geralt chose the option to wait. </blockquote>

 

[Murk]

so QTE combat IS out?

 

[Rhalle]

At first I was like PC, but then I XboXd.

 

[KalosKagathos]

The Witcher 2 takes place after the events of the first game, in which Geralt accepted the task of working for King Foltest of Temeria to investigate a curse that befell the king's daughter.

Is it just me, or does it look like the preview's author only watched the intro of the original game?

 

[Barrow_Bug]

I'll buy it. I love games that are grimdark.

 

[Azrael the cat]

The Witcher 2 takes place after the events of the first game, in which Geralt accepted the task of working for King Foltest of Temeria to investigate a curse that befell the king's daughter.

Is it just me, or does it look like the preview's author only watched the intro of the original game?

My thoughts exactly. I also think we're going to get a lot of this. TW got a lot of bad-to-mediocre scores from large review sites that complained about the non-console interface and/or only played the first chapter. Those sites got caught off their feet when people actually started liking the game. Expect a whole lot of previews by game journalists pretending that TW was one of their favourite games while unintentionally revealing that they never played the game and didn't even cover it before release due to the lack of bribes.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

The Witcher 2 takes place after the events of the first game, in which Geralt accepted the task of working for King Foltest of Temeria to investigate a curse that befell the king's daughter.

Is it just me, or does it look like the preview's author only watched the intro of the original game?

My thoughts exactly. I also think we're going to get a lot of this. TW got a lot of bad-to-mediocre scores from large review sites that complained about the non-console interface and/or only played the first chapter. Those sites got caught off their feet when people actually started liking the game. Expect a whole lot of previews by game journalists pretending that TW was one of their favourite games while unintentionally revealing that they never played the game and didn't even cover it before release due to the lack of bribes.

The Codex foresaw this a long time ago.

 

[Lesifoere]

With the extra time on their hands, one thing led to another, which led to Triss making the most unusual use of her magical powers yet--dissolving her clothes into nothing before diving into the pool. Geralt soon followed her into the water, at which point, our demonstration faded to black for reasons we hope are obvious and then faded back in sometime later. Once the game had faded back in, we were able to see The Witcher 2's new multilayer clothing system, which will let Geralt not only wear his usual black studded leather armor, but also wear armor in layers, such as carrying only his weapons on an over-shoulder bandolier with a pair of light breeches, while otherwise being completely bare.

So, Codex: we'll be able to have Geralt go through the whole game bare-chested, showing off his sculpted abs to advantage and possibly to distract female/gay monsters. How's that, fellows?

 

[Darth Roxor]

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TOTALLY AVOID CLOTHING IN THE WITCHER 2

 

[Arcanoix]

With the extra time on their hands, one thing led to another, which led to Triss making the most unusual use of her magical powers yet--dissolving her clothes into nothing before diving into the pool. Geralt soon followed her into the water, at which point, our demonstration faded to black for reasons we hope are obvious and then faded back in sometime later. Once the game had faded back in, we were able to see The Witcher 2's new multilayer clothing system, which will let Geralt not only wear his usual black studded leather armor, but also wear armor in layers, such as carrying only his weapons on an over-shoulder bandolier with a pair of light breeches, while otherwise being completely bare.

So, Codex: we'll be able to have Geralt go through the whole game bare-chested, showing off his sculpted abs to advantage and possibly to distract female/gay monsters. How's that, fellows?

ARE THAIR ACHEEVEMENTZ TOO!?!!??!

OHBOIOHBOIOHBOIOHBOIOHBOI...

 

[Angthoron]

Clearly an attempt to diversify the market. Female gamers will go *swoon* over the bare-chested Geralt!

 

[KalosKagathos]

So, Codex: we'll be able to have Geralt go through the whole game bare-chested, showing off his sculpted abs to advantage and possibly to attract female/gay players. How's that, fellows?

Fixed.

 

[Arcanoix]

Clearly an attempt to diversify the market. Female gamers will go *swoon* over the bare-chested Geralt!

Diversify? You mean just make the game console-based and make the PC version just a 3/4-assed port.

And what the fuck is with Geralt looking like a yid now anyway? And his hair - it's oriental looking! And who cares about banging some virtual 3D bitch? The console gamers who play sports games all day. I'm pirating it, plain and simple.

 

[Angthoron]

Clearly an attempt to diversify the market. Female gamers will go *swoon* over the bare-chested Geralt!

Diversify? You mean just make the game console-based and make the PC version just a 3/4-assed port.

No, I mean that the announced changes make the game more appealing (supposedly) to women.

 

[Hamster]

Re: The Witcher 2 - of Battles & Boobie Cards

at which point Iorveth called off his archers and regrouped with the Kingslayer, who cryptically remarked that he had once ambushed Geralt while the Witcher suffered from amnesia.

Now we know that the game will have an awesome story.

 

[Monocause]

This preview, while not very informative, does seem to point out that the strong points of the first game are still there while the weak ones (combat, economy, lack of companions) got changed a lot.
I'll buy it. I only hope they won't fuck up the new engine and that the game will be playable on somewhat older systems.

 

[Burning Bridges]

I liked the old Geralt much more, this one looks more like Geralts son.

 

[Phelot]

overhauled romance gameplay

It has been overhauled

 

[Gobbo]

I liked the old Geralt much more, this one looks more like Geralts son.

The models will be changed or so I've heard.

 

[Dionysus]

My thoughts exactly. I also think we're going to get a lot of this. TW got a lot of bad-to-mediocre scores from large review sites that complained about the non-console interface and/or only played the first chapter. Those sites got caught off their feet when people actually started liking the game. Expect a whole lot of previews by game journalists pretending that TW was one of their favourite games while unintentionally revealing that they never played the game and didn't even cover it before release due to the lack of bribes.

I also expect to see a lot of the fans of the original turn on this one, in part because the original was overrated in certain circles, and in part because it will be deemed “consolized” regardless of how similar it is to the original.

 

[Lothers]

Cool! Can't wait BTW "If you'll import your saves from TW you'll get your old "look" (Geralt's face I suppose), swords, items..." - excerpt from Polygamia.pl preview.

 

[Silellak]

The Witcher 2 takes place after the events of the first game, in which Geralt accepted the task of working for King Foltest of Temeria to investigate a curse that befell the king's daughter.

Is it just me, or does it look like the preview's author only watched the intro of the original game?

My thoughts exactly. I also think we're going to get a lot of this. TW got a lot of bad-to-mediocre scores from large review sites that complained about the non-console interface and/or only played the first chapter. Those sites got caught off their feet when people actually started liking the game. Expect a whole lot of previews by game journalists pretending that TW was one of their favourite games while unintentionally revealing that they never played the game and didn't even cover it before release due to the lack of bribes.

You mean like this?

Like the previous game, The Witcher 2 will use a "timed dialogue" system that will offer you various responses to give in conversation but will default to a standard response if you don't choose an alternate thing to say.

However, this makes me happy:

After releasing Zoltan and Dandelion, we followed them to the town's local tavern and stepped inside with zero load times--another new feature in the sequel

This also sounds pretty cool:

If you can relieve the creature of enough of its tentacles, you'll enrage it to the point where Geralt can actually leap aboard one of the flailing, chopped-up limbs and hang on for dear life while trying to steer it in the right direction. Specifically, if you can direct the tentacle toward a nearby stony bridge without getting thrown off, you can trick the creature into smashing out the structure's supports, causing the bridge to come crashing down on the creature's head and pinning it in place, which then lets you dash up the fallen stonework and hurl some of your explosive traps into its maw to finish it off.

Though I have to wonder how much of it, if any, is a QTE.

Though we've seen only a brief demonstration of the sequel in motion, and although much of what we've seen is still very early in development, it's very clear that CD Projekt Red aims to produce a sequel that's far more eye-catching and more engrossing than the original game.

So you might actually play it, then?

 

[Luzur]

With the extra time on their hands, one thing led to another, which led to Triss making the most unusual use of her magical powers yet--dissolving her clothes into nothing before diving into the pool. Geralt soon followed her into the water, at which point, our demonstration faded to black for reasons we hope are obvious and then faded back in sometime later. Once the game had faded back in, we were able to see The Witcher 2's new multilayer clothing system, which will let Geralt not only wear his usual black studded leather armor, but also wear armor in layers, such as carrying only his weapons on an over-shoulder bandolier with a pair of light breeches, while otherwise being completely bare.

So, Codex: we'll be able to have Geralt go through the whole game bare-chested, showing off his sculpted abs to advantage and possibly to distract female/gay monsters. How's that, fellows?

pre-order customer detected already.

 

[Lesifoere]

Well of course, girlfriend. Wouldn't you pre-order too?

I'll be tempted to make a day-one purchase, but caution's taught me to wait for reviews first. So far, though, there's nothing about this that has put me off. Provided that whole "huge hentai monster attempts to court Geralt but he plays hard to get with explosive traps" event isn't QTE.

Cool! Can't wait BTW "If you'll import your saves from TW you'll get your old "look" (Geralt's face I suppose), swords, items..." - excerpt from Polygamia.pl preview.

Not his face, surely. I'm pretty certain they mean all the special/rare items you got in the first game, like the bulky raven armor. It'd be... bizarre if importing your save changes Geralt's look considering IT'S STILL THE SAME GODDAMN CHARACTER. This isn't Commander Shepard with a custom face generator here.

My favorite part of the preview:

At this point, Geralt entered into a timed dialogue that gave him the choice of immediately drawing his sword and attacking the guards or trying to incite rebellion with the assembled crowds. We chose the latter option and found a vocal supporter in one of the local harlots, who strenuously protested the bard's conviction of debauchery on the grounds that debauchery wasn't a crime, but rather an enjoyable lifestyle and a good way to make a living. After a colorful, four-letter-word-laden exchange of ideas between Geralt, the audience, and the guards (which we can't recount here because this is a family site),

Yeah, I'm real mature.

 

[CrimsonAngel]

I am her by announcing the first mod Boob cards.