Preview Exciting The Witcher 2 Hands-On Impressions

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: CD Projekt; Witcher 2, The

<p>... and with "exciting" I mean... but see for yourself. Destructoid had some <a href="http://www.destructoid.com/the-witcher-2-impresses-enough-to-assassinate-kings-185853.phtml" target="_blank">hands-on time</a> with <strong>The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>For those of you fearing there won't be enough QTE's this is good news:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This hand-to-hand melee fight was actually a quick time event, which made me wonder if all of the weaponless melee combat would be like that. Thankfully, the guys from CD Projekt RED assured me that even though there are QTEs in certain sections of the game, they only added them where it fits and to spice the game up a little. It's just there as something on top of the main combat system, to give certain encounters that extra little "Ok, Geralt is pretty damn awesome" touch. Although I'm not the biggest fan of QTEs, I have to admit that it did look pretty sweet to me as a bystander.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And those other one's of you fearing that stealth would be actually a valid gameplay element throughout the whole game this is good news as well:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Having escaped from his cell, Geralt has to make his way out of the prison. This is where the non-linearity and player choice comes into play. Do you just go on a rampage, killing every guard in sight? Or do you take the stealthy approach, extinguishing torches to create darkness and then breaking necks from behind? Geralt's magic medallion allows him to see enemies in the dark <em>&nbsp;</em>with a glow and also highlights things like water, which creates noise if you walk through it.</p>
<p><strong>If that sounds a bit too stealthy for you, don't worry. The stealth aspect won't be something you can do in the whole game.</strong> Although certain sections will allow you to take the stealthy approach, this isn't a core mechanic where you choose between straight-up action and stealth gameplay for the whole game. Because the stealthy approach is harder, you will get more XP by taking it.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It's something we should keep an eye on:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Even though we only got a taste of <em>The Witcher 2 </em>in alpha form, I have to say that this is definitely something to keep your eye on. If you played the first game then you already knew that, but feel confident that so far it looks like everything you probably want from the sequel. The combat seemed smooth and refined over the original. The fact that the developers shrug off things like QTEs and stealth as "just little things we added to make it more fun" only adds to the confidence that at the core, they already have a solid game in their hands.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>QTE's, "stealth" and button-mashing goodness, who could ever ask for more?</p>
<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/100036-the-witcher-2-assassins-of-kings-preview.html">GB</a></p>

 

[Ancient]

i masturbated while reading it
i already love the Witcher 2

 

[MisterStone]

Thank god, I was afraid they'd make it like some kind of wussy boring shit instead of something I can play with my BROs when they bring over a pack of Mickey's before the football game.

 

[chzr]

in b4 MicoSelva

 

[MicoSelva]

What the fuck is that thing in the picture at the beginning of the article?

 

[Ancient]

What the fuck is that thing in the picture at the beginning of the article?

golem made of scrap

 

[SCO]

Derp.

 

[Melcar]

More like golem made of turd.

 

[Azrael the cat]

It would be a bit silly criticising the game for not having stealth as a major character build, given that it wasn't in the first game at all and it isn't really part of the character as they're presenting him - when you get down to it, he's a swordsman, with the 'classes' being 'swordsman', 'swordsman with some knowledge of alchemy' and 'swordsman who dabbles in magic'.

BUT....who the fuck under ANY circumstances says: 'If that sounds a bit too stealthy for you, don't worry.'

Seriously. What the fuck.

What's next? Quotes from game reviewers saying:

'If that sounds a bit too fun, don't worry...'

'If those graphics look a bit too good, don't worry...'

'If that soundtrack seems like something you'd burn to a disc and listen to in the car, don't worry...'

'If that writing immerses you in the world and its characters, don't worry...'

'If that interface seems really intuitive, don't worry...'

It's like they're trying the Jedi mind trick on us. Game has no good points (again, not saying that it applies to Witcher in particular)? Nevermind, just talk as though those good points are in fact negatives! Just think of the application to other industries!

'If that gas mileage seems really economical, don't worry...'

'If the local police force seems efficient yet ethical, don't worry....'

'If the food looks like it isn't a home for flesh-eating bacteria, don't worry...'

 

[MikeJahn]

What the fuck is that thing in the picture at the beginning of the article?

golem made of crap

Fixed.

 

[MikeJahn]

It would be a bit silly criticising the game for not having stealth as a major character build, given that it wasn't in the first game at all and it isn't really part of the character as they're presenting him - when you get down to it, he's a swordsman, with the 'classes' being 'swordsman', 'swordsman with some knowledge of alchemy' and 'swordsman who dabbles in magic'.

BUT....who the fuck under ANY circumstances says: 'If that sounds a bit too stealthy for you, don't worry.'

Seriously. What the fuck.

What's next? Quotes from game reviewers saying:

'If that sounds a bit too fun, don't worry...'

'If those graphics look a bit too good, don't worry...'

'If that soundtrack seems like something you'd burn to a disc and listen to in the car, don't worry...'

'If that writing immerses you in the world and its characters, don't worry...'

'If that interface seems really intuitive, don't worry...'

It's like they're trying the Jedi mind trick on us. Game has no good points (again, not saying that it applies to Witcher in particular)? Nevermind, just talk as though those good points are in fact negatives! Just think of the application to other industries!

'If that gas mileage seems really economical, don't worry...'

'If the local police force seems efficient yet ethical, don't worry....'

'If the food looks like it isn't a home for flesh-eating bacteria, don't worry...'

I know right? Who would seriously get more excited over reading that?

 

[nFn]

After dispatching some guards all stealth-like, Geralt overhears a woman in a prison cell who seems to be in slight discomfort. Looking through a hole in the wall, it appears that the discomfort is due to her being half naked and being tortured. By a man, sadly. If you choose to rescue her, it turns out that she is actually the mother of a character from The Witcher who may or may not have died alongside your travels. I only saw the The Witcher being played by a friend for a couple of hours because my PC was too shitty and because I didn't have the time to play it when I finally had a better PC, so I'm not entirely sure if that character could stay alive or not.

In this demonstration, that character had apparently died, because the woman asks you how her son died. You get dialogue options in the range of "he died a hero" to "just another body" for the nice and dick approaches. From what I remember, The Witcher did have excellent morality dialog choices that weren't black or white, so perhaps I'm not giving it enough credit here.

reminds me something but i cant quite place it

 

[Mister Arkham]

It would be a bit silly criticising the game for not having stealth as a major character build, given that it wasn't in the first game at all and it isn't really part of the character as they're presenting him - when you get down to it, he's a swordsman, with the 'classes' being 'swordsman', 'swordsman with some knowledge of alchemy' and 'swordsman who dabbles in magic'.

BUT....who the fuck under ANY circumstances says: 'If that sounds a bit too stealthy for you, don't worry.'

Seriously. What the fuck.

What's next? Quotes from game reviewers saying:

'If that sounds a bit too fun, don't worry...'

'If those graphics look a bit too good, don't worry...'

'If that soundtrack seems like something you'd burn to a disc and listen to in the car, don't worry...'

'If that writing immerses you in the world and its characters, don't worry...'

'If that interface seems really intuitive, don't worry...'

It's like they're trying the Jedi mind trick on us. Game has no good points (again, not saying that it applies to Witcher in particular)? Nevermind, just talk as though those good points are in fact negatives! Just think of the application to other industries!

'If that gas mileage seems really economical, don't worry...'

'If the local police force seems efficient yet ethical, don't worry....'

'If the food looks like it isn't a home for flesh-eating bacteria, don't worry...'

I know right? Who would seriously get more excited over reading that?

The people who didn't even have the patience to finish Mass Effect 2. Variance in gameplay is terrifying for these people.

 

[Kron]

 

[SCO]

...

It's amazing but Orwell was completely right. People are such fucking retards. I wanna get on the gravy train.

 

[MicoSelva]

in b4 MicoSelva

Crap. My 1337 fast-typing skillz need polishing .

 

[Brotherman Bill]

<p>Having escaped from his cell, Geralt has to make his way out of the prison. This is where the non-linearity and player choice comes into play. Do you just go on a rampage, killing every guard in sight? Or do you take the stealthy approach, extinguishing torches to create darkness and then breaking necks from behind?

Kill guards in a melee, or kill them with stealth. This is what non-linearity is all about.

Seems there will be no guard diplomacy in the witcher.

 

[Mrowak]

Seems there will be no guard diplomacy in the witcher.

Seems so

 

[waywardOne]

magic amulet that makes bad guys glow in the dark.

i appreciate it when a game lets me know this early that i won't play it.

 

[Archibald]

Don`t worry this game will suck.

 

[Ancient]

Don`t worry i will suck this game .

fixed

 

[Clockwork Knight]

It would be a bit silly criticising the game for not having stealth as a major character build, given that it wasn't in the first game at all and it isn't really part of the character as they're presenting him - when you get down to it, he's a swordsman, with the 'classes' being 'swordsman', 'swordsman with some knowledge of alchemy' and 'swordsman who dabbles in magic'.

BUT....who the fuck under ANY circumstances says: 'If that sounds a bit too stealthy for you, don't worry.'

Considering stealthiness wasn't in the first game and doesn't fit with the character, sounds like they're reassuring fans of the first game that 2 won't be radically different.

 

[Exmit]

Don`t worry this game will suck.

inb4 Polak inquisition



Na stos go popamola jednego!!

 

[1eyedking]

Twietchdzmin 2 suckevna Dwarfzanski cocknova, amirite?

 

[Grunker]

That sounded pretty good. I've never expected TWitcher 2 to be a stealth game, so what's the worry? I won't get all RAGE when I find out Desu Ex 3 isn't turn-based either.