Spacemoose said:
and if it does, then what kind - more like salami or kielbasa?
"We are not trying to make a game for those who like kielbasa or salami. The Witcher is for those who like kielbasa and salami". As I said before, do not expect some "underground" crpg for hardcore gamers.
As you know The Witcher is working on aurora engine. Forget about that, if you wouldn't know that you would never say it has something in common in terms of graphics. Yes, you are limited - you cant go everywhere, there are some paths leading to some places(like in Kotor) but I felt you got more freedom in movement.
Graphics are very good, you don't get a feeling "omg, it's a next gen sh1t", but I'm sure you will be satisfied, at least I was. It's closest to Mass Effect, but to tell a truth ME looks a bit better for this day. Those gameplay movies from 2006 are not telling the whole story, it looks much better now. It's hard to compare it to such a games like Gothic 3 or Oblivion - TW graphic are more ummm...serious. You won't see any overexposed effects like bloom or field of view(tho they are there), it isn't so colorfull as Oblivion.
As for side quest - there are planty. Most of them are "the witcher job" but it's not as simple as it looks like. "Kill the creature" quest could turn in something more complex and unexpected
Romance - yes, I saw it. It could be entertaining:] It is a sort of side quest and it isn't only "give me some sugar baby. Oh and here is 50 gold". There will be planty of chicks to "romance" with.
Haven't played Gothig 3, so I was mainly thinking about the first two. What are the maps like? Are they linear and railroaded with scripted events like in Knights of the Old Republic?
If I would compare TW to any of the Gothic series it would be Gothic 2. The scale of the world map, character interaction, feeling of the living world, chapters, story driven gameplay - it's all there. It has more in common to Kotor tho - a lot of cutscenes and aspecially storydriving,but with more complex moral decisions( you know "lasser of two evils"). There is not for example such a thing as a "reputation" - your reputation could b different in different places