Decline Witcher 2 is awful.

[cretin]

This game is a turd, and I have no idea how it has the level of respect that it does, and you are literally insane if you're one of these "people" who say its better than witcher 3.

Straight away on a technical level its bad, and obvious was made with consoles in mind to the point where you can't even edit keybinds without going through a config file. The UI is peak xbawks awfulness. The graphics suffer from that era's combination of lack of subtlety in post processing fx, and muddy textures. The game has this awful stutter jump approx every 30 seconds to a minute on PC that you can't get rid of no matter what you do, seemingly related to how it is loading in and out assets constantly.

All this would be excusable if the gameplay was good, but it's not. Actually, it's fucking garbage! For starters, the combat is clunky as fuck with geralt picking random actions from a pool of animations and not even the basics of a 3d action system like orientating towards the enemy you are actually targeting, not even with a fucking lock on. It shares with W3 random input delays and dropping, but even more egregiously here. This is also where the rolling nonsense began, because there is no roll animation in W1, and "dodging" in that game is actually used to reposition. I'm not joking when I say Risen 2's combat is more enjoyable than whatever the fuck is going on here. (and yes, I tried FCR2, which is makes the game smoother in a vague sense but then introduces a bunch of bugs like AI just randomly deciding to wait in the middle of a fight)

Topping this all of, it shares with the most faggoty movie games of that awful time by having setpiece cutscene, corridor, into a fight, into a corridor, then QTE, then cutscene, repeat. A sprinkling of "Dont hurt these innocents or ill slay you/Nah I'm busy mate fuck off" filler CYOAs and then repeat aforementioned pattern. This is mind numbing shit. I don't know if the game gets better after the prologue, but based off this shit now I don't care to see if it does. An awful opening to any kind of video game, but especially to a witcher game.

 

[Glop_dweller]

and you are literally insane if you're one of these "people" who say its better than witcher 3.

Neither sequel is better than, nor as good as the first one. The latter two were both out of character, and mechanically a waste of time. Horribly dumbed down combat and alchemy; doors that auto-closed behind him. They removed the bar fights, the alternate camera systems, and somehow screwed up the dice game.

Witcher 2 was initially worse than it later became. Originally it released with an in-engine cutscene of Geralt stumbling out of the woods. He was delirious, and was helped onto a wagon where he passed out; frame-rate was choppy as all hell; partly due to the DRM—which they later removed. They updated (and re-released) it with the ship scene instead showing the archers and brawlers performing for the king.

 

[cretin]

and you are literally insane if you're one of these "people" who say its better than witcher 3.

Neither sequel is as good, or better than the first one.

The first game is very good indeed. I don't think its better than W3 but I can at least understand the reasoning behind that opinion.

"people" who say W2 is better than W3 are demons and should be terminated with extreme prejudice.

 

[luj1]

This game is a turd, and I have no idea how it has the level of respect that it does

What respect?

 

[KörangarTheMighty]

This is also where the rolling nonsense began, because there is no roll animation in W1, and "dodging" in that game is actually used to reposition.

There is a roll animation in the Witcher 1, it's on one of the fast or group styles as a dodge, but it doesn't matter because as you said, it doesn't grant any benefit other than repositioning. No I-frames and it's also slow as fuck.

 

[Lambach]

I don't know if the game gets better after the prologue

Well it becomes more open when you hit Chapter 1 proper, similar to the first game. 2 is more movie-like than the first, but nowhere nearly as much as during the Prologue.

The big thing about the game at the time was that Chapter 2 is completely different based on the choice you make near the end of Ch 1 - different hub, different characters, different story, quests etc, so 2 playthroughs for the full experience was a hard requirement.

So make of that what you will.

 

[cretin]

This is also where the rolling nonsense began, because there is no roll animation in W1, and "dodging" in that game is actually used to reposition.

There is a roll animation in the Witcher 1, it's on one of the fast or group styles as a dodge, but it doesn't matter because as you said, it doesn't grant any benefit other than repositioning. No I-frames and it's also slow as fuck.

mustve missed that. I remember the forward somersault but not a roll.

 

[Non-Edgy Gamer]

This game is a turd, and I have no idea how it has the level of respect that it does

Memories of 3D booba.

It shouldn't have any respect here of all places. Plot on rails, two branching paths that lead to the same thing. It's like CDPR made a Bioware game or something.

Combat is more engaging, but still bad. Plus they did away with the cards, which was one of the better things about TW1. Nothing quite like collecting women like Pokémon.

 

[KörangarTheMighty]

mustve missed that. I remember the forward somersault but not a roll.

Each style for each type of sword has a different dodge animation, I think the somersault was for strong steel if I remember right.

 

[cretin]

This game is a turd, and I have no idea how it has the level of respect that it does

What respect?

Theres people all over the internet trying to plant the seed that akshully 2 is better than 3 because muh story and maybe even the best of the series. Hell, there are threads full of cunts here on the codex insisting that this is a good if imperfect game. I've even seen people trying to say that the combat in this is full of depth and is tactical unlike W3's quen-dodge roll spam, but that's a load of shit, the only respect in which this is a more tactical game is merely that you have to prepare potions before combat and indeed W3 is a decline in that respect but one easily fixed by mods.

 

[Lambach]

Theres people all over the internet trying to plant the seed that akshully 2 is better than 3 because muh story

The story was of more consistent quality than in 3, tho. The main plot takes a complete nosedive after the battle at Kaer Morhen. I don't know if that part of the game was rushed to meet some deadlines, but it sure feels like it.

 

[Non-Edgy Gamer]

The story was of more consistent quality than in 3, tho.

Perhaps in that TW2 is consistently boring and linear the whole way through.

The main plot takes a complete nosedive after the battle at Kaer Morhen.

That's the endgame though, isn't it? What's there left for you to do after that but tie up lose ends?

 

[Lambach]

Perhaps in that TW2 is consistently boring and linear the whole way through.

I dunno, I found the political intrigues and magic curse shenanigans fairly interesting until the end.

It's neither Witcher-y nor in-character for Geralt, who traditionally tries to stay out of that stuff as much as possible, but it kept me interested.

That's the endgame though, isn't it? What's there left for you to do after that but tie up lose ends?

During that endgame, almost as much exposition, information and events are thrown at you as the rest of the game prior combined, but it takes like 1/10th of that time. It's the Game of Thrones syndrome, where the plot unrolls slowly and methodically, in great detail, during early seasons, and ends up with characters just instantly teleporting all over the world, new characters being introduced shortly and out of nowhere just for plot convenience and then promptly discarded, plot points starting and ending at breakneck speed in very shallow ways etc.

Compare what it took to convince one drunk to just give you some info about Ciri to how quick and effortless it was to bring one of the highest-ranking Elves from another planet into Geralt's world so he can have a nap, alone and defenseless, and have a dream that instantly solves a major plot problem.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

This game is a turd, and I have no idea how it has the level of respect that it does, and you are literally insane if you're one of these "people" who say its better than witcher 3.

Witcher 2 was CDPR's attempt at emulating Bioware, and therefore one shouldn't find it surprising that the segment of the Codex that enjoys Bioware games also prefers the second of the Witcher trilogy.

Prestigious Codexers will understand that the first Witcher was a promising experiment from a new developer, which sadly was never properly followed up, since CDPR instead chose to pursue greater profits by emulating some of the more commercially-successful series already existing (Bioware RPGs for The Witcher 2, The Elder Scrolls for The Witcher 3, Grand Theft Auto for Cyberpunk 2077).

 

[The_Mask]

At least, I remember the demon baby and the 3 crones/witches/whatevers from Witcher 3. And I remember a great card game.

Witcher 2 is literally 1 thing: YRDEN, TRAP IT WITH THE YRDEN!!!

 

[Wunderbar]

Witcher 2 is literally 1 thing: YRDEN, TRAP IT WITH THE YRDEN!!!

that's some PTSD inducing shit right there. I died like a thousand times to that shitty qte boss and its tentacles with broken hitboxes.

 

[Lambach]

Witcher 2 was CDPR's attempt at emulating Bioware

Bruh, even Witcher 1 was a low-budget attempt to emulate Bioware. It even uses the same engine as NWN.

I mean, they literally marketed it as a "story-driven RPG" where "your choices truly matter". Remind you of some other studio that uses that same sales pitch a lot?

Yeah, the first Twitcher did have more RPG elements compared to both sequels, but ultimately, it was a primarily narrative-driven game, not a gameplay-driven one (nobody remembers this game because of its combat, tactical depth, progression and character build variety etc)

Put some equivalent of the Alchemy system into the first Mass Effect, and the two are functionally very similar. I guarantee you there would've been a lot more "cinematic" cutscenes in Twitcher 1 had their budget been higher than two sacks of potatoes.

 

[Hammer Of The Heretics]

Technically people do remember Witcher 1 for its combat - specifically how fucking bizarre it was.

 

[Lambach]

Technically people do remember Witcher 1 for its combat - specifically how fucking bizarre it was.

OK, you got me there.

 

[agentorange]

i will take a bizarre system that is tailored to the specific fiction of the game (in the case of witcher 1 the fighting was based on how witcher combat styles are described as dance-like in the books) than a boring copy pasted and half-hearted attempt at SOULSLIKE combat

 

[Non-Edgy Gamer]

I dunno, I found the political intrigues and magic curse shenanigans fairly interesting until the end.

Sounds like a description of TW3.

I understand this sentiment though. TW2 is all about assassinations and plots. It's just that, as a player, you're mostly witnessing these plots as you ride through the linear Disneyland ride toward your chosen ending.

During that endgame, almost as much exposition, information and events are thrown at you as the rest of the game prior combined, but it takes like 1/10th of that time. It's the Game of Thrones syndrome, where the plot unrolls slowly and methodically, in great detail, during early seasons, and ends up with characters just instantly teleporting all over the world, new characters being introduced shortly and out of nowhere just for plot convenience and then promptly discarded, plot points starting and ending at breakneck speed in very shallow ways etc.

Compare what it took to convince one drunk to just give you some info about Ciri to how quick and effortless it was to bring one of the highest-ranking Elves from another planet into Geralt's world so he can have a nap, alone and defenseless, and have a dream that instantly solves a major plot problem.

Most of the time you spend is just in finding the right people and putting the puzzle together. Why would you need to go through another dozen random lords just to find whatever elf that's already been here for most of the game as a mutant hobbit?

It's like you've opened the bank vault and expect another dozen guards and a few more doors when the money is right there.

There was quite a bit of loredump going on in the end, but if you were paying attention before, a lot of it was revealed along the way, or else foreshadowed well enough.

 

[Non-Edgy Gamer]

i will take a bizarre system that is tailored to the specific fiction of the game (in the case of witcher 1 the fighting was based on how witcher combat styles are described as dance-like in the books) than a boring copy pasted and half-hearted attempt at SOULSLIKE combat

Click, click, click. That was TW1 combat. Remove your nostalgia blindfold.

 

[Desert Rat]

I bought this on Xbox during a sale last year when I was going on vacation to visit my wife's family. My brother in law's Series S hard drive was full so I never did play it. I hope if I ever do play it I like it better than you. lol.

 

[*-*/\--/\~]

... not even the basics of a 3d action system like orientating towards the enemy you are actually targeting, not even with a fucking lock on. ...

So you're one of those people who need the game to automatically turn them towards enemies so they don't run into a wall to get raped from behind? :D

 

[agentorange]

i will take a bizarre system that is tailored to the specific fiction of the game (in the case of witcher 1 the fighting was based on how witcher combat styles are described as dance-like in the books) than a boring copy pasted and half-hearted attempt at SOULSLIKE combat

Click, click, click. That was TW1 combat. Remove your nostalgia blindfold.

I just came from another thread where someone throws out the "nostalgia" line for liking something older.

I never said the witcher 1 combat is great or that other games should use it, however I liked it at the time and I still like it. It feels satisfying once you get the hang of it and there is enough variety with the various spells and styles, not to mention potions, to not have it feel like a complete exercise in tedium. It is unique and fitting for the game. I'm not sure what other kind of combat the game could have had, turn based even though it is single-character and against small amounts of enemies? Gothic style, which people would also complain about? I suppose it could have done Souls-style before Souls games and copied Legend of Zelda with single target lock-on and rolling. There aren't that many third-person action RPGs with great combat to begin with.