The Witcher 2

[Jusatsushi]

This game has to come to consoles, because it deserves the biggest possible audience, and frankly all the whiney spec and settings obsessed PC snobs don't deserve to have this puppy all to themselves.

It takes the original, which is also a fantastic but flawed masterpiece, and streamlines, polishes and tweaks... the best comparisson is Mass Effect to ME2. And we all know how good ME2 is right? If you ever have enjoyed a fantasy RPG you will love this. It's clever, gripping, beautiful and most importantly - fun. All the time. In 10 hours or so I haven't stopped grinning.

I really hope I'm not deluding myself here, in some subliminal attempt to justify spunking loads of cash on PC bits last year. I know others here are playing it... it's really this good right?

[SuperBeatBoy]

Its fantastic. Wish i was playing it more but i'm suffering a terrible cold at the moment.

I think its best to play with a gamepad on this but i'm suffering some issues with the combat probably because of it, sometimes theres a bit of a delay in blocking attacks. Don't know if anyone else is getting this though.

The combat as a whole is well thought out and every battle a great strategic challenge, you can't just go in there and wack away with your sword. You have to think everything though and adapt when needed using all your attacks at your disposal.

[PeteJ]

I'm not surprised this is so good - the original really was a flawed masterpiece. If anyone can find a game that deals with choice and consequence as well as the original, i'd like to know about it.

Alas, my time with the sequel will have to wait for a console port or new PC.

[SuperBeatBoy]

The choice and consequences are even better this time around. I already hit a fantastic one in the prologue. Also the cinematic medieval storyboards are gorgeous. Everything about this gam exudes quality.

[Jusatsushi]

I had to stop for ten minutes to make a story decision earlier and am still not sure I made the right one. This game will have to get another playthrough at some point.

[Fat_Bob]

I just finished the prologue and had a huge grin on my face. I thought it weaved together the story threads really well. I didn't notice any big choices though. Maybe someone could PM me with what they found. The combat works really well with some really tight fights. I was getting my ass kicked at the beginning and had to do the first fight a number of times, at least this shows that it has depth. I'm only running the game at 720p but it looks gorgeous especially the cinematics. I'm slightly disappointed by the faces which are really well modelled yet crudely animated. The story and direction make up for this though. Can't wait to get out exploring!

[SuperBeatBoy]

I P'md you fat bob.

The only sore point for me so far with this game is the stealth mechanics, they didn't work for me at all. Hopefully that was it for stealth!

[sj33]

How accessible is this for a person who hasn't played too many western RPGs? I love Oblivion and Mass Effect, but I found the original Dragon Age to be quite hard going. I want to buy either this, or the PC version of Fable 3. This looks like the better game, but I'm worried that it might be too 'hardcore' for me.

[Daragon]

How accessible is this for a person who hasn't played too many western RPGs? I love Oblivion and Mass Effect, but I found the original Dragon Age to be quite hard going. I want to buy either this, or the PC version of Fable 3. This looks like the better game, but I'm worried that it might be too 'hardcore' for me.

I would start with the original game if I were you, it's available for under a fiver on GoG atm.

[neoboy259]

Wow, so refreshing to play an RPG that hasnt been simplified for console players. Anyone else getting a Demon's Souls vibe from the combat?

I think its best to play with a gamepad on this but i'm suffering some issues with the combat probably because of it, sometimes theres a bit of a delay in blocking attacks. Don't know if anyone else is getting this though.

Its not a bug, your blocking and magic usage share the same bar (I think its the Vigor bar?). So spam your magic and you lose the ability to block.

Only cons so far are the slightly unintuitive menus and Triss' voice acting.

[abigsmurf]

Ok...

I've just spent 45 minutes playing the same first 30 seconds of the game over and over again. What. The. Hell? Hit 3 times, you die, get hit by a flame, you die. Hard games are one thing but sorry, not game should be so stupidly hard and unfair the second you get control that I felt like chucking my mouse against the wall.

Please, at least tell me that the choices at the start are meant to be played in a certain order and I wasn't supposed to play that section until I'm much stronger...

This could very well be the shortest I've ever played a game otherwise.

[neoboy259]

Ok...

I've just spent 45 minutes playing the same first 30 seconds of the game over and over again. What. The. Hell? Hit 3 times, you die, get hit by a flame, you die. Hard games are one thing but sorry, not game should be so stupidly hard and unfair the second you get control that I felt like chucking my mouse against the wall.

Please, at least tell me that the choices at the start are meant to be played in a certain order and I wasn't supposed to play that section until I'm much stronger...

This could very well be the shortest I've ever played a game otherwise.

It's not a particularly difficult game even after 3 hours in. You need to block and time your attacks. Rushing in swinging your sword will get you killed super fast. You using your magic as well?

[Jusatsushi]

Just read the Eurogamer review and agree with every sentence. This bit stands out too:

The problem is one of balancing. The Witcher 2 has an inverted difficulty curve. Rather than starting you off gently and getting tougher as you learn, The Witcher 2 starts off ungodly tough after an inadequate tutorial, then eventually plateaus into being hugely tricky, before you finally end up progressing far enough into the game's skill trees that everything becomes too easy.

I struggled with the combat a little early on, but haven't died once in a good few hours of play now I'm familiar with what signs enemies are weak against. The combat definately carries a rhythm also - even though the glowing sword of the first game is gone. There's much better crowd control avaliable in the tallent trees too which makes being flanked - my most common cause of early death - easier to manouvre out of.

[abigsmurf]

I started again going from the top choices to bottom and the game, although still hard for what should be starting off with a tutorial chapter, is at least managable. Did the dragon bit first time at Lv.2 with a vitality boost.

However I am really enjoying the game now, really atmospheric, great graphics and once you're practiced, the combat is quite rewarding (only annoyance is the fact you can die in a couple of seconds, especially if you get surrounded)

Kind of irritating how it eats my Core i5 5850 system for breakfast but turning off the motion blur makes a huge difference. FPS with motion blur on was literally proportional to how fast the camera moved.

[abigsmurf]

Played a bit more. Still incredibly annoying how it can take 15 hits to kill one enemy but they can kill you in 3 or 4. Keep having to cheese tough encounters. Also frustrating that enemies never miss but occasionally your sword passed through them for some enemy types.

It's also irritating how the game gives you no clues or directions "Use bombs to destroy the monster nest"... Which bombs? The ones I had didn't work. Turns out, reading some sites that you can only get the bombs you need from a guy who you can only find doing another quest. As atmospheric and nice looking the game is, there is some shockingly poor game design on display in this game.

Incidentally, if you've a mid to high end system and you're wondering why you can't get above 20fps, turn off ubersampling, it'll double your frame rate.