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I have been playing this game since release and it KICKS ASS. In gameplay it most closely resembles Fable, although it freedoms are more reasonable and there is much more depth to the world.

Unlike Fable, you have a more-or-less defined charecter, Geralt. Polish members may recognise him, from the works of Andrzej Sapkowski. There is even a so-so TV series about him, which is great to watch, although some changes had to be made for the TV series.

Geralt is a witcher, a professional monster hunter and a mutant. To-be-witchers are taken as children, most often orphans, and undergo a series of painful mutations done by magic and chemicals/herbs, after which they are sterile but immune to diseases, can see in the dark, can drink a variety of potions that would be otherwise poisonous and are generally stronger and faster.

Even if you don't know him or the world he is in very well, it doesn't matter. In the game, he has amnesia after supposedly dying (had supposedly a pitchfork driven trough his chest) thus everything is explained to you without breaking atmosphere.

The graphics are neat, and incredibly realistic. And I don't mean high-def textures, but everything is ridiculously detailed and atmospheric. There are rats, cats, birds and even monkey-like creatures you stumble upon. Effects are nice.The areas are very believable and realistic.

Gameplay is indulging and addictive to say the least. Story-wise your decisions will effect you and will have consequences. And there are women as well, as Geralt seems to have been a big lady's man. There is sex in the game, although not porn. Some of these sequences are either interesting or funny.

Combat is tactical RPG but easily learned and without any numbers you have to crunch trough. You can't just madly click the mouse, as you have to time your attacks. Time them right, and you can deliver a much more crushing blow then otherwise. You have three fighting styles and two swords, each you must use with care. The right sword and the right style can easily make chop liver of your hardest opponents.
There is no grinding in the game, although it does help. Levels do not matter that much, and distributing your earned points is a fairly trivial affair with no true bad decisions (except that if you get a bronze from a mutagen potion, use that on mutagen-only skills!).

Music is fantastic, great for fantasy yet still somewhat new.

Overall, a very smooth, polished game.

You can't just witch something!

How do you know? Have you tried?

Witcher is just not a word.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/10/24

Wasn't this game built with a modified Aurora engine?

Yes it was.

It looks pretty cool, and since I'm a slut for strange, poorly-translated Eastern European games I'll totally get it.

This is probably going to be a sleeper hit.

By "sleeper" I mean "it didn't get advertised at all, so won't sell but is good".

DPDarkPrimus wrote:This is probably going to be a sleeper hit.

By "sleeper" I mean "it didn't get advertised at all, so won't sell but is good".

It's getting great reviews. I agree that it will end up as a niche classic, where people in the "know" in terms of games will all know about it.

DPDarkPrimus wrote:This is probably going to be a sleeper hit.

By "sleeper" I mean "it didn't get advertised at all, so won't sell but is good".

I've seen plenty of ads all over the internet, playing up the whole 'no good or evil, just consequences' angle.

If it was out in AU, I'd be playing it right now. I had to get Hellgate:London instead, and it's ... bad.

Stark wrote:

DPDarkPrimus wrote:This is probably going to be a sleeper hit.

By "sleeper" I mean "it didn't get advertised at all, so won't sell but is good".

I've seen plenty of ads all over the internet, playing up the whole 'no good or evil, just consequences' angle.

If it was out in AU, I'd be playing it right now. I had to get Hellgate:London instead, and it's ... bad.

Wait, Hellgate is bad? I thought it was supposed to be a sort of 3D immersive diablo thing with guns and an incredibly engrossing sort of mashtastic warfare? Whatever happened to that? What's wrong with it?

I'm enjoying this currently. However, saving and loading is glacial.

Stark wrote:Yes it was.

It looks pretty cool, and since I'm a slut for strange, poorly-translated Eastern European games I'll totally get it.

I take it you enjoyed S.T.A.L.K.E.R., then?

DPDarkPrimus wrote:This is probably going to be a sleeper hit.

By "sleeper" I mean "it didn't get advertised at all, so won't sell but is good".

Oh, it got advertised allright. It's all over the place in here, which is quite understandable, seeing as it's been made by a Polish developer

I'll be getting it after I uprage my rig. I've been waiting to do that for a long time...so that I can play all those stupidly needy games I've always wanted

Covenant wrote:Wait, Hellgate is bad? I thought it was supposed to be a sort of 3D immersive diablo thing with guns and an incredibly engrossing sort of mashtastic warfare? Whatever happened to that? What's wrong with it?

It's not terrible: just flat, boring, and really REALLY easy. The gunplay is pedestrian and the outdoor areas look like absolute ass. The skill system is more Titan Quest than MMO, unfortunately, but at least you can upgrade weapons in an interesting way. The setting also doesn't really work: the player is old enough to remember the invasion and London is full of Routemasters (lol) and Humvees, but everyone is walking around in blue-neon power armour.

It looks pretty cool, and since I'm a slut for strange, poorly-translated Eastern European games I'll totally get it. Smile

The translation so far is very good and so is the voice acting. The only problem I've encountered is the wrong usage of the term "genetically engineered" on Geralt, which is incorrect. He is taken in and they used chemical/biochemical/whatever AFTER he is born, thus his genes are not engineered.

In terms of overall quality, this game is the opposite of the last Polish game that I played (Two Worlds).

As someone with a definite interest in this game, would you recommend picking it up, even at full price?

I'm wondering about a few things...what are the reqs for a rig like? How is gameplay, is it buggy or does the game seem finished overall? (A novelty these days )

I had been following it through it's preview/development stage about a year or so ago, but lost track of it. Now it's actually out, is it another hyped up game?

Zixinus wrote:The translation so far is very good and so is the voice acting. The only problem I've encountered is the wrong usage of the term "genetically engineered" on Geralt, which is incorrect. He is taken in and they used chemical/biochemical/whatever AFTER he is born, thus his genes are not engineered.

Really? Some of the reviews I've read have commented on the english text (although they also say that the english voiceacting is fine). I guess I'll have to wait until it's available here and find out.

Really? Some of the reviews I've read have commented on the english text (although they also say that the english voiceacting is fine).

I haven't noticed anything wrong with the English used. Hell, I think its overly modern at times. That's one bit I never liked about the witcher universe: it sometimes takes modern issues and behaviour and casts it into a medieval fantasy. As a reference or such I don't mind, but I'm up here in orbit with modern issues. And it just sometimes breaks atmoshpere, I mean, its like a dirty peasant boy talking about nuclear energy next. I can take that the concept of science exists, but the universe occasionally takes too much of the modern world and puts it into a place where it doesn't exist.

Zixinus wrote: I haven't noticed anything wrong with the English used. Hell, I think its overly modern at times. That's one bit I never liked about the witcher universe: it sometimes takes modern issues and behaviour and casts it into a medieval fantasy. As a reference or such I don't mind, but I'm up here in orbit with modern issues. And it just sometimes breaks atmoshpere, I mean, its like a dirty peasant boy talking about nuclear energy next. I can take that the concept of science exists, but the universe occasionally takes too much of the modern world and puts it into a place where it doesn't exist.

It's kind of like this in the books too, though. And if you think about it, it really isn't that much out of place ; It's a fantasy world after all, and language is developed by historical processes rather than surrounding architecture

Fantasy worlds are not free of internal reasoning. How could issues that are that of a global, industrial society be the same as those of a medieval tech-level society?

Zixinus wrote:Fantasy worlds are not free of internal reasoning. How could issues that are that of a global, industrial society be the same as those of a medieval tech-level society?

Any examples of such issues being discussed by peasants in-game?

There were practically none in the books, save for some social questions which are not inherently tied to industrial societies.

Since I still haven't played it (it costs obscene amounts of money and I'm currently short on cash), but plan to buy one on the next wage, could someone here enlighten me whether Geralt encounters Yennifer there and does a larger story arc take place in the game or not?

It does, and there is a sorceress that is very important to the plot.

Anyone else playing? I'm stuck at Act 2.


Spoiler alert! ------------------------------------------------------------------------
I can't find any evidence againts anybody. I'm already done in the swamp, but certain dialogs or even persons seem to be missing. I've already accused and talked to everyone.

- I can't enter the cemetery. I can't get a reason to do so.
- I've angered Vincent.
- I can't enter the hospital. How am I supposed to get the ring that would allow me in?
- I'm already done in the swamp. With the exception of possible Squirrel and Order quests (as I don't want to take sides), and one last quest involving the boy I can't find in the swamp caves, I've done everything.
- I so far could only prove Vivaldi innocent.
- There are no assassins in the streets anymore and I need three brooches of their amulets. Any way to make them appear?
- I found where Bertigar or whoever is, and he's dead.
- Coleman is dead from a Squirrel attack.
- Can I "get down" with Carmen after I've done her quest and asked for the "flower package"?
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