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Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first....
The engine:
The one big flaw is the load/save times. Everybody hates it and everybody should. The game is easily worth the annoyance that comes with this, but c'mon people...learn to optimize your code! By the end of the game I kept a magazine at my computer which allowed me to tolerate it better...I recommend you plan ahead and do the same. I also had about one crash/ 6 hours gameplay. If you include an occasional combat lock (character would enter a tragic stutter loop, especially when pinned against impassable terrain and monsters) it came to about one forced reload / 3 hours. I don't consider that too bad for RPGs...it just isn't possible to test everything for every computer. Of course, the annoyance factor for a crash is way higher when reloading takes forever. On the flip side I never had to go farther back than one save because of a plot break.
Graphics:
Very good. Not groundbreaking, but immersive and high quality. I found myself chasing a bunch of pigeons just to watch them take off and climb higher and higher into the sky. The sunset is beatiful and lights up the whole sky. I started with the settings on high until the additional load-times outweighed the eyecandy enjoyment (about halfway through).
The combat system(gameplay):
Innovative and interesting. The attack chaining system is good, though a little unfair how easy some enemies are 'stun-locked.' Magic and swordplay interact well. They both become very powerful, but not too fast to be uninteresting. I highly recommend playing the game on hard to keep it interesting though...hard forces you to use alchemy to survive. This triumverate (sword, sorcery, alchemy), makes combat and character development very engaging. There is more than one way to conquor the system. The character has one MAJOR advantage though...speed. You can easily outrun anything. While some combats were a struggle, I could usually start running while under the influence of the 'speed healing' potion and ultimately win against more powerful enemies. Also, the game does depend on a few basic click skills. If you get stuck on one it could be very frustrating. Be sure your graphic settings do not kill your mouse timing. Also, IMHO the over the shoulder camera is far superior to the others...for all aspects of the game.
Inventory system:
Some good choices, some mediocre ones. Keeping quest items separate was a stroke of genius. You never have to worry about dropping a primary plot item. Treating big items (weapons and armor) separate from little ones (alcohol, food, greases) is a mixed blessing. There is no way to sell or delay choosing between weapons. They provide you with generous inn storage, but your on person storage is more limited. Personally I think they should go all or nothing (either very realistic like Stalker, or total conveinence (unlimited secondary items...unlimited weapons and armor would be going too far). However, there was clearly significant thought put into the whole system and it shows.
Storyline:
Slightly on the linear side, but there is still a strong sandbox element. The real strength is how your early choices impact the game later. It makes you think about the big choices for a long time because they really matter. Sometimes the consequences are very orthogonal, other times they are more predictable. There are a good number of interesting sidequests. Of special side quest note is the very 'notches on the bedpost' type set of cards that you collect for your 'secondary' conquests. While this is somewhat lewd, it is a very nice touch which adds alot of color to the game. Gambling and boxing are also secondary conquests which add alot of color. Very nice distractions from the main plot yet different from the standard FedEx side-quests. Because of the long range effect of plot choices, replayability is somewhat all or nothing. Reloading and trying the other choice works well for dialog options but not for plot twists. If you are a completist, prepare to be sucked in for a LONG time.
The verdict:
The real strength of the game is how it balances the different RPG elements. In this area it is amongst the best RPGs of all time. Most RPGs usually fail somewhere. Some lack a driving primary story that alters the world and choices that matter (Oblivion); some have character or combat development flaws (gothic 2...ever play a mage?); some are HORRENDOUSLY buggy (gothic 3); some are too linear (final fantasy). No game is perfect and much is a matter of taste, but most RPG gamers will greatly appreciate this offering...as long as they are patient with the loadtimes.
4.5-5 stars for the game. Subtract a star for the aggravating load times = solid 4 star game.
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As a fan of some European games such as the Gothic series, I got my hopes up pretty high when I heard this one was making it into the States. I was a bit disheartened to learn that the U.S. version is somewhat censored (self-censored by the publisher, not the government or ESRB), and owning the uncensored version I can tell you that the differences are mostly minor and do not detract overall from the story.
Being built on the NWN engine, you wouldn't know it. The entire rendering engine has been replaced, the control scheme is very different, and virtually the only thing I can say I recognized were some of the item highlights and inventory selection. Instead of tilesets, the developer designed each area in 3DSMax, and imported them into the engine.
The results are very fresh and unique areas, and each area has the 'look' that the developer envisioned.
I have not read the books by the Polish author who came up with the idea, and I do not believe they are yet available here in the U.S., but I do have to say that the story is very engaging, the characters are believable, the interaction and choices are real, and this is a very 'deep' RPG which forces you to make real choices that have no apparent right or wrong answer.
The world isn't black and white, and most RPGs are. Not this one every choice is shades of gray, and you will find it difficult to make decisions, sometimes which bear down to the lesser of two evils.
If I had to compare it to other games, I'd say you had the story telling ability of Gothic, the feel of Knights of the Old Republic, and a bit of unique feel to the game.
I believe this is worth the purchase, and even though I think the title of the game might put some people off, you won't be disappointed.
There are no bugs to speak of, though a patch is available for download which fixes some minor annoyances.
In all, I think this is a gem that may be overlooked by some at first glance, but for those who pick it up it will be one of those games you fondly remember as among your favorites.
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This is the most awaited fantasy cRPG in the past 2 years. For most part, IT DELIVERS!
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL cRPG GAMES I HAVE EVER PLAYED!
The environments are detailed, realistic, and can be experienced from up close. Grass, flowers and tree branches moved in both FABLE and TITAN QUEST as well; these, however, seem so true I caught myself reaching for my...antihistamines! Weather affects and day-night alterations (you have to see the elongating shadows to believe them!) are just gorgeous! More importantly, these are not just eye-candy: certain NPCs and monsters appear only when the correct combination of time-of-day and weather coincide...The horizon is far and the clouds move in endless variations. It reminded me of the sky of the original UNREAL, another visually ground-breaking game at its time. PURE VISUAL MAGIC!
The character (Geralt) can master both sword-fighting and magic spells (what is known as a Warlock). To some die-hard RPG fans this may seem like heresy, nevertheless, keep in mind that multi-classing is not unheard off. The movement repertoire for both practices are impressively designed. Especially the sword-fighting, it is at par to any console action game. And the spells (both offensive and defensive ones) are not less impressive.
Free roaming? Yes and no. One can decide which parts of the map he will visit but loading is still needed to travel even annoyingly short distances. And since quests and side-quest still have to be completed, yes, eventually a subtle, yet ever present, directionality is present.
Looting and bartering? Aaah...yes, sort of. You practically never change the sword you start off with (although you do get to improve its abilities), whereas good armor is only a little easier to come by compared to PLANESCAPE. On the upside, you get to gamble, have romantic relationships (FABLE was full of great ideas after all!) and bribe for information, so trinkets have other uses as well.
Detailed character modifiers? Nothing like the AD&D rules. You gain talents (gold, silver & bronze) which you can spend to improve your fighting or magical abilities. Pretty much like the DIABLO or the TITAN QUEST abilities systems.
So, apart for the slight action-cRPG handicap, I have only two other objections. First, the...camera placement. Once more (remember NWN2...) auto-placement can get on your nerves as it targets your character even if that is not the most logical option. Second, the controls. They need getting used to as the fighting combos are easily ruined by clicking out of sync. You do eventually get the hold of it, however it keeps glitching.
Whereas the BALDUR's GATES saga was story-heavy but (by today standards) visually lacking and the NEVERWINTER NIGHTS series was found, well, wanting in both aspects, THE WITCHER is the dream cRPG that BIOWARE was supposed to be capable of releasing all along. Finally it is here.
RECOMMENDED!
PS:
It has come up in the readers' comments, so I feel I should warn that this is the CENSORED version (the original version has some nudity and more...realistic language). Obviously, once more, ATARI believes America to be violence-insatiable yet sexually-immature.
I understand that these issues are important to many parents and they do have the right to raise their children as they see fit. Nevertheless, I would rather BOTH versions were available to chose from.
The uncensored version is available in Europe (you could try amazon.uk).
Honest reviews on The Witcher - PC
This is one of the best RPG's I've played since Morrowind. It doesn't have the depth of exploration or interaction of Morrowind. But it goes beyond the current run-of-the-mill RPG.
I usually don't pay attention to the story line because typically there isn't much of one. But this game differs. There's a story; it's interesting and it changes depending on the choices you make.
The fun factor is definitely a 5-star rating, although I think the re-play value is limited. Certainly, it's more limited than Morrowind, which I still play 5 years later.
Pros:
-Story draws you in. You want to play.
-Graphics
-Lots of quests (many are secondary, if you don't want to do them)
-Simple/limited keyboard use (a con, if you like to control the moves yourself)
-Interaction the story is linear, but the secondary quests you follow, and when you follow them, are up to you up to a point. There's significantly more interaction than Diablo II, but significantly less than Morrowind.
-Intuitive play Few "I'm stuck" areas. I played this as soon as it came out, so there was virtually no online help. But I didn't feel like I needed it. There really wasn't anything I couldn't figure out.
Cons:
-Game and scene load times (Game load takes 60-90 seconds on my laptop, and the processor is just under the minimum requirement. Scene load time takes about 30 seconds. Word is, a patch to address this problem is in the works.)
-Occasional black shadow, if playing with minimum graphics (I have a GeForce Go 7600, which is a 128 mg card running with 2g RAM.)
-Drawing a weapon is automatic and out of the player's control. There are a limited number of scenes where this is an issue; for instance, when you walk into an inn and encounter 5 or 6 bad guys with weapons already drawn and in attack mode. You have to wait for the game to respond, which means taking a hit (or 2).
-No character choice. You're a witcher and that's that. You have limited choices on how you build him up to rely on the sword or magic.
If you liked Neverwinter Nights or Baldur Gates, you will probably like The Witcher. Other similar games include Diablo, Diablo II, Lords of Destruction and Titan Quest.
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**UPDATE** For PC users, the fine makers of this game have released the 1.2 patch which DRAMATICALLY improves load times (by about 1/2 according to my tests) Now I am going to be yearning for the next release!! (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE) :)
I accidentally discovered this game (that's the way I usually find a new game) through an Amazon "suggestion". My life will never be the same now. Not since Planescape Torment has there been an RPG that touches on something completely different as a story line. Unlike other reviews, I'm not going to include a whole bunch of other stuff that you don't need to read... I'm just going to say you HAVE to buy The Witcher. I have only a couple of minor complaints about this game: Load times can be excruciatingly slow (but are worth it in the long run) and quest progression can be a little bit confusing at times. Other than that, I will never regret buying this game and it will be a prized "member" of my collection for years to come.
