Perfect Game

There seem to be no reviews like this one yet. Apart from the previews that were done before the release, I’ll be the first. But even if I am not, it doesn’t matter because I am overwhelmed with emotions and I simply cannot skip writing about The Witcher 2.

In fact, this post might not even be considered a review. Let’s call it more of a reflection or opinion that would be hard to fit into a regular comment, or perhaps it’s a "cry of the soul". I have little experience in writing reviews, and I wouldn’t want my work to be judged as a review later on.

1. The Environment. Landscapes

At first glance, something seems off. "It’s too saturated," I thought. They should have made the game using the engine from the first game (which, by the way, was quite successful), without unnecessary embellishments and all that nonsense. But as it turned out, it was "only at first glance". An hour into immersing myself in the game's atmosphere, I realized that everything is just where it should be—no more and no less. When I arrived in Flotsam, I thought I wouldn’t be able to settle in. I felt like a rural Russian kid from the 90s thrown into New York, a city where huge televisions hang on every building. But fortunately, the developers managed to design the game world so that we could explore it and memorize it in the shortest time possible. Therefore, you don’t often need to press the "M" button, as navigating the locations is no more difficult than in your own home. Thus, all we have left is to enjoy the scenery without the fear of running into a place from which we’ll have to escape "on the map" later. As for the scenery itself? We could talk and write about it for hours, so the only thing worth pointing out is that for the first time in a long time, I was able to love it like my native land that I want to wander through again and again. Has anyone felt something similar with other games? Undoubtedly, but what were those games? When were they? They were usually long ago, back when not everyone had computers. Recently, such experiences with new games have been rare, so the second Witcher deserves a gold medal just for its landscapes. Moving on, let’s talk about Flotsam. At first sight, it looks like an ordinary city where everything goes as smoothly as Swiss watches, mundane, identical, and gray. The butcher is chopping meat, the cook is making soup, the guards want to eat a doughnut, children are playing, elves are hanging around, and laundresses are washing. Everything in life is captured at the highest level. Regarding the ambient music, it’s very well done too. First and foremost, it stays within the atmosphere; secondly, the music constantly changes, so we don’t have to listen to the same melody twice in a row. Now a few words about the sounds; they are even better than just "good"—the sounds in the game are fantastic, but as is usually the case, every well-known game developer has a good composer, and I can’t remember a time when game sounds were like styrofoam.

2. Gameplay. Combat System

The first thing I want to highlight is the completely revamped gameplay since the first game. It is now so diverse that at first glance, it may seem that half of the features aren't needed at all. But this is typically only at first glance. Yes, the functionality is huge, and an unprepared gamer might feel intimidated. But here, the developers have really outdone themselves; they’ve managed to make it so that there is "just enough for players to use without it being excessive". So, what was that nonsense I just said? Well, remember the Axii sign, which allows you to negotiate with certain NPCs? One might ask, why would Geralt need that? It's unfair and contradicts everything he stands for. However, in the game, there are characters that need to be persuaded to do something. But these characters are not just simple robots. Each has its own character and principles. You need a unique approach and skills to each one. Skills include threats, simple persuasion, and the Axii sign. Quite a decent set, right? But as I said, each character requires a unique approach. If it’s a simple thug with the intellect of Homer Simpson, it will be difficult to persuade him, as well as to threaten him, but using a sign is perfectly fine. If it's some frail old man, you can threaten him without any formality or try to persuade him. But even then, you might not get the desired outcome. Each skill needs to be upgraded.

Now about the combat system. Here, the developers stayed true to their principles; everything is at the highest level. Each of the difficulty levels offered is unique and interesting. For example, I play on easy mode, but now I can’t eat (or drink tea or smoke) while playing, or I’ll die. Choosing an easy difficulty does not make the game mindlessly easy. Fighting will still be engaging. What about the fights themselves? At first glance, they seem "limited" with only two mouse buttons. However, to defeat even a simple group of Nekkers, this will not be enough. Interaction with signs is necessary. In the first Witcher, I primarily used Aard, but here you have to observe and adapt to the situation. But this shouldn’t pose a problem either. Aard can now (and in some situations, must) be used to push an opponent off a cliff. Quen can be utilized when the situation seems dire and provides a decent shield. The duration is enough to break free from being surrounded and use Quen to trap an enemy, giving enough time to use the Axii sign to bend their will and make them fight against their friends. The functionality is simple and vast at the same time.

The second Witcher is not only about battles and dialogues. Beyond the fascinating story (which I will write about later), you can take a break in the game. The choices are not plentiful, but they are not scarce either. We can play dice (the gameplay for which has changed too), participate in arm wrestling (a new and quite challenging activity), engage in fistfights (which have changed significantly since the first game—the fights are now beautiful and brutal), or at the very least, hire a prostitute and enjoy ourselves.

Everything I described in this section is not the entirety of the gameplay. I simply wrote what stood out the most.

Story and Side Quests

As in the first game, everything is superb. But the word "superb" simply cannot capture such a rich creation. To avoid spoilers, I will say this. The developers achieved the impossible. The story is so captivating that immediately after the first playthrough, you want to start again. Such games haven't been around for a long time. I didn’t even want to replay the first Witcher with such eagerness. But anyway. A couple of words about the presentation of this story. We don’t have to worry about missing anything because the events unfold so that we can explore the terrain, take various quests, complete them, and then focus on the main tasks. Missing something is almost impossible, unless you want to. Professional work. Respect to the developers.

Now about the side quests. They exist, and each of them is essentially unique. The developers didn’t cram 100500 quests into the game that only differed from each other by the quest-giver’s name. In my opinion, that’s a very good approach—adding just enough to avoid overwhelming the brain. But there are also the old good standard quests like "bring me a head." For example, we were tasked with reducing the populations of Endriags and Nekkers, but simply killing them will not suffice; they will be reborn. Therefore, you need to cut them off at the root. For the first, this means killing the royal mothers; for the second, blowing up their nests.

Below, I will describe what is better to highlight separately rather than combine it with any of the groups mentioned above.

Character Facial Detail

Since the first game, the detail (both facial and general) of the characters has undergone significant changes for the better. There are hardly any clones now, but there is one issue. The male characters are excellent, there’s nothing to complain about, but the women in the game are something else. I thought it would only be Triss Merigold. Don’t get me wrong, I love women! But damn, they are all made in the same image, and if that image is of an ideal Polish beauty, then I don’t know what to say. Can’t there be some variety? All the girls in the game look somewhat square with chubby legs. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like it.

Trouble with the Troll

A small quest chain telling the story of a troll, a problem that needs to be solved. Geralt is a monster slayer; his vocation is to protect people. But what if everything is the other way around? What if humans are the real monsters, and the troll is kind and reasonable, deserving to live?

The quest chain takes about 15 minutes to complete. However, within this short time, the developers managed to imbue it with more life than in any of the paid DLCs of other games. By the way, the "Trouble with the Troll" expansion is completely free, so it’s a must-see.

Logical Inconsistencies

Yes, unfortunately, such things exist. Take, for example, the diagram for the Raven armor, which can almost be obtained for free from a character who essentially had no way of acquiring it. In the first game, to build such a legendary armor, we had to complete a long quest chain, after which, for example, I felt like a hero. But here it is...

Russian Voice Acting

Honestly, I still don’t understand why people criticize 1C so much. I like their voice acting. Every dialogue is filled with intonation and emotions. Isn’t that the main thing? I want to particularly emphasize Geralt's voice acting. I don’t understand why it was criticized; in the trailer, yes, a difference was noticeable, but in the game, it’s the opposite. I’ve already forgotten what the voice acting was like in the first game.

Witcher 2 Vs Dragon Age 2

I remember there was a post in which Tomasz Gop openly stated that their game would be better. And he wasn’t lying. The second Witcher excels on all fronts. Let the BioWare folks feel ashamed of themselves!

I could go for a doughnut.

Verdict

I don’t know what Risen 2 will be like, but I can say with certainty that the second Witcher is the best RPG in the last two years. I will replay it many times, just as I did with Gothic, for example. Thanks to the developers for their efforts, thanks to 1C for the good voice acting, and to the overseer without whom the game blog wouldn’t have been as popular. And yes, for those who have yet to try the second Witcher, go for it. I believe this game will be liked by absolutely everyone.