Flight Analysis
Material provided by the official fan site of the game The Witcher 2:
This article is a mini-review, a kind of "flight analysis" based on new materials and facts that have appeared in the last 24 hours (March 23). So, what did we see today? A teasing double on the official site and a beautiful debut trailer, which generated an incredible amount of discussion and conflicting reviews, as well as a number of responses from the developers in various threads on the official forum.
With a big red double, even a hedgehog can understand everything. This is just a temporary tease, which will soon be replaced by more interesting materials, and shortly after that, we expect the opening of the updated official game site. This is what the developers assured on the official forum in the newly opened section dedicated to The Witcher 2. In addition to this information, responses from developers on many other questions have started to appear there. Perhaps the most important thing that was said there is the new estimated release date – the first quarter of 2011. Let me remind you that the release was previously scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2010. Well, this is quite an expected delay, although not particularly pleasant. A more precise date is promised to be announced on March 25 at the CD Projekt conference, but it is quite possible that they will simply repeat this information.
Holywar mode on
However, the debut trailer brought the most facts and discussions, of course. Beautiful and colorful, it delighted many fans. High-polygon models, sharp rich textures, various effects, and other joys demonstrate graphics of a completely new level compared to the first part. By the way, this video was fully rendered on the game engine in real-time without any additional post-effects. As expected, The Witcher 2 has become a hostage to The Witcher 1, just as Diablo 3 was earlier a hostage to its first two parts. The trailer started to be criticized for its excessive brightness and insufficient darkness. But in fact, this causes at least surprise, because the scene in the cave with the conversation between the elf and the muscular freak is astounding. Especially the shot with the severed head, over which flies are buzzing... The battle in the swamps with monsters vaguely resembling drowners does not look cheerful at all. By the way, the first part could also boast of vibrant beautiful landscapes that elicited only admiring sighs. Why everyone suddenly forgot about this remains a mystery. Again, when the very first leaked trailer appeared online, many complained that the game had become too gray and dark. You can't please everyone, gentlemen. The first part was very diverse. Just like the original source book. Bright colors of pastoral landscapes alternated with the inky blackness of creepy crypts. Urban landscapes were strikingly different from swamps and cemeteries. I'm not even mentioning how the impression of locations changed depending on the time of day. Picky players also lamented the puddles of blood splattering during battles. But right there on the official forum, the developers stated that the blood would still be refined. In this situation, there is an opinion that it is worth waiting for a larger quantity of materials and then judging. In any case, the Poles proved that even under conditions of total disbelief, they are capable of creating a masterpiece.
The largest portion of complaints was directed at the long-suffering face of Geralt. Some find it too fat, others too smooth. Geralt is compared to Hollywood heartthrobs despite the horrific scar on the left side of his face. Again, if we recall the feedback after the first video, statements come to mind that he looks like a beaten-up, tormented bum. What a swing in opinions, don’t you think? If they disliked it – they revised it. Still don’t like it, just from a different angle. Personally, the author of this review liked Geralt’s face at all stages of development, and now it doesn’t repel, and I’m not compelled to spit at the monitor. Especially since Geralt looks different from various angles. The same goes for Geralt's hairstyle. Yes, it is currently as it is, but the shape of the hairstyle and the texture color of the hair are not issues that cannot be fixed if a critical mass of negative reviews is gathered. Moreover, the developers stated on the official forum that the game is still in development, and Geralt's appearance may change as development proceeds. Currently, they want to get the appearance of the game model as close as possible to the artwork, which, while not in high resolution, can be seen on Gametrailers.com. So, as they say, don’t panic. At the conference on the 25th, the developers promise to showcase live gameplay.
Additional facts
After scouring the official forum and rewatching the trailer a hundred times, a few more facts were found. Among familiar characters, we will definitely encounter Triss, Dandelion, and Zoltan in the game. All of them boast new models that differ in some way from those seen in the first part. According to the good old tradition, Dandelion, along with Zoltan, will end up on the gallows, from which they will have to be rescued once again by Geralt. The elf from the trailer is not Faoltiarn. He is not the only one disfigured during clashes between squirrels and humans. So the scar on his face is not proof. His creepy interlocutor is neither the miraculously escaped Azar Javed, nor the disfigured Vesemir, and he wasn’t anywhere in the first part. In other words, both