@jhwisner
But actually you CAN choose one side in a chapter only to choose the other in the next one. Actually that is the only way to get the neutral option in chapter 4, thus getting the neutral ending. The only way to lose that option is when you choose to side with the same group all three given times.
What I figured was, in the beginning, trying to look at Geralt's POV, I aided the elves in chapter 1, since they I thought they only wanted food, the poor fellas. Then in the city bank robbery I aided the Order, since the elves were clearly terrorists. I did try to negotiate their departure without bloodshed, but neither side listened. And then, when the order decided to hunt down the elves in the swamp I helped the elves instead, seeing that their homes were under attack (and by then your buddy Zoltan also sides with the Squirrels tentatively). Doing so I found that at the end of chapter 4 I could say no to both sides, and I got a kickass neutral ending where Geralt rather focused on his personal agenda. I'm sure however that you can rationalize any or all choices, which makes it very well done in my opinion.
@ performance issues
Never had them personally. I played TW2 on a 4.5 year old PC, and apart from ubersampling (which the human eye cannot really see), everything was on max settings. No lagging, no stutter. I did wait a few patches, tho'.
@ topic
The screens - to me - look altered, or maybe I just can't fathom that a game can look like this. Either way, I'm sure it'll look great, their games always have.