Witcher 2 The Witcher 2 first impressions

[Dasale]

Is it just me or are the difficulty levels unbalanced? Playing on normal was almost impossible for me. I'm still in the prologue, and after dying about 10 times each in the ballista and dragon parts, I gave up and started a new game on easy. Now the combat is much too easy, and I didn't die once.

It's just weird, because I played the first game on hard, and even that was too easy.

Once you have load a save game you can go in options and change the difficulty dynamically, no need start a new game.

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

I heard that easy is really easy. But you can change difficulty during a game, so youcould play normal, and swirch to easy on "hard" fights.

 

[DeepO]

Really? This certainly applies to the main quest, but all side quests seem extremely straight forward, and yield very little - if any - reward. In fact, they can safely be ignored. Nekker quest? Arm wrestling? Fist fighting? Queen bug quest? Dice?

Extremely straightforward? I don´t think so.

Spoiler

As far as I know, to finish the nekker quest, you first have to learn about how to destroy their nests and make/buy the bombs and you get a choice at the end of fist fighting quest, for example.

That said, what about other side quests?
Pretty much all side quests in chapter 1 you haven´t mentioned offer some kind of choice. Most of them may be linear, but definitely not straightforward.
Some even don´t use quest markers or don´t disclose everything in the quest log, like the quest around the tattoo incident.
Some differ dependent on whether you use persuasion option or not.
Some choices in side quests result in different gameplay scenarios.
Take Malena quest for example:

Spoiler

Once you learn about whether the accusations are justified you can either tell guards the truth or not. If you tell them the truth, you fight the elves with the help of the guards and Malena ends up in prison.
If you lie, Malena sets up a meeting with you, but instead of giving you a reward she sets up an ambush and you have to fight the elves alone. Then you can find her (no quest marker) and get three (iirc) options how to resolve the quest.
I don´t know if there are any further consequences to this so how she ends up may be only "cosmetic", but the quest does give you an opportunity to roleplay your character, offers different gameplay scenarios and in the process also makes a point that your decisions may not always net you an expected outcome.

Some side quests also somewhat tie into the main story, like

Spoiler

the one witch haunted ruins. You also get variety of choices how to resolve it and the combination of choices I made (I tried to deceive the specter with nekker body parts, then opted to bring the two guys to guards, plus I sided with Roche during the chapter 1´s end part) resulted in a tie-in entry in the journal.

Also, in regards to quest markers, I appreciate that the game usually doesn´ t use them when Geralt has to find something.

 

[JDR13]

I think the side quests are done quite well for the most part, but I wish there was an option to toggle off the mini-map with the quest icons.

Anyone else feel the Troll DLC was disappointing? Way too short, and it really felt like it should have been part of the main game.

 

[sakichop]

how do you know if your dlc has installed?

 

[JDR13]

how do you know if your dlc has installed?

Does it show a green checkmark next to it in the dlc menu?

Check the contract board outside the tavern in Flotsam.

 

[Maylander]

Completed it just now. Not sure how long it took, probably about 30 hours. Played on normal the whole way, except one fight:

Spoiler

Letho at the end of chapter 1, I simply wasn't prepared for that one at all.

All in all, I consider it an improvement over TW1, and possibly my GotY of 2011. The only real candidate is Skyrim, as ME3 and Risen 2 will most likely be 2012 releases. I suppose DS3 should get a mention, Obsidian did develop GotY of 2010 after all, but I'm just not that fond of Diablo style games.

I mainly focused on swordsmanship, but I added a few points in signs to get 2/2 Quen. It only takes a grand total of three points, but ends up being extremely powerful. Well worth it. It's possible to get it by level 9, which should trivialize the majority of the game, so be a bit careful.

The ending was pretty decent - quite satisfying, yet still with enough room to make The Witcher 3.

I'll replay it as soon as possible in order to explore certain choices:

Spoiler

Especially Roche vs Iorveth, and Triss vs Philippa, though I suspect the latter might lead to the same events regardless of choice. I'll find out in a few days though!

Edit:
It's already been mentioned, but savegames will really stack up over time. By the end of the game, my savegame folder had reached a whooping 1,5 GB. I've come up with something of a system to remove the problem: Upon completing the game, I zipped the savegame folder using winrar and named it using the following standard "Savegames 1 - talent spec focus, choice 1, choice 2, etc". I then cleared out the savegames folder. That way, I get to keep my saves, but they only take about 150mb instead of 1,5 GB, in addition to knowing exactly what's in the saves. I intend to make a zipped file every time I play through it, so the savegame folder only contains my current savegames and not previous ones.

Saves can't actually be named in-game, so it's impossible to know what's what unless you find a similar system.

 

[JDR13]

TW2 is definitely my GoTY so far for 2011, and I'm not sure if anything is going to beat it. I have a feeling that only Risen 2 will come close for me.

I thought about starting a replay from the end of Chapter 1, but I'm a bit burned out right now. I want to play TW1 again anyways, so I'll probably wait until after that. Maybe next year...

 

[Arkadia7]

You can't name saves? Damn, that sucks. This should be something they can patch into it later on I would think, that is very basic for most rpg games I've played, to be able to name your saves.

 

[Dasale]

You can't name saves? Damn, that sucks. This should be something they can patch into it later on I would think, that is very basic for most rpg games I've played, to be able to name your saves.

Lol, well I mean I agree it seems like obvious to allow name a save but I think many RPG didn't and the list is long.

 

[sakichop]

Does it show a green checkmark next to it in the dlc menu?

Check the contract board outside the tavern in Flotsam.

Yeah no dlc for me left it all night and in the morning still just says downloading even though it says I was connected all night (lighting bolt). I guess I will have to wait for the patch. Of course i'll probably be to far in the game by then. I guees it will be something new for my second play through.

 

[HiddenX]

++ superb dialog and animation
+ choices and consequences (black, white and many shades of grey decisions)
+ challenging combat (even on normal) -> you have to use alchemy+magic+sword fighting skills to be victorious
+ good quest density
+ BIG Intro
+ unique weapons and gear
+ very good alchemy system
+ memorable characters (cool friends & enemies & "in between")
+ good story
- - some chrashes to the desktop
- - DLC doesn't download (-> should be fixed with patch 1.1)

+- no free world, but for a story driven crpg this is normal

cool stuff!

 

[RivianWitch]

All in all, I consider it an improvement over TW2, and possibly my GotY of 2011.

Erm.. Two Worlds 2? The Witcher 2 is an improvement over Two Worlds 2? How confusing...

And is JDR13 talking about TW2 or TW2?

 

[Maylander]

Erm.. Two Worlds 2? The Witcher 2 is an improvement over Two Worlds 2? How confusing…

And is JDR13 talking about TW2 or TW2?

On RPGWatch, 2W2 = Two Worlds 2, while TW2 = The Witcher 2. Also, the 2 should've been a 1 in my post.

Personally I just look at the context, and this is a thread about The Witcher 2.

 

[RivianWitch]

On RPGWatch, 2W2 = Two Worlds 2, while TW2 = The Witcher 2. Also, the 2 should've been a 1 in my post.

Personally I just look at the context, and this is a thread about The Witcher 2.

Ah, Of course. I felt confused because you said this game (in The Witcher 2 thread) is an improvement on TW2 - the only other game I could think of, was 2W2; - but confusion cleared up now.

So far I personally still prefer the first game; and especially the combat of the first game, (I'm not the biggest fan of frantic buttonmashing), but I haven't really played enough yet to form an opinion on the game as a whole.

I must admit that chapter one is prettier environmentwise than anything seen in the first game though…

(I'm a bit behind since recurring crashes with the game has forced me to upgrade my hardware first.. )

 

[Maylander]

Just reached chapter 2 again, and I must say - replaying it is well worth it! A certain choice (see spoiler) makes a huge difference, much bigger than most C&C.

Spoiler: The choice

Roche vs Iorveth at the end of chapter 1.

 

[JDR13]

Just reached chapter 2 again, and I must say - replaying it is well worth it! A certain choice (see spoiler) makes a huge difference, much bigger than most C&C.

Spoiler: The choice

Roche vs Iorveth at the end of chapter 1.

Definitely…

Spoiler: What I did…

I saved before making that choice, and played both sides through the last part of Chapter 1, before deciding to stick with Vernon Roche in Chapter 2.

Chapter 2 is pretty much a completely different game based on that decision. I really can't think of another example of C&C in any other game that can match that.

 

[joxer]

This game is not 40 hours max. Even if you finish it, you still have practically another game within a game to master.

Spoiler: My choice...

I've sided with Roche, I'll replay the whole game game anyway with different decisions in chapter one (because I skipped +50 capacity perk and the troll head) and will choose Iorveth next time.

 

[xSamhainx]

So far I like it.
The combat has a rythmn to it that I havent quite gotten yet, I've had my ass handed to me a few times - but I like it! It's challenging, and that's a good thing after the walk in the park that was normal on the original game. If your having trouble w/ the run of the mill combat, you arent using everything at your disposal. Namely, the signs. Use them or die!

The potion limitations are sort of puzzling - I cant say that I like the fact that you have to meditate to quaff one. Making a potion, sure I understand that. But I dont understand the act of potion drinking being limited as anything other than a cheap way to increase difficulty. Whatevr, I'll deal w/ it.

I like the graphics, very nice. A few thrilling setpieces so far. I have a feeling that this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

 

[joxer]

But I dont understand the act of potion drinking being limited as anything other than a cheap way to increase difficulty. Whatevr, I'll deal w/ it.

Actually it forces you to a strategy. But you won't be needing too many different pots so 3 is fine. Unless of course you go with the alchemist path. Then you get additional pot spot and intoxicated state gives you benefits!