Witcher 2 Getting Annoyed

[ToddMcF2002]

Not loving this game like Witcher 1 that's for certain.

First problem: A complete lack of info on enemies. I'm assuming the "+" sign next to their health bar means they are higher level than me or mini-bosses?

Second Problem: The whoreson that designed "Scent of Incense" should be flogged within an inch of his life.

Spoiler

The "assailants" are beating me to death and I can't find a weapon fast enough to not die. Even knowing there is a rusty sword somewhere nearby isn't helping. I can't find the damn thing fast enough to fend off all these overpowered "bandits" with all the "+" signs. How is this fun?

Third Problem: In combat Geralt is not nearly limber enough. Trying to take advantage of Aard stuns is almost impossible. After casting there is almost a full second of delay before I can get him to advance. Meanwhile Nekkers swarm as I struggle to get a decent double tap to respond.

And if I lose my %)(*& gear one more time I'm deleting this off my PC!

 

[ToddMcF2002]

Beat the damn quest so I'm less aggravated now. I noticed dodge doesn't work when you don't have a sword.

Spoiler

Ran around in circles until I spotted the sword. Once equipped I could dodge roll.

 

[JDR13]

How are you losing your gear? I don't remember that being possible.

What difficulty level are you playing on?

*Edit* Ah ok.. I remember that quest now. That's what you meant by losing your gear. No, it doesn't happen again.

And yeah, that particular quest is a pain before realizing what you need to do.

 

[ToddMcF2002]

Oh I just got a massive steel 2H sword. Could have used that earlier. I'm sticking with it. Just having trouble adjusting from the old game system I definitely preferred. Its still a very slick game.

 

[NewDArt]

Combat was hard in TW2 vanilla - but I believe it's still quite hard in EE. It takes actual skill to defeat enemies on the harder difficulties - unlike the other Witcher games.

You can't cheese them with spells and what not. I remember loving the challenge, personally.

 

[Falksi]

This is the pain with TW2, it definitely takes some time to get to grips with everything. Just remember throughout the game that the game is often about thinking ahead based on the info given. That's what it captures so well in terms of Witcher "feel". You're not a super human who can lazily get by just by leveling up. Instead sometimes you have to drink potions & plant traps to tip the odds in your favour.

Give it until at least the start of Chapter 2 before quitting, sounds like you're still getting to grips with it.

 

[GothicGothicness]

Combat is really easy in TW2, because of the quen sign, just max that and cast quen all the time, and the game will be very easy. It is a little bit harder in the EE because they nerfed quen a bit, but on the other hand they made some parts a bit easier so it almost evens out. I completed it on hardest both before they nerfed quen and after so I know the difference.

There is one part which is extremely hard though, but that part only comes if you choose a certain path. There is also one fight which is extremely hard in the EE, but it is entirely optional.

 

[ToddMcF2002]

So I've discovered traps which is great. Allowed me to really soften big targets for a sword assault. Problem is the game is starting to feel like you have to make sword play secondary. Case in point: Endrega Queens and Wraiths. The Wraiths are by far the worst. They do an ungodly amount of damage and I can barely make a dent in them.

 

[JDR13]

Well the Endrega Queens are mini boss battles so they're supposed to be tough. I remember hating the wraiths in that burned-up asylum. I know there are some tricks to fighting them, but I don't recall what they were.

I like that you can't just beat everything with swordplay alone though. That's part of the appeal for me.

 

[sakichop]

As GG said combat in the Witcher 2 is pretty easy. I found it easy anyway.

-Remember to use the right sword ( sounds obvious but I found myself sometimes forgetting and not noticing until I wasn’t damaging monsters at all)

- always keep a swallow active.

- use quen always. Active it at the start of the fight. Most enemies are pretty slow so you should be easily able to dodge while the cool down runs out. If you get hit then activate quen again. You should be able to beat the entire game with this method. It will also get you all the way through the Witcher 3. You probably won’t even need swallow in Witcher 3 if you take the perk that extends food healing to 20 min. Use your other signs, traps, bombs etc. to add variety to combat but there not really needed. Although igni at full strength is op as well.

Almost forgot, match oils to appropriate monsters for nice damage bonus.

 

[ToddMcF2002]

I finished the Wraith quest last night with traps, Swallow and Spector Oil. I’ve heard a lot about Quen and I think I’ll avoid it for now. I’ve resolved to focus on traps, Igni, bombs and sword damage. So far I’ve accomplished everything with a bit of planning. Funny this game feels more like Gothic 1 right now than the Witcher

 

[ToddMcF2002]

Wow that wasn’t a fun night. The end of Chapter 1 was a nightmare for me.

Spoiler

Hated the Kayran. That took a good 45 minutes and 10 reloads. Long battle and starting over sucked. Decided I had to resort to Quen for the Kayran. But that was child’s play compared to the 40 reloads fighting Letho. That was unbelievable. Sadistic sequence really. Every tactic was a dismal failure. Stopping to Quen would invite him to cast or throw bombs. Have to keep moving. Finally beat him by simply sticking close and dodge rolling so he wouldn’t cast. Single power swings to the back and then dodge. I beat him 3 times but died twice bleeding out!

Boy this game is difficult. Still plugging away though!

 

[ToddMcF2002]

Boy there are some design decisions really dragging this game down. I now have two failed quests. Inconsequential in themselves but a frustrating quest design prone to breakage and obtuse beyond belief.

Spoiler

Baltimore’s Nightmare riddle was just absurd. It was unintelligible as far as I’m concerned. Resorted to a walkthrough out of frustration. The Walls Have Ears is just fatally flawed. If you don’t get the sequence just right the peasant suspect disappears and even solving the case means failing the quest. It’s simply stupid. After wasting hours trying to locate the suspect I confirmed online that I had done things in the “wrong order”. Oh well.

. This stuff just drags an otherwise fine game down.

 

[JDR13]

It's a fairly minor quest in the grand scheme of TW2. That said, CDP should have been more careful in planning that one out.

 

[ToddMcF2002]

I agree it’s minor. But it has apparently caused many a player to spend hours spinning their wheels. Strange it was never patched. Minor in the scheme of things.