The Witcher - Meet Geralt @ Twenty Sided
 

Shamus Young has a piece on The Witcher titled Meet Geralt, in which he discusses the preset character, amnesia and sex cards. Shamus intensely dislikes all of these elements as you can see from this sample:
It's important to note Shamus is clear this shouldn't be seen as a traditional review. Based on the comments section, further articles will be forthcoming with a similarly negative point of view.
More information.

You know, I just never thought of Geralt as being ugly… I mean, the scars are bad for sure, but for his day and age… I dunno?

There is one thing I do agree with him on:

"…and the whole sex-card business is hopelessly juvenile within the context of this otherwise gritty world."

This is true. It really is juvenile, and doesn't really fit the context of the world, or the character for that matter. In short, it is tasteless.

Very weird. I am usually not a fan of preset characters myself, but Geralt was the first truly memorable character I have played in quite a while. Plus the game offers more choices and consequences than most. Although I am ready to admit that I didn't think the character development that great - whatever you do, you play a swordsman with some magic tricks - which of course is what being a witcher is all about…

Specifically the cards, or the acts themselves? I didn't think the cards made much sense, but as for Geralt haveing sex, I think it actuall does make sense. It may be juvenile or tasteless according to your taste, but it certainly makes sense in context of the game.

The cards and the collecting of the cards were tasteless and juvenile. They should have kept everything as it is now, but take the cards out.

A trading card game ? ;)

Why? Only because you cant handle them?

huh? Do you mean handle the cards physically?

Handle the "juvenile" content of the cards. I thought thats what you critisized?

Geralt is one of the best preset characters i've seen. Lots of depth and personality. the most weird to claim that he is ugly. The man has seen the world and he ain't a young whippersnapper. Scars are a proof of lived life. Besides his work is dangerous business.

What comes to sex, well isn't it a natural thing in our lives? so why not for a travelling warrior? heh..not too much pleasure or comfort in his harsh life..so he gets it we he can. Besides it is everytime player's choise.

The cards were pretty stylish and sometimes even beautifull art. For me they were like memories in geralt's head. Something for him to remember from good momements…

I don't mind the sex part and although in the game he could sleep with different types of women, Geralt doesn't seem like a guy that addicted to sex. I would rather have him as a man with sexual disability due Witcher mutation (he is sterile anyway).

I agree - even I found him somewhat attractive :O

I played the first act and I never laughed so hard before. Really, the sex isn't the problem, but the way it is presented in the game and in the story.

His character in the books was quite a skirt chaser as well. All in all his character was portrayed very much like he was in the books. So like it or not, this is the way Gerald is. Except maybe for the possibilities of him getting married and willingness to stop being neutral once the price was raised. Both of those never even came close to happening in the books.

Playing this game is very much like reading a book, if you don't like the protagonist you're not going to get another one. So you might as well go and pick up another book. To me, that doesn't seem like something one should be complaining about.

Absolutely disagree.

I agree 100%, but the cards and the card collecting diminishes his whole character to be juvenile. That cards just don't fit in game. Instead of the sex being on the more mature side, it is being portrayed in a very juvenile manner just because of the cards and the collecting of the cards.

That is my only complaint about the game. I feel like I have to limit his character so I don't have to partake in such a juvenile mini game. I really wish they made an option to turn the cards off, and the collecting of them.

So you're saying this is interactive fiction and not an RPG?

This annoys me in the same way that putting chainmail clad babes on the covers of RPG books and games annoys me. The only purpose is to titillate young teens (or older ones who never grew up) who the publishers apparently think are the target market but actual market research shows are not.

So everybody says that trading card games are "juvenile" and "childish".

Implicitely, but it boils down to that.

This just adds to the cliché that RPGs should be "dark and adult". No light-hearted themes, colours, and especially no childish content, please !

No, the cards and the collecting of cards for "banging a chic" is what is juvenile. For The Witcher, this type of mini game does not belong, it dimishes the character of Geralt to the level of being juvenile. Geralt is not juvenile.

Oh, those cards… :rolleyes:

There were a few things that hit a false note in the game for me, most of which were related to sex: specifically, the cards, and the identical babydoll nighties worn by the most of the ladies. The sex thing would've worked better without the cards, and with the ladies completely naked, or at least with somewhat more believable and varied medieval lingerie.

I think the cards were a minor if juvenile flaw, and one that I was easily able to ignore in the larger framework of enjoying the game. The sexual encounters themselves seemed in character and plausible and as such,though I am not particularly focused on bedding semi-naked ladies as my erotica of choice, they made sense and were also relatively optional. I certainly didn't "go to bed with every peasant woman" Geralt saw, but when it seemed a logical continuation of who I played him as, it worked fine without being obtrusive.

I found Geralt a very interesting, conflicted and ambiguous character to play, and the idea of him being Hugh Hefner-like seems both really shallow and a pretty weird quirk of the imagination to me. :)

Depends on your definition of an RPG as I am of the opinion that the two are, at the very least, not mutually exclusive. Either way, it doesn't matter what exactly we categorize this game under. I just know that to me it was fun as heck and is one of the best games I've played, but sure, its the 'fiction' part of it that made it the most fun for me.

Some of the best role playing games I've played had pre-set characters because they were based on books, anyone remember Betrayal at Krondor? I don't think we should be debating so much which approach is better (blank slate vs preset character) and focus more on getting the game makers to make us more of both kinds of RPGs. That way everyone has something that suites their fancy.

Except that you don't have to collect cards. It is not compulsory and you can finish the whole game without the need to collect a single one! If you are so inclined you can play Geralt as a celibate.
What's more you actually have to actively seek most of the sexual encounters. You can stumble upon them by accident only in a very few cases.
So what the problem seems to be? Just that the possibility is there?

Well if you finish the game without having any romances, you are going to miss quite a lot storyline and great writing :). Atleast I found the shani romance quite well writen..the party thing was one of the best quests i've seen lately in rpgs :-)

Oh, I agree Dez. My argument was aimed at those who seems to think that totaly optional bit of the game somehow lowers the tone of the game as a whole.