The Witcher

Aurelyn · Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 12:05 pm Post subject: The Witcher

I just preordered this today - comes out here in three weeks. Kind of excited - it looks very cool.

Based on the work of Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, check it out on gamespot at

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/thewitcher/index.html?tag=result;img;0
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Aurelyn · Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:51 am Post subject:

I picked this up today - limited edition comes with a load of art books and the soundtrack. Looks very, very good. I've a nasty feeling my system's going to give itself a hernia trying to run it though!
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Satan Crime Wash · Gender: Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 1980

I've been assuming it's gonna be crap (or at least below par) or super-buggy; since nobody seems to have reviewed it before release. In print, anyway. Rarely a good sign.
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Sal · Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 1:32 pm Post subject:

well, it sure is huge back here in my backyard, everybody's raving about how good it is and how it actually stands chance to become an international smash - which would be a first for our gaming industry (we have a gaming industry?). i'm telling ya, it's gonna be the biggest thing to come from Poland since the Pope.

me? being a dedicated fan of the original prose there's no way in the world i can skip this. i'm getting myself a copy as soon as i rob a bank and buy a new machine. or maybe i should save myself the trouble and just rob a computer store.
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Spock · Gender: Joined: 02 Aug 2006 Posts: 756 Location: Western US

Well, which would be worse according to your law? Robbing a bank or robbing a computer store?
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Sal · Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:08 am Post subject:

we have law?
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Simon_Says · Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:01 pm Post subject:

lawl
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Aurelyn · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 5:38 am Post subject:

Okay, having played this a little bit over the weekend (and I was right about the hernia) it is amazing in scope. Looks beautiful, seems to play really well and no bugs as of yet. Fantastic.
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Sal · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:14 am Post subject:

Satan Crime Wash · Gender: Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 1980

Initial buzz seems fairly positive, especially for the melee combat. I may have to pick up a copy. I gather the reason for it not being reviewed was that the code arrived at or after most magazines' deadlines.
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Aurelyn · Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 10:23 am Post subject:

Yeah, the combat system is really cool - different combat styles, with experience allowing you to string new attacks into seqences. Nice. They've just released the 1.1 patch to clear up a few bugs that were in the release code as well.
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Aurelyn · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 9:33 am Post subject:

It took a little while, but I am well and truly sucked in now - my attention span for video games has definitely waned over the years, but this has really grabbed me. It's got such a dark ages feel to the setting and the gameplay is really immersive. The designers have taken an awful lot of care with the translation of the source material into the game - I'm not familiar with Sapkowski's work, but I'd imagine if you were a fan you'd be drooling with the attention to detail.
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Sal · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 10:40 am Post subject:

stop torturing me!!! *rips eyes out*
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Aurelyn · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 12:23 pm Post subject:

Sorry! If it's any consolation I think my laptop is close to exploding under the strain...
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Satan Crime Wash · Gender: Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 1980

Having just got COD 4 and SVR 2008, and with Mass Effect and Kane & Lynch in less than a fortnight, I might leave it a few weeks and get Witcher then. I know if I bought it now I'd just leave it until later anyway, or stop playing it when I get Mass Effect, but I do wanna play it. Just out of interest, what existing game does it most resemble?
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Aurelyn · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 6:40 am Post subject:

I haven't really been keeping up with recent games, so I'm probably not the best person to ask. Some of the quests are particularly labyrinthine in this one - I guess in terms of play design it resembles games like Torment (although it will never be as good - Torment is probably the best rpg I've ever played) or some of the Elder Scrolls games. The combat system is pretty unique though, from my experience. Alchemy plays a big part as well, you have to create various sword oils and potions to have any chance of surviving - formulas can be found in books etc.

The main gripe I have with the game is the ridiculous load times - it brings me right back to trying to play Ultima 7 on my 386 with a book in front of me to while away the loading screens). Also, there are many different ways to complete a lot of the quest phases, and there can be jarring continuity errors in some places when the game assumes you've taken one route to a piece of information when you may have taken another, or simply come across it happenstance.
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Satan Crime Wash · Gender: Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 1980

Simon_Says · Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 10:32 pm Post subject:

First I'm going to read that one short story collection (The Last Wish) they just released this year in English, then I'm grabbing a limited edition of this badassery.

Yes, Poland scores!

Wiedzmin FTW!

And btw I'm killing anyone who pronounces that with a w.
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Satan Crime Wash · Gender: Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 1980

So I got the limited edition this week. I'm gonna give it a go, hopefully Aurelyn's judgement is sound. I also got the limited edition version of Dreamfall, the Stalker collector's edition and the Chaotic Evil Neverwinter Nights 2 set. All at reasonable prices. I win at shopping.
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Aurelyn · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 5:57 am Post subject:

Awesome, I'll be interested to see what you think. I haven't been playing it much of late - it's one of those games that requires a large time investment which I can't really give at the mo.
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Satan Crime Wash · Gender: Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 1980

Don't really like it. Horrendous loading times make me not bother to go into buildings, the combat is boring, and the fighting styles are stupid. Should've just made an action game with levelling up. The physicality of the character would've lent itself better to something like Assassin's Creed, but hopefully with better mission design. It just feels like time has long ago passed this sort of thing by. I started playing Stalker instead which is very good indeed. I'll come back to Witcher later and give it another chance.
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Aurelyn · Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:01 pm Post subject:

I did warn you about the loads... I think I agree with you about the combat, but I like the game world and characters enough to not really mind.
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Satan Crime Wash · Gender: Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 1980

That's why I'll give it another chance. Many RPGs start very badly and get steadily better. I don't envy you those loads on a laptop.
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Aurelyn · Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:10 pm Post subject:

I refer you to my earlier comment about having to pick up a book...
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Sal · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 1:54 pm Post subject:

ok, count me in, i've finally managed to get the two essential factors (new comp and some free time) together and thus have started my Witcher experience.
only got past the prologue so far (last night), but man is it awesome.
the combat style is admittedly awkard but i think i'll be able to get used to it. the setting and character designs - beautiful (three cheers to my new comp for letting me taste an actual up-to-date game for change).
the missions, i haven't seen much of that yet, but it seems to be going in the right direction.
the only slight objection i have so far is the Polish voice-acting. professional enough, but somewhat flat and emotionless. is the voice-acting satisfactory in the English version, guys?
all in all, could someone please write the two papers i have to write for me, so that i can return to playing the game right now?
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