Anyone else not enjoy The Witcher 2?

[Kinsaras]

Fast forward to early 2015, and I force myself to play it a decent way through Flotsam. Then IDK, it just grows on you. I never played W1, so reading all the journals and character summaries is a case of "WALL OF TEXT." Trying to remember the names and everything was a chore at first, but all of the sudden it just explodes on you and you get sucked into the story.

Since you don't seem scared of words, may I recommend reading some of the books. Which few seem to know the games are based on these books.

I wish I did before I beat W3. I'm learning many of the details between Ciri, Yen and Geralt all 3 games leave out.

Amazon has them, start with "The Last Wish" which is more of a collection of short stories but some important ones.

"Blood of Elves" is the first full book that details Ciri's story.

 

[polydiol]

I tried the first witcher and I just couldn't push past the beginning. I've kind of tried the second game for about 20 minutes but I'll admit to not being terribly interested enough to keep going so they've languished in my steam backlog, I'm in no hurry to play them and I've not purchased the third game. I read all kinds of great things about it though and I'm glad people are enjoying it.

 

[umeng2002]

Since you don't seem scared of words, may I recommend reading some of the books. Which few seem to know the games are based on these books.

I wish I did before I beat W3. I'm learning many of the details between Ciri, Yen and Geralt all 3 games leave out.

Amazon has them, start with "The Last Wish" which is more of a collection of short stories but some important ones.

"Blood of Elves" is the first full book that details Ciri's story.

Books... eh... But I did watch a few youtube videos explaining things. Like I mentioned, if you take the time learn the story, W2 is very rewarding. Many times in my first complete play-though a few months ago, I found myself asking why a character would react a certain way and I tried to find evidence of their actions in the character summaries and stuff. It's quite different than the Bethesda-style RPG were you essentially play yourself in a world, not playing a character in a world.

That was what turned me off to the game back when I got in 2012. You're just thrown into a world with no real expository chapters like you'd get in reading the first book in a novel series or movie series.

 

[polonyc2]

Fast forward to early 2015, and I force myself to play it a decent way through Flotsam. Then IDK, it just grows on you...

a lot of games are like this for me...just keep playing until you understand the mechanics and story and eventually there comes a point where things just click and it becomes fun instead of a chore to play...Dark Souls was like that for me and now it's one of my favorite games of all time...Witcher, Mass Effect even Metal Gear Solid 5 took awhile before I appreciated and started to really enjoy it

 

[defaultluser]

Books... eh... But I did watch a few youtube videos explaining things. Like I mentioned, if you take the time learn the story, W2 is very rewarding. Many times in my first complete play-though a few months ago, I found myself asking why a character would react a certain way and I tried to find evidence of their actions in the character summaries and stuff. It's quite different than the Bethesda-style RPG were you essentially play yourself in a world, not playing a character in a world.

That was what turned me off to the game back when I got in 2012. You're just thrown into a world with no real expository chapters like you'd get in reading the first book in a novel series or movie series.

But that's the thing - I LOVE to sit down with a good book! An excellent backstory is essential to fleshing out ny good read

But why would I put up with the shittiest combat ever envisioned in a failed attempt to combine the two?

REALITY: I don't read games. I expect game play to be PHYSICALLY engaging first, and mentally engaging second.

 

[KickAssCop]

All the hate club guys are now cool on the internet.

 

[defaultluser]

All the hate club guys are now cool on the internet.

Hate club? For The Witcher series? You must be sniffing glue

Take a look at the internet. I tried The Witcher 1 due to universal acclaim. Word of mouth says this game is awesome, and I had to disagree.

Am I not allowed to hate a game I played? I think they call it "a review," but what do I know? All I can tell you for certain is that the combat is as boring and repetitive as golf games of the 1990s. Timing the click as the accuracy bar swings is really fucking engaging and realistic!

click....click....click...clikc...clikc............snnnnnooorreeeeee

I didn't say it was THE WRONG GAME FOR YOU, I said IT WAS THE WRONG GAME FOR ME!

 

[KickAssCop]

Most people that posted here didn't go past prologue and also didn't spend time with either Witcher 1 or 2. That is like me saying Gothic games are some of the worst games I played when technically I didn't get past first 30 minutes in each.

Witcher games require time and attention. The Rhythm of Witcher 1 and careful timing for Witcher 2 make the combat really fantastic. Add to that lots of love and attention to each quest rather than simple go there kill X and get Y XP formula is much better.

To each their own but many people stating that Witcher was crap etc without giving the game proper chance is a bit annoying to read every year when someone discovers these 3 dollar games.

 

[Factum]

Most people that posted here didn't go past prologue and also didn't spend time with either Witcher 1 or 2. That is like me saying Gothic games are some of the worst games I played when technically I didn't get past first 30 minutes in each.

Witcher games require time and attention. The Rhythm of Witcher 1 and careful timing for Witcher 2 make the combat really fantastic. Add to that lots of love and attention to each quest rather than simple go there kill X and get Y XP formula is much better.

To each their own but many people stating that Witcher was crap etc without giving the game proper chance is a bit annoying to read every year when someone discovers these 3 dollar games.

Games that require effort these days are apperently not "cool"...must be that people are too used to "console-shooter-on-rails-I'm-an-instant-badass"...sad.

 

[polydiol]

OMG! People have a different opinion! WHAT IS THIS MADNESS! NOBODY LIKES THE SAME THING I DO!?!??!!??! People dislike games that I like!!??!?!!? People like games that I hate??!?!?!?

 

[Snowdog]

Combat boring in an RPG?

Maybe some people are in the wrong genre, sounds like they would prefer an FPS over an RPG.

All the great Bioware RPGs had combat that was 1 click. You click once on the guy that you want dead, your character will then attack forever until you or the enemy is dead.

 

[KickAssCop]

OMG! People have a different opinion! WHAT IS THIS MADNESS! NOBODY LIKES THE SAME THING I DO!?!??!!??! People dislike games that I like!!??!?!!? People like games that I hate??!?!?!?

An opinion that has been beaten to death 20 times over past 7-8 years now is just a post begging to be ridiculed and get some flak which is also one of the objectives of this thread to begin with.

 

[Tudz]

The Rhythm of Witcher 1 and careful timing for Witcher 2 make the combat really fantastic.

I played about 80% of TW1 and played through TW2. I thought the combat was crap for the most part. I played TW2 briefly before the difficulty was rebalanced, maybe it was better back then. But my full playthrough was after the rebalance and I thought it was the main weak point of the game.

In addition to not actually being all that fun, the difficulty was all over the place. Most fights were too easy and a couple just randomly really difficult bits. I remember before the rebalance the combat was difficult right from the beginning and I preferred that I think, but I didn't do a full playthrough so I don't know if it was up and down as the game progressed.

IMO the combat systems of TW1 and TW2 were the weakpoints of the game. And the interface actually got worse from TW1 (which was a decent PC-centric interface) to TW2 (which was a horrible console-esque interface). I still enjoyed the games and still played TW2 through because I liked the environments, I liked the story and probably more than anything I liked the fact everyone was a bit of a dick, there was no obvious "this is the good option and that is the bad option". The only reason I didn't finish TW1 was because I couldn't game for a while when I was just finished with the 2nd last act and when I came back to it I forgot what was happening which sort of defeated the point of playing it.

 

[Snowdog]

Followup:

I bought a XB360 controller. I am not a console gamer (my last was Colecovison) and I have NEVER owned a gamepad/controller on my PC until now.

So using a controller was a HUGE adjustment for me.

Despite that, this game is clearly designed for controller use, with KB/Mouse a tacked on afterthought. A controller moved it from unplayable to playable.

I have now made it to Flotsam and IMO Witcher 1 is still the better game. Some comparison points:

Combat:

I am kind of lazy. In RPGs I prefer old school Bioware mode, click once and your guy just keeps attacking.

Witcher 1: Combat became a rhythm game. I learned to tolerate it and it was even satisfying on occasion chaining attacks.

Witcher 2: Once used to it, this is actually more fun. Instead of a rhythm game, you actually just figure out how to deal with threats. Dodge/Roll out danger. Enemies with shields facing you are near impervious, so you have to find/create an opening (block and counter when the expose to attack, roll behind them).

Tip: Witcher 2 EE has seperate Arena mode. I just played this to get comfortable with combat (and using a controller for the first time in 30 years), before actually starting the real Game.

Winner: W2

Minigames/QTE

Winner: W1 There is not QTE in W1, and the minigames can be fun, here they are more like punishment. Obviously turn off extra QTEs.

Story Progression

Winner: W1: The whole beginning of W2 is on rails, it feels mainly like you are monkey, being told to just follow the track. Often you are literally just following someone so you have no real choice.

Exploration

Winner: W1: Mapping is better in W1, and with much greater camera control you get a much better sense of your environment. I quickly had a mental map of the main city and fully explored everywhere. In W2 mapping is crap, and you are stuck with no camera control, just close in claustrophobic mode. I feel lost all the time and keep missing stuff.

Menu Navigation

Winner: W1:

While I need the controller for w2 combat, it is horrendous in menus/housekeeping, this includes setting up signs, drinking potions etc. In W1 you could just drink a potion. Now in W2 you need to meditate to drink a potion, which means menu trips with a controller.


Bottom line I prefer W1 for everything but combat (which actually seems to be what many are complaining about.) I'd much rather being doing the W2 story in the W1 game engine.

 

[Domingo]

Not sure about everyone else, but I figured out the timing for the Witcher 1 after a couple hours and found it maddeningly simplistic by the time you get to the end. Plus you have all of those dodge moves that are borderline worthless. It feels unfinished, IMO. It isn't quite Hydlide (run into enemies while holding a button) but it wasn't challenging or rewarding.

This isn't the 90's. Standing directly in front of enemies and fighting them with the illusion of real-time action just doesn't cut it. Either make it turn based or offer some sort of opportunity to move/dodge/do other moves.

#2 mostly fixed that and while a little too easy, #3 solved the problem.

I've completed all 3 and did damn near everything there was to do in all 3. The first one succeeded in spite of the combat just because you wanted to see what was next.