The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition Review Every so often, a certain game comes along and refreshes its genre. The Witcher series has done just that. For years PC gamers have been able to enjoy the excellent gameplay of both Witcher games. After enjoying years of success with their series on PC, CD Projekt RED has decided to bring The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings to consoles. Do not be mistaken, this is not a straight port of the PC version. This latest version is the Enhanced Edition, which includes all-new videos, controls, camera system, and cutscenes. There is also an all-new CG intro movie as well as an extended outro. The real selling point of the Enhanced Edition is the addition of new quests totaling in 4 hours of new gameplay. The Witcher 2 continues the story of Geralt of Rivia. As you may have guessed, Geralt is a Witcher. Witchers are monster hunters by trade, and solve problems that require a more inhuman touch. They are still human, but their bodies have been enhanced by many potions and magic spells. They possess super strength and stronger senses. The player takes control of Geralt and embark on his journey to clear his name in the assassination of King Foltest who is the king of Temeria. In addition to trying to catch the true assassin, Geralt is attempting to regain his memory which I’m assuming he lost either in or after the first Witcher game. As per usual with adventure games, Geralt soon finds that he is part of a much deeper plot than just the assassination of kings (there was an assassination before Foltest). You will do A LOT of exploring in this game and trust me, it's worth it. I don’t want to give too much more away regarding the story so we’ll move onto other topics. As you may notice from the above screenshot, The Witcher 2 is one of, if not the best looking console games on the market (certainly the best looking 360 title). As I mentioned before, this is not a straight port of the PC version. CD PROJEKT Red had to totally rewrite the code for the 360 version, and the end product is just as impressive as its predecessor. The game runs smoothly for the most part with only minor texture pops here and there. As with any large game such as this, it is best to install the game to your hard drive so it runs smoother and there are shorter load times. On the issue of load times, the one gripe I had about this game was the amount of load screens there are. Short though they may be, there are load screens for most doors you go through, even if they are within the same area. This does not happen with every door in the game, but a good majority of them. You’ve been warned. The lighting system is as fantastic as any I have seen in games thus far. The facial animations as well as the character models are also top notch. As for the sound quality, it too is fantastic. The voice acting is on par with the Mass Effect and Uncharted franchises. Some will find Geralt to be very monotone but you will come to realize that is just how his character is. The cities and towns you will find yourself in throughout the game are all bustling with other citizens, markets, ports, etc. There is chatter and side conversations that really make the world feel alive. Now to the important part: gameplay. I will warn everyone that is reading this now, the combat can be very tough at times and hard to get used to at first. The combat is very fluid and similar to that or the recent Batman: Arkham games. The combat will feel a little bit funny for about the first 30-60 mins or so depending on how quickly you get used to it. The button mapping on the controller will also take some getting used to; it will feel a little stiff and crowded until you become familiar with all of the button functions. The developers did a great job of packing everything into the controller with its limitations compared to a mouse and keyboard. The swordplay is absolutely fantastic, and apparently vastly improved over the first Witcher (I have yet to play it but I plan to). Geralt has two types of attacks, light and strong. He carries two swords: a steel sword for humans and a silver sword for monsters. As you can imagine a silver sword would be pretty pointless against a human and a steel sword vice versa. Once mastered, the combat can be very rewarding as you watch Geralt cut down enemies with ease and finesse. Geralt can unlock new combat moves as well as unlock and increase his magic and alchemy abilities. Crafting plays a large role in The Witcher. Buying diagrams and constructing items such as potions, weapons, traps, bombs, and armor is usually cheaper than buying the item from a merchant. Weapons can be enhanced with runes and given temporary enhancements by applying oils, poisons/venoms, as well as blood to the blades. Combat will sometimes require preparation such as the drinking of potions (which you cannot do while in combat) or the laying of traps. Often times rushing into a group of enemies will result in getting yourself killed quickly. Running away and regrouping is sometimes a safer bet than letting yourself be surrounded. Also the dodge button is your friend! Use it and use it often. Trust me. Combat gets fast and frantic and you will need a way to get yourself out of tight spots and dodging enemies attacks and getting behind them to attack is a great way to do just that. Never cross a Witcher. As you will find by playing the game, the Witcher 2 is very mature. Yes there is tons of sex, loads of nudity (very explicit too by the way), brothels, and drunken bar fights, but that is not all that makes the game mature. The combat is bloody and violent but the story plays a huge part in making this game mature. This is not a bedtime fairytale for the kids. This is a complex and deep story full of double and triple crosses and plenty of “what the hell?” moments. Just when you think you have things figured out, the game pretty much tells you that you don’t. The choices in the game are a huge part of the outcome. There are large game-changing choices to be sure, but there are also small and subtle choices you will make that can totally change the way the game will play out and end. There are 16 different endings so that should tell you just how many crucial choices there are to be made in the game. Always pay attention to the story because getting lost can be easy and unfortunately may lead you to make a choice that you will later regret. The Witcher 2 is one of those games that any fan of action adventure or RPGs needs to play. I normally don’t play sequels unless I have played through the first game but I decided to make an exception for this game. I am very glad I did because playing through Geralt’s latest adventure makes me want to go and play the first game to find out what has happened to him up to this point. If you are on the fence about this game, take my advice and go play it right now (or sometime soon). There are tons of side quests spread out in the three chapters, ranging from monster hunting to crime solving. You will never feel like an errand boy with the variety and depth of the side quests. The main story can take upwards of 35 hours; more or less depending on your dedication to side quests of course. This is a game that you will want to play multiple times to get different endings. Do yourself a favor and go check out this masterpiece! She just realized these guys have not played Witcher 2 and rightfully leaves in disgust. I would like to thank CD Projekt Red for providing me with a free copy in order to write this review, you guys are great! In the retail version you will get the 2 game discs, a soundtrack (which is great by the way), a map, as well as an 80-page quest handbook. The handbook is extremely helpful and details all of the main quests and their branching story arcs as well as detailing some of the main side quests in each chapter. Thanks to everyone that took the time to read this review and I hope it proves helpful and informative! Score Breakdown Graphics: 10 Story: 10 Gameplay: 10 Replay Value: 10 Final Score: 10
Apologies for the delay in getting this posted up. Hope everyone enjoys! More reviews will follow soon!