The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

 PC
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6464 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5,355 out of 6464
  2. Mixed: 634 out of 6464
  3. Negative: 475 out of 6464
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  1. Urza
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    I wish DragonAge 2 had been more like this one. A compelling story, lots of content and areas to explore. The soundtrack I found to be wonderful. I'm really hoping we get some downloadable content for this game because I'd like to come back to it.
  2. magicwalnuts
    Mar 20, 2012
    9
    After playing The Witcher 1 and reading what few of the books that have been translated into English; I pretty much knew what to expect in this cRPG. A mostly pre-made character, tons of grey characters, sex, violence, and an extremely provocative story. I was not disappointed. Fans of Skyrim (pretty much everybody and their moms) might not like this game, as it does not give you nearlyAfter playing The Witcher 1 and reading what few of the books that have been translated into English; I pretty much knew what to expect in this cRPG. A mostly pre-made character, tons of grey characters, sex, violence, and an extremely provocative story. I was not disappointed. Fans of Skyrim (pretty much everybody and their moms) might not like this game, as it does not give you nearly the same freedom, but that's okay because the story, combat, and characters surpass Bethesda's "masterpiece" by a huge margin. The presentation here is astounding. To top it all off the graphics are incredible. The engine might not be as robust as DICE's Frostbite 2's, but the artwork and attention to detail are simply astounding.

    The only drawbacks to this game are a frustratingly difficult first act, some odd translation issues with expressions and dialogue options that don't make sense, and a rushed ending. I'll elaborate on the ending. It is good and very satisfying, but the third act initially seems like it was supposed to be much longer, and the end comes rather abruptly. The Enhanced edition seems like it will address these issues, and it is coming out next month. I highly recommend this game if you are a fan of low magic, dark-ish fantasy, and great writing. If you would prefer a more traditional, blank-slate cRPG with much crappier writing, then play Skyrim.    … Expand
  3. ZDarkZero
    Feb 18, 2012
    10
    The best graphics. Es un gran juego, tiene una historia adulta, y un juego como ninguno otro, te gustará mucho, pero sin duda, perdió la magia de su precuela.
  4. cryocore
    May 17, 2011
    9
    CDPR once again return to the dark and seedy world of The Witcher. This time though they have dug deeper in to the machinations and politics of the world and presented a game that not only improves in every way over their impressive debut, but have created what is a true classic in the genre.

    Every aspect of th game shines. Beautiful art design, impressive graphics, a moving and rich    CDPR once again return to the dark and seedy world of The Witcher. This time though they have dug deeper in to the machinations and politics of the world and presented a game that not only improves in every way over their impressive debut, but have created what is a true classic in the genre.

    Every aspect of th game shines. Beautiful art design, impressive graphics, a moving and rich music score, well acted and exceptionally well written dialog. A plot that slowly unveils its secret all the while sucking you further in to a fantasy world reminiscent of LoTR and classic DnD only coloured by a brooding and adult pallet of sex, violence, racism, and no clear sense of right and wrong.

    The Witcher 2 not only lives up to the reputation of its predecessor, but exceeds expectations of a loyal and devoted fan base.

    Long live the new kings of the modern RPG. CD Projekt Red have created a masterpiece,. A challenging, rich and detailed game sure to please true RPG fans sick of watered down, and simplified games that have come to dominate the genre this generation.

    An instant classic deserving of your money and time

    9.5 out of 10    … Expand
  5. HangedMan
    May 20, 2011
    8
    I'm a big fan of the first game. This one looks great, has enjoyable characters, and as another person said here - combat is dangerous. All the bad stuff I can think of so far is pretty minor: 1. The minigames are not well made, the controls are poorly done, which makes boring games even less fun. 2. It has that weird OCD trap of leaving loot lying around in every other crtate inI'm a big fan of the first game. This one looks great, has enjoyable characters, and as another person said here - combat is dangerous. All the bad stuff I can think of so far is pretty minor: 1. The minigames are not well made, the controls are poorly done, which makes boring games even less fun. 2. It has that weird OCD trap of leaving loot lying around in every other crtate in town, so you feel you HAVE to loot it, even it it means walking into a stranger's home, not speaking to them, and stuffing your pockets with loot from their bedroom while they watch. Even more ludicrous was stealing from crates while 2 npc's are actually doing inventory on them. It stretches the bounds are good storytelling. 3. Those pretty graphics everyone is talking about impede movement in abnormal ways, like not being able to run forward past a big blade of grass. Sucks in combat. 4. It needs some simple options in the PC version like INVERTING the Y-axis! Yes, I found out where to edit the user.ini, but I shouldn't have to. The camera controls are a little hard to like also. 5. I miss the timed combat moves from the previous game. Just saying. It's a good complicated game. There's depth here. I wouldn't go so far as to say it offers a lot of open role play though. You are re-learning skills you already had. OK, memory loss, it's been over done in stories, but makes sense here. It's not like Arkham Asylum, where Batman learns his own basics skills in a couple of hours. That made no sense and yet was incredibly fun.… Expand
  6. YashiroDK
    May 17, 2011
    9
    A real dark and Mature game with awesome graphics, fantastic locations, the characters are complex, and a perfect story with great inmersion, where u have many choices and the game acknowledged them, excellent dialogues and good VA, CD Projekt made this game with the fans on mind making the best cRPG that i have played in years, the free dlc are vey good, NOT a 10 because the combat is aA real dark and Mature game with awesome graphics, fantastic locations, the characters are complex, and a perfect story with great inmersion, where u have many choices and the game acknowledged them, excellent dialogues and good VA, CD Projekt made this game with the fans on mind making the best cRPG that i have played in years, the free dlc are vey good, NOT a 10 because the combat is a little clumsy in MY opinion but even that u will enjoy this game for many hours, I haven't finished this but a great game a sure nominated to GOTY.… Expand
  7. Luanzinho373
    May 17, 2011
    10
    Que jogao!!!
    Fico triste a Bioware entrar so pra negativar o jogo sera que e inveja ?
    eu acho que sim.

    To gostanto muito do game o jogo bom mesmo pode comprar mesmo.
  8. randir14
    May 17, 2011
    10
    This is one of the best RPGs in years, and puts a certain well-known company to shame. CD Projekt created a hit with The Witcher 1, but they've created a masterpiece with The Witcher 2.

    Pros: Great voice acting Great script Choices you make are not always black and white, and can come back to bite you in the ass later Combat and inventory management are much improved over the original    This is one of the best RPGs in years, and puts a certain well-known company to shame. CD Projekt created a hit with The Witcher 1, but they've created a masterpiece with The Witcher 2.

    Pros:
    Great voice acting
    Great script
    Choices you make are not always black and white, and can come back to bite you in the ass later
    Combat and inventory management are much improved over the original
    Creative quests
    Incredible music
    Outstanding graphics, this is the Crysis of RPGs.

    Cons-
    Occasional glitchy animations and pathfinding    … Expand
  9. Taalyan
    May 24, 2011
    10
    this game pretend to be game of the year. why? it's not perfect, got some flaws. but i can count by fingers on my hand games, that have soul and will be remembered very long time. trust me Witcher saga will be. put those DA or Skyrims away with their boring gameplay, made for cash. real games created with passion are very rare today. it's in our hand to help small studios like CD Projektthis game pretend to be game of the year. why? it's not perfect, got some flaws. but i can count by fingers on my hand games, that have soul and will be remembered very long time. trust me Witcher saga will be. put those DA or Skyrims away with their boring gameplay, made for cash. real games created with passion are very rare today. it's in our hand to help small studios like CD Projekt with their awesome work in future.

    and everybody now f*** Jim Sterling (from Destructoid) who gave 6/10 to this game. propably no balls or no skills or both. probs he took cash for it from someone.    … Expand
  10. dakolech
    May 17, 2011
    10
    The best game i have ever play. Best storyline, best music, best fighting system, best graphic... And more. I thought first Witcher was very good game, but Assassins of Kings are better in everything.
  11. slayne
    May 17, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After Planescape: Torment this is absolutely masterpiece. About Dragon Age - it is a good game but... childish with large amount of blood. Now reading Sapkowski's book's about Witcher :))… Expand
  12. kitdo21
    Mar 19, 2012
    10
    This game is truly one of the best RPG's i have ever in my entire life played. The graphics are amazing, the story was magnificent and it truly is a great sequel to TW1. This game deserves all the praise it gets and more. I can't wait for another game from these developers they truly do know how to make a PC and RPG game.
  13. Killuminati
    May 18, 2011
    10
    I'm only giving this game a 10 to balance out all the trolls who try to impersonate "Bioware employees" and attempt to make the company look bad. Though I don't think the Witcher 2 is quite exactly deserving of a perfect score, it comes quite close. The new graphics engine, cinematic presentation, varied full-fleshed out gameplay, and dynamic story make the game one of the best RPG I'veI'm only giving this game a 10 to balance out all the trolls who try to impersonate "Bioware employees" and attempt to make the company look bad. Though I don't think the Witcher 2 is quite exactly deserving of a perfect score, it comes quite close. The new graphics engine, cinematic presentation, varied full-fleshed out gameplay, and dynamic story make the game one of the best RPG I've played in recent years. It's not only a big improvement from its predecessor, but also a game that pushes the frontiers and expectations of modern RPGs.
    However it does have a couple of minor flaws. First of all, the game can be quite difficult, even on the easiest levels. It challenges you play tactically and figure out how to take each enemy down without getting yourself killed, but sometimes you may be killed on multiple instances before you finally pass a combat sequence. Also, the introduction doesn't give much of a tutorial, so beginners may find the game initially a bit confusing. All in all though, the Witcher 2 is a superb game that pushes the genre in its own way.    … Expand
  14. tapirzok
    May 17, 2011
    10
    One of the best rpgs this ever. Great graphics, non linear story and challenging combat. Characters are deep and interesting. The Witcher 1 was great, but TW2 seems to be even better. GOTY 2011
  15. vaudevillian
    May 17, 2011
    10
    Even The Witcher 1 is better than any Dragon Age ever will be. And these guys actually know how to make a worthy sequel. CD Project: Assasins of Bioware
  16. uk_john
    May 18, 2011
    10
    Can we at last put tot bed that games like Jade Empire, Mass Effect and Dragon Age are NOT real cRPG's! This game and it's predecessor, along with Skyrim later in the year, show that Bioware and others now release Action-Adventures and call them RPG's when they are not! Thank god for European publishers like CD Projekt, that still give us deep, mature PC cRPG's like the good old days!
  17. Sariden
    May 30, 2011
    10
    This is the best RPG I've played in a long time. With respect to game play mechanics, they fixed many aspects of combat that I didn't care for in W1, improved crafting, and made resting less of a chore. Where the Witcher 2 really stands out, however, is in the time taken to setup the story, introduce characters, and develop a connection to the player. Your character is faced with a numberThis is the best RPG I've played in a long time. With respect to game play mechanics, they fixed many aspects of combat that I didn't care for in W1, improved crafting, and made resting less of a chore. Where the Witcher 2 really stands out, however, is in the time taken to setup the story, introduce characters, and develop a connection to the player. Your character is faced with a number of interesting decisions which tend to entirely avoid what has become the traditional 'kick puppy / hug puppy' syndrome in many modern RPGs. Instead, the player is forced to make tough decisions, often without having all necessary information. As a result there were points throughout the game where I was genuinely conflicted about who to side with or which character to let live. This makes for a great gaming experience and leaves a lot of room for additional playthroughs. Finally, the graphics are great. The game shows that it is indeed possible to have excellent visuals while still providing a superb story and exciting game play. All in all definitely GOTY material and I hope its success helps to push certain other developers back toward producing quality games instead of focusing solely on quarterly profits.… Expand
  18. NewYears1978
    May 17, 2011
    10
    I am absolutely sickened by all the 0 scores. Utterly ridiculous. Even if you disliked this game and thought it had faults, you cannot score it a 0 and be taken seriously. Had you scored it 5 or 6 and then posted legitimate complaints..then yes. Otherwise, you are a fanboy of Bioware or something and wish to try to damage this game. You won't succeed. This game is incredible.I am absolutely sickened by all the 0 scores. Utterly ridiculous. Even if you disliked this game and thought it had faults, you cannot score it a 0 and be taken seriously. Had you scored it 5 or 6 and then posted legitimate complaints..then yes. Otherwise, you are a fanboy of Bioware or something and wish to try to damage this game. You won't succeed. This game is incredible. Incredible gameplay, graphics, story (so far), combat..everything. Much improved over TW1 and is the king of the hill right now, easily.… Expand
  19. jamesch
    May 17, 2011
    10
    Excellent game, certainly GOTY so far from me and I'm only a few hours in.

    The graphics are a huge improvement over the original and it isn't as big of a drag in the beginning which is a huge plus.
  20. dzizass
    May 28, 2011
    10
    Witcher 2 is easily the best cRPG since the great classics like Fallout 1/2 or Planescape:Torment. The game developed upon its predecessor and carried over all its merits and improved all its faults. The most obvious thing when you see the game is that it's absolutely beautiful. There may be games which have more technologically sophisticated rendering engines but I doubt they haveWitcher 2 is easily the best cRPG since the great classics like Fallout 1/2 or Planescape:Torment. The game developed upon its predecessor and carried over all its merits and improved all its faults. The most obvious thing when you see the game is that it's absolutely beautiful. There may be games which have more technologically sophisticated rendering engines but I doubt they have anywhere as good art direction. My only complaint is that the architecture was better in W1. Still, Witcher 2 looks gorgeous. The story is the central and most important feature of the game. And it's also one of the greatest stories ever told on a computer screen. The player has a wide degree of control over how it develops: your choices do matter. Unlike in most rpg games, the story actually branches, the choices aren't only flavour,where only the colour of your allies' uniforms depends on what you select. This is the most ambitious take on incorporating choice and consequence in the history of cRPGs. There are even locations that are only accessible in a specific branch of the story. I really hope that this becomes a new standard for RPGs.

    The interaction with the gameworld is done really nicely. This is an Action RPG, so the combat is quite dynamic and, on "hard" difficulty it requires both manual and tactical skills. The game can be pretty hard and require some flexibility, which only adds to the satisfaction of beating a tough opponent. Aside from combat, most of the time you'll be talking to people. The dialogues are done Mass-Effect-style, where you only choose a short version of the dialogue. This is handled better than in ME with no insta-win blue/red option and the short versions actually do correspond with what the protagonist will say. However, the conversation animations aren't as good as in ME, which is a shame, since dialogue is much more important and meaningful in The Witcher. The dialogues are well-written and the characters are memorable. You will also play some mini-games: fist fighting, armwrestling and dice poker, which are done quite well. The quests in the game are really varied, with no real fed-ex quests, often offering surprising twists, multiple solutions and multiple outcomes. And these translate into the story taking you into different directions.

    You will also be travelling a lot, but not as much as in TW1, thankfully. The gameworld lives and breathes and oozes atmoshpere. It's easily the best attempt at creating an illusion of a living society in an RPG.

    Your character, Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster slayer, can develop in 3 ways: as a swordmaster, as an alchemist or as a magician. You will always a remain a witcher - a sword fighting mutant, but depending on which way you want to develop, the gameplay will be slightly different.

    The game is not perfect: there are minor glitches and it may be difficult for casual players. But even so Witcher 2 stomps its contemporary competition into the ground. BioWare, Obsidian and Bethesda should all watch and learn, since this is a new quality for this genre.    … Expand
  21. thelig
    Jun 1, 2011
    9
    Really a fantastic game. Once you get first chapter, and you've got the hang of the combat, the game is just as engaging as Mass Effect 2. As long as you have the PC to run it, buy this game.
  22. bernlin2000
    Mar 26, 2012
    10
    Likely one of the best RPGs I've ever played, and I've played most of the major ones of the last decade (DAO, Oblivion, Skyrim, Deus Ex: HR). What's most remarkable is how your choices truly do have a major impact on the world: it's not a gimmick or half-gimmick like so many modern RPGs (which often give you the illusion of choice, then railroad your choices as you approach the ending). ItLikely one of the best RPGs I've ever played, and I've played most of the major ones of the last decade (DAO, Oblivion, Skyrim, Deus Ex: HR). What's most remarkable is how your choices truly do have a major impact on the world: it's not a gimmick or half-gimmick like so many modern RPGs (which often give you the illusion of choice, then railroad your choices as you approach the ending). It certainly should have scored higher than Dragon Age: Origins, that's a testament to the flaws of "expert" reviews.… Expand
  23. LonBorah
    Jun 20, 2011
    10
    One word to describe it all epic .A little known developer has created a FANTASTIC RPG .Bioware should learn . Many are complaining about the difficulty but its not affecting me.The witcher 2 s graphics make dragon age 2 many generations old.Hats off to CD Projekt Red Studio.This really is a game of the year material.One complain though is that of the inventory and casting ofOne word to describe it all epic .A little known developer has created a FANTASTIC RPG .Bioware should learn . Many are complaining about the difficulty but its not affecting me.The witcher 2 s graphics make dragon age 2 many generations old.Hats off to CD Projekt Red Studio.This really is a game of the year material.One complain though is that of the inventory and casting of spells..While dragon age 2 was a letdown wheres witcher 2 steps into another gear.The atmosphere & environment is great.It makes you sit out and enjoy the environment.The trend is changing .Its not always about the big developers.Along with the price tag I Recommend it to all .Witcher 2 is really anti-bioware material.Bioware u listening… Expand
  24. tarekmallo
    Jun 10, 2011
    10
    The Witcher 2 truly is a great sequel to an already wonderful game, the combat finally makes sense and the story is exhilarating. Shame about about the ending though.
  25. Brutal_rus
    Feb 13, 2012
    10
    Superb game. Awesome unique world of Witcher: tough, brutal, racism, sexism, bloody true medieval for mature players.
    Gameplay is very addicitive but very easy to absorb in. You should think and find a way for a victory for the each enemy you would fight( humans, and monsters( for example ctulhu-kraken boss). Story is awesome. You always surrounded by your friends( Zoltan, Sexy Triss).    Superb game. Awesome unique world of Witcher: tough, brutal, racism, sexism, bloody true medieval for mature players.
    Gameplay is very addicitive but very easy to absorb in. You should think and find a way for a victory for the each enemy you would fight( humans, and monsters( for example ctulhu-kraken boss). Story is awesome. You always surrounded by your friends( Zoltan, Sexy Triss). Its one of the best storyline i ever played. And ofcourse its non-linear!

    Graphic is tough too. Vert good art job, style and HD textures. Id like nake many screenshots that look like photos while i playing it!
    Summary - its good alternative for each mature player, whose remember old-schoo rpg but wanna new features( like graphic, battle system, and dialogue). Its not like Skyrim( not soo endless) and not like bioware( here in Witcher not copy paste location and characters. Its made with a soul, i thought) but the unique new way of rpg!    … Expand
  26. Jquinn914
    May 18, 2011
    9
    Combat: You feel vulnerable. Some people dislike that (generally people that enjoy super-streamlined games), but to me it adds not only a sense of skill and challenge but makes the world actually feel as dangerous as it should. You don't just slash through things, its both tactical and reflexive. Contrary to what people who clearly are very novice in combat have said, you don't have toCombat: You feel vulnerable. Some people dislike that (generally people that enjoy super-streamlined games), but to me it adds not only a sense of skill and challenge but makes the world actually feel as dangerous as it should. You don't just slash through things, its both tactical and reflexive. Contrary to what people who clearly are very novice in combat have said, you don't have to "run away", you dodge and circle, only retreating to reposition yourself when needed. It's undoubtedly more active and engaging than that of other typical rpgs like the elder scrolls series and dragon age.
    Character Development: More streamlined than some, less streamlined than others. However, there's no optimal build tedium and you get to play the style you want so there's little to complain about.
    Storyline: From a summarized synopsis the overall story is pretty typical and nothing new, however on the "micro" level (as you play through) the way it unfolds and the subplots that develop are at least pretty good if not very good.
    Overall: It's closer to open ended than linear and there's a ton of choice which affects gameplay far more than in any other rpg that comes to mind. Content wise, I'd say it's pretty stacked and can't think of a single area where it gets skimpy. All in all, in comparison to the generic, overly simplistic games that dominate the market now with cash being the primary concern of developers, this game is the best grab I've made in a very long time.    … Expand
  27. dryerlaw
    Jun 12, 2011
    10
    Pros:
    - Great battle system
    - A wide array of weapons, items, and armors to choose from; an improvement from The Witcher 1 - Great narration of the story - Powerful voice-acting and dialogues - Overall very deep immersion - Diverse and serious quests Cons - A bit too short. Add 10 more hours to this and it'll probably become one of the best RPG ever - Initial chapters were a bit    Pros:
    - Great battle system
    - A wide array of weapons, items, and armors to choose from; an improvement from The Witcher 1
    - Great narration of the story
    - Powerful voice-acting and dialogues
    - Overall very deep immersion
    - Diverse and serious quests

    Cons
    - A bit too short. Add 10 more hours to this and it'll probably become one of the best RPG ever
    - Initial chapters were a bit too difficult    … Expand
  28. AzzX
    Jun 2, 2011
    10
    The first game in years to make my PC beg for mercy is also one of the finest examples of action Role Playing ever created. From the very start, The Witcher 2 just oozes atmosphere and finally brings back the true RPG experience from yesteryear. Yes, it can be challenging though not on simple 1 dimensional level , challenge comes in many forms not just from combat, you also are submittedThe first game in years to make my PC beg for mercy is also one of the finest examples of action Role Playing ever created. From the very start, The Witcher 2 just oozes atmosphere and finally brings back the true RPG experience from yesteryear. Yes, it can be challenging though not on simple 1 dimensional level , challenge comes in many forms not just from combat, you also are submitted to difficult choices and then experience the aftermath of your actions.

    Don't expect any hand Holding - This is not an interactive movie disguised as an RPG.

    Ever notice why some of these low ranking reviews only contain press release screenshots? Me too.....

    10/10    … Expand
  29. TheTopazWombat
    Oct 7, 2011
    10
    In short, one the greatest RPG's of all time. Terrifically immersing world and story, believable and original characters, a staggering number of choices and consequences, and challenging gameplay to boot. A must play for fans of the Fanatasy RPG genre.
  30. widez
    Oct 3, 2011
    10
    Excellent game that upgrades almost every aspect of the original game. A very good story that has a mature feel to it and is believable. Pretty much all the quests feel relevant, very few "kill x amount of something"-quests. Graphics and soundtrack is top of the line. Combat is good and varied, you can do combat in many different ways depending on what you like. There are a few things toExcellent game that upgrades almost every aspect of the original game. A very good story that has a mature feel to it and is believable. Pretty much all the quests feel relevant, very few "kill x amount of something"-quests. Graphics and soundtrack is top of the line. Combat is good and varied, you can do combat in many different ways depending on what you like. There are a few things to complain about in this game and one might be how the potion system works. You really should be able to drink a potion without having to go into meditation. That would make drinking potions more useful and it would keep the pace in the game.
    Another small complaint is that I would have liked to have direct access to all the different information windows in the game from within an already open window. Like in the original game there was a round menu in the upper right corner of the screen where you can easily switch between for example the character window and the quests window.

    Overall an excellent game that should not be missed, especially if you can appreciate a good story.
    Definitely one of the best games of 2011.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Best PC Game of 2011
7
#7 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
7
#7 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 76 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 70 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 76
  3. Negative: 0 out of 76
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 21, 2011
    93
    Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. A true, polished diamond. Watch and learn Bioware. [May 2011]
  2. GamingTrend
    Sep 14, 2011
    92
    The Witcher 2 easily stands amongst the big boys in the CRPG crowd and is also the best Action RPG to come out since Mass Effect 2.
    Read full review
  3. GamingXP
    Sep 7, 2011
    90
    The Witcher 2 offers awesome sword fights, cool graphics, charming characters, a compelling story, lots of bare skin and a decent shot of vulgar conversations. Damn good.
    Read full review
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