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. kujo28
    Aug 3, 2011
    0
    i have to say im very disappointed with this game. it prides itself on lots of choices and plot strands, but thats all there is. the acting is hammy, the fighting is repetitive, and all the bad language and nudity in the world wont make up for that. i really tried to like this game, but it got to the point were i didnt care at all what happend and felt no reason to keep playing...
  2. Imlies
    Aug 3, 2011
    10
    Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!Good!!
  3. drachehexe
    Aug 2, 2011
    5
    This game is NOT equal to its predecessor nor does it supersede the first Witcher title. Indeed it is a step backwards for the franchise.

    The storyline is weak, sporadic, uninspired and incomplete. The game engine is full of bugs or just plain bad designs. Scripts break, characters get stuck a lot, and controls are very cumbersome and response time is slow. The only decent "mini-game"    This game is NOT equal to its predecessor nor does it supersede the first Witcher title. Indeed it is a step backwards for the franchise.

    The storyline is weak, sporadic, uninspired and incomplete.

    The game engine is full of bugs or just plain bad designs. Scripts break, characters get stuck a lot, and controls are very cumbersome and response time is slow. The only decent "mini-game" is dice, whereas the fist fights are "press correct key at the correct time" and the arm wrestling is just plain goofy and uncontrollable.

    The potions system is decent save for you have to be in meditate mode to use a potion and you can't meditate once combat starts so you'll often fine when you need the potions most you won't be able to use them without reloading a save, meditating to drink the potions, then continue to the fight.

    The game is beautiful. Textures and environments are top notch, models and characters are nicely rendered, and animations are excellent.

    But the aforementioned flaws will have you constantly reloading because of a broken quest, or your character is stuck, or you need to potion up before an unexpected fight. (You could always make sure potions are up but then you'd be spending most of your time foraging for ingredients to support that much use as potions run 10 minutes max).

    All in all this game is an extreme disappointment from the first. It's sad to see the developers go from one of the greatest (if not the greatest) RPG to a sequel that falls short of the first in every way except for the visual and sound.    … Expand
  4. Kurt
    Aug 2, 2011
    8
    Great game, one of the best of the year. Excellent graphics and visuals, good story and excellent atmosphere. The game play is very good and after a while you forget you are even playing a game. Choices in the game will effect the overall experience and enhance the replay value. Also; it is nice to see more non linear games coming out.
  5. Dante-0
    Aug 2, 2011
    10
    The Witcher 2 Assassins of Kings is very good game, with amazing graphics, good gameplay with a pretty good story, with non-linear story, nice characters. Game have several errors, but not enough and do not hinder the game.
  6. Chupwn
    Aug 1, 2011
    5
    The graphics and story are terrific. The choice system is a breath of fresh air because it doesn't dumb everything down to evil or good. However, it crashes frequently. Even worse, throwing a grenade at the wrong time, or even just randomly after a cutscene, Geralt will be unable to move or attack and you have to load your previous save which could be over an hour back. I think this gameThe graphics and story are terrific. The choice system is a breath of fresh air because it doesn't dumb everything down to evil or good. However, it crashes frequently. Even worse, throwing a grenade at the wrong time, or even just randomly after a cutscene, Geralt will be unable to move or attack and you have to load your previous save which could be over an hour back. I think this game needed another couple of months of beta testing - I feel I purchased an incomplete product.… Expand
  7. Ungato
    Jul 31, 2011
    10
    Well worth my money, and can't wait for the next one. Really enjoyed the depth of decision making and the outcomes of my choices, and this game trumps DA2.
  8. sethman75
    Jul 31, 2011
    5
    The original Witcher is possibly the best game i have ever played. It had everything you could want or ask. Witcher 2 to me is a bit of letdown. First the positives. The game graphics are beautiful , the story is great and the music is incredible. Now the negatives. The controls are wonky as hell, i just started to get used to them and the game finished. Game length is i think 1/4 of theThe original Witcher is possibly the best game i have ever played. It had everything you could want or ask. Witcher 2 to me is a bit of letdown. First the positives. The game graphics are beautiful , the story is great and the music is incredible. Now the negatives. The controls are wonky as hell, i just started to get used to them and the game finished. Game length is i think 1/4 of the size of the original. There are many choices to make which promotes replays but i was so shocked it was over i couldn't muster the will to start again. I got it on release and there where many bugs and crashes which were very frustrating because i could not completely immerse myself in the world because i was thinking it would crash any minute. In saying that CD Project are well known for there post release fixes so i hope that is sorted. Bottom line is that i was looking forward to this game for several years and for me it was over in 10 hours. For an FPS that is small but for an RPG it is almost criminal. That ontop of the constant crashes and lack of real control of the character i can only give it a disappointing 5/10… Expand
  9. Fishy0
    Jul 28, 2011
    10
    This is the best game I've played this year. The Graphics are amazing, the storyline and characters are amazing. The game has some, though small, flaws. The one thing that annoys me the most were the caves beneath vergen, which were really hard to navigate. And I got lost several times, I miss the ability to set your own waypoints on the map. All in all this is a great game, but you shouldThis is the best game I've played this year. The Graphics are amazing, the storyline and characters are amazing. The game has some, though small, flaws. The one thing that annoys me the most were the caves beneath vergen, which were really hard to navigate. And I got lost several times, I miss the ability to set your own waypoints on the map. All in all this is a great game, but you should only play it if you have a powerful enough computer to be able to enjoy the visuals.… Expand
  10. kozlolovsky
    Jul 28, 2011
    10
    One of bests game ive played after a long time, the graphics are amazing, everything is made with passion, so deep and immerse. TW1 is good, but TW2 is better in all aspects.
  11. desik
    Jul 28, 2011
    1
    This game features the most spectacular graphics, but the most random, counter-intuitive and meaningless gameplay I ever encountered. Let's put things in categories:
    1. Gerald attach strategy. Sometimes, when fighting 3 opponents at once, gameplay stops and Gerald performs a super-duper move which kill all of them at once. If I load the same save and do the same actions, no super moves    This game features the most spectacular graphics, but the most random, counter-intuitive and meaningless gameplay I ever encountered. Let's put things in categories:
    1. Gerald attach strategy. Sometimes, when fighting 3 opponents at once, gameplay stops and Gerald performs a super-duper move which kill all of them at once. If I load the same save and do the same actions, no super moves will happen and I likely will be killed.
    2. Monster strategy. When fighting endera queens, the queen may use 20 times some simple attacks which Gerald can bloc, and once - another attack with exactly the same animation which blows through block and kills Gerald instantly. I tried the fight around 20 times and failed to figure out how to distinguish of prevent shield-breaking attack.
    3. Random quest givers. You may walk around the whole city and most NPC's won't have anything new to say to you. Instead, while wandering through the forest, an absolutely unexpected NPC will pop up and give you a quest. In most RPG's I expect to approach NPC's myself in most of the time in order to receive quests.
    4. Random quest order. Even if I received quests to fight two different kind of monsters, I have no clue where I should find them. I have no way to plan the order how to complete the quests. The solution is to simply walk the whole forest and to kill any monster you encounter.

    And don't let me start about the menu.    … Expand
  12. Snowless
    Jul 27, 2011
    8
    I really love this game. I think the atmosphere and the graphics are really great. I love the non-vanilla approach to fantasy, the gritty feel of it. NO big evil badass to defeat, just the intrigue of a handful of morally wayward characters. But, as has been said elsewhere, I feel that some of the boss fights are ridiculous, and the lack of information on how you actually need to do stuffI really love this game. I think the atmosphere and the graphics are really great. I love the non-vanilla approach to fantasy, the gritty feel of it. NO big evil badass to defeat, just the intrigue of a handful of morally wayward characters. But, as has been said elsewhere, I feel that some of the boss fights are ridiculous, and the lack of information on how you actually need to do stuff is incredibly annoying. The developers could use a few usability lessons: this has got nothing to do with being hardcore or old style - this is just plain bad.… Expand
  13. Accountant
    Jul 20, 2011
    3
    The only reason I considered giving this game any points were its incredible graphics but that's about it. The lack-luster combat of this game killed this game for me. Luckily I was able to check this game out at a friends place so didn't had to spend any money. I have so many other games to try that I usually move on if the game doesn't hook me from the onset. Witcher 1 hooked me rightThe only reason I considered giving this game any points were its incredible graphics but that's about it. The lack-luster combat of this game killed this game for me. Luckily I was able to check this game out at a friends place so didn't had to spend any money. I have so many other games to try that I usually move on if the game doesn't hook me from the onset. Witcher 1 hooked me right from the prologue and I really liked its more simplistic and fun combat. Witcher 2 combat just didn't grip me atall. Geralt has went from a master swordsman to a novice it seems, rolling, avoiding attacks, parry, have to be using signs, no auto-target; basically getting his behind kicked most of the times. Combat is as essential element for me (perhaps even more) as story and graphics. So the boring, somewhat hard and poor combat system was the end of Witcher 2 for me. I guess people prefer this complexity in fights I surely don't so I moved on. Hopefully Witcher 3 will have a better combat system that appeals to a broader audience.… Expand
  14. Spawnah
    Jul 20, 2011
    8
    I great game, very fun to play with a nice, non linear story with lots of choices, enjoyable combat and pretty graphics. But it's in no way perfect. Half of the time I'm wondering around looking for this thing I'm supposed to find or person to talk to for a quest, for me, a lot of things were hard to find, and the interface was pretty bad, just drinking a potion takes ages and I must haveI great game, very fun to play with a nice, non linear story with lots of choices, enjoyable combat and pretty graphics. But it's in no way perfect. Half of the time I'm wondering around looking for this thing I'm supposed to find or person to talk to for a quest, for me, a lot of things were hard to find, and the interface was pretty bad, just drinking a potion takes ages and I must have only used the Cat potion (night vision) throughout the entire game, they're pointless. Player training pretty much sucks, since the tutorial page for what you wanted to do only appears after you've done it, for example, I had no idea what to do with these 'mutagen' items, double clicking them only tells me I can't use them in that menu, but refuses to tell me where I do use it. It was only nearing the end of the game I found out that you apply them to specific character upgrades once you level up. In chapter 1 there is a decision that decides which way the game goes, meaning picking the first option gives a completely different way to reach the end, while I did enjoy the game, I probably wouldnâ… Expand
  15. CompanionCube
    Jul 20, 2011
    10
    Outstanding, breathtaking RPG! Non-linear deep story, awesome characters, great atmosphere, interesting gameplay, improved combat system and really difficult choices will not let anybody to go out from the screen till the end. This game is fun as hell.
  16. Kondorr
    Jul 18, 2011
    9
    Finally I completed my second Witcher 2 playthrough. So now I feel like I am competent enough to review this game. Now the main marketing focus was the non-linear story, and that is what I would like to concentrate on. I feel like non-linearity in games is like choices in the matrix... as long as you have the illusion of choice, it is good... Now, do I feel, that the non-linearity in theFinally I completed my second Witcher 2 playthrough. So now I feel like I am competent enough to review this game. Now the main marketing focus was the non-linear story, and that is what I would like to concentrate on. I feel like non-linearity in games is like choices in the matrix... as long as you have the illusion of choice, it is good... Now, do I feel, that the non-linearity in the W2 lived up to it's hype? No.
    Do I believe, that this is the most Non-linear Game ever made (with nice graphics at least...)? Yes.
    The devs have been bragging about the 16 endings, now... does this really qualify as 16 endings? Let's go with a Mass Effect comparison: you have like 12 companions, each one can be (dis-)loyal at the end, each one can be disloyal and each one can die. Now ask your selfs: How many possible ending-scenarios would that be: more than 400 plus destroying collector base or not and you can double that number. So the final outcome of the Witchers Non-linearity is not THAT amazing and it comes down to who lived, who died. JUST as in Mass Effect 2, or is there more to it?
    Well there is more to it, because the game is not about the (over-hyped) endings. It is about the various ways your journey will go, to get you to the one ending with 16 variations. And that is the ground by which the Witcher 2 dethrones EVERYTHING that has come before it!
    BioWare games go like this:
    Go to location 1. Fight. Choose A or B.
    Go to location 2. Fight. Choose C or D.
    FINALE which is impacted by decisions from locations 1, 2. The End -with trillions different WRITTEN endings in DA:O -with 2 different animated endings in ME1 -with one ending in ME2
    Now, I am not saying this is bad. I love me a good BioWare game, loved all of them besides one... you know which. But: Enter the Witcher 2.
    You get to choose one of (OMG!) 2 different paths to get to the 1 ending (with 16 variations). Now that still does not sound very non-linear. Just two? Well, for one thing, THAT is already twice as much as any other BioWare game. Those paths are not just side missions, they completely change the location, the characters, the quests, the tone, it is COMPLETELY different. Playing it the second time around I felt like "touched for the very first time". OK, but let us get to the question no one asked. Are both paths equal... most comments I read, said the elven story is better and although both were engaging and fun I have to agree... if you choose to go with the Elves it seems there is simply much more to it. I recommend to play both paths, because they are both great. BUT the Elven story is definitely stronger in it's narrative!
    So in the end... is this the holy grail of non-linear RPG? No
    But it IS the closest thing anyone has come close to.
    Now the other thing: Save game import... Is it done great? Does it justify playing the earlier game just to get different starting scenarios?
    Well ask youself: DO YOU LIKE THE EARLIER GAME? If no... than you might miss out most in the Mass Effect franchise. If we are talking about Dragon Age the import is really under-utilized here. The Witcher is somewhere between those 2, closer to the DA. The save game import is not really a very sophisticated function and it really needs to grow.
    OK let's talk about sex!
    I am sorry I am comapring this so much to BW, but BW is my favorit company, so I know their games. In both ME and DA the sex seemed more explicit in the first ones, then in their sequels. The Witcher goes the other way... is it better because of it?
    I have heard praises as wall as critiques, here is my take on this:
    The sex cards were a stupid concept... but well executed. The soft-porn scenes are a better concept... but they are not that well executed. The voices, the sounds, the whole audio in them seems badly done. The editing is not exactly top. But I support sex in games. Best sex scene ? ME1 then Heavy Rain then The Witcher2!
    OK, so lets cut to the basics, and lets get to the end of this. The Witcher 2 has lots of bugs, which annoy, but do not destroy the it!
    The Witcher 2 has 2 big patches which make the above statement just 40% true!
    The Witcher 2 gets free DLC with every patch!
    The Witcher 2 has great combat,
    The Witcher 2 has one hell of a great story, which seems to really find it's ending in the next Witcher... or the one after that...
    The Witcher 2 is simply one great game and I accomplished not to
    mention up to now the beautiful locations and all around graphics...
    Is this the official dethronement of Bioware? No.
    Is this the official dethronement of Dragon Age? No. Dragon Age committed
    suicide in my opinion...
    This is just another top notch RPG... and we do not get many of them! So
    buy it... play it! And than buy all Dragon Ages... and than go buy Mass
    Effects... And Deus Ex... and Elder Scrolls... and Fallouts... (although I never liked the last two... ahh well.. here comes Skyrim, will give it a chance) RPG needs to live! It needs you to buy it! In all its forms!    … Expand
  17. Lorendil
    Jul 18, 2011
    10
    The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is a rare masterpiece in a world of mediocrity. Characters are believable, story line is great, graphics are as good as they can be on current generation of hardware, music and dialogue are top notch. Game runs fluent as hell on mid level systems, especially after patches were introduced. I highly recommend it to any hardcore and casual RPG fan, becauseThe Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is a rare masterpiece in a world of mediocrity. Characters are believable, story line is great, graphics are as good as they can be on current generation of hardware, music and dialogue are top notch. Game runs fluent as hell on mid level systems, especially after patches were introduced. I highly recommend it to any hardcore and casual RPG fan, because this is how modern RPGs should be done.… Expand
  18. JadedPuppy
    Jul 18, 2011
    7
    Contrary to popular belief, this game isn't actually the best thing since sliced bread. Though, yes, it is a good game. Its visuals are, especially compared to its competitors, stunning. The story is gripping, and will make you want continue playing - if only the gameplay will allow it.

    It is the gameplay that's the real problem of this game, and which will at times leave you frustrated.    Contrary to popular belief, this game isn't actually the best thing since sliced bread. Though, yes, it is a good game. Its visuals are, especially compared to its competitors, stunning. The story is gripping, and will make you want continue playing - if only the gameplay will allow it.

    It is the gameplay that's the real problem of this game, and which will at times leave you frustrated. Some people say that the Witcher 2 is too hard, too difficult. It's really not; it's not so much difficult as it is tedious. Combat situations have to be resolved exactly in a certain way - or you'll die a horrible death.

    Without spoiling too much; the first large boss you'll encounter will require you to do do the same combat maneuver three times, after which you are forced to slam whatever button appears on your screen, after which you're left to find the one spot where you won't be killed [without there being a clue where this spot is, though I believe they are planning to fix this].

    More generally, the combat never gets really challenging; it's the same duck, roll, attack from behind throughout the game in order to defeat your foes. There are spells, but more often than not you'll be wearing your shield spell, which in turn prevents you from using your other spells too much.

    All in all this is a good game, but it's not as great as some people make it out to be. While you may want to keep playing in order to see how the story will unfold, the gameplay will more often than not make you search the web frantically for game guides, so that you'll know what maneuver to use on the next boss, or worse it might make you feel like you just need a break from it. And this is the problem for me; no good game should ever make you feel that you need a break from it.    … Expand
  19. BleedingKnee
    Jul 17, 2011
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great story, great characters. Like another reviewer posted, as an interactive movie, the game is fantastic. The graphics and voice acting are fabulous too.

    Gameplay, however, is terrible. Why? Here are a few examples:
    Control over the moves of your character is very limited. The game chooses when you move forward with a sword strike, which often ends up with the character in a space you did not want him in.
    The over the shoulder camera movement has been executed very poorly. Often times, the camera will move as you get into a corner, which will move the 'target' to another opponent, or end up with a tree branch completely blocking your view. I found it very disorienting to have my camera jump like that.
    Quite a few combat scenes start out immediately, giving you 0 time to react, meaning reloading at least once for all the important fights.
    First fight with the kingslayer can be won by repeatedly pounding the fast hit key. Wii Sports swordfight has better combat.
    This is not a PC game. Same key does a sword attack, opens doors, reads posters, etc. Also, the stealth part of the game is the worst in gaming history.
    The signs are unbalanced: get Quen level 2 and every combat is a cake walk even on difficult.
    Inventory management, although pretty and a great improvement over Witcher 1, has not been polished. If you want to make more than one potion with certain ingredients, you have set the ingredients for each potion you want to make.

    All that criticism aside, I am addicted to the storyline and will play the game to the end.    … Expand
  20. MrFpeas
    Jul 16, 2011
    7
    Starting off being one of the best RPG's I have ever played, the last two chapters did not shine off so well to me. The beginning was beautiful and wonderful, don't get me wrong. The story, setting, characters, and map design felt fresh and great to play in. The combat has gotten more difficult, which I like to see in games (considering how many games like to go easy on players theseStarting off being one of the best RPG's I have ever played, the last two chapters did not shine off so well to me. The beginning was beautiful and wonderful, don't get me wrong. The story, setting, characters, and map design felt fresh and great to play in. The combat has gotten more difficult, which I like to see in games (considering how many games like to go easy on players these days). However, I was not a fan of the potion-usage in the Witcher 2. In fact, I still question what was wrong with just keeping the Witcher 1's potion usage. Did they feel like being able to use your potion whenever was wrong? Unless I missed something, you could only use your potion when meditating, but it's a matter of opinons. When I entered the city in Chapter 3 (I believe), something felt off. It really did not feel like there was much to do and there really wasn't. The main quest line was a breeze and the dragon fight felt a little unsatisfying to me, it honest to god did not felt like I fought a dragon. And then in the epilogue, I did not like how they decided to have the bad guy (forgot his name, sorry) answer all your questions right there and then, instead of answering the questions slowly. He had at least 25 things to say (if you decided to listen) and I was sitting there wondering "Why couldn't they just answer some of these things over the game, not at once." And the ending was just so bland, it really had no meaning. The Witcher 1's ending was very intense and very story-compelling to me, they gave you a very good reason why the bad guy's were doing what they did. In the Witcher 2, the bad guy assassinated kings, which sparked off revolts, just because the king in the south caught him and said "I will start a new Witcher academy if you kill the king". Felt cliche and bland to me. To sum it up for any "tl;dr" people. First half of the game: Witcher 2>Witcher 1. Ending chapters of the game: Witcher 1 >>>>>>>>>> Witcher 2. Let's hope in the Witcher 3 that they can ultimately conclude this game series with a very interesting and mind-twisting ending.… Expand
  21. sowiszcze
    Jul 11, 2011
    10
    Phenomenal! In my opinion one of best RPGs ever. After the first Witcher, I was afraid that CD Project, will listen to voices calling to make game more suitable for younger audience. To soften language and make Gerald's actions less violent. Yes, there were such opinions, even press articles (of course, it was not gaming press).
    Praise the heavens, CDP stayed the course. Geralt is exactly    Phenomenal! In my opinion one of best RPGs ever. After the first Witcher, I was afraid that CD Project, will listen to voices calling to make game more suitable for younger audience. To soften language and make Gerald's actions less violent. Yes, there were such opinions, even press articles (of course, it was not gaming press).
    Praise the heavens, CDP stayed the course. Geralt is exactly how he should be. At the beginning, the game seemed to me to be too short, but after finishing it for the second time, immediately after doing it for the first time, I don't have this feeling anymore.    … Expand
  22. Acbrothrhood
    Jul 9, 2011
    10
    Game of the year? Maybe... Rpg of the year? Hell yeah. The characters are intriguing, and the storyline is interesting to say the least. Geralt may be the single most badass protagonist ever made, and it becomes more and more apparent as the story unfolds. The graphics are phenomenal, sound is pitch perfect, and sound is top notch. Do yourself a favour and get this masterpiece immediately.
  23. a5cent
    Jul 9, 2011
    6
    I enjoy the more "involved" RPG's like Baldurs Gate 2, Wizardry 8, Neverwinter Nights, DA:O (Dragon Age Origins) and the Witcher. I enjoy an RPG if it provides three things: (a) great plot and good story telling, (b) deep and meaningful character development, and (c) easy to learn combat system with tactical depth: The Witcher 2 has an original, complex and well written story. However, II enjoy the more "involved" RPG's like Baldurs Gate 2, Wizardry 8, Neverwinter Nights, DA:O (Dragon Age Origins) and the Witcher. I enjoy an RPG if it provides three things: (a) great plot and good story telling, (b) deep and meaningful character development, and (c) easy to learn combat system with tactical depth: The Witcher 2 has an original, complex and well written story. However, I didn't realize the extent of it until I was reaching it's end. The quests along the way are varied and entertaining, but I often found myself asking why I'm completing them. In chapter 1 I was fighting the Kayran instead of searching for the king slayer, in chapter 2 I was defending the peasantry in Vergan instead of searching for the king slayer, and in chapter 3 I was searching for Triss/Philippa instead of searching for the king slayer. Yes, everything ties in with the king slayer, but only at the end do you truly understand why. I would have preferred it if the designers had tied the quests closer to the main plot, thrown in a plot twist or two (which is what I loved about Morrigan in DA:O) and revealed a bit more about what's going on along the way. Understanding more of the situation earlier would certainly have heightened the suspense.

    The technicalities of story telling (writing, voice acting) are handled excellently and among the best. In contrast to the story, character development is the games week spot. Nevertheless, this should be the central element of any RPG; this is what defines the genre. An RPG should allow for various character builds. New abilities should combine with others in meaningful and surprising ways so their sum is greater then their parts. New abilities should affect game play, determine how the character is most efficiently played, and make the character unique.

    Given this definition of an RPG, the game barely deserves to be called one. At level 35 your character might have three or four abilities more then he did when he started out, otherwise character progression simply adds more "umpf" to existing abilities.

    Furthermore, I never found myself having to make tradeoffs. At level 35 I had skilled-up all the abilities I found important. I enjoyed two play-throughs (Hard & Insane), made the exact same build both times and have no desire to try a different character build.



    I actually enjoy pausing a battle and having to think my way out of a sticky situation, by creatively using my abilities, timing and the terrain to my advantage. Unfortunately, I'm afraid this puts me in the minority.

    In chapter 3 my pet dog is literally smart enough to win most battles (at this stage button mashing will rid you of most mobs). Prior to that tactics can be summed up as follows:
    >if possible, avoid engaging multiple enemies at once (pull one at a time).
    > never get caught with your back to a wall (you need room to dodge attacks).
    > at all times you should be either dodging, blocking or attacking.
    > attack from behind or wait for an opening (after the enemy attacked).
    > if the enemy wears armor and/or is big: attack with right mouse button.
    > if enemy is small and/or fast: attack with left mouse button.
    > if all else fails set lots of traps before engaging.
    From this list it is obvious that combat is more about action then tactics. Some people will enjoy this, but I do not.

    Summary:

    The game is rated mature for two reasons: language and nudity/sex. The sex scenes are short and void of any emotion whatsoever. Making them more relevant for the characters or the story would be a big improvement. I have no issues with course language, but I would have appreciated less modern lingo. People discussing f**king and/or genetics in a medieval setting just doesn't seem appropriate.

    The Witcher 2 is by far the best looking game, ever. Excluding the last chapter (which seems rushed) all locations are incredibly detailed and realistic. Twice I just stopped to watch the sun rise. However, even with really modern hardware you won't be able to max out everything.

    The UI still needs a lot of polish, specifically inventory management (sorting, filtering, determining what books you've already read etc) and alchemy (making & drinking potions takes too long). I'm guessing future patches will fix a lot of this, but right now it can really be a pain.

    The game is well programed and tested. Bugs tend to be quest related, but it is certainly playable now. I didn't experience a single crash in my two play-throughs.

    In this review I concentrated on what I didn't like. However, it turns out this just isn't the right game for me. If you enjoy light, action oriented RPG's then this is a MUST HAVE and likely one of the best titles of the year. If you are looking for a true RPG then this will disappoint you just as DA2 (Dragon Age II) did.    … Expand
  24. M_Alex
    Jul 9, 2011
    9
    Not as good as the first part IMHO, but still a very good game. Basically I'd like it to be slightly longer and not have certain inconsistencies and sudden jumps of the plot. Love the new fighting system, graphics are awesome, most parts of the game glue you to the screen. There are no more issues with having to fight the drowned dead all the time, which was irritating in the first partNot as good as the first part IMHO, but still a very good game. Basically I'd like it to be slightly longer and not have certain inconsistencies and sudden jumps of the plot. Love the new fighting system, graphics are awesome, most parts of the game glue you to the screen. There are no more issues with having to fight the drowned dead all the time, which was irritating in the first part (per game mechanics and there constant respawning regardless of yout level, shouldn't they just run away?). Some memorable characters, primarily Roche. On the down side, I really wished that more characters were more develped in this game.… Expand
  25. bzzq
    Jul 8, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Strong hit from CD Project. Mature, gripping and cinematic story which you can immerse without being disturbed by any unexpected breaks. Great environment (of course if you have devastating PC), interesting characters and definitely huge replayability. Many skills, not so many items and equipment, but we can see progress compering to The Witcher. Yes, I know that fight might be annoying and difficult but usually only at the beginning - of course if you understand that this is RPG not an action game.… Expand
  26. wm4l
    Jul 8, 2011
    9
    I love this game. The Witcher has "Slavic" climate. Story is interesting and "adult". Moral choice are difficult (not black and white). I must mention the great dialogues (I played in the Polish language version). / Co tu pisaÄ
  27. markeras
    Jul 8, 2011
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of the best RPG's i've ever played, in my opinion it's only beaten by some of the Bioware's games (Baldur's Gate 1 and 2, Neverwinter Nights, Dragon age: Origins,...) and maybe The Elder Scrolls. I only wish its length was a little bit longer...… Expand
  28. JonAM
    Jul 7, 2011
    5
    This second part of The Witcher is not what it looks like. If you loved the first part, then run away from this 3rd Person Action Game with some light touches of RPG. It is exactly the same unfortunate story that previously happened with Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age 2. Although they used the same name followed by a 2, the gameplay is completely different. It is not a pure RPG, so ifThis second part of The Witcher is not what it looks like. If you loved the first part, then run away from this 3rd Person Action Game with some light touches of RPG. It is exactly the same unfortunate story that previously happened with Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age 2. Although they used the same name followed by a 2, the gameplay is completely different. It is not a pure RPG, so if like me this was what you were looking for, then you'll be disappointed (and with less money in your purse!).… Expand
  29. Kietharr
    Jul 7, 2011
    9
    The Witcher 2 presents a strong story and is wrought with opportunities to make choices that deeply impact the gameworld. However I feel that the gameplay has several flaws. It was an improvement over the first game which had a rhythm based combat system, but didn't take it all of the way. Drinking potions only during meditation was silly, also potions were far less useful. The difficultyThe Witcher 2 presents a strong story and is wrought with opportunities to make choices that deeply impact the gameworld. However I feel that the gameplay has several flaws. It was an improvement over the first game which had a rhythm based combat system, but didn't take it all of the way. Drinking potions only during meditation was silly, also potions were far less useful. The difficulty standards of the game start very, very high but the game becomes easy a little more than halfway through, even on hard. Fortunately for all of the flaws, the gameplay remains fairly fun. I think that hard difficulty should have disabled combat rolling. There are a few sequences when it is disabled and they show that it would've fixed most of the issues with difficulty curve. Another issue I had was the story seems to taper off much too quickly which was the opposite problem of the first game which was long, but for all of the wrong reasons. I feel like there should have been one more chapter.

    But even with those issues it blows any and all contemporary competition out of the water as a ROLE PLAYING game. The world of the Witcher is the most immersive I've experienced since the first two Fallout games. The characters are great and memorable, the environments are visceral and memorable, and the graphics are great. But more importantly the art and area design makes the graphics shine even more brightly, producing a visual experience that is clearly second to none. Easily a 9/10, certainly should be up for GOTY, certainly WILL be RPG of the year.    … Expand
  30. Wraithman
    Jul 7, 2011
    10
    Just finished ....Omg im so pissed by mine ending ....That ehhh....Nvm Great Game 10/10 for all..just combat sucks a lil.But music and game play is so epic.
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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

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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.
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  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.
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