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. Raveneye
    May 22, 2011
    9
    Short answer: Probably the best game of the year(at least until Skyrim).

    Longer Answer: I played through it once so far. And absolutely love it. The graphic is amazing, even if i had to use low graphics due to crappy computer the game still looked very nice. Even if there are some flaws in the game the positive side heavily outweighs the negative side. After completing the game i felt    Short answer: Probably the best game of the year(at least until Skyrim).

    Longer Answer: I played through it once so far. And absolutely love it. The graphic is amazing, even if i had to use low graphics due to crappy computer the game still looked very nice. Even if there are some flaws in the game the positive side heavily outweighs the negative side. After completing the game i felt quite satisfied. Sure it could have gone on for longer and there are still questions unanswered, but none of those have really anything to do with the main story in the game, even if some are a result of the main story.
    A great thing with witcher2 is that it's made for adults. nothing is censored(unless you live in Australia). Wish more developers would go on that path, it sort of puts the realism at a higher level than in any other game.

    A both good and bad thing in the witcher2 is that the game doesn't hold you hand and show you what to do. Some things you have to figure out yourself. It's not dumbed down and therefor can feel a bit challenging. But that is all the genre is about also.
    Lets hope this is not the last we've seen of the witcher. The Witcher2 felt like a very welcomed game, specially after the big letdown after Dragon Age2.    … Expand
  2. Archangel
    Jun 18, 2011
    9
    Awesome Game. Very Well created. I just wish Act 3 would have been longer.The Action scenes are very intense. The environment is extensive allowing you to explore a lot.
  3. WordsWordsWords
    May 25, 2011
    9
    Once again amazing character/development and writing but the main story feels lacking. I would like to write a large review and say a lot about this game but I would use up all of my available characters so I'll just say it fully deserves my 9. It loses a point for a number of reasons. Combat is perfect in every way could use a little re balancing especially the spells.
  4. DrGulag
    Jul 20, 2012
    9
    The games improved a lot since my initial review (when Witcher 2's was completely broken). Now it stands as one of the best RPG's in recent years. A mature story with good game play mechanics.
  5. omearaee
    Jun 6, 2011
    9
    A great game, perfect... no. The graphics are beautiful, the story engrossing and you get to see the impact of your decisions. Those choices influence how you play in Act 2 and 3. Very well done.
  6. SteamConvert
    May 23, 2011
    9
    This is my favorite RPG since Fallout: NV. Different, suprising and addictive. I'm playing at just under/around medium graphics quality and it is still gorgeous. Can hardly wait to replay it in a few years with everything turned on.
  7. InformedGamer
    Mar 6, 2012
    9
    I had a great deal of difficulty installing this game with the code to activate it so I shelved it for awhile. Well, I am glad I played it finally. This is definitely a well deserved M rating. Don't let a kid play this one! The gameplay is great though and is very exciting. Better than the first one in every way. I have the XBOX version pre-ordered I loved it so much. One of the best RPG'sI had a great deal of difficulty installing this game with the code to activate it so I shelved it for awhile. Well, I am glad I played it finally. This is definitely a well deserved M rating. Don't let a kid play this one! The gameplay is great though and is very exciting. Better than the first one in every way. I have the XBOX version pre-ordered I loved it so much. One of the best RPG's in recent years especially as a PC exclusive. Definitely recommend playing this before the XBOX one comes out if you play PC games.… Expand
  8. lostintime
    Jun 5, 2011
    9
    It took me a while to get into this game but I must admit I am loving it. I think part of the problem was I never played the original Witcher. The graphics are nice and it runs real smooth, even on my older machine which needs the settings turned to low.

    Definately worth the money, it is pretty much what I have been looking for since being gutted by the worthless Dragon Age 2. The    It took me a while to get into this game but I must admit I am loving it. I think part of the problem was I never played the original Witcher. The graphics are nice and it runs real smooth, even on my older machine which needs the settings turned to low.

    Definately worth the money, it is pretty much what I have been looking for since being gutted by the worthless Dragon Age 2. The quests are interesting, there is so much depth with characters, items and the world. The work that went into this game is amazing.

    Definately a RPG I will get many hours of fun from. I recommend. 9/10.    … Expand
  9. JJDrakken
    May 18, 2011
    9
    Got to love all trolls, with names like "Bioware" trying to lower this score. This game's biggest flaw is the technical side of things, which they are working out, much of that is user error. This a great game, don't let the bioware love crowd, try hate on this. Because there precious DA2 didn't deliver. Enjoy this great game people!
  10. Serpieri
    May 19, 2011
    9
    Witcher 2 is a game that isnâ
  11. iamthewizard2
    Sep 13, 2013
    9
    A truly epic achievement in the RPG genre. Enjoyed every bit of it. mature, action pack and full of great dialogue. I would have given it a 10 if it weren't for the fact that it was a very very short game...:C
  12. JLTex
    May 30, 2011
    9
    Good: Storyline, graphics & sound, FUN, choices have a major effect
    Bad: Sometimes buggy, controls are clumsy
    Overall this is a fun & enjoyable game despite some issues. Great replay value. The game starts out very difficult (on "Hard" mode) but it eases up as you start to develop your character's abilities. So far the most enjoyable game of '11. Does not give you childish &    Good: Storyline, graphics & sound, FUN, choices have a major effect
    Bad: Sometimes buggy, controls are clumsy

    Overall this is a fun & enjoyable game despite some issues. Great replay value. The game starts out very difficult (on "Hard" mode) but it eases up as you start to develop your character's abilities. So far the most enjoyable game of '11. Does not give you childish & unrealistic dialogue options like DA2. Your choices have a big impact on the game which is what RPGs are all about. Moral choices are not necessarily good or evil, just you deciding what is the best or most realistic decision for Geralt to make.

    Areas needing most improvement: technical issues (a bug affecting mouse controls happens sometimes), some lag and frame rate issues, combat controls leave something to be desired.    … Expand
  13. diblob
    May 18, 2011
    9
    CDProjekt have made fools of Bioware with this game. This game is a good standard bearer for any company who needs an example of how to make a sequel. They have taken all that was great about the first game, carefully (and selectively) listened to the community criticisms and pretty much improved all aspects of the game in this sequel. This is the sort of RPG that I like to play, huge,CDProjekt have made fools of Bioware with this game. This game is a good standard bearer for any company who needs an example of how to make a sequel. They have taken all that was great about the first game, carefully (and selectively) listened to the community criticisms and pretty much improved all aspects of the game in this sequel. This is the sort of RPG that I like to play, huge, varied, incredibly detailed, superb graphics, great story and brilliant voice acting. I have played the game so far for 20+ hours and still have plenty to do. It certainly doesn't have the length of something like Oblivion or Dragon Age origins, but it does make up for it with it's detail and story which make it a pleasure to play. I can only hope that they do eventually release the SDK for the PC Modding community, because quite frankly that is the only thing that stops me from giving this game a 10 rating.… Expand
  14. Darksavior
    May 18, 2011
    9
    Stellar Atmosphere, Great Audio Effects, and Captivating Story. When I first installed the Witcher 2, those traits are what grabbed me. At the end of November and the beginning of December, I preordered my collector's addition at Gamestop. I am slightly disappointed at the package material used to contain my items. The black "fuzziness" coats the bust. At once, I noticed how much of aStellar Atmosphere, Great Audio Effects, and Captivating Story. When I first installed the Witcher 2, those traits are what grabbed me. At the end of November and the beginning of December, I preordered my collector's addition at Gamestop. I am slightly disappointed at the package material used to contain my items. The black "fuzziness" coats the bust. At once, I noticed how much of a challenge that TW 2's combat serves. On normal, a player needs to make use of the alchemy system. A player needs to think ahead with the potions that they consume.

    Some annoyances with the auto save game feature brought my score down. Each time a player autosaves it creates a new save. The "game-guide" is slightly out of date. Locking on a target can prove to be a burden. For example, he will sometimes try to put out a torch instead of attacking the target. The serial codes came printed with "0" instead of a capital "o". Almost every time I log in I notice that the server is done. However, CDProjekt is working to fix those issues.    … Expand
  15. mech
    May 23, 2011
    9
    Though I could probably point out a hundred flaws in it, overall the game is amazing. That sort of game where you can feel that the developers honestly put their hearts into making it.

    My only big gripe in this game was the combat. The basic concept of the combat mechanics is fine, especially in the context of the game world. However the execution is flawed; many enemies are able to kill    Though I could probably point out a hundred flaws in it, overall the game is amazing. That sort of game where you can feel that the developers honestly put their hearts into making it.

    My only big gripe in this game was the combat. The basic concept of the combat mechanics is fine, especially in the context of the game world. However the execution is flawed; many enemies are able to kill the player's character in two-three hits even on normal difficulty, which is not a problem by itself, however when unresponsive controls start getting into the way this becomes rather annoying. In addition, the balancing between the skill trees is far from perfect, as some abilities are absolutely critical to survive on harder difficulties while many others are pretty useless.    … Expand
  16. SFLUFAN
    May 20, 2011
    9
    An absolute flawed gem of a game that no serious RPG fan or PC Gamer should miss.

    Yes, there are issues with the narrative, especially towards the end, but the overall experience is one for the ages!
  17. shoebelt
    May 23, 2011
    9
    Far above and beyond any recent RPGs in almost all categories. The graphics are amazing, it runs very well, the story and character designs are amazing. However, the game is not without faults. While the combat seems somewhat mediocre, the glitches that accompany random parts of the game are frustrating at times. Looting can become a chore when you spend a minute trying to angle yourFar above and beyond any recent RPGs in almost all categories. The graphics are amazing, it runs very well, the story and character designs are amazing. However, the game is not without faults. While the combat seems somewhat mediocre, the glitches that accompany random parts of the game are frustrating at times. Looting can become a chore when you spend a minute trying to angle your camera right and walk around in circles mashing left click, only to realize you won't be able to loot it because of a future quest, or because its glitched. If you enjoyed the story/theme of the first game, this is a no brainer and must be picked up asap. If you enjoy RPGs, you will most likely enjoy this title at full price.… Expand
  18. 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
  19. Cell1e
    Jun 7, 2011
    9
    I have really enjoyed playing this game surprisingly as I didn't enjoy The Witcher 1 very much. My poor computer has struggled to run this game on the lowest settings and don't get me started on how long it takes to escape to menu screen but apart from those problems I have enjoyed myself a lot. I really loved the many choices with lots of different consequences.

    I loved the love scene    I have really enjoyed playing this game surprisingly as I didn't enjoy The Witcher 1 very much. My poor computer has struggled to run this game on the lowest settings and don't get me started on how long it takes to escape to menu screen but apart from those problems I have enjoyed myself a lot. I really loved the many choices with lots of different consequences.

    I loved the love scene with Triss, so romantic (sigh) I am so pleased there is so much replay value in trying to see what happens when I make this choice and so on...

    Im going to score this higher than dragon age 2, even though Im really a Bioware fan I think the team that made The Witcher 2 did a much better job than the team that did DA2.

    I love the detail in the armours and dresses, they are beautifully designed and really look practical and classy. The crafting is fun and my only problem is I wish i had some sort of money cheat as I would love to be able to buy everything I see in the shops! :D

    Oh and the story is really good too. I think everyone should try this game out, its a lot of fun!    … Expand
  20. Heaviermetal
    May 19, 2011
    9
    The Witcher 2 is an Excellent game! Expands the story very well and the overall combat is much more fun to master than its predecessor. Its also great to see that developer puts so much care into its product and still give the hardcore pc gamers what they want.
  21. Ghostrider
    May 8, 2012
    9
    Excellent game all around.

    Excellent graphics, very good combat system. Great voice acting and character design. Beats Skyrim on all fronts. My only gripe with it is the story it wasn't as engaging as the one in original Witcher and the ending is something murky. That was however to be expected since there is no doubt will be the third installment in the game and developers wanted to    Excellent game all around.

    Excellent graphics, very good combat system. Great voice acting and character design. Beats Skyrim on all fronts.

    My only gripe with it is the story it wasn't as engaging as the one in original Witcher and the ending is something murky. That was however to be expected since there is no doubt will be the third installment in the game and developers wanted to keep storylines open for that.

    Worth every cent of it.    … Expand
  22. sid4975
    May 17, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Been waiting a long time for this sequel and so far i am not disappointed! After the massive letdown that was Dragon Age 2, this game came along and saved the day! Awesome combat, and the mix of rpg elements is great. graphics are sick. Im not sure how much of your system it uses i have a pretty high end system so im running at ultra and it looks amazing. no load times either. I started on hard difficulty and the game gives quite a challenge which is refreshing. you actually have to use your magic, traps, and alchemy to give you the edge you need. Anyone lookin for a great rpg to kill those long months before mass effect 3 and hopefully "fingers crossed" diablo 3, get this game!… Expand
  23. LtVanzi
    May 17, 2011
    9
    GOTY 2011 candidate, at least unless Diablo 3 shows up this year. An awesome RPG game, just like the first part - compared to Dragon Age 2 it wins pretty much in nearly every aspect (the exception being higher system requirements). It also helps if you are familiar with The Witcher Saga by A. Sapkowski.
  24. Lucidar
    May 17, 2011
    9
    It's pretty sad that some people are depraved enough to give this amazing game a 0. Listen, I've been a Bioware fan since Baldur's Gate, and have played all their games since. Pre-ordering a Bioware game used to be standard operating procedure for me until they dumbed down ME2 for the masses. That was the turning point for me, but I still gave them the benefit of the doubt. After DA2, itIt's pretty sad that some people are depraved enough to give this amazing game a 0. Listen, I've been a Bioware fan since Baldur's Gate, and have played all their games since. Pre-ordering a Bioware game used to be standard operating procedure for me until they dumbed down ME2 for the masses. That was the turning point for me, but I still gave them the benefit of the doubt. After DA2, it became clear that this was going to be the new trend: lazy, uninspired, rushed games, over-hyped and marketed to the FPS short attention span crowd.

    It actually doesn't surprise me, it makes a lot of sense. Young, hungry companies like CDPR tend to be very passionate, idealistic, and all-or-nothing when it comes to making a name for themselves by putting the best product they can out there to stand out from the established brands. Bioware used to be a company like that, but as time went on the founders got increasingly comfortable with their company's success, and going from being 20-something and trying to make your mark in the world to being 30-something or 40-something with a company to run and a family to support, a mortgage to pay, etc. changes one's priorities. Accepting an offer of hundreds of millions of dollars for that company is pretty much a no-brainer, and I'm sure the people at Bioware were well aware of the consequences of being bought out by a company like EA. Fast forward to today, and we all can see the inevitable results of the EA buyout, except the few deranged hyper-fanboys/employees that are still in denial and giving genuine works of art a 0 rating...smh... Anyways, I'm not hating on Bioware here, just showing some tough love. I don't care who the developer is as long as they put some heart into it and show us RPG fans some love. Time to get it together and stop focusing on whether Shepard should give Garrus a reach around or not.    … Expand
  25. khalenth
    May 17, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Best RPG for this year, Story is great and nonlinear, choices are great, graphics looks amazing! ,good combat mechanics,Great improvement since Witcher 1, CD Projekt did a great job with this game. Probably one of the best cRPG in history of modern gaming in my opinion

    This game is probably GOTY of year 2011 in category of cRPG. Great writing, good combat mechanics, great gameplay whatsoever. Feels like good old cRPGs like Planescape or Baldurs Gate.    … Expand
  26. drake_123
    May 18, 2011
    9
    Masterpiece. One of the best games ever - engaging, realistic, mature and beautiful. This is how modern RPG should look like.

    (I wanted to give it a "9", but when I saw those Bio Ware fanboys/employees/WOMM-guys giving it zeros, I realized that only a score of "10" would be fair).
  27. Rumulus
    May 17, 2011
    9
    The Witcher 2 is definitely a pretender for game of the year 2011. Everything in the game is wonderful - nonlinear plot, great characters, compelling story with intrigue in the background. Next important thing is how much CD Projekt Red love players - game is DRM-free and all DLC will be free. With CD Projekt Red it's great to be a pc gamer.
  28. Arthur030393
    May 17, 2011
    9
    Good game. But unfortunately, only good. Why? The combat system spoiled, and it's hard. Camera where the camera with the shoulder? without it hard to empathize with, and does not interfere with the tree once, during the fight, for example. For just a camera. Not to mention the system of drinking potions. Only in meditation? And where am I, for example, to know what is in front of me andGood game. But unfortunately, only good. Why? The combat system spoiled, and it's hard. Camera where the camera with the shoulder? without it hard to empathize with, and does not interfere with the tree once, during the fight, for example. For just a camera. Not to mention the system of drinking potions. Only in meditation? And where am I, for example, to know what is in front of me and whether I should drink a potion? even on normal difficulty. That fight, kill me and end. Wasted time, and I repeat, does not make sense. And what this sign, shield? For what? I took the first part of the shield and I drank the potion, I fought on, there is simply spoiled senseless. I really do not like it, very disturbing is the fluidity of the game. Too bad. I thought it would be better. 9 gives only because they do not want to specifically penalized, and the game good anyway. Thus, although nine more I write here 8th… Expand
  29. 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
  30. meJku
    May 17, 2011
    9
    Witcher 2 is an awesome game. Everything in it is great: world, characters, dialogues and story. Game looks and runs great on many different PCs. This is one of the best rpg I have ever played. You can call Witcher 2 Game of The Year.
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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.
    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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