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. neppakyo
    May 18, 2011
    9
    Oh man there are a lot of butt hurt Bioware DA2 fans I see. Perhaps some of these zero's and one's are from bioware employees? Like those perfect 10's they gave their own game. I've played over 10 hours so far, and it is.. awe-, er, amazingly epic! (can't use awesome, as it means now DA2's awesome button, which means it sucks) Its sucked me to my chair for a solid six hours straight. VeryOh man there are a lot of butt hurt Bioware DA2 fans I see. Perhaps some of these zero's and one's are from bioware employees? Like those perfect 10's they gave their own game. I've played over 10 hours so far, and it is.. awe-, er, amazingly epic! (can't use awesome, as it means now DA2's awesome button, which means it sucks) Its sucked me to my chair for a solid six hours straight. Very good voice acting, the story is wonderful, and I love the combat. This is how to do quick reactive combat.

    Bioware should learn from the masters of CDProjekt Red with their epic game The Witcher 2. (hah user "Bioware", I can do the same, only this time its true, unlike your review) on how to make an Action RPG, with deep characters, and unique combat, magic and customization.

    The graphics and artwork are.. breathtaking.. one of the prettiest RPG games I have played to date. No game gets a perfect 10, there was a small thing with lip syncing, and the odd clipping issue. Besides that this game deserves a solid 9 / 10.    … Expand
  2. EbonKnight
    May 21, 2011
    10
    Okay, seriously, must I make an account on here to contribute to the troll fight? Honestly, guys.. come on.. judging by the sheer immaturity of all these 0-1 reviews I have to assume you are either 12, a seriously butthurt fan or, even worse, someone employed by EA/Bioware. Let me tell you.. I have played and enjoyed EVERY bioware game that ever came out, and, freakishly enough, even DA2Okay, seriously, must I make an account on here to contribute to the troll fight? Honestly, guys.. come on.. judging by the sheer immaturity of all these 0-1 reviews I have to assume you are either 12, a seriously butthurt fan or, even worse, someone employed by EA/Bioware. Let me tell you.. I have played and enjoyed EVERY bioware game that ever came out, and, freakishly enough, even DA2 had its moments.. but honestly.. let's just admit it.. from a hardcore RPG-ers point of view it's a sad, rushed and recycled game, which claws its way to a 7/10 at best through a couple of clever dialogues and one decent party member. Now why this would be so hard to accept that you have to troll the scores of a game which is clearly superior in EVERY aspect, as pretty much agreed on by every non-biased professional reviewer out there is beyond me.. but just stop, please.. you're only embarrassing yourselves.… Expand
  3. bednielo
    May 17, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What I can tell ? This game is great for me. Dialogs, combat system, story, animations, graphics. On my old PC i can play with high details. Optimization is great. For me, game is candidate for Game of the Year. I think it can be one of the BEST PC game EVER.… Expand
  4. tripczak
    May 17, 2011
    10
    I was looking forward to this game for a long time, had doubts sometimes, but what i saw today morning, blew me away and made my jaw hit the floor. I'm writing this in a short break for a launch, going back soon and wont stop till i pass out, its THAT good. Thank you CDPR, finally a RPG game, not mindless action game with statistics. It works flawlessly on medium settings on my 3 years oldI was looking forward to this game for a long time, had doubts sometimes, but what i saw today morning, blew me away and made my jaw hit the floor. I'm writing this in a short break for a launch, going back soon and wont stop till i pass out, its THAT good. Thank you CDPR, finally a RPG game, not mindless action game with statistics. It works flawlessly on medium settings on my 3 years old pc, and it still looks better than any game i played lately (except metro 2033 and crysis 1) if DA2 got 8+ than TW2 should get at least 30, sadly only 10 is possible.… Expand
  5. haberman13
    May 17, 2011
    10
    This game is quite possibly the best game I've ever played. Depth and accessibility all in one.

    Few games achieve the perfection TW2 has reached, the world is engrossing, the combat is fun, the RPG STILL EXISTS! Conversation is believable, adult, non-patronizing and totally involving. TW1 didn't even come close to this, it only hinted at it. Thank you CDP for proving that smart people    This game is quite possibly the best game I've ever played. Depth and accessibility all in one.

    Few games achieve the perfection TW2 has reached, the world is engrossing, the combat is fun, the RPG STILL EXISTS! Conversation is believable, adult, non-patronizing and totally involving. TW1 didn't even come close to this, it only hinted at it.

    Thank you CDP for proving that smart people exist still, not everyone is a DA2 tardo-box.    … Expand
  6. 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
  7. ReDDoTNeckbeard
    May 17, 2011
    10
    I would give this game a GOTY not just in the RPG, but generally across all genres. The game has amazing graphics that push the hardware (you can also play it on crappy PCs too, so props to devs for optimizing the engine). The game has glorious story and awesome combat mechanics, go watch YouTube if you don't believe me.

    More important, this game has an awesome developer behind it that    I would give this game a GOTY not just in the RPG, but generally across all genres. The game has amazing graphics that push the hardware (you can also play it on crappy PCs too, so props to devs for optimizing the engine). The game has glorious story and awesome combat mechanics, go watch YouTube if you don't believe me.

    More important, this game has an awesome developer behind it that does everything RIGHT. No DRM, free DLC, modding tools, PC-only. Thank you CD Project.    … Expand
  8. aha62
    May 17, 2011
    10
    Love this game. Much better than the first on so many level. Mr Stannard, say hello to your Bioware co-workers for me, next time spend more time making a good game and less time trying to bash the competition. No game is worth 0/10, not even shovelware. Like DA2.
  9. Mattmcdonald
    May 19, 2011
    10
    Okay first off i love this game. It is fantastic in almost every level, despite i few problems under the hood (freezing and what not). That is not why i am posting though. This whole riot between DA and witcher fans needs to stop. Both are fantastic franchices. I would consider myself more of a witcher fan. Witcher fans: We owe a lot to Bioware, if it werent for them and there fantasticOkay first off i love this game. It is fantastic in almost every level, despite i few problems under the hood (freezing and what not). That is not why i am posting though. This whole riot between DA and witcher fans needs to stop. Both are fantastic franchices. I would consider myself more of a witcher fan. Witcher fans: We owe a lot to Bioware, if it werent for them and there fantastic Auora engine the witcher might not have even seen the light of day. And dragon age fans: Just face the facts and accept that Bioware did not follow up with the sequel all you hardcore fans deserved. I'm not trying to hate but it felt like they took out a lot of things that made the first one so great. So let's just end this. We are all gamers and need to stick together on stuff like this. How about we just love both franchices.… Expand
  10. csesium
    May 20, 2011
    10
    I am very much a fan of the first Witcher, and I am glad to say the second game in the series is nothing short of astonishing in nearly every aspect. It's clear from the beginning that the developers took special care in analyzing the problems with the first game and made effort into either eliminating or reducing those problems. The story is very intricate and complex. There is a plethoraI am very much a fan of the first Witcher, and I am glad to say the second game in the series is nothing short of astonishing in nearly every aspect. It's clear from the beginning that the developers took special care in analyzing the problems with the first game and made effort into either eliminating or reducing those problems. The story is very intricate and complex. There is a plethora of pivotal choices that you must make in the game that feel very important and changes the direction of the game drastically, unlike other RPGs that provide black and white choices that ultimately means nothing in the grand scheme of things. Side stories tie in very well with the main plot, and give extra incentive to complete them as even they can change the outcome of some of the main quests by providing important information. One problem however is because the story is so complex it throws a lot of characters and major players at you very quickly, making it hard at times to keep everything together and trying to make sense of what's going on as you unravel several mysteries at once. But it also provides replay value most other single player games simply can't match. The graphics engine can bring even some of the best PCs to their knees. Even if you have to put it on the lowest settings, thanks to the beautiful art style it's hardly a problem. While a lot of modern games being released have simple color schemes and bland, dead environments, this is not so in The Witcher 2. The game is rich with colors, foliage is in abundance, environments are busy and aren't repeated to the point you want to gouge your eyes out, NPCs are going about their daily lives, and with weather patters and full day/night cycles the world feels alive and approaches Crysis level beauty. One of the biggest problems I think the game suffers from when it comes to graphics is even if you have a pretty medium level PC even on the lowest settings it can get a little bogged down. Maybe the engine could be optimized a little better, but this is a minor complaint as, again, even on lowest settings the world is beautiful.

    The soundtrack is amazing. Music is always appropriate for the situation and area where it plays, complimenting the gorgeous environments well. There's really nothing wrong at all with the soundtrack; everything is great.

    Character customization is off the chart. I finished the game at about level 35 and I had barely touched most of the talent points available. There are a lot of combinations that can be done for specific play styles without compromising your character to the point you have trouble with fights. However, starting out you won't necessarily know this, so it can be a little intimidating because of the shear amount you can pick from, worrying you could be picking the "wrong" one or mutegen which could harm you down the road. The combat is significantly improved from the first game. It takes on an Arkham Asylum style combat system and it works great. Fighting multiple opponents can be quite challenging though until you get a few specific talents to help you with that, and even then tougher opponents make it difficult. Enemy variation is above average, with a lot of them requiring vastly different tactics to take down than others. Effective use of traps is required for some fights even on normal difficulty. Some of the mini bosses/main bosses suffer from being either extremely difficult bordering on impossible (or maybe I just sucked at that point) to nearly trivial (or I was just particularly effective at that point). Either way, boss difficulty can vary greatly. Also, the game doesn't do much hand holding, so some of those boss fights require a lot of trial and error to figure out what you need to do to finish the fight.

    I've heard easy is too easy and normal is too hard. I haven't tried easy, but I found normal to be just challenging enough for my taste. Next play through I'm going to go for hard mode and I'm expecting it to be very, very challenging. I'll probably never try insane mode just because I know I'd die at some very stupid point long into the game and it wouldn't do anything but irritate me. Anyway, there are difficulty settings for everyone, so find what works for you and enjoy.

    One last note. Installation was the most PAINFUL EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER GONE THROUGH IN MY GAMING CAREER. CRC error on my gaming PC. Tried copying disc 1 on 2 other computers and used an external DVD drive and they all had the same problem. Finally borrowed my friends laptop and it was able to read the disk. There's no excuse for the disc being unreadable by 4 out of 5 drives!!! Only reason I got it on a DVD and not digital download was because I wanted the CE version and all the swag, but this has taught me to never, ever buy a PC game that isn't digital download ever again, no matter what.    … Expand
  11. DevilhornsMag
    May 22, 2011
    10
    Immersion, quality writing, mature choices that DO matter and the very best graphics seen on any video game to date. I could go on but I don't really think there's any need for me to. If you feel for quality RPG's even in the slightest, you will get this and spend a million happy hours lost in Temeria.
  12. Asher
    Jul 14, 2012
    10
    As good as RPG games get PERIOD. Anyone who says otherwise either has a sub-par rig or is a severely butt-hurt Biodrone.

    Also, it actually pushes tech. REAL gamers who invest in their hobby can look to TW2 to fully utilize their superior hardware.
  13. GalisCooper
    May 27, 2011
    10
    If you're willing to invest in a game, if you are willing to get sucked in and truly engage with an RPG, this is the game for you. People who have scored this game low, either critics or users, have as main negative points:
    -bugs (very few that are now fixed with the patch)
    -difficulty in battles (that's one of the games biggest strengths for people who want a challenging strategic battle    If you're willing to invest in a game, if you are willing to get sucked in and truly engage with an RPG, this is the game for you. People who have scored this game low, either critics or users, have as main negative points:
    -bugs (very few that are now fixed with the patch)
    -difficulty in battles (that's one of the games biggest strengths for people who want a challenging strategic battle instead of a button-mash)
    -Bad UI (I'll give them a little point there - it's not bad, but could be better)

    So please ignore them, and support a game developer that is truly passionate about creating quality games.    … Expand
  14. VeteranD13
    May 24, 2011
    10
    Oh boy...Console fanboys have come out in droves to champion their flagship RPG. It's just a shame it's as good as they want you to believe. Just head over to the official forums and read the praise. It's astounding a game hyped this much could ship in such terrific shape. Pretty good when developers start talking patches the day the game ships. Technicals issues are minimal, this gameOh boy...Console fanboys have come out in droves to champion their flagship RPG. It's just a shame it's as good as they want you to believe. Just head over to the official forums and read the praise. It's astounding a game hyped this much could ship in such terrific shape. Pretty good when developers start talking patches the day the game ships. Technicals issues are minimal, this game beyond belief. The UI is Cumbersome. The combat feels more like brutally . It's a game the developers must have felt the need to make it PC like and in doing so they made it superior to consoles. It also mature for all the right reasons. If you want a great example of maturity look no further than The Witcher 2. I really like The Witcher 2...I really did.. Its clear the developers put in a ton of work creating this game. It is ashamed the the game is currently the number one download on just about every torrent website. The developers know consoles fanboys are ingrates with no life, no job, and no romance(NERD), consoles. Then they can actually generate some revenue seeing as how consoles fanboys merely ask thier mommy for everything :)… Expand
  15. majonez
    May 17, 2011
    10
    ok first what i have to say- DO NOT read M_Stannard's review. and others negative reviews. they are bioware workers. they scared, because the Witcher 2 have very good reviews. and what about Dragon Age 2? well... you see.
    ok now about The Witcher 2- The best sequel ever. I'm mad fan of The Witcher (in original- The Witcher is fantasy book. and game is based on that story) I can feel this    ok first what i have to say- DO NOT read M_Stannard's review. and others negative reviews. they are bioware workers. they scared, because the Witcher 2 have very good reviews. and what about Dragon Age 2? well... you see.
    ok now about The Witcher 2- The best sequel ever. I'm mad fan of The Witcher (in original- The Witcher is fantasy book. and game is based on that story) I can feel this wonderful climate... this wonderful music. this wonderful storyline. I can't stop play it! The most non-linear game.    … Expand
  16. sparrow667
    May 17, 2011
    10
    You wonâ
  17. cmoyano
    May 17, 2011
    10
    best rpg of the year by far....bioware, learn from this...witcher 2 is amazing gin every single way. Yes, the ending may not be as good, and combat may not be the best, but in terms of story line, choices and gameplay, bioware doesnt hold a candle to cd project! all the way with the witcher 2~!!
  18. Argoss
    May 26, 2011
    5
    Average at best - has some significant issues, mainly combat is terrible as the fights itself are too hack&slashy. Also lack of any open world disqualifies this game as an rpg. It is an action game with light rpg-like topping on it. Something like Assassin Creed. Story is good, I liked scripting and graphic, but the combat and poor inventory management spoiled a lot of fun for me. This isAverage at best - has some significant issues, mainly combat is terrible as the fights itself are too hack&slashy. Also lack of any open world disqualifies this game as an rpg. It is an action game with light rpg-like topping on it. Something like Assassin Creed. Story is good, I liked scripting and graphic, but the combat and poor inventory management spoiled a lot of fun for me. This is the same thing that Bioware tried to pull off with DA II, just better executed, but it is still light years away from great classics like Baldur Gates/Wizardy/Might and Magic/Elder Scroll series… Expand
  19. roboticsun
    Dec 31, 2011
    8
    The Witcher 2 has some key design failures. The inventory system is as bad as Oblivion. the fighting style is still limited to a steel sword(or whatever else) and a silver sword, and the game plays more like a hack & slash type combat plus rolling around .I do like they add traps and throwing-weapons, which will make the game significant easier when facing large crowd of monsters orThe Witcher 2 has some key design failures. The inventory system is as bad as Oblivion. the fighting style is still limited to a steel sword(or whatever else) and a silver sword, and the game plays more like a hack & slash type combat plus rolling around .I do like they add traps and throwing-weapons, which will make the game significant easier when facing large crowd of monsters or long-range enemies, but I think they should bring group sword style back or add more fight styles, because for a RPG combat, you should provide the gamer as many different approaches as possible, not limiting the combat styles. some of stupid boss fights QTEs makes the game's combat even frustrating. The witcher 2's narrative resembles most good RPGs but not very innovate, at beginning it utilize a frame narrative similar to Alpha protocol to help you to get into the story. the dialogs and interactive scenes are also presented in a similar way like mass effect, they also add some time based dialog choices, but those are nothing new. On the good side though, this game has a very strong story line with significant branching. you can expect to face a couple of hard decisions. Since I do not really have a high-end graphic card, so can not experience the extraordinary graphics of the witcher 2. I am running the game on 8800GTX , the game still looks fine on low-setting. I had about 30 frame rate, but saying this game has been perfectly crafted is overrated. you will experience a lot of lag for loading when you are running around, and the game does freeze or suddenly shut down at times.… Expand
  20. Scritty
    May 25, 2011
    2
    It seems I'm in a minority. But the lack of gameplay depth in this is so sad.
    Game plays fine, graphics are great, but it's not in any way an RPG, it's an action adventure.
    Fine I suppose, lovely I suppose for some. But with Bioware and Bethesda taking all the customization and tactical cobat elements out of their games, it seems this frnachise is going the same way. Luckily, if RPG's are    It seems I'm in a minority. But the lack of gameplay depth in this is so sad.
    Game plays fine, graphics are great, but it's not in any way an RPG, it's an action adventure.
    Fine I suppose, lovely I suppose for some. But with Bioware and Bethesda taking all the customization and tactical cobat elements out of their games, it seems this frnachise is going the same way.
    Luckily, if RPG's are what you are after there are some EXCELLENT indie ones that are as good as Baldur's gate or the original Witcher. It seems the gameplay masses just want arcade style kiddie games. Fair enough, I'll move on to indie developers and let these games gradually melt down till they are as about as involving as pong.    … Expand
  21. neurotopia
    May 18, 2011
    6
    the world is visually pleasing: i'd give it a 10/10
    character animation is well done: 8/10
    tech stability: 7/10 - why: over all, things have been ok. there are a couple places where the game has just hung during cut scenes. the story is compelling and engaging: 8/10 the npcs seem quite believable: 8/10 player interface: 3/10 - why: it's unwieldy. you cannot set keyboard controls    the world is visually pleasing: i'd give it a 10/10
    character animation is well done: 8/10
    tech stability: 7/10
    - why: over all, things have been ok. there are a couple places where the game has just hung during cut scenes.
    the story is compelling and engaging: 8/10
    the npcs seem quite believable: 8/10
    player interface: 3/10
    - why: it's unwieldy. you cannot set keyboard controls from within the game. many keys cannot be bound at all (e.g. arrow keys, +, -, and NO KEYPAD keys at all, etc.). i'm sorry but that's basic UI design failure on a level that truly undermines the thoughtfulness and attention to detail present elsewhere in the game. cut scenes can't be skipped, so if you die during a mission, you have to relive them... over and over.
    combat system: 7/10
    - why: it feels clunky and lacks intuitive flow, though it gets cudos for being fast paced and bloody.
    controls: 3/10
    - why: in short, it's clumsy. turning, climbing, interacting with the world... it all feels inconsistent and plays unlike anything i've experienced before. granted, historically i've been a pretty big game snob and generally only play titles that win tons of awards, but i thought with all the buzz around this game the risk of disappointment was minimal. i feel like i should be using a console control, not a keyboard. and no, i'm not bashing consoles so let's not start that. but when it comes to precision, you just can't beat a mouse and keyboard -- assuming the game was properly made. supposedly the open game world allows you to do all sorts of different things, like climb structures and whatnot. and you can, as long as devs made that object "climbable". which is the problem: there's little consistency and no way to know if you can interact with an object unless you stand in a pretty specific spot. so even if you walk past something that you could climb, unless you're standing on a just the right set of pixels, you won't know it. there's no glow, no altered shading... nothing. just a little icon that may or may not appear if you stand in exactly the right spot. it's like the devs created a beautiful game with a great story but had absolutely no concern for playability. overall playability: 6/10
    - why: it doesn't matter how good the story and graphics are, if the gameplay is too frustrating the player's experience will be diminished. for this reason i rate the game at a 6/10. which is typically below the threshold of what i am willing to buy and play. and i'm just not having that much fun with this game. at least, not yet. i will keep playing a few more days. if my opinion changes, i will update my review. but for right now, i wish i'd spent my $45 on something else.    … Expand
  22. 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
  23. micmich
    May 22, 2011
    3
    The Witcher 2's world is interesting. Yet as it is playing this game is a chore. Technical issues kill the immersion while an awkward UI make the most mundane things painful. You may grind through it for the story's sake. But this won't be pleasant.

    The story's guiding word is 'disillusionment'. The Witcher 2's world is a hard, complicated place to live in. Death is commonplace, little    The Witcher 2's world is interesting. Yet as it is playing this game is a chore. Technical issues kill the immersion while an awkward UI make the most mundane things painful. You may grind through it for the story's sake. But this won't be pleasant.

    The story's guiding word is 'disillusionment'. The Witcher 2's world is a hard, complicated place to live in. Death is commonplace, little exists in the way of values and survival is key. Few people want to do good, and even when they do seldom are there clear cut alternatives. There are meaningful choices to be made, with interesting (if grim) consequences. But the game makes enjoying the story very, very hard.

    The interface is awkward. Picking objects up or speaking to characters forces you to painstakingly position your character, point at things with a sluggish cursor. This is how you'll spend 90% of the time in the game. Think "washing the dishes" level of fun.

    Combat has potential, totally squandered. The system is both action oriented and tactical. Hard. But the character is stiff and awkward. You press a button and find yourself checking whether it's actually executed (I'm pressing the parry button but is this the parry stance or not?), or press one to be completely surprised by the result (accidental target switch, jumping into the middle of a group of enemies... or no action at all). You constantly die due to some random action you didn't want. Seldom do you actually make a mistake in any other sense. Makes you feel clumsy and irritated.

    The game's performance is uneven, and generally bad. Lowering the settings to a level where 90% of the game gets you 30 fps won't prevent random stuttering. This kills all immersion, especially since this often happens during cutscenes.

    All this makes The Witcher 2 a hard game to enjoy. I feel as if it was a prototype of something really nice. If you're the person who loves a new gadget and doesn't care that it doesn't work half the time, and is a pain to use anyhow - go ahead.    … Expand
  24. Jimbob2k666
    May 19, 2011
    7
    I'm basing this review on the back of around 6 hours of play. I have an above average PC with a 5770 ATI card which is no slouch and should be able to play most recent releases with a good framerate so long as I don't expect to have full on graphic settings. However, even with everything set to their lowest settings and almost every nicety disabled, I can barely get a steady framerateI'm basing this review on the back of around 6 hours of play. I have an above average PC with a 5770 ATI card which is no slouch and should be able to play most recent releases with a good framerate so long as I don't expect to have full on graphic settings. However, even with everything set to their lowest settings and almost every nicety disabled, I can barely get a steady framerate above 30.....I'm not alone and plenty of ATI and some Nvidia users are experiencing the same...So, that is an initial disappointment, on to the game itself.....The first Witcher (enhanced version) was a great game, very much open world and you could explore a lot whilst working on the quests....W2 claims to offer the same but doesn't deliver as almost everything is linear, with the sidequests tagged on which themselves don't allow you to go exploring.....In fact, the only real exploring you can do is within the towns and villages you visit during your way to main objectives.....The loot drops are extremely clumsy to pick up and you find yourself running back and forth and constantly trying to get the camera into a position so that you can highlight the drops and pick them up.....The inventory screen is a nightmare to work and even with the physical premium edition I have with it's manual and game guide won't help you figure out how to properly control the game screens.....As for combat, this is a bit of a step backwards from the first game with no real combo's to talk of, just normal hit and hard hit with a kind of "special move" kill should you manage to stun an opponent to make it trigger......There are certain events like barfights and some interactive cutscenes that involve you needing to press a series of keys or buttons (for controllers) which threw me back to the days of good old Shenmue, but even these are lacklustre in design, and are far too easy to beat on the normal difficulty setting. The only pleasure in combat is that the difficulty is really quite tough and some fights will require you to redo them a couple of times, which is almost unheard of in most of todays easy-mode RPGs......In summary, for me there are too many cutscenes, too much talking and not enough action. Maybe a few patches down the line Witcher 2 can achieve a standard which the developers reached with the re-worked first edition. But it sure needs new GFX card drivers and/or work to optimize it for gamers who have components up to a couple of years old. The game looks ok, but it's still using DX9, and in today's age, it really shouldn't be difficult to get a good framrate (I consider 60fps a benchmark) for people like myself with a 3.0ghz Quad core CPU, 4gb RAM, 64bit W7 and a 5770ATI card. ----- Needs Work - - 6/10, would give 8/10 if it ran nicely.… Expand
  25. SpSatz
    May 18, 2011
    3
    This game is presents itself with some really difficult approaches for the gamer. But as there seems an overwhelming positive feedback from the gamerbase it seems it's console style gameplay und depth is the new standard to RPGs. One can not really describe this game anymore as a real RPG like in the old ways. There are comparisons to Baldur's Gate out there, but unlike this game BG hadThis game is presents itself with some really difficult approaches for the gamer. But as there seems an overwhelming positive feedback from the gamerbase it seems it's console style gameplay und depth is the new standard to RPGs. One can not really describe this game anymore as a real RPG like in the old ways. There are comparisons to Baldur's Gate out there, but unlike this game BG had character customization. If you don't like the silver haired, cat eyed witcher antihero then you can not change that in any way. The customization of his "class" is also not that wide. Some "spells" (runes) and combat moves to put your points into, that's it. No cleric, no rogue.
    The animations, as some reviews pointed out, are for once beautifully animated but absolutely unrealistic and awkward designed. Geralt must be hulk to swing and turn with his sword like this. This does not fit with the "adult", "grim" and "realistic" approach to fantasy the game otherwise tries to deliver.
    The game itself is not that much linear but you do not get much freedom too. The areas are very tiny and there is no open world, almost no ground to explore. But why would you go out and explore if you can not customize your character in any way either?
    The graphics on the other hand are really, really beautiful, but only to those who could a high end machine. On low details you are bound to graphics like 2005 and you still get fps issues here and there. Feels like a really sloppy programmed engine.
    The combat gameplay feels like some bad console hack and slay. You got issues with targetting, blocking and overall movement. As you can see the dumbed down menues everywhere it's obvious this title was made for use on consoles too. While I do not think RPGs can deliver aciton, like the Elder Scrolls series for example, this really is not it. Repetetive button mashing fights are not what makes RPGs shine. At least the combat feels more refined than in Witcher 1.
    The story is at best predictable and at worst just plain boring and uninvolving. But it may only be, that you can not really follow the emotions because Geralt is really a stranger and you do not really like him at any times. The adult scenes can not make up for this as it is always this silver haired guy who you are watching at. Really dissappointing.
    I can not give this game more points and even if you like Geralt and simplistic gameplay, between the sloppy engine and flat story no 10 points rating here is justified.    … Expand
  26. phoenix35
    May 20, 2011
    1
    Bad performance bad dialogues tried it for 5 minutes and uninstalled it.
    Had finished the first witcher which was just an okay game.To be honest i didnt expect to be thrilled or excited with this sequel..My curiosity ended I am only suprised to see many to like this game and same people mentioning DA2 as there is a competition or it matters..Maybe the soft porn in witcher series is exciting
  27. karmasleeper
    Jun 11, 2011
    7
    The Witcher 2 represents a step forward in terms of visuals mitigated by more than a couple steps backward in terms of combat, user interface, and alchemy.

    Visually, TW2 impresses, even on mid level machines. On high end hardware, the game is simply breath taking. Few games boast such a robust attention to detail. The game is highly GPU dependent as any PC game should be, and even on    The Witcher 2 represents a step forward in terms of visuals mitigated by more than a couple steps backward in terms of combat, user interface, and alchemy.

    Visually, TW2 impresses, even on mid level machines. On high end hardware, the game is simply breath taking. Few games boast such a robust attention to detail. The game is highly GPU dependent as any PC game should be, and even on my outdated EVGA GTS 250, I was able to achieve a more than playable frame rate between 40 and 60 FPS on â    … Expand
  28. BoatX
    Jan 13, 2012
    10
    One of the greatest rpg game of all time. Dark fantasy world, very good plot (not telling about saving world but rather about politics). A lot of hard decision to make and each decision impact the world of game. Almost every character is unique and memorable (Iorweth, Roch, Ves, Yarpen etc). Demanding but giving a lot of satisfaction combat system. And last but not least the awesomeOne of the greatest rpg game of all time. Dark fantasy world, very good plot (not telling about saving world but rather about politics). A lot of hard decision to make and each decision impact the world of game. Almost every character is unique and memorable (Iorweth, Roch, Ves, Yarpen etc). Demanding but giving a lot of satisfaction combat system. And last but not least the awesome protagonist - Geralt of Rivia - witcher, lover, killer. A lot of people arguing that "the witcher" is not a really rpg because it doesn't allow to create own hero. I think that with such a deep described character like Getalt it is not necessary, I think that it was be a really hard to create a character that would be fit to witcher game world . Really you create Geralt and the world of game with your every decision.… Expand
  29. Voyou
    Jan 28, 2018
    4
    The Witcher 1 felt like a labour of love from talented amateurs. A good game that I finished eagerly despite the hassles, such as reincessantly rehacking respawns. Witcher 2 feels like the complete opposite. It is indeed gorgeous, lively and atmospheric, but everything else is ridiculously bad.

    QTE. Quick Time Events. Do I need to say more ? Oh, yes I do. That’s only the cherry on top    The Witcher 1 felt like a labour of love from talented amateurs. A good game that I finished eagerly despite the hassles, such as reincessantly rehacking respawns. Witcher 2 feels like the complete opposite. It is indeed gorgeous, lively and atmospheric, but everything else is ridiculously bad.

    QTE. Quick Time Events. Do I need to say more ? Oh, yes I do. That’s only the cherry on top of the iceberg. I literally laughed at some of the implementation issues.

    Let’s start with the tutorial, which confuses instead of teaching. I got stuck in it. I thought it was bugged. I Googled for a fix, and learned that there is no bug. There is just a big empty space in its designer’s brain. A guy actually wrote a tutorial that needs a walkthrough to complete. With a clue, it still took me 20 minutes of pressing various buttons everywhere in the UI, giggling at the ridicule of the situation.

    The UI, aah, the UI. The vast majority of software engineers are incapable of designing a proper UI, a smart and comfortable one.Intuitiveness, minimal clicks, font sizes, visibility, accessibility, clarity and so on, all foreign concepts to most. I don’t expect the quality of, say, Dishonored, in every game/player interface… well, in fact I do, but here we reach new lows. Good luck if you want to talk to a NPC standing between a door and a torch. Have fun checking your inventory. Switching directly to your character sheet. Reading the latter. Pruning your thousands of saves…

    The gameplay isn't fun either. Combat is 2-buttons smashing while Geralt wastes calories, dancing around and rolling like a buffoon in lieu of dodging. Looting is aka junk collecting; I suddenly became encumbered, had to finally browse the dreaded inventory, and realised I was carrying 40 kilos of timber and 40 kilos of cloth, among other crap. I stopped looting altogether. I don't even craft, nor do I use alchemy. If I want to cook, I go to the kitchen, I don't launch a video game. I came for the RPG and the exploration, and found very little of each.

    Sceneries look huge, yet the maps are tiny and practically linear. Since Geralt is blocked by any step higher than 33.33 centimetres, your job is to find the only interactive spot where he can climb up or down. Once in a while, there is a short dead-end you can visit, branching from your railroad. There, you can find a pointless encounter with a 2-lines dialogue, or a couple of plants to harvest. But only if you are lucky on a toss coin, because if you take the other path first, you can never go back.

    The RPG part is mostly through dialogue options. The very first time, when I choose a line, Geralt says something completely different. That alone sets the tone. It shows the value of your input. You know who is boss, and you certainly know you are not in an RPG. Later on, there were 3 or 4 options. I was reading the 2nd line when Geralt started mumbling out line 1. I thought it was bugged. I Googled for a fix, and learned that there is no bug. It's a reading race mini-game. They call it a feature. I call them morons.

    The sound effects are brilliant. However, dozens of people chattering at once when you speak to someone makes hearing your interlocutor impossible. And the subtitles are gone before you reach the end of the line.

    I've been talking about gameplay, except that most of Witcher 2 consists of cutscenes. Nice ones, some awesome ones, some funny ones, but cutscenes nonetheless. Millions upon millions of them. I was lucky I cared for the story, otherwise I would have fallen asleep. Still, way too much passive time for something that is supposed to be a game, and another big reason to give up after a few hours.

    In Witcher 1, I really loved the town. In W2, by the time I finally reached one, I was already put off by the game. I expected Flotsam to reinvigorate my immersion and my motivation. It didn't happen. I quit about there, but not before a last surprise and a good laugh at the expense of the devs : I stepped out of town. The monsters were waiting for me right behind the gates ! Just like the poster on the door said. I Kid you not, they camp there waiting to attack anyone who walks out. At the foot of the fortified wall. The one with nobody on the rampart to shoo or shoot them away. Such a wonderful, wonderful, and credible town.

    The list of flaws seems infinite and I must stop somewhere, but there is one I can't resist mentioning : In this fantasy, there are women. Middle-Age women, those with no rights and no value except the value of their beauty. So far so good. And since they undress easily, you can see that all these women have shaved armpits. Ah ah ah ! Must be because of all these Middle-Age commercials for cosmetic brands.

    TLDR: An interactive cartoon with rare moments of playing on a railroad with bad mechanics.    … Expand
  30. Myzteria
    Oct 29, 2011
    10
    This game is **** AMAZING.

    I can't be bothered to type out a testament to the brilliance that is The Witcher 2, but after 3 playthroughs, I'm really disappointed that other games (that aren't as good as TW2) get a higher Metascore than TW2 (Deus Ex: HR, not that it's a bad game or anything, just nowhere near as good as TW2).

    One of the greatest cRPG's to ever come of existence.
  31. butterfinger
    Nov 4, 2011
    10
    This gаmes is a triumph. Also very different from it's amazing predecessor it is more focused, more epic and it gives you more choice while at the same time it makes you feel like a small piece of wood on a stormy ocean. After finishing it once i have immediately restarted it. And i feel the same excitement i felt when i first installed it. It is a once in a lifetime experienceThis gаmes is a triumph. Also very different from it's amazing predecessor it is more focused, more epic and it gives you more choice while at the same time it makes you feel like a small piece of wood on a stormy ocean. After finishing it once i have immediately restarted it. And i feel the same excitement i felt when i first installed it. It is a once in a lifetime experience that should be played by everyone. I would especially recommend this to young players despite it's mature content. It is a lesson about life and it s a lesson about gaming. What it was and what it should be. 10/10. GOTY. Best RPG of this decade so far!… Expand
  32. dylanland234
    Nov 10, 2011
    10
    Witcher really suprised me when i played it last summer. Little did i know, the second one had just come out. So i dove into those games. And i mean dove hard. The voice acting is pretty much the only flaw. This is a real gritty fantasy game, that dug deep into my brain, and heart, to make it one of the most memorable games ever. The graphics are top notch, probably best in the marketWitcher really suprised me when i played it last summer. Little did i know, the second one had just come out. So i dove into those games. And i mean dove hard. The voice acting is pretty much the only flaw. This is a real gritty fantasy game, that dug deep into my brain, and heart, to make it one of the most memorable games ever. The graphics are top notch, probably best in the market before Battlefield 3 came out. I was blown away.… Expand
  33. trublmaker
    Dec 22, 2011
    8
    Great game with a fan-base passionate & dedicated enough to stamp every negative review with dislike. The game is excellent, but negative reviews are being unfairly reported.
  34. Androu
    Jan 30, 2012
    9
    Well, this game is awesome! If I were to choose between Skyrim and it for RPG of the year, I would have no doubt in saying that The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings was my choice! The game really shows that "small" game industries such as CD Project can have their moments. The Witcher 2 has awesome graphics, and an incredible story with 16 different endings! While choosing between killing aWell, this game is awesome! If I were to choose between Skyrim and it for RPG of the year, I would have no doubt in saying that The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings was my choice! The game really shows that "small" game industries such as CD Project can have their moments. The Witcher 2 has awesome graphics, and an incredible story with 16 different endings! While choosing between killing a king or a monster or letting them live, you really feel as you were Geralt of Rivia. Of course, as all the other games, The Witcher 2 is not perfect. Its fighting system is pretty complicated and annoying, so most of the gamers would only start liking it by the middle of the game. The bad regulated difficulties (easy, medium, hard, and insane) may give you a hard time, making you hate some bosses or even simple road-bandits, but once you have chosen one of them you can enjoy this incredible game without huge problems. I really hope that The Witcher 3 is realised soon, because, man, what an amazing game!… Expand
  35. eightbitjoker
    Feb 7, 2012
    10
    Best RPG I have played in a long while. Challenging, deep and well-executed. For those who seek games that do not have the usual "you are the chose one" storyline, this is the game to pick up. The story is interesting and compelling. As a newcomer to the series, it was relatively easy to comprehend what was happening due to certain plot mechanics that reveal relevant information as you goBest RPG I have played in a long while. Challenging, deep and well-executed. For those who seek games that do not have the usual "you are the chose one" storyline, this is the game to pick up. The story is interesting and compelling. As a newcomer to the series, it was relatively easy to comprehend what was happening due to certain plot mechanics that reveal relevant information as you go along. Being a non-linear RPG, there are a lot of choices: minor ones that might affect immediate events or major ones that span several chapters. The combat is unique and challenging in a sense that it deviates from the potion-chugging norm of most RPGs. Preparations have to made before fights and damage modification oils can be used inside battles. On top of that, the health potions that Geralt can use before battles only speed up regeneration not heal by chunks. This brings a whole new level of depth and complexity to combat, albeit the two-button light/heavy attack mechanic. As for character development, there is only enough experience in the game to specialize in one out of the three skill trees, or hybrid in two. Stats are more equipment based, especially early in the game. This gives the game that almost unforgiving difficulty in the first few encounters, once vitality and armor upgrades are more accessible the game tames down a bit.

    The graphics and sound are great. There are almost no loading screens due to "buffer" sections in the map that automatically load the next area while players explore. The overall presentation is top notch, with a musical score that really brings out the scenario Geralt is in. The ambient noises also flesh out the fantasy world, this is especially true outside city walls. Visuals are smooth and fluid if your gaming rig can handle it, playing at maximum graphical settings proves to be a most immersive experience.

    I highly recommend this game to everyone, The Witcher 2 exemplifies the balance of combat, exploration and storytelling delivered in an artistic and emotional package.    … Expand
  36. Omap
    Mar 7, 2012
    9
    An absolutely fantastic game, one of the best RPG's I've played; period. The story is crisp and easy to follow while still grabbing the player and will leave them wondering what will unfold in the story. It is also one of the few RPG's I've seen where player choice really impacts the game, with whole new area's to be seen (Or unseen) depending on player choices. That being said the gameAn absolutely fantastic game, one of the best RPG's I've played; period. The story is crisp and easy to follow while still grabbing the player and will leave them wondering what will unfold in the story. It is also one of the few RPG's I've seen where player choice really impacts the game, with whole new area's to be seen (Or unseen) depending on player choices. That being said the game does have some flaws, I felt like it was frustratingly difficult to block, because of the limit on it, as well as some minor bits where the difficulty fluctuates wildly between fights. The romance options in the story are tasteful and never forced, and the characters are all wonderfully voice acted, especially Roche. Add in the fact that CD Projekt RED is releasing 4 more hours of game play to a part of the game the players liked the most is what bumps this game up beyond the norm. It's really worth getting, especially with how often it goes on sale for under 15 dollars.… Expand
  37. GreedyPope
    Aug 19, 2014
    10
    This is a MUST if you enjoy games with a solid story and incredible combat mechanics. Very few bugs compared to your usual RPG. Sound and graphics are top notch. Only game better than this is Fallout 3, which are unrealistic standards...
  38. Jenkins
    Mar 23, 2014
    8
    The Witcher 2 is a very strong RPG with so-so aspects.

    The combat ranges from decent to mediocre with nice looking animations and a strong variety of enemies. However the animations can be too extravagant making the "quick attack" not as quick thanks to the stylish sword spinning, so instead of planting attacks immediately on an enemy, you're waiting for the animation to finish. The    The Witcher 2 is a very strong RPG with so-so aspects.

    The combat ranges from decent to mediocre with nice looking animations and a strong variety of enemies. However the animations can be too extravagant making the "quick attack" not as quick thanks to the stylish sword spinning, so instead of planting attacks immediately on an enemy, you're waiting for the animation to finish. The lack of strafe and back peddling hurt the combat too, making movement feel sloppy.

    Enemy AI is bad, their attacks barely differ from run at you and swing, and if you stray just a little too far from your opponents they will give up. I tested this on all difficulties and found no difference.

    The difficulty is another issue, I have no issue with brutal difficulty but the load times which occur at game over make it unbearable to die. For this reason I found myself on easy half the time to avoid these load screens altogether. It doesn't help that there's no achievements for higher difficulties either, so if you merely want that challenging aspect of weak vitality then go for it, but I recommend steering clear.

    The story is pretty good, the characters are interesting and the general arch is intriguing. More often than not you will find yourself confused at what is happening in the mish-mash of politics, luckily the journal is fantastic. The journal simplifies every aspect of the story to a couple of paragraphs, making it easier to get the lore down-pat. What's also great is how the story will drastically change depending on what decisions you make, upping the replay-ability.

    The graphics are the strongest aspect of the game. Frame-rate rarely drops on the 360 version and the environments are entirely hand crafted with detailed textures. That may sound like a very general description, but in action the game is absolutely beautiful. The soundtrack isn't very memorable and the loop is short for most tracks, so you may find yourself getting tired of the repetition.

    Despite the issues, I had a great time with the game. If you're a fan of fantasy then you must look into The Witcher 2.    … Expand
  39. Sirik_Matak
    Sep 15, 2014
    5
    The game looks marvelous, the execution of visuals, storytelling and everything connected is just perfect. You can actually care about characters and their stories, and the main plot isn't just shoveled down with an uninspired ending like in the previous title. The story connections to the prequel surely will make me to replay this title few times.

    Why 5 then? Because the gameplay    The game looks marvelous, the execution of visuals, storytelling and everything connected is just perfect. You can actually care about characters and their stories, and the main plot isn't just shoveled down with an uninspired ending like in the previous title. The story connections to the prequel surely will make me to replay this title few times.

    Why 5 then? Because the gameplay absolutely sucks in every possible way. The combat system is a clusterf***, the lack of control and annoyances surrounding it (picking up items in the middle of the fight, come on) and the character development is just subpar and far below what the first game offered. The UI is tiring and navigating takes definitely too much time and clicking, drinking potions is just a chore to do, magic signs are unprecise and not really useful. They could ditch out the combat entirely, making a point'n'click adventure game and the game would only benefit from it.    … Expand
  40. Larwick
    Nov 1, 2013
    10
    As an RPG, this has the absolute highest tier storytelling you could hope for. Graphically it is also superb, outshining many, if not most games that have been released years after. The world is believable and engrossing, with fantastic character design, adept voice acting and beautiful landscapes. Combat is visceral, but it can feel slightly awkward and it is possible to becomeAs an RPG, this has the absolute highest tier storytelling you could hope for. Graphically it is also superb, outshining many, if not most games that have been released years after. The world is believable and engrossing, with fantastic character design, adept voice acting and beautiful landscapes. Combat is visceral, but it can feel slightly awkward and it is possible to become stun-locked. Perhaps this is merely a mistake on my part. The game is hard to criticize considering the passion that has evidently gone into its creation.… Expand
  41. BigDegs29
    Feb 24, 2014
    10
    The Witcher 2 is one of very few games I'd give a 10/10. It improves on its predecessor dramatically, while retaining what was good about it. Combat system is incredibly versatile. It's literally the only RPG I've played where I didn't just prefer and concentrate on one aspect of the combat (such as physical sword/shield or Magic). No, in this game I used regular sword combat, potions,The Witcher 2 is one of very few games I'd give a 10/10. It improves on its predecessor dramatically, while retaining what was good about it. Combat system is incredibly versatile. It's literally the only RPG I've played where I didn't just prefer and concentrate on one aspect of the combat (such as physical sword/shield or Magic). No, in this game I used regular sword combat, potions, bombs, traps, AND signs. Some battles were tough enough that you had to get creative and think beforehand, which is awesome and exactly how a strategic RPG should play out. I heard that some people complained about the steep learning curve. While I didn't personally have a problem with it playing on dark difficulty, that's perhaps because I was introduced to the series with The Witcher. I've played TW2 both with a m/k setup, and with a controller. As a rule for all but RTS games, I usually prefer a controller, but this game plays well either way. Graphics are gorgeous, though a few lighting elements are slightly annoying.

    Where this game really shines is the mature story and character relationships/personas. Choices actually matter and have great impact (I mean, the game completely diverges for a third of the game based on one choice).

    Overall, a fantastic game for anyone who loves story-driven RPGs.    … Expand
  42. Ihuarraquax
    Mar 11, 2014
    10
    The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings has the best plot which I have ever experience in game. It is based on Polish books series by Andrzej Sapkowski, named The Witcher. In this game we can admire phenomenal graphics, in my opinion it is better than any other RPG. The amazing soundtrack fits the game setting. Gameplay is perfectly pleasant. The game has highly expended upgrade system. TheThe Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings has the best plot which I have ever experience in game. It is based on Polish books series by Andrzej Sapkowski, named The Witcher. In this game we can admire phenomenal graphics, in my opinion it is better than any other RPG. The amazing soundtrack fits the game setting. Gameplay is perfectly pleasant. The game has highly expended upgrade system. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is incredibly excellent. I definitely recommend this unbelievable game.… Expand
  43. BaronMonaco
    Jun 17, 2015
    10
    Improving over The Witcher 1, on the whole combat system and with more engaging side quest, The Witcher 2 is not perfect (if possible I would have rate it 9.5) with some minor defaults like the fact that you don't remember formulas, but I love it way to much to lower the mark to 9. Fantastic graphics at the times and above everything else the best story of modern videogames with detailedImproving over The Witcher 1, on the whole combat system and with more engaging side quest, The Witcher 2 is not perfect (if possible I would have rate it 9.5) with some minor defaults like the fact that you don't remember formulas, but I love it way to much to lower the mark to 9. Fantastic graphics at the times and above everything else the best story of modern videogames with detailed and realistic characters, and choices that have enormous consequences, in fact the 40-50 hours that the game needs to be complete could be almost doubled giving that a choice in the end of Act 1 will change the rest of the game in almost every aspect (only a few quests will be the same) .

    I've already said this on my review of the first Witcher, but those games are to videogames what Game of Thrones is to series : high production value, faithful to the original works, addicting story and characters, etc. It's a must have !    … Expand
  44. Serx79
    Mar 5, 2022
    0
    unplayable game on release from company that are super politically engaged.
  45. Annes10
    Nov 23, 2020
    0
    I like this game's story. Only reason I have given this game a 4. The combat just drags this down too much. If it was a little bit more refined I would give this game a solid 8/10 but the state that this was released in is so bad I cant bring myself to give it anything higher. In fact I feel a little **** even giving it a 4 to be honest because this game has the worst combat system I haveI like this game's story. Only reason I have given this game a 4. The combat just drags this down too much. If it was a little bit more refined I would give this game a solid 8/10 but the state that this was released in is so bad I cant bring myself to give it anything higher. In fact I feel a little **** even giving it a 4 to be honest because this game has the worst combat system I have ever seen in a game. I was just playing the part where you have to fight Dethmold and a legion of mercenaries and he is able to hit me with his lightning through a massive rock in the middle of the room. At one point my swings were just going through him. They weren't even connecting they were just passing through his model. The dodge in the beginning of the game is so useless your only options of avoiding damage are to block which is unreliable since you still take damage and costs you a point of vigour or to interrupt the attack with a sign. Even when upgraded the dodge is still unreliable since damage is dealt out in a wide range instead of the tip of the sword. Terrible game and I can't describe here all of its faults but if you hate games with glitchy, unrefined, broken combat then I HIGHLY advise for you to avoid this game. The story isn't enough to warrant playing through this. The atmosphere is way better in the first game and I recommend you play through that one instead of this one.… Expand
  46. Nikolas_super
    Mar 3, 2022
    0
    Порадовала отличная графика.
    Плохая боевая система и выживаемость против толпы врагов. В 1 и 3 части Ведьмака легко сражаться против большой группы врагов, даже на высоком уровне сложности.
    Поставил плохую оценку, так как разработчики этой игры влезли в политику!    Порадовала отличная графика.
    Плохая боевая система и выживаемость против толпы врагов. В 1 и 3 части Ведьмака легко сражаться против большой группы врагов, даже на высоком уровне сложности.
    Поставил плохую оценку, так как разработчики этой игры влезли в политику!
  47. Greewitch
    Mar 4, 2022
    0
    CD Projekt RED лицемеры Всегда покупал ваши игры на самом релизе, даже Cyberpunk 2077, который наиграл на страте 9 часов и бросил, потому что вы выпустили забагованный кусок к*ла (еще и публично лгали своим фанатам по поводу консольных версий игры)! Даже после этого я не писал негативных отзывов, потому что любил вашу компанию за великолепного Ведьмака, но тут вы решили залезть в политоту,CD Projekt RED лицемеры Всегда покупал ваши игры на самом релизе, даже Cyberpunk 2077, который наиграл на страте 9 часов и бросил, потому что вы выпустили забагованный кусок к*ла (еще и публично лгали своим фанатам по поводу консольных версий игры)! Даже после этого я не писал негативных отзывов, потому что любил вашу компанию за великолепного Ведьмака, но тут вы решили залезть в политоту, и показали свою русофобию! Смею полагать что русские, самые преданные фанаты ваших продуктов (в прошлом). Вы настоящие нацисты, и предлагаю ваши грядущие куски кода, даже не выпускать на Российском рынке. Продаж не ждите, и оценки вам обрушим. Ваша репутация на Российском рынке уничтожена!… Expand
  48. Rasya
    Mar 4, 2022
    0
    The games should not be influenced by politics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  49. asmosqqq
    Mar 4, 2022
    0
    Мы не хотим войны.
    Как вы думаете, в кайф ли нам, когда наш братский народ убивают толпами? Убивают тех, с кем совсем недавно мы обсуждали и играли в игры. Многие говорят, что это для того, чтоб мы выходили на митинги. ТОЛЬКО ВОТ ЭТО РАБОТАЕТ НАОБОРОТ. ИЗ-ЗА ТОГО, ЧТО ВЫ НАС ХУЯРИТЕ, А НЕ ПОДДЕРЖИВАЕТЕ, У НАС НАХУЙ ОТСТУПАЕТ ВСЕ ЖЕЛАНИЕ ПОМОГАТЬ КОМУ-ЛИБО, ДАЖЕ СЕБЕ.
    А ТЕХ, КТО РЕШИЛ    Мы не хотим войны.
    Как вы думаете, в кайф ли нам, когда наш братский народ убивают толпами? Убивают тех, с кем совсем недавно мы обсуждали и играли в игры. Многие говорят, что это для того, чтоб мы выходили на митинги. ТОЛЬКО ВОТ ЭТО РАБОТАЕТ НАОБОРОТ. ИЗ-ЗА ТОГО, ЧТО ВЫ НАС ХУЯРИТЕ, А НЕ ПОДДЕРЖИВАЕТЕ, У НАС НАХУЙ ОТСТУПАЕТ ВСЕ ЖЕЛАНИЕ ПОМОГАТЬ КОМУ-ЛИБО, ДАЖЕ СЕБЕ.
    А ТЕХ, КТО РЕШИЛ ВЫЙТИ ОЖИДАЕТ: 2 ГОДА ТЮРЬМЫ, ЗАЛИТОЕ ГАЗОМ ЛИЦО, ЗАПУГИВАНИЕ РОДИТЕЛЕЙ, А ТАКЖЕ ПРИПИСЫВАЕТСЯ ЭКСТРЕМИЗМ, КОТОРЫЙ В НАШЕЙ СТРАНЕ=ТЕРРОРИЗМ.
    КАК ВЫ, БЛЯТЬ, ДУМАЕТЕ ХУЕСОСЫ, ПОЧЕМУ МЫ НАХУЙ НЕ ВЫХОДИМ?
    Удачи в информационной войне, и защите репутации, от которой страдают обычные геймеры    … Expand
  50. ILYHAMYASORUBKA
    Mar 4, 2022
    0
    CD Project disrespected all Russian players.
    Russian - not nazi and dont want this war. Putin is not all Russian.
    Games is not politic
  51. PPPTTTiNNN
    Mar 4, 2022
    0
    This company has no place in the gaming industry. What you have done is theft.
  52. Milliudes
    Mar 4, 2022
    0
    Thank you so much for the politics in the video game industry.
    I am eager to tell you many interesting words, but I am a cultured person, and therefore I will convey my opinion with the following phrase: "when everything is over and your master orders
    you to return to the Russian market, do not forget to wag your tail like an obedient dog"
  53. AdekZorah
    Mar 5, 2022
    0
    It's a pity to give a good game a low rating because of the Nazis, Russophobes of the developers.
  54. Srotleta722
    Mar 4, 2022
    0
    Return the game to Russia
  55. The_Ommadawn
    Oct 27, 2013
    9
    Simply stunning on all levels. I bought this game on release date but my hardware at the time made playing it painful. I decided to wait until I could afford a PC that justified this classic game. fast forward to 2013 and I reinstalled on my new rig. Wow jaw dropping work of art godlike THIS game is something very special and deserves to be played at max settings. Nothing compares to it.Simply stunning on all levels. I bought this game on release date but my hardware at the time made playing it painful. I decided to wait until I could afford a PC that justified this classic game. fast forward to 2013 and I reinstalled on my new rig. Wow jaw dropping work of art godlike THIS game is something very special and deserves to be played at max settings. Nothing compares to it. Everything about this game is perfect (especially since it's been patched and modded). The only thing I found initially tough was A) the sheer amount of stuff Geralt can do B) the combat takes a while to master. The Witcher 2 is breathtaking and an example of why I play games. Enjoy.… Expand
  56. esiaschdeprap
    Jun 7, 2011
    10
    This game is amazing! It is what I had hoped Dragon Age 2 would be (i.e. a classic PC RPG with all of today's bells and whistles). If you haven't read the books or played the enhanced edition of the first game in the series, GO DO THAT NOW!! They are incredible! The only downside is that some moron decided Americans didn't read (I know right?? *chuckle chuckle*) and they SKIPPED THE 2NDThis game is amazing! It is what I had hoped Dragon Age 2 would be (i.e. a classic PC RPG with all of today's bells and whistles). If you haven't read the books or played the enhanced edition of the first game in the series, GO DO THAT NOW!! They are incredible! The only downside is that some moron decided Americans didn't read (I know right?? *chuckle chuckle*) and they SKIPPED THE 2ND BOOK!!!! That makes me SO angry!!! But anyways, just read the summaries on the wiki before you read the 2nd novel I guess. But whatever you do, support these people. They are amazing.… Expand
  57. LucasTMD
    Jun 10, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Excellent game, one of the best i've already played, explendid graphics, easy gameplay, and also the characterization of each character, good repertoire of questions and answers, considerable difficulties with enemies and the bosses, too. engaging story and well-distributed. Im my opinion The Witcher 2 will be on the top 3 rpg's of the year… Expand
  58. Zen-Zinxe
    Jun 19, 2015
    9
    One of the best looking games I have ever played. Crysis tier graphics combined with gameplay that is far more engaging than the first witcher game make this one of the best games I've played in recent years.

    The story takes a moment to get going but once it does it never slows down. True to the first game in the series you can still bang hookers, get drunk and gamble your money away.    One of the best looking games I have ever played. Crysis tier graphics combined with gameplay that is far more engaging than the first witcher game make this one of the best games I've played in recent years.

    The story takes a moment to get going but once it does it never slows down. True to the first game in the series you can still bang hookers, get drunk and gamble your money away. But unlike the first game, the combat is far more complex.

    In combat it is similar to dark souls in the sense that you have a light attack, strong attack, and can roll to dodge attacks. There are more difficulty levels and there is actual coordination involved instead of just knowing potions/stances to use at a certain time. On top of the swordplay there are bombs and traps you can craft and purchase, traps being sort of a niche item that I ended up not using much. All in all the combat is a lot of fun and far less tedious than the first game. The only thing about this game I didn't care for was you are unable to drink potions in the midst of combat.

    A lot of old friends show up in the second game, there is a definite sense of continuity, largely because the end of the first game carries right over into the major conflict of the second. Once again Geralt carefully trying to stay on the edge of politics, yet someone is always dragging him into it.

    This game takes almost everything that the Witcher had and makes it better. While some people may be turned off by the lack of a character creator, the story this game has to tell of Geralt the Witcher is far more interesting than the nameless self-insert the RPG industry is usually prone to these days.

    Near perfect with lots of different ways to play and level, plus a combat arena mini game if you want to just fight waves of monsters over and over.    … Expand
  59. exiter123
    Mar 19, 2022
    0
    CDPR's terrible policy towards Russia. To buy from the game is not to respect yourself.
  60. Ochetazinco
    Mar 7, 2013
    10
    Never trust your initial reaction...some people just don't have any patience and tend to blow things off immediately for little to no reason at all. Back in the day, I blew the first Witcher off because the genre and the thematic didn't interest me. I said "oh no, fantasy games are for nerdy effeminate geeks" I had just heard about it on the internet, but never looked into it, or everNever trust your initial reaction...some people just don't have any patience and tend to blow things off immediately for little to no reason at all. Back in the day, I blew the first Witcher off because the genre and the thematic didn't interest me. I said "oh no, fantasy games are for nerdy effeminate geeks" I had just heard about it on the internet, but never looked into it, or ever imagined I would be playing it. 2011 came up, The Witcher 2 came out. Back then, I was playing Modern Warfare 2 or Bad Company 2 and was never interested in role-playing games or the like. What I first heard about this game was the whole hype about the graphics about one month before it was released. Back then I was already the proud owner of my first computer I ever assembled myself, and it consisted of an AMD Phenom II x4 965 (now 4 years old), 8GB DDR3 RAM, and two ATI HD5770's (which have since been replaced by two AMD HD7770's). And I said why not, I'll give it a try. So I drove to Kmart and bought this game (Another reason I heard about it was because it was a gift to Obama form a Polish delegate, so that caught my attention too, because it was all over the news). I was eager to see the reason why the media was hyping this game so much. The game play was confusing at first, I was not used to that type of difficulty in a game ever, but that was my fault, it took some time to figure it all out. At first I tried to hack and slash, but that failed miserably. Gearalt kept dying on me in like two hits. I wanted to give up, but then I started to look things up on the internet (that's how I basically got through the game the first time). I discovered you had to combine the signs, sword fighting and potions to beat monsters and bosses. What I most enjoyed about this game is you can craft armor and swords, because not only do they help you in the game, it gives Geralt a very elegant and slick appearance. I like the art style in general, it is an improvement over the first Witcher (sadly I am playing the first Witcher now and it's 2013, I was obligated to go back and play it). I can say almost everything was an improvement from the first Witcher. In the Witcher 1, you constantly draw the wrong sword, like for example when fighting humans I accidentally draw the silver sword which is not effective against them, I have to sit there and wait until he draws the correct sword to be able to beat them. This is not a problem in The Witcher 2. Another improvement is the signs. In the Witcher 1, you get the signs through exploration and quests. If you miss a quest or a place where a sign stone is located, you can never get that sign. For example to get Igni, you have to explore a cave in the first chapter, but if you never do for whatever reason, you will never get igni. In the Witcher 2 you already have all the sighs by default. Quen is by far the most useful because it gives you impenetrable armor for 30 seconds. The story in the Witcher 1 is superb, however I beleive The witcher 2 surpases it. The facial expressions and body movements and character animation help get the point across very well (this is one reason the graphics help). Decision making is also an improvement, but it can be confusing at first. A couple of times I found myself reloading saves because I said, "oh no I didn't want to do that, I wanted to do this instead" or "oh no, I didn't like how that turned out." But then I discovered that was not a bad thing at all. Unlike the first Witcher, The Witcher 2 doesn't penalize you for decisions. In the Witcher 1, you can fail or miss whole quests by making other decisions. For example if you make Kalkstein mad, you can never finish the tower quest (reloading saves for the 10th time lol) you have to finish certain quests before you go on to others. Not in the Witcher 2. In the Witcher 1, If you never talk to Vaska in the swamp, then you cannot finish the tower quest, because she gives you a stone and also sends you to fight the golem, who has the other stone. You see, these kinds for things are easy for noobs like me to miss. I really hope the devs take note of this for The Witcher 3, because there are similar quests in The Witcher 2, for example the medallion quest Meliteles Heart. If you don't talk to the Crinfrid Reavers at the beginning, you will never get that quest. So overall this game was an honor to play. It is my all time favorite video game, and I showed my devotion to it by buying the XBOX360 version too. I bought a whole XBOX360 system just to buy this game again. Now that should be devotion lol… Expand
  61. dumle
    Aug 17, 2012
    8
    The Witcher 2 is an breathtaking game that offers an interesting story, well written characters and a visually beautiful world. The combat is also quite satisfying though the difficulty curve is a bit off. The game has quite a lot of content and depending on your choices you will have a completely different experience which will likely please any rpg-fan. You are however (obviously) forcedThe Witcher 2 is an breathtaking game that offers an interesting story, well written characters and a visually beautiful world. The combat is also quite satisfying though the difficulty curve is a bit off. The game has quite a lot of content and depending on your choices you will have a completely different experience which will likely please any rpg-fan. You are however (obviously) forced to play as witcher Geralt and even though Geralt is an interesting character are you kind of locked into his thinking and cant really go outside the box regarding your choices. The witchers surrounding does however make up for it by good voice acting, interesting characters and so forth. It should be noted that the game is a bit rough around edges from time to time but it really is a quite a remarkable rpg and if you are willing to spend some time on the game and have an interest in rpgs you should definitely give it a shot.… Expand
  62. Garian
    Aug 8, 2012
    9
    I definitely loved playing this game, the story was very powerful, it had good animation, and you could pick many different outcomes through speech, that and the open world gameplay was great, definitely worth the purchase, my only complaint is that it ended right as I was hoping for more.
  63. Taro-Chan
    Aug 9, 2012
    10
    Una Joya de estilo Accion RPG que tiene que estar en su estanteria de Steam o de juegos si o si!! Te sumergiras en la atrapante historia de Geralt de Rivia, te enamoraras de el encanto de Triss Merigold y deleitaras una ambientación conmvinada con unos graficos de infarto.
  64. Gamed2long
    Nov 25, 2014
    10
    I loved TW1. So I got this game as soon as it came out. I beat it and enjoyed every minute of the process. Its beautiful. As soon as I learned The Witcher 3 is in the works I picked it up and beat it again. This time I made all the opposite choices. Thats right! Silly me. My first game ended with me saving Triss over the king's kids with the help of Roach. I never explored all the otherI loved TW1. So I got this game as soon as it came out. I beat it and enjoyed every minute of the process. Its beautiful. As soon as I learned The Witcher 3 is in the works I picked it up and beat it again. This time I made all the opposite choices. Thats right! Silly me. My first game ended with me saving Triss over the king's kids with the help of Roach. I never explored all the other choices. My second play-through I was a freedom fighter with Iorveth who helped the non-humans carve out a kingdom. Its amazing how I could start in the same place. Make completely reasonable choices and end with such a different experience. The whole second act of the game was completely different.
    This game is mature. The characters are complex. The plot is mature. Unlike so many games where there is the clearly good option and the clearly evil option, in this game you try to do good but the choices are hard. Do you let innocent people burn to death, or do you let a bad guy get away without punishment? Choices like that.
    I do have 2 criticisms. Combat is a little hit or miss. Like the real world when the bad guys gang up on you, you are going to take a beating. Also the game is too short. Both these things were partially resolved by the FREE RELEASE of the Enhanced Edition.
    I can't wait for The Witcher 3 to come out.    … Expand
  65. ageofwinter
    Mar 16, 2014
    10
    One of the greatest games ever made, every thing about this game is excellent. The attention to detail that CD Projekt had during this project is obvious. It is one of the best looking games around, and the gameplay is surprisingly great (considering that sword-based combat games usually lack in that department), the story is fantastic and wonderfully voice acted. This is one of the bestOne of the greatest games ever made, every thing about this game is excellent. The attention to detail that CD Projekt had during this project is obvious. It is one of the best looking games around, and the gameplay is surprisingly great (considering that sword-based combat games usually lack in that department), the story is fantastic and wonderfully voice acted. This is one of the best games ever made. 10/10!… Expand
  66. NyaR
    Jul 5, 2014
    10
    This game was incredibly captivating that I had to close it and immediately obtain Witcher 1 and study the witcher lore before I dared approach it.

    Then, when I did, I enjoyed every minute of it. Gameplay and dialogues, the darkness of the world, the books and the mysteries involved. This game sets precedent for the future of this genre.
  67. vvhite
    Jul 19, 2013
    10
    Very pulpy fantasy-action game that won me over immediately. I believe it is, by quite a long way, the most beautiful game ever crafted for PC. Crysis 3 is more impressive on a technical level, but this game has so much heart and soul in the art design. It looks like every texture, model, crevasse, nook, and cranny of this game was painted and sculpted by hand! It is truly a sight toVery pulpy fantasy-action game that won me over immediately. I believe it is, by quite a long way, the most beautiful game ever crafted for PC. Crysis 3 is more impressive on a technical level, but this game has so much heart and soul in the art design. It looks like every texture, model, crevasse, nook, and cranny of this game was painted and sculpted by hand! It is truly a sight to behold.

    The story will keep you locked in for days on and and there is a huge amount of replay-ability considering the amount of choices the game allows you to make. Also, CD Projekt Red treats its players and the PC gaming community with respect and honesty. That's a tough combination to find these days.    … Expand
  68. ghost2512
    Jun 13, 2014
    10
    an awesome story driven RPG with great character development which makes us wanna love the characters. every action we take has a consequence. the gameplay is effective with and an enhanced difficulty which makes us want to prepare beforehand .the crafting system is also equally good and the visuals is mesmerizing .
  69. zurgoth
    Apr 14, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. played this game 4 times to challenge most of difficulties and to see all possible endings...can't wait to play the third chapter.
    the plot is intriguing since the very beginning of the game, all characters are well studied and created whit different own personalityes. the combat stile can be hard to understand at first but when learned give a lot of satisfaction, combining magic potions and swordskill. i appreciated the quest when i got drunk and i had to find all my armor again xD and loved all other quests where i could choose how to end them.    … Expand
  70. kairock
    Jan 11, 2014
    10
    a must play. do yourself the favor now. if u like rpgs like elder scrolls or dragon age. or just love medieval fantasy, its a no brainer.

    simply put, expect the quality to be of a bioware product b4 ea took over them.
  71. davidpiksi
    Jan 24, 2014
    10
    This is definitely the best RPG that currently exists. The story, the combat, the enviroment, the graphics and the characters are all perfect. I can't wait for The Witcher 3.
  72. imawsome722
    Jul 2, 2013
    10
    this game really deserves a 9.5 but it rounds up to a 10.
    cons: third act is short shops are overpriced
    pros: only 2 cons, great graphics, amazing story and characters, geralt is likeable, great combat, good difficulty so you actually have to think in combat, flotsam is the best town in a video game ive seen, the inn in flotsam has lots to do, colorful world, choices have a huge effect,    this game really deserves a 9.5 but it rounds up to a 10.
    cons: third act is short shops are overpriced
    pros: only 2 cons, great graphics, amazing story and characters, geralt is likeable, great combat, good difficulty so you actually have to think in combat, flotsam is the best town in a video game ive seen, the inn in flotsam has lots to do, colorful world, choices have a huge effect, mod kit, side quests are great enough to be part of the main game and have branching choices, will be able to import save to witcher 3, geralt is so awsome he can smoke without opening his mouth, satisfying ending, enhanced edition is free if you own the non enhanced edition.    … Expand
  73. ChillJohnHill
    Jun 19, 2013
    10
    I am very critical of games, and this being said, this is game is one of the few games i will ever give a 10. This game excels in every aspect. Great story, great graphics and amazing graphics. I would value this game at $60, but you only have to pay $20(!)
  74. wrax
    Jun 28, 2013
    10
    i have played the first witcher game and i loved it, but this game is beyond any RPG ive ever played. i even bought all the witcher books after playing this game, it was just brilliant. for me this game is an solid 10/10
  75. Talualki
    Mar 3, 2022
    0
    Завышенные системные требования не соответствующие картинке. Плохой дизайн. Не рекомендую.
  76. POCTOB
    Feb 17, 2014
    10
    Great game cutscenes are enjoyable and an overall pleasant story make this game a must have! Combat is also likeable and the graphics are quite good and visually appealing.
  77. GenMateusz12148
    Nov 9, 2013
    10
    Best RPG I have played in a while. Incredibly engaging, beautifully crafted and really well planned out, this game is staying on my PC's hard drive for over a year and most games I have haven't even made it that long. I never got bored of Geralt of Rivia and his adventures.

    The story of this game is really mature and incredibly engaging. Throughout the game I have made the choices that    Best RPG I have played in a while. Incredibly engaging, beautifully crafted and really well planned out, this game is staying on my PC's hard drive for over a year and most games I have haven't even made it that long. I never got bored of Geralt of Rivia and his adventures.

    The story of this game is really mature and incredibly engaging. Throughout the game I have made the choices that I would make in real life if I would be put up under same situations and that got me really engaged in the story. Plot twists really make sense and keep you engaged. I have completed almost all quests including side quests and I am still playing the game. :)

    Graphics-wise Witcher 2 beats most RPG Games. I still can't believe it is a game from 2011, the graphics like that are only getting improved because of next gen consoles. Beautiful areas such as Ruins in Flotsam are really good to look at, just stand and enjoy the view.

    Fighting is some of the best fighting I have seen. Geralt is a true sword master, but if you're not careful you will get him killed easily. You have to plan out and think about the fights. Different characters such as normal soldiers are easy to kill, but then you get more armored knights or even bosses which will kick your butt if you just jump in and fight.

    The only problem was the lack of tutorial. I had to find out the controls of the game until half-way of the story for me to actually remember them. Some things I still cannot use after over a year of playing this game. The accents for English aren't the best either. Polish language is so much better in the sense of acting, because of the character and realism.

    Overall 10 out of 10, really recommended for any RPG fans. Amazing story, graphics, fighting mechanism and really well executed overall.    … Expand
  78. DeusXCom
    Nov 12, 2014
    9
    The Witcher 1 was a perfect RPG experience in my eyes and in retrospect I would rank it among the very best in the genre. The Witcher 2 changes quite a lot of things, some of them for better, others for worse, but despite some problems, it's still a fantastic RPG ride and a worthy successor.

    The story is still top notch, maybe little too much politics for my taste, it can be hard to    The Witcher 1 was a perfect RPG experience in my eyes and in retrospect I would rank it among the very best in the genre. The Witcher 2 changes quite a lot of things, some of them for better, others for worse, but despite some problems, it's still a fantastic RPG ride and a worthy successor.

    The story is still top notch, maybe little too much politics for my taste, it can be hard to follow all the kingdoms, their situation, kings, intentions etc., but it makes it feel more grandiose in scope. The game itself however is quite a bit shorter than the first one, only 3 chapters and the last chapter went by really fast, but if you do everything, it's still about 30 hours, which is good enough.

    The visuals are beautiful, I loved all 3 locations and their environments, some of the locations were just breathtaking, but the overall art direction seems to be pushed into more punch in the face aesthetic, so the colors are often way too over saturated to my taste. I preferred more subtle style of the first Witcher.

    The biggest change is the controls and combat. I love the fact you can grip the controller and feel your character, move around, the combat is also much more fluid and it feels tight, that's a good change, but what is not so good is the UI, the inventory management, all the additional menus, it suffered from the overall console controllers interface, it needs some serious getting used to and I really hope this will be improved in TW3.

    Another disappointment is the alchemy, one of my favourite things to do in TW1. gathering herbs, mixing potions and effectively use them in battle. Here, you cannot drink once the combat starts, but before that in preparation. You would need to be a seer visionary to know when you are going to need it, this basically ruined the effective use and I just ignored the alchemy completely, focusing solely on the sword techniques.

    The biggest problem of TW2 imo is it's linearity and non-open world corridor style world design. Especially now when you can control Geralt with such fluidity it's really immersion breaking to encounter all those invisible walls and barriers, it feels very restricting, you can't even jump over the obstacles, it just lacks the freedom of many other more open world RPGs, but that's exactly the issue that the new Witcher 3 should address.

    There are some other minor bugs, I had few crashes during my playthrough, there are many audio balance issues, voice overs too loud or too quiet every once in a while, and they somehow managed to ruin the dice poker mini-game which is not nearly as good as in the first game, but nothing that can destroy your RPG experience.

    And what an experience it is, captivating story, interesting characters, well-written quests, in the first half of the game pretty challenging battles that force you to use all your resources to win and important decisions that have a strong impact on the actual world around you and the last but not least - fantastic soundtrack again. All the things I loved about the first Witcher and reasons why I love The Witcher series so much. I'm looking forward to the new open world TW3 that's looking amazing so far and hopefully is going to improve all the shortcomings of TW2 to create the ultimate masterpiece and finish this amazing trilogy. 9/10    … Expand
  79. Terpander
    Dec 20, 2013
    10
    This game can be difficult to start out on, however it's in depth gameplay, character development and rich storytelling make it my favorite RPG. It is a traditional RPG that takes the traditional style and does it very well. Let me repeat the story is amazing, and will have you waiting for the 3rd installment destined for the new gen consoles. If you stick to this game, filled with greatThis game can be difficult to start out on, however it's in depth gameplay, character development and rich storytelling make it my favorite RPG. It is a traditional RPG that takes the traditional style and does it very well. Let me repeat the story is amazing, and will have you waiting for the 3rd installment destined for the new gen consoles. If you stick to this game, filled with great combat, great writing and a unique and mysterious protagonist you will come to love it. It's an exemplum of what an RPG should be.… Expand
  80. capo193
    May 26, 2014
    10
    Im fan of first person shooters and i dont like games like this, BUT Witcher 2 is amazing, i cant stop playing! Lot of quests, interesting story (very good storytelling) , beautiful graphic and good fight system. For example how good this game is, I play 10 hours consistently on first launch.
  81. lordpyrope
    Jun 8, 2014
    5
    This game is a great ACTION RPG so if you are into that kind of stuff, go for it. I hesitate to give this game beyond a mediocre score because I was unable to assume the role of our dear Witcher. For me relating to a character is of utmost importance within a role-playing game. Usually, this comes from a large amount of character customization. I have no issue taking a stock madeThis game is a great ACTION RPG so if you are into that kind of stuff, go for it. I hesitate to give this game beyond a mediocre score because I was unable to assume the role of our dear Witcher. For me relating to a character is of utmost importance within a role-playing game. Usually, this comes from a large amount of character customization. I have no issue taking a stock made character as long as I can take ownership of them, however, this was not the case in Witcher 2. While customization does exist a character cannot become more than a warrior that can occasionally throw a spell or, if luck was with you, sneak and take out an enemy.

    As a role playing game it isn't quite there but as an action adventure it delivers. However, the UI and the sometimes glitchy combat system will throw you off. I am fortunate that I am able to enjoy the graphics at ultra. It is stunning.

    Also, sometimes it feels like a hormonal teenager wrote the script with all the **** in it. Its like I am walking down the street to buy some bread and bam **** in my face. Maybe that's why people give it such great reviews.

    I love the alchemy system. I like to drink a lot of potions at once and try to off myself. heheh

    If you are a fan of pure RPGs this will leave you a little disappointed, but if you like action oriented play with some customization then go for it.    … Expand
  82. barnz3000
    Jun 26, 2014
    10
    Look this is just a STUNNING game. I don't know why I didn't find it earlier. Its an amazing example of what an RPG can be. And it really puts the open world games like Skyrim in their place. Sure, its nice to be able to walk everywhere and do anything - but The Witcher 2, shows us what you are Missing. Amazing environments, and REAL storytelling.

    Character Development, with a million    Look this is just a STUNNING game. I don't know why I didn't find it earlier. Its an amazing example of what an RPG can be. And it really puts the open world games like Skyrim in their place. Sure, its nice to be able to walk everywhere and do anything - but The Witcher 2, shows us what you are Missing. Amazing environments, and REAL storytelling.

    Character Development, with a million different characters its one face fitting into many. You are Geralt - not only do you LOOK better, you have an amazing back story.

    Gameplay - It takes some getting used to, but the slow down time quick keys etc, are awesome. Special take downs, magic. Just so good.

    Story - Did I mention the storytelling? Its just so superior to a bunch of fetch and kill quests - of course they are in there, thats all RPG'ing IS afterall. But you really feel you are part of the Story. Some of the environments, like sieges and battles are awesome.

    In short - Witcher 2, one of the best games I have ever played. After completion I Immediately wanted to do again. There are actual divergent storylines and quests.

    Its HARD to play, Medium difficulty, I just can't kill some of the bosses. Takes real skill. Great game. (there is always easy :P)    … Expand
  83. bosh_cod
    Jul 3, 2014
    10
    This is a great, great game in a great, great series. It's hand's down the only modern series that can stand toe to toe with classic RPG's of Infinity engine.
  84. Ostake
    Aug 12, 2014
    10
    The Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings.. The perfect combination into the tematics of the first game and a great gameplay. Not the best but is higher than The Witcher 1. Amazing game.
  85. kactusotp
    Sep 20, 2014
    10
    One of the best RPG's I've played, a game that forces you to make meaningful choices that have a huge effect on the game. Combat took a bit of getting used to since I started just going in button mashing and ending up dead. had to sit back think about all the tools in my arsenal and play with a bit of thought. Tracking an elite hunt? Set some traps and ambush it. Use your abilities, signsOne of the best RPG's I've played, a game that forces you to make meaningful choices that have a huge effect on the game. Combat took a bit of getting used to since I started just going in button mashing and ending up dead. had to sit back think about all the tools in my arsenal and play with a bit of thought. Tracking an elite hunt? Set some traps and ambush it. Use your abilities, signs and weapons

    It is great I would recommend it to anyone, and it still looks beautiful even today.    … Expand
  86. Xxsonicfan69xX
    Dec 27, 2014
    10
    Probably the best game I've ever played

    Pros
    **** ****
    +Fight Monsters
    +Get Money
    +Drink Beer

    Cons
    -Too pretty
    -Too good

    10/10 would reccomend
  87. Smilingcookie
    Apr 1, 2015
    8
    It's a good game, but a bit overrated in my opinion. I wanted to give a 7.5/10. I think from a CRPG point of view the first The Witcher was slightly better. Frankly I am not all that impressed with the combat system in The Witcher 2. The animations feel slow and I don't always feel in control of the character. I wonder if this has to do with console compatibility. Somehow this feels likeIt's a good game, but a bit overrated in my opinion. I wanted to give a 7.5/10. I think from a CRPG point of view the first The Witcher was slightly better. Frankly I am not all that impressed with the combat system in The Witcher 2. The animations feel slow and I don't always feel in control of the character. I wonder if this has to do with console compatibility. Somehow this feels like it was made with controllers in mind.

    There seem to be less options in character development than in the first one.

    The story is good and choices are meaningfull. Graphics are very detailed but somehow they annoy me. If this game had the art design and crisp combat of Dark Souls II it would have been perfect.    … Expand
  88. Howmaster
    Aug 31, 2015
    9
    Love this game! A lot of changes from the first Witcher title, but there is much more depth, action, and story here.

    Story: Get ready to explore a world full of exciting political turmoil and chaos. This new Witcher installment has a lot of in-depth characters and an exciting story which involves political figures, rebels, and mages. You really feel as if your choices and actions    Love this game! A lot of changes from the first Witcher title, but there is much more depth, action, and story here.

    Story:

    Get ready to explore a world full of exciting political turmoil and chaos. This new Witcher installment has a lot of in-depth characters and an exciting story which involves political figures, rebels, and mages. You really feel as if your choices and actions shape the game quite a bit as you go along. This leads to a lot of attachment to certain characters and a great amount of replay value. The quests are interesting and engaging. It is nice to see some adult themes being thrown around in a game nowadays too rather than the usual generic boring fetch quests. I really enjoyed the story of this game, much more than the first Witcher.

    Gameplay:

    There is a learning curve for combat. Gone are the styles of the first game and, in my opinion, a much better type of combat takes its place. At first, it can be quite difficult which I thought was actually enjoyable. You start with all of your signs and get thrown right into combat with no tutorial which, if you never played the first game, I can see why some complained. For me, I welcomed the difficult combat. It’s a nice change of pace to actually have to use oils and potions to prepare for battle as compared to just running in and button mashing. That being said, there are some targeting issues that can be annoying. You may find yourself having trouble targeting the correct enemies which can become frustrating. All in all combat can be difficult, but it’s not that difficult especially once you get dodging down it then becomes much easier.

    The skill tree is expended and much more in-depth than many other mainstream RPG’s. However, my only complaint is that the alchemy tree can almost be ignored. I just didn’t find much use for it when compared to the other two.

    My main complaint with the game is the menus. They look and navigate like a poor console port. It can be a pain to search for certain items as the organization is feeble.

    Graphics/Sound:

    Voice acting is top notch here. Geralt, Triss, and all the major players are done with great writing and voice acting. In my opinion the voice acting and writing here blows games like Skyrim and Dragon Age 2 out of the water.

    The game looks amazing. The graphics here are crazy good, even without playing on max settings. I played on medium and the amount of detail and interaction is outstanding.

    Conclusion:

    In my opinion its the 2011 Game of the year, if not RPG of the year. Tons more depth, interaction, and action than most games out there. A really enjoyable experience and a must own for any RPG or adventure gamer.    … Expand
  89. Calasade
    Jan 10, 2017
    10
    Hands down one of the best, most challenging RPGs I've ever played. Captivating story, engaging characters, gray choices; this game intended for thinking adults has it all.
  90. Joewashere
    Aug 8, 2019
    8
    When The Witcher 2 appeared, I was highly disappointed that CD Projekt completely ditched the combat system of the first game instead of improving upon it, and went for an uninspired somersault-ridden hack'n'slash that tasted somewhat stale even before leaving Flotsam. The addition of QTEs didn't help the matter at all either.

    Things weren't as bad as they looked, though. The depiction    When The Witcher 2 appeared, I was highly disappointed that CD Projekt completely ditched the combat system of the first game instead of improving upon it, and went for an uninspired somersault-ridden hack'n'slash that tasted somewhat stale even before leaving Flotsam. The addition of QTEs didn't help the matter at all either.

    Things weren't as bad as they looked, though. The depiction of the world in turmoil, the many well-crafted characters and the storyline featuring a political power struggle really carried the game from start to finish. The choices and consequences, despite being only limited to the narrative and not the gameplay, were decent and did not shy away from leaving out a significant amount of content based on your decisions. The (perfectly warranted) negative things about the combat aside, it did not get in the way and ultimately managed to get challenging enough and even slightly tactical at times.

    The Witcher 2, while not without flaws, is overall a well-crafted and written game that - whenever it doesn't bog you down too much with its combat - always leaves you curious to see what outcomes your decisions may lead to.    … Expand
  91. Knightsabez
    Aug 29, 2017
    10
    Right after i finished number 1, i started with the second witcher game. And I can safely say I am pleased with this game. This game has the perefct balance between story, gameplay, and game lenght. There's quite a bit of dialog, but if you dont like it, you can just skip the talking.

    This is a rpg game for adults. There's politics, ethical problems, and a bunch of hard choises to make.    Right after i finished number 1, i started with the second witcher game. And I can safely say I am pleased with this game. This game has the perefct balance between story, gameplay, and game lenght. There's quite a bit of dialog, but if you dont like it, you can just skip the talking.

    This is a rpg game for adults. There's politics, ethical problems, and a bunch of hard choises to make. I spent about 35 hours, and I did almost everything the game has to offer. There's an arena mode wich does not have anything to do with the story of the game, where you fight against increasingly hard waves of enemies, wich game me an hour of enjoyment, but you can play it for quite a bit.

    In summary, this is one of the best games I have played. The story is amazing, and i was caught in the situations of the game at all times. I was suprised when the game was finished, since I didn't feel time flowing. The gameplay is an HUGE upgrade from the last one, and skill is a bigger factor than stats. The lore and immersion is fantastisc, i actually went through all the books i found. It altso looks amazing, still, in 2016.

    This one is among the best games I have played, and it deserves a 10/10. Now, I'm starting the third, and probably the last game in the series. Va'fail!    … Expand
  92. Trenos
    Nov 30, 2017
    8
    This game is so much better than the first game, Like in previous game story, characters and soundtrack are very good, but this time plot has alternative version of itself. Side Quest are good this time, but combat system is....wow, it isn't the best combat system i have ever seen, but definitely is the best system in trilogy.....yes i prefer battles in "Assassins of Kings" than in "WildThis game is so much better than the first game, Like in previous game story, characters and soundtrack are very good, but this time plot has alternative version of itself. Side Quest are good this time, but combat system is....wow, it isn't the best combat system i have ever seen, but definitely is the best system in trilogy.....yes i prefer battles in "Assassins of Kings" than in "Wild Hunt". It's very good game, and I recommended it to everyone.… Expand
  93. CAHEKCT
    Oct 8, 2018
    9
    Потрясающая игра
    Плюсы:
    1) Графика для 2011 года очень даже хороша 2) Нелинейный и захватывающий сюжет 3) Геймплей (возможность использовать магию, мечи и зелья) 4) Музыка (тут я думаю без комментариев) Минусы: 1) Оптимизация (У меня даже GTA 5 меньше лагает, чем ведьмак 2) На мой взгляд эта игра намного интереснее, чем Skyrim    Потрясающая игра
    Плюсы:
    1) Графика для 2011 года очень даже хороша
    2) Нелинейный и захватывающий сюжет
    3) Геймплей (возможность использовать магию, мечи и зелья)
    4) Музыка (тут я думаю без комментариев)
    Минусы:
    1) Оптимизация (У меня даже GTA 5 меньше лагает, чем ведьмак 2)
    На мой взгляд эта игра намного интереснее, чем Skyrim
  94. PeroAlxp
    Mar 3, 2022
    0
    After part 1 this game more playable but and become more boring, more slow! I think this game not much better than part 1.
  95. Genek13
    Nov 15, 2019
    9
    Game o year 2011 and best RPG of 2011 for sure :)
    Enjoyable and beautiful experience in Witcher world.
  96. SebasLopz
    Apr 27, 2020
    9
    Este juego es un acierto por parte de CD Project Red en cuanto a mejorar la entrega anterior y, aunque me parece que no termino de consolidarse, después de haberlo jugado por mas de 60 horas en Steam puedo decir que es un juego que recomiendo pero no a todo publico, la historia es buenísima como en todos los The Witcher pero, vas a tener que prestarle mucha atención o te vas pegar unaEste juego es un acierto por parte de CD Project Red en cuanto a mejorar la entrega anterior y, aunque me parece que no termino de consolidarse, después de haberlo jugado por mas de 60 horas en Steam puedo decir que es un juego que recomiendo pero no a todo publico, la historia es buenísima como en todos los The Witcher pero, vas a tener que prestarle mucha atención o te vas pegar una perdida monumental, los diálogos son muy buenos, su banda sonora es mejorable, los jefes están bien cabrones sobre todo gracias al sistema de combate, su sistema de combate es mas táctico que otra cosa y que vas a morir muchas veces en este juego debido a eso (sobre todo si juegas en difícil), no esperes un sistema de combate muy agresivo por parte de este juego, sus gráficos siguen siendo excelentes a día de hoy, y su mundo esta bastante bien diseñado aunque es un poco pequeño en mi opinión. Cabe aclarar que no es un juego para cualquiera, si no te gustan los juegos de rol y las buenas narrativas este juego puede que no te guste para nada, pero en lo personal lo recomiendo bastante.… Expand
  97. demixzz
    Jul 10, 2020
    7
    I liked the game, but there are a lot of different problems. Problems with the combat system, when I sold a thing accidentally for 50 Oren, and the seller put it up for 1000, maybe so the developers tried to balance the currency, but it can be easily farmed and therefore this is a minus. I will not list everything else. The plot is good with replayability, interesting dialogues,I liked the game, but there are a lot of different problems. Problems with the combat system, when I sold a thing accidentally for 50 Oren, and the seller put it up for 1000, maybe so the developers tried to balance the currency, but it can be easily farmed and therefore this is a minus. I will not list everything else. The plot is good with replayability, interesting dialogues, interesting characters, interesting world and graphics are very good for an RPG in 2011… Expand
  98. Cacasecaxxx
    Nov 14, 2020
    8
    Un juegazo que mejora las mecánicas del primero y asienta las bases para el tercero, deberías jugarlo al menos para probarlo.
  99. ZobRombi
    Mar 3, 2022
    0
    Несмотря на ваши визги, нацистов на Украине мы уничтожим. А вот занесём ли вам денежку в следующий раз, или пойдём на торренты вопрос риторический.
  100. Gronx_96
    Mar 3, 2022
    0
    русофобы
    пришло время и проявили своё истинное лицо, жаль что столько лет доверяли вам, а вы так со своим комьюнити которое не имеет отношения к политическим играм
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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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