The Witcher: Enhanced Edition

 PC
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3308 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,624 out of 3308
  2. Mixed: 466 out of 3308
  3. Negative: 218 out of 3308
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  1. jgmj921
    Jul 31, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Now that I played this 11 years after release, it's still for sure a masterpiece. The elements I treasure in WH are mostly there: deep plot and razor sharp lines, unique sense of humor, consistent character arc without limitations to simple good or evil. The fact that there won't be another Witcher game is simply depressing. Really like the part about Alvin which is a pleasant surprise.… Expand
  2. brendo214
    Jul 27, 2019
    6
    I dropped this game after about 10-15 hours into it due in large part to how boring the combat was. Its just a really simple rhythm game, which is especially dissapointing seeing as how I came to this game from The Witcher 3.
  3. Fany000
    Jul 21, 2019
    8
    Very strong base for great games like the followers of the first Witcher are. Despite that, this is the most underestimated game in the serie. It has a lot of stronger and also weaker sides, but in all, it's the great and definitely one of the most overlooked pieces of the first decade of 2000s. All players that enjoyed third episode of Witcher serie should came back to the history of theVery strong base for great games like the followers of the first Witcher are. Despite that, this is the most underestimated game in the serie. It has a lot of stronger and also weaker sides, but in all, it's the great and definitely one of the most overlooked pieces of the first decade of 2000s. All players that enjoyed third episode of Witcher serie should came back to the history of the CD project Red, not only because this is, where the whole story begins, but also because, this is the great game, with great story, background, atmosphere and for me, it is the game that has the true witcher feeling, almost like in the books.

    Pros:
    + Storytelling
    + Witcher atmosphere
    + Unusual, but funny and interesting gameplay
    + Diverse quests (including sidequests)
    + Graphics is still looking good
    + Monsters
    + Legendary quotes
    + Original RPG system
    + Great Characters (except Azar Javed)

    Cons:
    - Optimization (mowing even on modern PCs)
    - A few boring phases in main story line
    - Combat system is quite repetitive after a few hours in the game
    - Azar Javed
    - Main story line is somehow predictable    … Expand
  4. Nazar228
    Jul 10, 2019
    7
    The Witcher is an action role-playing game developed by CD Projekt Red and published by Atari, based on the novel series of The Witcher by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The story takes place in a medieval fantasy world and follows Geralt of Rivia, one of a few traveling monster hunters who have supernatural powers, known as Witchers. The game's system of moral choices as part of theThe Witcher is an action role-playing game developed by CD Projekt Red and published by Atari, based on the novel series of The Witcher by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The story takes place in a medieval fantasy world and follows Geralt of Rivia, one of a few traveling monster hunters who have supernatural powers, known as Witchers. The game's system of moral choices as part of the storyline was noted for its time-delayed consequences and lack of black-and-white morality.… Expand
  5. Ludovycus
    Jun 27, 2019
    9
    I'm gonna keep this short. This is probably one of the best RPGs I've ever played. I was skeptical at first since the graphics have not aged well, and the combat system is a nightmare. This game is kind of like a slow burner, but the more you get invested in the world of The Witcher and the story itself, the more you're gonna love it. The game had no morality system and nothing was blackI'm gonna keep this short. This is probably one of the best RPGs I've ever played. I was skeptical at first since the graphics have not aged well, and the combat system is a nightmare. This game is kind of like a slow burner, but the more you get invested in the world of The Witcher and the story itself, the more you're gonna love it. The game had no morality system and nothing was black or white. Everything you do as Geralt is grey. The choices you make affect people and lets you make your own story. This game is simply amazing.… Expand
  6. Hannes789
    Jun 13, 2019
    10
    I really like this game. Beautiful world, interesting plot, a world from which i want to see more and especially the unique and memorable charakters took me. Just the combat needs time to get used to.
  7. bskierys
    Jun 1, 2019
    9
    This is a great beginning for the perfect trilogy. The atmosphere, quests, and story are just brilliant. This game deserves more recognition.
  8. CoreGamer1408
    May 23, 2019
    6
    A retrospective review well the visuals have not aged well like the textures. Playing a singular character who is a gruff slightly edgy bounty hunter slash monster slayer limits the role play.

    The sound and VA mostly works. Story adult orientated fantasy B movie fodder so take it or leave. Pretty lean on the loot weapons and gear. The game world and monster types was very interesting to    A retrospective review well the visuals have not aged well like the textures. Playing a singular character who is a gruff slightly edgy bounty hunter slash monster slayer limits the role play.

    The sound and VA mostly works. Story adult orientated fantasy B movie fodder so take it or leave. Pretty lean on the loot weapons and gear. The game world and monster types was very interesting to look at. I liked some of mission structure when they had a investigative edge to them and not just simple kill or fetch quests.

    The potion use is kind of dumb. It can only be taken pre-battle not during. So good luck knowing the exact time to when and where to down one. This game has no theft mechanic. Anything can be take under the noses of NPC without no fallout.

    The combat on paper sounds really fun. Different types of weapons to kill humans and monsters. With the ability to dodge and use magic with combat enhancement potions. However it is just mostly a dull mouse click timer fest. So yeah the combat is better in concept than execution. A game for retro niche RPG fans maybe in 2019?    … Expand
  9. pedrinhabrown
    Mar 31, 2019
    10
    A jogabilidade é o único ponto negativo do jogo, mas logo se acostuma! O jogo é muito bem narrado e não te enrola nas missões. Vale a pena jogar!
  10. Perun_71
    Mar 23, 2019
    1
    Battle mechanics are awful... Story line etc. very nice. But playing is horribly boring.
  11. Ensaabahnur
    Mar 8, 2019
    10
    Amazing game! I played it when it appeared and it blew my mind, on par with the Dragon age series or the baldurs gate series. Highly recommended
  12. Vzhik
    Mar 1, 2019
    6
    Очень понравился сюжет, диалоги. история, отношения между персонажами, характеры раскрываемые русской озвучкой. Это фирменное "Но...." Геральда в цитатник можно занести. Играл первый раз и прям чувствовалось как диалогами можно влиять на ход истории. Но может это и не в полной мере так, не знаю. Очень круто в этом плане. Хорошо что много всяких побочек и они не выглядят надуманными,Очень понравился сюжет, диалоги. история, отношения между персонажами, характеры раскрываемые русской озвучкой. Это фирменное "Но...." Геральда в цитатник можно занести. Играл первый раз и прям чувствовалось как диалогами можно влиять на ход истории. Но может это и не в полной мере так, не знаю. Очень круто в этом плане. Хорошо что много всяких побочек и они не выглядят надуманными, ненужными. Очень хорошо вплетены в ход истории.
    Жаль что часто включаются рельсы - то есть переход в другие главы без предупреждений и автоматическая отмена побочек при этом, иногда не дают ничего сделать кроме как идти к заданной точке, невозможно вернуться к оружейнику, торговцу или складу и тп.
    На последних двух боссах просто архи зашкаливающая сложность. Да, играл на самом сложном режиме и всю игру были вменяемые враги, эликсиры и мази иногда пригождались. Но последний босс это что. Просто выбешивал тупостью. Когда тупо отнимают управление, когда тупо враги окружают и невозможно отбиться, когда тупо снимают все позитивные статусы... Изометрические костыли так и прут - когда в кадре никого нет, а по мне проходит урон откуда-то..
    Но в целом ознакомится стоит даже и сейчас. Нормальная игра с хорошей историй, отличным миром, добротной картинкой. 6/10.    … Expand
  13. n19ht1n9ale27
    Feb 4, 2019
    9
    The Witcher: Enhanced Edition is very good games. As for me, craft, locations, dialogs are amazing, but game has many problems with fighting. Its so bored. If you want to dive into the world of fantasy and an amazing story, buy.
  14. Tilt1k
    Jan 29, 2019
    8
    Amazing witcher universe with its dark theme and great characters. I just cant give it higher score because of the old- school combat system which was boring for me its just about spaming one button and sometimes using the witcher signs.
  15. Shafi5557
    Jan 7, 2019
    7
    The graphics is a bit outdated now but the story plot is thick. One of the best RPG game series starting with this and the first of a game trilogy.
  16. Alasko
    Dec 22, 2018
    6
    This is a game that is fun but flawed. The combat system is pretty brain-dead hit C down a blizzard potion, click and you win. The blizzard potion is not even always necessary. Though this is not the draw of the game at all. The draw is the setting and the Characters, as many of you know The Witcher series is incredible source material for video games. Amazing monsters, Characters, andThis is a game that is fun but flawed. The combat system is pretty brain-dead hit C down a blizzard potion, click and you win. The blizzard potion is not even always necessary. Though this is not the draw of the game at all. The draw is the setting and the Characters, as many of you know The Witcher series is incredible source material for video games. Amazing monsters, Characters, and cities await you in every Witcher video game this one is no exception.

    The plot is overall pretty interesting. I would rate the game higher but the dialogue in this title feels incredibly dis-jointed in comparison to earlier titles like Baldur's Gate. There were many times when a character mentioned something that i had not done yet. Characters randomly disappear in the most frustrating times possible with zero indication of where the hell they went. There is also a lot of re-used character models here making things even more odd. Every merchant is the same fat guy with a coat.

    The game is kinda the forgotten child of the series but should definitely be played if you're a fan of the series.    … Expand
  17. slim_leshaz
    Dec 8, 2018
    10
    эту игру обязан пройти каждый, качественно проработанная сюжетка , диалоги, но боёвка желает лучшего , советую начинать знакомится с миром ведьмока с этой игры, она сделает из вас настоящего мужыка . И один совет если вы школьник и играете когда мама дома не надо заниматься любовью с девушками в игре потому-что после проведёного времени даётся карточка,а на ней голые девушкиэту игру обязан пройти каждый, качественно проработанная сюжетка , диалоги, но боёвка желает лучшего , советую начинать знакомится с миром ведьмока с этой игры, она сделает из вас настоящего мужыка . И один совет если вы школьник и играете когда мама дома не надо заниматься любовью с девушками в игре потому-что после проведёного времени даётся карточка,а на ней голые девушки
  18. lionars
    Sep 1, 2018
    9
    A real discovery! Unexpectedly great game with good quests and characters from books
  19. Ed95PkFr
    Jul 10, 2018
    6
    Massive fan of the Witcher saga and CDPR's W2 and 3. Just finished this game. The story and characters are great, as per CDPR, and they created a very interesting continuation from Sapkowski's Lady of the Lake. The soundtrack is wonderfully medieval and the dark atmosphere the game catches really gives a sense of the dread that exists within the Witcher universe. That said, the combat isMassive fan of the Witcher saga and CDPR's W2 and 3. Just finished this game. The story and characters are great, as per CDPR, and they created a very interesting continuation from Sapkowski's Lady of the Lake. The soundtrack is wonderfully medieval and the dark atmosphere the game catches really gives a sense of the dread that exists within the Witcher universe. That said, the combat is horrible compared to 2 & 3, gameplay is slow and laggy and it can often make the game a chore to play through. Nevertheless, still worth playing for the story.… Expand
  20. Noshein
    Jul 2, 2018
    7
    I understand why people love it. This game have awesome story and atmosphere. But if you as much impatient as me, chapters 2 and 3 would be a challenge for your nerves.
  21. Panica3643D
    Jun 16, 2018
    8
    На самом деле не впечатлила. Есть интересные ходы, есть интересный сюжет. Есть запоминающиеся персонажи. Но и минусов в этой игре тоже много.
  22. UsernameX
    Jun 13, 2018
    6
    small world. backtracking all over. too many dialogue even if voice acted, though. go there kill this, grab that, fetch, deliver. weak gameplay. way too long. unlikeable chars... it is not mature and makes for a dull game. do you know what g stands for in rpg? not for booooring. maybe at it´s time but definably not 2016! not worth to play if you wanna catch up. this game is around thesmall world. backtracking all over. too many dialogue even if voice acted, though. go there kill this, grab that, fetch, deliver. weak gameplay. way too long. unlikeable chars... it is not mature and makes for a dull game. do you know what g stands for in rpg? not for booooring. maybe at it´s time but definably not 2016! not worth to play if you wanna catch up. this game is around the 50hrs mark and a sore to struggle through. watch the 8hrs(!) all cut scenes youtube story-video instead. it is not broken and thus no bad but no good game either.… Expand
  23. RagingPoet
    May 28, 2018
    8
    I actually liked some aspects of the original Witcher more than the Wild Hunt, despite knowing that it is obviously much less polished.
    Combat is clunky, item and skill systems are very boring, last two chapters are very linear. But at the same time that awkward combat system allows Witcher 1 to actually have some difficulty curve, rather then that instant plateau after player learns how    I actually liked some aspects of the original Witcher more than the Wild Hunt, despite knowing that it is obviously much less polished.
    Combat is clunky, item and skill systems are very boring, last two chapters are very linear. But at the same time that awkward combat system allows Witcher 1 to actually have some difficulty curve, rather then that instant plateau after player learns how to dodge roll properly in Witcher 3.
    Writing is good (if you ignore that almost every female character instantly tries to have sex with protagonist), but in the Wild Hunt it was better, especially for the side quests. Player's choices are plenty and a lot of them are even impactfull.

    Overall Witcher 1 is a good RPG and definitely worth playing.    … Expand
  24. El_Manco
    May 20, 2018
    9
    The Witcher es una de las mejores sagas de la historia de los videojuegos, como Geralt de Rivia es uno de sus iconos por méritos propios. Puede que si no tienes edad para haber jugado al primer capítulo en su momento, puede que te haya sorprendido negativamente su imagen final, pero sin duda es un juego que merece la pena intentar jugar, si te gustaron los dos anteriores.. AlgúnThe Witcher es una de las mejores sagas de la historia de los videojuegos, como Geralt de Rivia es uno de sus iconos por méritos propios. Puede que si no tienes edad para haber jugado al primer capítulo en su momento, puede que te haya sorprendido negativamente su imagen final, pero sin duda es un juego que merece la pena intentar jugar, si te gustaron los dos anteriores.. Algún despistado, lo ha llegado a ningunear al compararlo con la tercera parte de la entrega, lo cual es de una falta de perspectiva alarmante. Cada uno de estos tres juegos ha tenido su momento, y en cada uno de ellos han sido juegos que han estado a la altura de este personaje y sus aventuras. Una de mis sagas preferidas, sin lugar a dudas.… Expand
  25. KARF4GEN
    May 10, 2018
    8
    Хоть пан Сапковский и не одобрил именно продолжение своей истории, думаю лучше рассказать историю Северных королевст и Геральта Ривского нельзя.
    Это пусть и коридорный, но такой приятный РПГ слэшер с чарующей музыкой, мифологией восточных славян и основой из одной из сильнейшей фэнтези вселенных.
    Изначально это не была игра ААА класса, но любовь и талант с которой она сделана сотворила    Хоть пан Сапковский и не одобрил именно продолжение своей истории, думаю лучше рассказать историю Северных королевст и Геральта Ривского нельзя.
    Это пусть и коридорный, но такой приятный РПГ слэшер с чарующей музыкой, мифологией восточных славян и основой из одной из сильнейшей фэнтези вселенных.
    Изначально это не была игра ААА класса, но любовь и талант с которой она сделана сотворила чудо.
    Для любителей качественного РПГ и красивых историй обязательно к ознакомлению.
    Гениальный и аутентичный мир раннего фэнтезийного Средневековья по мотивам произведений пана Сапковского был перенесен на рельсы игры.
    Перенесен не без проблем, студии приходилось продавать левый алкоголь ради заработка, что говорит за любовь к своей профессии и проекту.
    Начало трилогии показало безумный потенциал студии и доказало, что творец должен быть голодным.
    Надеюсь после третьего Возьмака в других проектах поляки опровергунт эту истину и выйдут на новый уровень.
    С теплотой вспоминаю как заставлял себя в нее играть, да, с механикой все сложно.
    Нужно перетерпеть и окунуться в этот мир, никакие биовар и рядом не стояли со своим DA.    … Expand
  26. OwtDaft
    May 10, 2018
    5
    + The graphics are stunning, though the animation is as bad as South Park.
    + The music is good and really adds to the mood.
    - The story at times is good, but mostly it's slow and dull.
    - The game play is very simple but appears way more complicated than it is.
    - The game doesn't work with a keyboard and mouse very well.
  27. gracjanski
    Apr 3, 2018
    9
    Some people mention The Witcher on the same level as some classics like Baldurs Gate 2, Morrowind, Knight of the old Republic etc. In my view this game could be it, but the gameplay is not good enough. But step by step:
    The world is on perfect level: The NPCs got a lot of life, there are many details to discover, the political background is detailed and complex. In addition you have very    Some people mention The Witcher on the same level as some classics like Baldurs Gate 2, Morrowind, Knight of the old Republic etc. In my view this game could be it, but the gameplay is not good enough. But step by step:
    The world is on perfect level: The NPCs got a lot of life, there are many details to discover, the political background is detailed and complex. In addition you have very good music. The dialogs are on top level also: adult, happy, direct. One of the best, I could read since a long time. The story is well written and well presented. Not a big epos, but on a very good level. If you didnt have enough of this game, you can download a lot of mods. I played with a texture mod, that enhanced the graphic from 2011.

    The problem: the gameplay and that means, the core of every game: In the beginning I was excited about it, but it changed fastly. The fighting with the sword is mostly a reaction game, greetings from arcade games. In addition the controling is very bad, sometimes Gerald simply didnt do the commands, because the game played the animations to the end. There are some other gameplay elements, that are annoying. Yes, the inventar is still too small.

    Result: Surely a very good game, but not top.    … Expand
  28. iddqd4
    Mar 16, 2018
    8
    В свое время пропустил игру, наверстывать уже поздно, но талан CDPred был виден уже с самого начала.
  29. c4rboni
    Mar 13, 2018
    9
    [PT-BR]
    The Withcer 1 é incrivelmente épico, trazendo uma historia maravilhosa e um enredo muito bem trabalhado, sendo lançado em 2007 sem muito investimento (que é notável ao decorrer da campanha).
    Pontos Positivos: -Historia Incrível (Faz você sempre querer continuar jogando e não parar mais) -Personagens carismáticos -Completo (O jogo é muito completo, possuindo muitas coisas    [PT-BR]
    The Withcer 1 é incrivelmente épico, trazendo uma historia maravilhosa e um enredo muito bem trabalhado, sendo lançado em 2007 sem muito investimento (que é notável ao decorrer da campanha).

    Pontos Positivos:
    -Historia Incrível (Faz você sempre querer continuar jogando e não parar mais)
    -Personagens carismáticos
    -Completo (O jogo é muito completo, possuindo muitas coisas para explorar e fazer)
    -Enredo Incrível
    -Universo Incrível
    -Dificuldade
    -Decisões (Você escolhe o caminho do jogo)
    -Trilha Sonora
    -Ambientação

    Pontos Negativos:
    -Jogabilidade (pode ser travada em alguns momentos)
    -BUGs (As vezes chega a ser a maior dificuldade do jogo)
    -Graficos (Não são lá essas coisas...)    … Expand
  30. DonPerepihon
    Jan 10, 2018
    7
    50 часов прогулок по болотам. Но... чего лукавить, игра держала за яйца и не отпускала. Нельзя назвать себя настоящим любителем ведьмака, не пройдя эту страницу игровой истории. 7 - хорошая оценка.
  31. ShawnD
    Dec 10, 2017
    4
    Terrible combat. 4/10

    I like the story, and the game reminds me of Neverwinter Nights, but the gameplay is horrendous. The combat is literally just clicking an enemy to start combat and then clicking again when the mouse cursor changes color. I want to keep playing through the game to see where the story goes, but the gameplay sucks. It feels like a chore to play the game.
  32. Trenos
    Nov 30, 2017
    6
    First Witcher is hard game to judge, this is beginning of great trilogy, but the game is just ok. We have great story and characters, but terrible combat system and side quests. I recommended this game for fans of book and maybe if you wanna play witcher 2 and 3.
  33. MaoJin93
    Nov 18, 2017
    3
    Thought I'd play this in order to keep up with the story in W2 and W3. Let's just say that the first 20 hours I've played are almost solely composed of dull fetch quests and extremely repetitive environments and characters... (even when only focusing on the primary quests). It just feels like a complete chore just to get a minuscule advance of the main story. The game will have you runningThought I'd play this in order to keep up with the story in W2 and W3. Let's just say that the first 20 hours I've played are almost solely composed of dull fetch quests and extremely repetitive environments and characters... (even when only focusing on the primary quests). It just feels like a complete chore just to get a minuscule advance of the main story. The game will have you running back and forth the boring maps dozens of times before you can advance to the next section, only to repeat the same kinds of quests. Not sure if I will have the patience to finish this... Combat is the only decent thing thus far (and some dialogue choices).

    I'm presuming the story gets better later since it has positive reviews, but if's gonna take 30+ hours just to get to the good stuff I wouldn't recommend this.    … Expand
  34. Remurr
    Nov 15, 2017
    9
    I am delighted with the atmosphere and characters. About background music I can tell just that I downloaded it and listening almost every day during my work hours. This game done really well. Don't hesitate to play this in 2017 - it is still way better than most of modern games
  35. Mobile
    Nov 10, 2017
    8
    ENG.
    I managed to consciously play the first part, only in 2016. As a result, after playing 20+ hours and not even reaching the middle of the game, I simply abandoned and did not return for almost a year. But the memories flickered, + it was necessary to go through the first part to close the trilogy about the Witcher. And it was unexpectedly fascinating, that very respite in one year,    ENG.
    I managed to consciously play the first part, only in 2016. As a result, after playing 20+ hours and not even reaching the middle of the game, I simply abandoned and did not return for almost a year. But the memories flickered, + it was necessary to go through the first part to close the trilogy about the Witcher. And it was unexpectedly fascinating, that very respite in one year, gave me new strengths and I went through the whole game in 5 days (if possible, skipping side quests ). The game for his time - Epic, even now such a player, who does not have much patience and perseverance, will also come to taste the first part. I began to get acquainted with the second part, then there was the third and, despite this, the first one was not nearly worse. Thank you very much to tell the developers who are interested in reading on Wiki or where else, how the game was created and how much work it cost. Thank you CDProjectRED.
    RU.
    Удалось сознательно поиграть в первую часть, только в 2016. В итоге наиграв 20+ часов и не дойдя даже до середины игры я просто забросил и не возвращался почти год. Но воспоминания теплились, + нужно было до пройти первую часть чтобы закрыть прохождения трилогии о Ведьмаке.И его было неожиданно увлекательно, та самая передышка в один год, дала мне новые силы и я за 5 дней прошел всю игру (по возможности не пропуская сайд квесты).Игра для своего времени - Эпик, даже сейчас такому игроку, у которого есть не много терпения и усидчивости, тоже придет по вкусу первая часть. Я вот начинал знакомство со второй части, потом была третья и не смотря на это первая не чуть не хуже. Огромное спасибо хочется сказать разработчикам, кому интересно почитайте на Вики или еще где, как создавалась игра и скольких трудов им это стоило.Спасибо Вам CDProjectRED.    … Expand
  36. Kaszmiro
    Nov 1, 2017
    9
    This game gave birth to one of the best series in game history
    Pros
    + Storyline, voice acting and player choices are on the highest level + Graphics and music as for 2008 are amazing + Every quest, even side quest is very interesting and makes you want to complete it + Game isn't linear, so u can complete chapters at your own way + Takes some time to finish and offers amazing    This game gave birth to one of the best series in game history
    Pros
    + Storyline, voice acting and player choices are on the highest level
    + Graphics and music as for 2008 are amazing
    + Every quest, even side quest is very interesting and makes you want to complete it
    + Game isn't linear, so u can complete chapters at your own way
    + Takes some time to finish and offers amazing adventure
    Cons
    - Strange combat system that a lot of players dislike
    - Equipment system sucks since u get better armor 1 or 2 times in game    … Expand
  37. Knightsabez
    Aug 29, 2017
    8
    I have always wanted to play the Witcher games, and I have to start with the first ones. It's a very solid game with a deep and impacting story.

    The first thing I noticed was the gameplay. The game is pretty old now, and this concerned me. The gameplay is one of the things I appreciate most in games, along with immersion and story. The combat reminds me of MMO combat, where you click on    I have always wanted to play the Witcher games, and I have to start with the first ones. It's a very solid game with a deep and impacting story.

    The first thing I noticed was the gameplay. The game is pretty old now, and this concerned me. The gameplay is one of the things I appreciate most in games, along with immersion and story. The combat reminds me of MMO combat, where you click on your enemy, and you attack. The combat here is deeper than that, but not by mutch. But once you begin exprerimenting with alchemy, it gets much deeper. With the right combination of potions, blade oils and bombs, you can make a hard fight much easier and funnier. You can also upgrade your fighting moves.

    The worst part about this game in my eyes, is the walking. The map is quite huge, especially when you have to walk everywhere, from quest to quest. This made me feel like I was wasting time. The cutscenes are also quite awkward, but the story makes up for it.

    But the best part about this game is the story, watching you decisions have consequenses. The choises you make, feel like they matter.

    I spent 50 or so hours on this game, I always do sidequests and such, but the main story is about 30 give or take.

    All in all, great game with great characters, and the end make me so pumped to play though the next one :)    … Expand
  38. auditbadger
    Jul 30, 2017
    8
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  39. Frenetik
    May 29, 2017
    8
    The Witcher is a good example of a story told right. The choices and consequences system is well done, it adds replay value and it influences the ending. Also I like the fact that you can remain neutral throughout the whole flaming rose vs nonhuman conflict.
    The story kind of loses focus in chapter IV which i think is the weakest of all because it forces you to do some random quests that    The Witcher is a good example of a story told right. The choices and consequences system is well done, it adds replay value and it influences the ending. Also I like the fact that you can remain neutral throughout the whole flaming rose vs nonhuman conflict.
    The story kind of loses focus in chapter IV which i think is the weakest of all because it forces you to do some random quests that don't relate to the main storyline that much.
    On a bad side, I encountered several crashes on windows 10. The game uses the aurora engine which is known for its bugs and map limitations. It sucks that there are very few face models for NPCs, and that I cant customize Geralt at all (there are a total of three armors in the whole game).
    The combat is not that great but you get used to it and after a few hours of playtime it doesn't represent a problem anymore.
    In the end this is a very good lengthy RPG (it took me 44 hours with a few side quests done) with a mature tone and interesting storyline.    … Expand
  40. Broyax
    Apr 17, 2017
    8
    Pas mal, pas mal ! il faut du temps pour se plonger dans cette approche de l'heroic-fantasy assez particulière que propose The Witcher dont le héros n'a a priori que le charisme d'un beignet et la tronche d'un vieillard. Une approche pourtant très réaliste (grâce également au background soigné) à la manière du premier Dragon Age mais avec le politiquement correct... en moins !

    Gérard    Pas mal, pas mal ! il faut du temps pour se plonger dans cette approche de l'heroic-fantasy assez particulière que propose The Witcher dont le héros n'a a priori que le charisme d'un beignet et la tronche d'un vieillard. Une approche pourtant très réaliste (grâce également au background soigné) à la manière du premier Dragon Age mais avec le politiquement correct... en moins !

    Gérard peut se bourrer la gueule dans les tavernes, se mettre sur la tronche avec des abrutis pour quelques pièces et bien sûr lever de la jambonneuse à la moindre occasion (Gérard tire tout ce qui bouge, même les chèvres). Le langage est aussi parfois particulièrement "fleuri", ce qui ne manque pas de piquant.

    Le combat est très bien pensé (avec choix de la vue et possibilité de faire pause) et la nécessité de se documenter sur les monstres pour mieux connaître leurs points faibles -et... mieux les tuer- ajoute au réalisme (ou en tout cas à la crédibilité) dont je parlais plus haut. Techniquement c'est pas vilain sans être extraordinaire mais on note quelques environnements qui rament, même avec une carte récente.

    La VF est de bonne facture et la musique est correcte. Seulement (!) 3 ou 4 plantages pour un jeu à l'histoire assez complexe et aux choix qui ont un impact assez énorme, c'est plutôt bien "payé". Même s'il s'agit de l'édition "améliorée & augmentée" et dans ce cas on n'ose imaginer le comportement de l'édition normale originale...

    Je termine sur quelques soucis tout de même : le design des menus et de l'inventaire sont très perfectibles et au moins une quête -vitale pourtant- n'a pas de marqueur de carte ! beaucoup trop de copié-collé sur les visages des pnj et des temps de chargement importants. Enfin, en dehors des choix cruciaux, on manque de contrôle (et de choix) dans les conversations que l'on subit un peu trop. N'est pas Bioware qui veut... mais malgré tout, CD Projekt a réalisé un RPG surprenant qui fait honneur à la superbe saga de Sapkowski.    … Expand
  41. Claytality
    Apr 7, 2017
    8
    Good RPG, has decent exploration, good plot, good leveling, quests and skill tree.

    Combat is somewhat automatic, you click on the enemy to attack, then wait for your character to combo until the cursor flashes and click again. There's a few spells but they are not too interesting. The alchemy is well done, it involves collecting ingredients and mixing potions, allowing you to heal or    Good RPG, has decent exploration, good plot, good leveling, quests and skill tree.

    Combat is somewhat automatic, you click on the enemy to attack, then wait for your character to combo until the cursor flashes and click again. There's a few spells but they are not too interesting. The alchemy is well done, it involves collecting ingredients and mixing potions, allowing you to heal or gain temporary buffs.

    The plot and exploration are linear, you progress to the next chapter and cannot go back (except between chapter 2 and 3). There are some interesting points in the story in which you are forced to make a decision, but the overall plot is largely unaffected by these choices.

    There are a LOT of cutscenes. At one point there was a cutscene, then a brief fight with 2 normal enemies, then another cutscene. You can click to speed up cutscenes which is nice if you read fast.

    Good graphics, but is very CPU intensive even on my new computer. Occasionally crashed and lost some progress.

    Played 41 hours, cost $1.50. Recommended on sale and if you have a good computer.    … Expand
  42. BlackChurch
    Jan 20, 2017
    10
    This is a great universe! Every RPG-fan must have it!
    So if you have a lot of time you should play the Witcher. This is a beginning of the epic history.
  43. Calasade
    Jan 10, 2017
    8
    The graphics didn't hold up well, but this game features an intriguing story, great characters, and gray choices. The world is dark and gritty. Among my favorite RPGs.
  44. OberiousLocke
    Oct 20, 2016
    0
    I tried to like this game. I REALLY tried. I tried to force myself through it even and I couldn't make it past maybe early Chp. 2. For my thoughts, read below, but the tl;dr of it all is while the game seems to have some promise inside it, it is so mindbogglingly bland and uninteresting that I cannot begin to understand the blind, unquestioning love for it.

    Graphics. While I usually try    I tried to like this game. I REALLY tried. I tried to force myself through it even and I couldn't make it past maybe early Chp. 2. For my thoughts, read below, but the tl;dr of it all is while the game seems to have some promise inside it, it is so mindbogglingly bland and uninteresting that I cannot begin to understand the blind, unquestioning love for it.

    Graphics. While I usually try to take it easy on games about graphics, I can't even say "Good for it's time" when we had games like BioShock, Unreal Tournament 3 and Crysis in 2007. They're not BAD, but they certainly deserve no praise.

    The dialogue. While sometimes well written, it's horribly delivered. It makes the delivery of Dialogue in Baten Kaitos on the gamecube look shining (and while I love BK, the dialogue is pretty iffy at times)

    Animations. They are literal crap. That's all I can say. I can't tell if Geralt is trying to brandish his sword threateningly during combat or do a rain dance.

    Gameplay. Really this should be #1 on this list considering how much it detracts from the game. Whomsoever decided that rhythm, timing based combat was a good idea should be hung and quartered. There's also the fact that even on normal difficulty, going into a fight with anything more threatening than a single barghest without drinking a Swallow potion is practically suicide. A prime example of this the fight with The Beast. Sure, you may have healing spells cast on you by someone to avoid spoilers, or you will until the Beast stuns you for 6 hours while taking out chunks of your health and oneshotting your help with it's 9000 adds.

    Story. While for the most part it seems okay, it seems that they're using Geralt's amnesia as an excuse to troll people who aren't familiar with the world of The Witcher through the books. There's this one part in chapter one where I went to the chapel to turn in some remains for that fat merchant in the inn, then this blue ghost that looks vaguely like The Architect from Dragon Age: Origins pops up, then starts talking to me like we're old friends and yammering about Destiny. I told him to sod off.    … Expand
  45. compot8
    Oct 18, 2016
    7
    The Story is amazing but sadly the gameplay is lacking. The timing becomes so intuitive after awhile that it poses 0 challenge and alchemy isn't enough on it's own(playing on hardest difficulty). Still better than so many other games but could be better(like it's younger brothers).
  46. TemplarGR
    Sep 9, 2016
    9
    Great underrated RPG, for its time. I fallen in love by the time i tried the demo version. The graphics were really good for the standards of the era, dialogue was mature and believable, story and setting seemed really great (it was Witcher after all), and it was an RPG game during a period when they had began getting out of fashion.

    It has many flaws, and especially today, this game is    Great underrated RPG, for its time. I fallen in love by the time i tried the demo version. The graphics were really good for the standards of the era, dialogue was mature and believable, story and setting seemed really great (it was Witcher after all), and it was an RPG game during a period when they had began getting out of fashion.

    It has many flaws, and especially today, this game is difficult to recommend. The graphics while still good, are nowhere near modern standards, and the gameplay may seem slow, boring and tedious. Still, it is worth a playthrough, especially if you want to play the Witcher 3. In my opinion, this is a better game and RPG than Witcher 2, considering the 4 year difference.    … Expand
  47. ActionRaider
    Aug 25, 2016
    8
    I am fairly new to the Witcher series and i played about two hours of the first game. my first thoughts were that the aiming takes a while to get used to and the battle system takes care of its self if you spam the left mouse key. as for one who prefers in depth battle mechanics and precision based game play it isnt the best but its something you can easily get over. i came more for theI am fairly new to the Witcher series and i played about two hours of the first game. my first thoughts were that the aiming takes a while to get used to and the battle system takes care of its self if you spam the left mouse key. as for one who prefers in depth battle mechanics and precision based game play it isnt the best but its something you can easily get over. i came more for the story and experience of all three games so a below average battle mechanic is something i can forget. my only other argument so far is that when you are on a quest it wont tell you where to go or display the objective on the side. you have to manually go through the map and click on the place you want to go rather than it already being set up like in other games. i give it an 8/10 because even though it may have bad mechanics that some may never get over it is something you can leave behind to enjoy the story.… Expand
  48. Apergy
    Aug 24, 2016
    0
    This game is a complete masterpiece, one of the greatest games of all time. Stunning graphics, absolutely heart warming campaign with endless potential for DLC. Great game, cannot recommend more.
  49. Serenityinaz12
    Aug 5, 2016
    6
    This game was HARD to finish. Not because it was hard mind you, but because I really had to push myself to keep playing on multiple occasions. Having read all the prequel books I hoped for a lot more from the story. Minus a few references and recurring characters, the story from the past is almost entirely not expanded upon. Geralt "lost his memory" which was an infuriating way forThis game was HARD to finish. Not because it was hard mind you, but because I really had to push myself to keep playing on multiple occasions. Having read all the prequel books I hoped for a lot more from the story. Minus a few references and recurring characters, the story from the past is almost entirely not expanded upon. Geralt "lost his memory" which was an infuriating way for them to just skip all the lore from the past entirely pretty much. The gameplay is boring a lot of the times, but I like the dialogue. Overall pretty mediocre game.… Expand
  50. zampaconi
    Jul 30, 2016
    9
    Recensione temporanea da sostituire non appena disponibile quella definitiva. Recensione temporanea da sostituire non appena disponibile quella definitiva.
  51. Onkelmolan
    Jul 25, 2016
    0
    Very boring Story and Gameplay the Combat System is anoying as hell.
    The Dialoges are mutch to long.
    I dont know why this get so much awards and massive Hype.
  52. agurczuk
    Jul 18, 2016
    3
    I really wanted to like this game but it turned out impossible. Gave it two approaches, struggled with graphic issues, after solving them was totally disappointed by the gameplay and uninterested by the story.

    I picked up witcher 1 and 2 at the same time and for the continuity reasons wanted to play them in order. Could not bare through the first one thought - loved the second though.    I really wanted to like this game but it turned out impossible. Gave it two approaches, struggled with graphic issues, after solving them was totally disappointed by the gameplay and uninterested by the story.

    I picked up witcher 1 and 2 at the same time and for the continuity reasons wanted to play them in order. Could not bare through the first one thought - loved the second though.

    The graphics looked ugly - after some patching it sill looked bad. The combat was a total disappointment - click, click click and then repeat. After playing around 2 hours I had enough. The rest of mechanics probably had some potential but the game didn't interest me to discover what else it had to offer. Given that I'm not the biggest fan of the world created by Sapkowski I was put off and will never try my luck with this particular title.    … Expand
  53. muzmuz
    Jul 3, 2016
    4
    The Witcher may be a little dated, but I find myself flabbergasted about how bad this game is. It has many of the worst animations and cringe-worthy gameplay mechanics I have ever encountered in a game -- I didn't even bother to spend an entire hour trying it.
  54. JustSomeGamer
    Jun 16, 2016
    9
    This game blew my mind. This game is in my opinion what the perfect rpg looks like. The story is amazing, the characters are interesting, and this game has ACTUAL different routes that you can take, which result in different endings and world states. Sure, the combat is somewhat clunky, and there are some other minor flaws but those are nothing compared to the pros. 10/10 one of the bestThis game blew my mind. This game is in my opinion what the perfect rpg looks like. The story is amazing, the characters are interesting, and this game has ACTUAL different routes that you can take, which result in different endings and world states. Sure, the combat is somewhat clunky, and there are some other minor flaws but those are nothing compared to the pros. 10/10 one of the best rpg experiences I've ever had!… Expand
  55. Swatpl
    Jun 8, 2016
    10
    This Game just became a legend a many years ago, this fantastic world which Mr Sapkowski created have a magnificent slavic and Polish accent that can not be counterfeited
  56. Ninja_Se7eN
    Jun 4, 2016
    9
    The Witcher is an RPG that tries to do things a little bit differently.
    Focus is on preparation of your battle, not on the battle itself: the right potions, bombs and skills will make any battle easy but lack of them may make simple battles next to impossible (depending on difficulty).
    There's a deep story in this game with hard choices to be made with sometimes unforeseen consequences    The Witcher is an RPG that tries to do things a little bit differently.
    Focus is on preparation of your battle, not on the battle itself: the right potions, bombs and skills will make any battle easy but lack of them may make simple battles next to impossible (depending on difficulty).
    There's a deep story in this game with hard choices to be made with sometimes unforeseen consequences later in the game that the player must live with.
    It gives you a fantasy medieval universe yet it is a dark one where racism, hate, politic backstabbing and sickness plague its inhabitants.

    If you enjoy an RPG with a good story and deep choices or you simply want to see how The Witcher began (in the games) then this game is definitely worth picking up.

    Keep in mind that this game has little hand-holding and you may feel lost at times. You may also encounter some graphical glitches like I have (beards were flying everywhere xD).

    It's a great journey if you're willing to forgive it's shortcomings.    … Expand
  57. Amsheagar
    Jun 2, 2016
    10
    The atmosphere, the graphic, the landscape art are amazing. The music and sounds fit the game. The fighting system is very creative, i liked it. I liked the story too. Maybe the best RPG, i have ever played.
  58. kuehnau
    May 20, 2016
    3
    I picked up the three Witcher games when they were on discount on STEAM.

    I am sure when the Witcher first came out, it was something that was consider above average as far as games went. A decade later this game is really starting to show it's age. I am not novice when it comes to classic RPG's on the PC, you'd be speaking with someone who played games such as Ultima, Planescape    I picked up the three Witcher games when they were on discount on STEAM.

    I am sure when the Witcher first came out, it was something that was consider above average as far as games went. A decade later this game is really starting to show it's age.

    I am not novice when it comes to classic RPG's on the PC, you'd be speaking with someone who played games such as Ultima, Planescape Torment, Fallout and many other classic RPGs.

    When first getting into the Witcher, I found that the game simply felt clunky, even in the beginning. There is a tutorial that explains the basics, but a lot of times, it appears to miss the finer elements of the game. A great example is the combat. I figured 'left clicking' a target would engage in combat, I assumed you'd continue to fight until the fight was done, it wasn't later until I found out you need to continue to click. I am not talking about 'combat chains' or the like, I mean simply attacking your target.

    The need to change your 'combat style' based on targets seemed excessive. I undrstand that a stronger attack VS foes with better armor would be a better strategic choice, but I noticed that unless you change combat stances VS your foes, you'd be at a significant disadvantage, unfortunately this ultimately feels like a 'rock, paper, scissors' style of combat, that I felt simply made the combat mechanic annoying at best.

    As I played the game, the movement felt odd. At one point in the game you are told to rest. I spent some time wandering around a small room, trying to figure out what I needed to do, until I finally realized that, talking with the NPC, there was an icon off to the side that allowed you to 'meditate' in order to level your character and progress the story line. Normally I wouldn't have an issue with this mechanic, but it was never clear enough, to the point I needed to look online for guidance. Further, there were MANY people online who were having the same issues, this cements my opinion that some of the decisions the game developers came up with were confusing, at best.

    The quest tracking system can be not only confusing, but clunky as well. I was finding that often times, even while I was on an active quest, unless I went out of my way to go into my journal and highlight a quest and 'track' the quest, the game wouldn't show me where my next object was.

    While playing the game, I ran into multiple occurrences of the game simply crashing or black screening on me, forcing me to quit the game, only to discover the auto-save system saved me behind several sequences in a quest, forcing me to do them all over again. This isn't okay.

    I don't know if I am getting too old for these types of games, if The Witcher is simply old, or if the overall presentation of The Witcher is awkward, but I wasn't enjoying myself and I found myself becoming frustrated with the amount of icons and menus the game presented. Perhaps in the future I'll give The Witcher another chance, but for the time being, I don't really feel it necessary to allow the game to waste more of my time.    … Expand
  59. MacMarrik
    May 20, 2016
    9
    Достойное начало игровой трилогии о ведьмаке Геральте из Ривии.

    Игра с замечательным саундтреком, который слушать одно удовольствие. Не плохой сюжет, который даёт нам погрузиться с полна в этот чудесный игровой мир. Интересные квесты, которые дают нормальную свободу выбора и/или дадут ощутить себя в шкуре ведьмака. Игра не линейна. Не на 100%, но есть не плохой выбор действий.    Достойное начало игровой трилогии о ведьмаке Геральте из Ривии.

    Игра с замечательным саундтреком, который слушать одно удовольствие.
    Не плохой сюжет, который даёт нам погрузиться с полна в этот чудесный игровой мир.
    Интересные квесты, которые дают нормальную свободу выбора и/или дадут ощутить себя в шкуре ведьмака.
    Игра не линейна. Не на 100%, но есть не плохой выбор действий.
    Графика не блещет, но не за это стоит любить первого ведьмака.
    Управление заточено только под клавиатура+мышь и для некоторых может показаться специфичным.

    Игра рекомендована любому любителю жанра RPG. Спасибо за игру польским разработчикам из CD Project RED. Польша STRONG!!    … Expand
  60. xspidermanx322
    May 13, 2016
    9
    So, this game is a treasure. This game marks the start of the amazing Witcher saga. So what if it looks kind of dated? So what if the combat is tedious sometimes and little wonky? The storytelling and lore in this game is so good. I'd go so far as to say the story of this game might be better than the main story of Witcher 3. I have a soft spot for this game, but I think you should give itSo, this game is a treasure. This game marks the start of the amazing Witcher saga. So what if it looks kind of dated? So what if the combat is tedious sometimes and little wonky? The storytelling and lore in this game is so good. I'd go so far as to say the story of this game might be better than the main story of Witcher 3. I have a soft spot for this game, but I think you should give it a shot. One note, after the prologue chapter and the 1st chapter. The second chapter is pretty hard to get through because it's awful. Look at a guide, mod it, and try to make it through that piece of **** It's not bad story-wise, but it's so tedious that it made me stop playing the game the first time I went through until I figured out a way the lessen how horrible it was. BUT OTHER THAN THAT! PLAY THIS GAME! It's got a great ending twist and really sets up an awesome trilogy of games.… Expand
  61. danstew
    Feb 15, 2016
    8
    Let me start by saying: Please do not buy the game expecting gameplay or graphics too similar to Witcher 2 or 3! This game is quite a bit older than the two others, and has a different style.
    HOWEVER! What this game has going for it is another strong story and a lot of atmosphere. This is what the company got right even in this first game. It is obvious that the team truly loves the    Let me start by saying: Please do not buy the game expecting gameplay or graphics too similar to Witcher 2 or 3! This game is quite a bit older than the two others, and has a different style.
    HOWEVER! What this game has going for it is another strong story and a lot of atmosphere. This is what the company got right even in this first game. It is obvious that the team truly loves the source (the books and stories) and the world and story in this game, IMO, is VERY immersive.

    The playstyle is quite different, just like the graphics. It reminds me a bit more of Diablo, as it's click-to-move. You have different stances which you switch with keys, according to what you are fighting. Of course, alchemy and signs are in this game as well, as they are just of a trademark of the character as the two swords are.

    The game is showing it's age, as the graphics are of course not comparable to the later games, and it's quite interesting to compare the mechanics of the games, and see how the series developed.
    But even though this game has weaknesses and will feel VERY different compared to the later ones (total readjustment especially regarding combat), it still has tons of atmosphere and, as I said, a fascinating story. It's actually quite impressive how much the (back then) small company put into this game.

    If you don't mind the fact that the game is a bit older and therefore is very different regarding graphics and playstyle, if you care about the characters (of course, many of the beloved characters from the stories and the other games appear here, for example Triss and Vesemir) and the story, you might find yourself quite immersed, and if you are willing to adjust to the very different movement and combat, you might enjoy it a lot. I sure did!    … Expand
  62. Sanastusa
    Feb 11, 2016
    7
    Best review I can muster for this game is as follows; I played through because my friend highly recommended the Witcher series due in most part to Witcher 2. I can't skip games in a series, so I forced myself to play through the dry first game. It wasn't terrible. Just rough to play through due to how old the game is and it hasn't aged well.
    I played the Witcher who was only out for 2    Best review I can muster for this game is as follows; I played through because my friend highly recommended the Witcher series due in most part to Witcher 2. I can't skip games in a series, so I forced myself to play through the dry first game. It wasn't terrible. Just rough to play through due to how old the game is and it hasn't aged well.
    I played the Witcher who was only out for 2 things.
    1. Shani
    2. Other Women/Monsters who had lady parts.    … Expand
  63. ExKaiser
    Feb 9, 2016
    8
    Rather good RPG but now gameplay and graphics feels kinda old. There is a lot references to The Witcher books what is nice. The score I gave to this game is based on my last experience with it.
  64. VidyaBum
    Feb 7, 2016
    7
    Feels like a book series was made into a videogame by people that didn't really know how to make a videogame.

    Probably because that was their exact case. The Witcher 1 is ok to look at(terrible glitches on hair physics that make a lot of characters look extra stupid though) and has some nice musics, but the distance between its world and storyline quality and its gameplay is    Feels like a book series was made into a videogame by people that didn't really know how to make a videogame.

    Probably because that was their exact case.

    The Witcher 1 is ok to look at(terrible glitches on hair physics that make a lot of characters look extra stupid though) and has some nice musics, but the distance between its world and storyline quality and its gameplay is appalling.

    The former deserve high praise, although few characters are all that good, they all decidedly give you the same vibe of a powerful, living breathing world, which is the star of this game. The storyline is exciting and you do root for Geralt's quest and success as he braves constant adversity with seemingly neither fear nor anger. He is a great hero.

    But for all the praise here, the terrible downer that is the gameplay gets stronger with every quality in the story.
    It's bad.
    Poorly designed, stock and uninventive, no not even uninventive, because the very concept of invention is utterly absent here. Literally every single last quest, except the main storyline one, is a fetch quest. EVERY SINGLE QUEST.

    Meet character x. x needs item a. Go find characters y, w, and z, to find a.
    The line I just wrote defines almost every single quest of the game.

    More than that, combat is very very weak and uninteresting, locations and level design is very nice but the backtracking is weighing on the game horrendously, and in general the strong feeling of being part of an interactive book absolutely does not leave me throughout the whole game.

    A more modern game with this much plot and this little gameplay might've ended up a VN rather than an RPG. That's how little good gameplay there is in this.    … Expand
  65. HamimTheZeldaGe
    Feb 3, 2016
    10
    This Game Is Great And Let Me Tell You You Will Freaking Get A Nerd Boner Of How Great It Is As Much As I Love Witcher 3. Yes it is a better game but this game just gives me a great feeling each time i play it i love this game so much. So stop listening to me and get the game u retard hope u have fun playing the game best of luck
  66. Termin8ter
    Feb 3, 2016
    6
    The Witcher is not a very good RPG, and I will explain exactly why: The combat system is annoying and unbalanced, Geralt will take forever to swing his sword, whereas your enemies have lightning- fast maneuvers and attacks. Another problem is that traversing the world is hard. There is no horse to help you get to areas quicker, and no fast travel, and the sprint ability barely helps. TheThe Witcher is not a very good RPG, and I will explain exactly why: The combat system is annoying and unbalanced, Geralt will take forever to swing his sword, whereas your enemies have lightning- fast maneuvers and attacks. Another problem is that traversing the world is hard. There is no horse to help you get to areas quicker, and no fast travel, and the sprint ability barely helps. The only thing that saves this game from getting a 0 is that there is an interesting story, with multiple endings. Do'nt buy this game, Buy Witcher 3, or Skyrim, or even Fallout 4.… Expand
  67. smpapol
    Jan 16, 2016
    5
    Not worth playing.

    I'm still stuck in chapter 1 wandering about in village spent more than 10 hours. In terms of gaming experience, it's a disaster - clicking at the enemies severals times and that's all you can do combat - no tactical strategies required. At some point, you are going to figure out it's better for your time and mental health to delete the game as soon as possible.    Not worth playing.

    I'm still stuck in chapter 1 wandering about in village spent more than 10 hours.

    In terms of gaming experience, it's a disaster - clicking at the enemies severals times and that's all you can do combat - no tactical strategies required.

    At some point, you are going to figure out it's better for your time and mental health to delete the game as soon as possible. Dungeons are terrible compared to Elder scroll series.    … Expand
  68. ankittoms
    Jan 2, 2016
    7
    Excellent story but dated graphics and combat. Very dark Atmosphere.

    Graphics: 5
    Game play : 6
    Combat: 5
    World Design: 7
    Content: 9
    Immersion: 7
    Story: 9
  69. ShodanSpectre
    Dec 5, 2015
    9
    I am a fan of the Witcher series since I've read the books back in 2005 or so (and this fact really helped enjoy the game better) however even if you haven't read the books - this is a very good RPG in itself.

    The pros: + Good quality graphics, not a big deal for me gotta get that out of the way. + Wonderful soundtrack. Really immersive. + A nice "dark fantasy" world. Where elves get    I am a fan of the Witcher series since I've read the books back in 2005 or so (and this fact really helped enjoy the game better) however even if you haven't read the books - this is a very good RPG in itself.

    The pros:
    + Good quality graphics, not a big deal for me gotta get that out of the way.
    + Wonderful soundtrack. Really immersive.
    + A nice "dark fantasy" world. Where elves get racially discriminated, town guards take drugs as bribes, and use said drugs... Witches are trying to survive the ignorant mod that fears and hates them.
    + No "good vs. evil" - just a lot of people (and other creatures) with their conflicting goals, feels and wants.
    + With the above said - often you can decide who to help and how to judge those around you.
    + A lot of character development. You start as a guy who can barely deal with a couple rabid dogs, and end up taking out dragons (well, not quite 40-meter-long High Dragons like those found in Dragon Age, but 6-meter-long Wyverns) - multiple at a time, and beating much more dangerous creatures, as well as armed human enemies (mages, angry Templars, etc).
    + Not a lot of grinding for better gear. In fact you start out with quite decent gear: a Witcher's Steel and Silver sword, and not until quite late in the game can you find a weapon that's better.
    + There are ways to get very VERY powerful, if you figure out how to. It's no cheating or bug, just strategies that you HAVE TO learn if you wanna play on HARD. And there are multiple ones.
    + There are rune stones to use as a permanent upgrade to a sword, and it's nice that the better gear is rare and interesting to find, craft and upgrade (rather than something you can buy from the town merchant - just collect 100'000 gold, like in many RPGs)
    + Unique items are obtained through truly unique experiences, that may make you value them to a point that I chose to keep that item throughout Witcher-II game (using the import save feature)
    + No **** quests like "go hunt 10 squirrels and bring me the furs". Most quests are backed with a story that something really bad happened, and only a Witcher can help the person in need.
    + The quests match the protagonist, and feel on-the-spot. So unlike Commander Shepard saving the galaxy, and then being told to deal with some scumbags that stole something from a merchant, or the Inquisitor in Dragon Age looking for a lost cow.
    + Interesting characters. Many from the book. Yes you can make relationships with them, and even cheat on them if you wish to :-)
    + Overall, there are a lot of strategic and tactical things you are encouraged to learn, and a few things to upgrade (weapon and armor), but in a thoughtful way, (rather than the grind-to-get-top-level-gear way) the game is really hard to play on HARD unless you understand how to play it right.

    Cons:
    - You can't jump over a knee-high fence. WTF. But sometimes you can jump over the head of an enemy - this happens somewhat
    - The combat is a bit scripted... Not very manual control (no jump, no sprint, no duck or block), kind of an RTS-like feel to it. The "click at right time to strike a combo" is not bad, but gets old a bit too quickly. Maybe a love-it-or-hate-it thing.
    - The game world is a few isolated locations. They aren't very big either. Granted, they are nicely detailed, but will probably feel tiny to players coming from TES.    … Expand
  70. Hosty
    Nov 2, 2015
    9
    If you are into RPGs, give this a try. I sure did a few months ago and it was great, I loved it.

    On the contrary of many people here who claim there are bugs, I myself did not encounter any such bugs through the entirety of my playthrough (64 hours), but I must admit, in some parts the story IS cliched but in some it is really original and fresh. Some people say it's mysogynist, I don't    If you are into RPGs, give this a try. I sure did a few months ago and it was great, I loved it.

    On the contrary of many people here who claim there are bugs, I myself did not encounter any such bugs through the entirety of my playthrough (64 hours), but I must admit, in some parts the story IS cliched but in some it is really original and fresh. Some people say it's mysogynist, I don't mind, that is their opinion. But this game is not made with the idea to be offensive to women, but to portray how it actually was in medieval times, when women certainly did not have the same rights as men.

    Back on topic, if you played TW2 or TW3 before touching this, you will probably not enjoy it as much as I did, infact I didn't like TW2 one bit when I seen all the difference from the first game to the second game. To this day I don't consider TW2 a true RPG, but more of a half life with rpg elements forced in.
    Then there's the debate of combat, how combat isn't very good. Well my opinion is that the combat is pretty good, with all the different styles you had to choose from and adapt depending on your enemy, and the animtions/executions were pretty satisfying I think. There is no dodging, which is probably the most iconic thing of TW2 combat, and that's just not good in my opinion.

    Anyway, story isn't that bad with iconic characters growing on you as you progress int he game.

    The one thing the game is severely, objectively, lacking in is the voice acting department. It has really low quality but then again the game is pretty low budget. In the Enhanced Edition they re-did almost all of Geralt's lines and maybe others, but when you find old lines it's pretty funny to see how bad they were.
    The graphics aren't half bad either, with a few mods making them even better. I myself didn't use any mods for my first paythrough, and would definitely use a few if I'm ever planning to play it again.    … Expand
  71. Vilio
    Oct 13, 2015
    3
    This game is nice example, how marketing can sell any piece of s...t. I'm trying to find game with worse combat system, but i think it's impossible. I stopped game after few combats. Also characters are typical supermen, story is typical "we are the best and we can rule gods....".
    I have better fun with old MDK, which I bought on GOG. And Witcher is in Trash folder on Steam, where he belongs.
  72. johnyct9760
    Oct 7, 2015
    9
    It's been said many times over but I'll echo, the combat leaves A LOT to be desired the the story and characters save the day big time! A- Great game with just a few minor faults.
  73. flamesfanadam
    Oct 1, 2015
    8
    The Witcher is an incredible RPG. I could not stop playing. The story is absolutely amazing, it really keeps you interested and all the characters are very believable. The world is not completely open but it feels open. The gameplay is a little rough but eventually you will get used to it and the story will make you want to finish.
  74. pnowacki90
    Aug 25, 2015
    9
    Many people are complaining about control settings, about romance cards, about voice acting. However, I love that game. I may be biased, because I'm a huge Witcher books fan, but still. References to culture, literature, and slavic and nordic myths are spot on, the whole game is full of them. These are not even easter eggs, the game is BUILT AROUND this references and you have to haveMany people are complaining about control settings, about romance cards, about voice acting. However, I love that game. I may be biased, because I'm a huge Witcher books fan, but still. References to culture, literature, and slavic and nordic myths are spot on, the whole game is full of them. These are not even easter eggs, the game is BUILT AROUND this references and you have to have pretty impressive knowledge to see.
    Story-wise its a great continuation of the Witcher Saga. Many characters known from books are present in the game. Shani, Triss, Zoltan and more.
    Controls could be better. Its a mild disadvantage that you cant use a controller. In sequels you can use a controller and the experience is so much better.    … Expand
  75. Alser21
    Aug 22, 2015
    7
    Ho appena finito di giocare il primo Witcher e che dire...mi ha parecchio deluso.
    Dopo un discreto avvio, la trama inizialmente interessante ha continuato sempre più a diventare banale facendo perdere forse l'aspetto migliore del gioco: l'atmosfera.
    Dal punto di vista tecnico per quanto nell'insieme ancora oggi faccia la sua bella figura, resta uno dei prodotti più sopravvalutati del suo    Ho appena finito di giocare il primo Witcher e che dire...mi ha parecchio deluso.
    Dopo un discreto avvio, la trama inizialmente interessante ha continuato sempre più a diventare banale facendo perdere forse l'aspetto migliore del gioco: l'atmosfera.
    Dal punto di vista tecnico per quanto nell'insieme ancora oggi faccia la sua bella figura, resta uno dei prodotti più sopravvalutati del suo periodo. Gli stessi difetti che sono stati rinfacciati ad altri giochi dello stesso genere ma dal carisma minore, compaiono anche qui e in grande quantità: stessi modelli per i png che si ripetono all'infinito e di qualità alterne, doppiaggio in italiano quasi risibile e scene di dialogo totalmente inespressive e legnose. Oltre a questo una giocabilità carente e legnosissima per quanto concerne un altro aspetto fondamentale del gioco, i combattimenti. Ciononostante, il carisma del protagonista e l'ambientazione risollevano la produzione e spingono il giocatore a sapere come andrà a finire.    … Expand
  76. Deadly_Traveler
    Aug 5, 2015
    10
    Have just completed it. One of my favourite games now.
    But seriously the game is marvellous. Graphics are pretty good despite engine CDProjectRed used was bad, soundtrack is glorious (felt satisfaction running around in Chapter IV, best incidental music imho) and the greatest - plot. The plot is absolutely perfect, no matter how many jerks are creating story for all those over9000k-cost    Have just completed it. One of my favourite games now.
    But seriously the game is marvellous. Graphics are pretty good despite engine CDProjectRed used was bad, soundtrack is glorious (felt satisfaction running around in Chapter IV, best incidental music imho) and the greatest - plot. The plot is absolutely perfect, no matter how many jerks are creating story for all those over9000k-cost games, it won't be as intriguing, as gripping, as great as plot in "The Witcher".
    P.S.: Really 1 of my favourite games now.    … Expand
  77. PrincessRose
    Aug 3, 2015
    7
    Like:
    + the story,it's very engaging and deep, got me hooked.
    + that you have choices which can affect things later on, making you often question if you should of made that decision. + Main characters are memorable. + the fist fighting and poker playing. + I think the graphics are quite good. Dislike: - Combat is terrible, click enemy wait for sword to glow, click again succeed    Like:
    + the story,it's very engaging and deep, got me hooked.
    + that you have choices which can affect things later on, making you often question if you should of made that decision.
    + Main characters are memorable.
    + the fist fighting and poker playing.
    + I think the graphics are quite good.

    Dislike:
    - Combat is terrible, click enemy wait for sword to glow, click again succeed and repeat or fail and start again.
    at first didn't like how the combat felt, but after getting used to it past the first boss, it doesn't seem too bad and is worth putting up with as the story is good. And once you start getting combo's into the 3's to 5's it's quite fun to watch Geralt do elaborate multiple swings and backflips.

    -Not fond of the easy, trashy women, every woman I come across in the game wants Geralt. None of them seem to have any morals or respect for themselves. And don't have old fashion values of courting, romance or being wooed properly.

    -Monster hunting side quests a bit boring and repetitive.
    -some quests have a lot of back tracking with no quick way to travel.
    -inventory is so small with no way to expand it.
    -unimportant NPC's have many replica's such as old peasant women all look the same, the merchants all are fat richly robed etc.
    -A bit too linear, can't go back to previous areas.
    -A bit disapointed at the end to obviously what Alvin has become in the future.
    -even playing on normal mode, didn't need alchemy much, mostly just used swallow, Cat, white rafford's Decoction and the occasional oil coating. Didn't bother with bombs.
    -With the signs only used Aard for knockback and Igni for Incineration, didn't find the others that useful or necessary.

    Despite the things I didn't like, I definitely reccomend this game, especially for those who like RPG's and a good story. This game to me is a must play. Not quite worthy of an 8 as the combat is rather clunky and not very good.    … Expand
  78. Meta-reviewer
    Aug 1, 2015
    7
    This game has a very slow start where it very slowly teaches you how to play. Once you get over this part, you'll find yourself absolutely hooked!

    Pros: Fascinating story. It's like reading a book, once you start it's hard to put down. The gameplay is very in depth, aside from sword fighting there are also spells that allow players to make more choices in a fight. Alchemy is fun in    This game has a very slow start where it very slowly teaches you how to play. Once you get over this part, you'll find yourself absolutely hooked!

    Pros:
    Fascinating story. It's like reading a book, once you start it's hard to put down.
    The gameplay is very in depth, aside from sword fighting there are also spells that allow players to make more choices in a fight.
    Alchemy is fun in ways that you could explore and make your very own potions. This allow the player to explore and discover their own way of playing the game which I really like.

    Cons:
    The major reason why this game is just good and not great is to do with the movement and animation.
    1) Too much running around. Yes I know this is the consequence of having a large map but this game needs more fast travels. In a 60 minute gameplay you'll find yourself spending at least 20 minutes running around with your middle finger on the w key.
    2) Fight mechanism isn't as engaging as it could be. All you do is just click at certain times. They should at least allow you to crouch, jump & block etc. The fighting mechanisms are sometimes quite glitchy. For example, if you and the enemy attack at the same time, you may only see your enemy receiving your attack and flinch after getting hit. However, the truth is his attack that happened at the same time will also be registered, if your hero doesn't parry he will take damage.

    Overall these are just minor problems and are easily outweighed by all the good components of the game. I strongly recommend this game to anyone who are willing to try a new genre and are willing to learn. Trust me it's worth it.    … Expand
  79. B1ackGuard
    Jul 14, 2015
    9
    Despite a lot of flaws and shortcomings The Witcher the best single-player fantasy CRPG of all published since Baldur`s Gate. The game is not standard and has a incredible atmosphere. The Witcher it is a rare product of the gaming industry, and industry role-playing games in particular. The game does not have the analog. The case when the developers have put own soul into the game, and didDespite a lot of flaws and shortcomings The Witcher the best single-player fantasy CRPG of all published since Baldur`s Gate. The game is not standard and has a incredible atmosphere. The Witcher it is a rare product of the gaming industry, and industry role-playing games in particular. The game does not have the analog. The case when the developers have put own soul into the game, and did so with the mind. The only flaw of the game in my opinion is old graphics engine, but otherwise it's a masterpiece. The game gives an unforgettable experience... get used to the role of Geralt of Rivia and live..… Expand
  80. wadaltmon
    Jul 4, 2015
    8
    A strange, and strangely engrossing, RPG that took my about 80 hours to finish. About 30 of those hours were well-written, but generally poorly voice acted, story content. About 15 of the hours I spent were in the game's simplistic and easy, though annoyingly unresponsive sometimes, combat system. Finally, about 35 of the hours I spent were those simply running from place to place. TheA strange, and strangely engrossing, RPG that took my about 80 hours to finish. About 30 of those hours were well-written, but generally poorly voice acted, story content. About 15 of the hours I spent were in the game's simplistic and easy, though annoyingly unresponsive sometimes, combat system. Finally, about 35 of the hours I spent were those simply running from place to place. The massive levels in this game and the fact that there is really no fast travel system makes it a chore to get from place to place for quests and other tasks.
    However, the story content, characters, and player choices in gameplay (that have immediate and deferred consequences) make it all worthwhile. Overall, it was an incredible experience to play, although it still runs less than adequately on modern systems.    … Expand
  81. Zen-Zinxe
    Jun 19, 2015
    7
    A really nice game. The combat is dated and fairly easy to grasp. Despite being a sword wielding witcher, combat revolves around using the right potions/stance for the job and clicking every once in a while at the right time. This is true for the entirety of the game. While it is not very engaging in combat, the story is VERY engaging. From courting every talkative female you come acrossA really nice game. The combat is dated and fairly easy to grasp. Despite being a sword wielding witcher, combat revolves around using the right potions/stance for the job and clicking every once in a while at the right time. This is true for the entirety of the game. While it is not very engaging in combat, the story is VERY engaging. From courting every talkative female you come across to fistfighting drunks in every bar you enter, there is a world for you to conquer. The actions you take have a dramatic impact on the characters you come across, and you'll never quite be able to decide if someone is "good" or "evil", because nobody is a shallow stereotype in this world.

    People who seem like sleazebags often turn out to be kind at heart, and others who seem like valuable allies force you to make decisions you don't want to, turning them into enemies.

    When I beat the game I was compelled to look back at all the people I interacted with and how their lives turned out. Despite doing my best I couldn't avoid killing people I had once been trying to protect, and in the end I felt like a pawn in a game that I didn't understand, yet somehow I had still come out the end a hero who had done all he could to keep peace and order.

    If you have the patience to deal with combat that isn't very engaging, and a lust for good storytelling, you should without a doubt play this especially if you have any interest in playing the other Witcher games.    … Expand
  82. gloriouspotato
    Jun 17, 2015
    8
    A solid and enjoyable game overall. What differentiates The Witcher from other RPGs is its superior character development and moral ambiguity. Choice and consequence is definitely a major component of the story, and it's interesting to see how it all manifests in the later chapters.

    Unfortunately, the game is slow to start, and the story doesn't really move forward until reaching    A solid and enjoyable game overall. What differentiates The Witcher from other RPGs is its superior character development and moral ambiguity. Choice and consequence is definitely a major component of the story, and it's interesting to see how it all manifests in the later chapters.

    Unfortunately, the game is slow to start, and the story doesn't really move forward until reaching Chapter 2 and 3. The combat system is similar in that it feels clunky initially, but you learn to tolerate and even enjoy it upon learning more signs and becoming more familiar with it, though fighting drowners and other trash slowly becomes more arduous and repetitive as you progress. Other criticisms include the sheer amount of backtracking there is, particularly in chapters 1, 2 and 4. Also, the weird quest progression in chapter 2.

    Overall rating: 7.7/10    … Expand
  83. KaienShiba
    Jun 11, 2015
    5
    Great storyline, ill conceived control setup. Which makes all the good things about the game suffer. Very few games are ported with success. Best to start from scratch even if it takes more time and effort to do it.
  84. charris727
    May 25, 2015
    0
    This is why I despise western games. All the male characters follow the same sexist stereotypes with no variety between them. Female characters are more than just breasts and thighs walking around. The lines are horrendous with no depth. Quite a shallow game. There are so many other things wrong, but this above all prevented me from being to enjoy the game.
  85. azarielrdm
    May 25, 2015
    8
    Gameplay
    -Controls are mediocre
    -Click accuracy is an issue both in combat and looting and is frustrating at times +Combat is fun but... -Deaths can be cheap +3 difficulty modes. Normal was not very challenging. Presentation +Fantastic story +Graphics still somewhat hold up against newer 3d titles. Environments are very nice -Locations are recycled quite often +UI does its job    Gameplay
    -Controls are mediocre
    -Click accuracy is an issue both in combat and looting and is frustrating at times
    +Combat is fun but...
    -Deaths can be cheap
    +3 difficulty modes. Normal was not very challenging.

    Presentation
    +Fantastic story
    +Graphics still somewhat hold up against newer 3d titles. Environments are very nice
    -Locations are recycled quite often
    +UI does its job
    +Sound FX are perfect. Sword fighting doesn't sound much better than this
    +Excellent soundtrack
    -Early Bioware style conversations with cardboard NPCs

    Enjoyment
    +The story kept me wanting more
    +Combat is fairly exciting
    -Be prepared for a LOT of walking through empty space and backtracking
    -Can only track one quest at a time which led to many an inefficient route while completing side missions

    Other
    +The length of the game felt just right
    +The ending and conclusionary action felt rewarding

    Biggest Pros
    +The story and lore
    +Rewarding sidequests
    +Strongly written dialogue and decent voiceover

    Biggest Cons
    -The game not listening to where you click is frustrating and it happens often
    -NPCs look terrible and act wonky in cutscenes but such was the time the game was made

    This game is worth a playthrough and is fun.    … Expand
  86. scribeofthemist
    May 21, 2015
    10
    There were so many graphics that my PC turned off and wouldn't come back, even though it survived everything from ACU to FC4 to Dying Light at Ultra settings. 10/10 would blow up my PSU again.
  87. styku91
    May 19, 2015
    9
    Great meaningful story is definitely the strongest advantage of the game. What developers made out of the old NWN engine is simply astonishing. One of the few cRPGs that are not only about grinding monsters, collecting loot and leveling up, must-play for fans of the genre.

    On the bad side - combat system makes encounters repetitive, so if you're a lot into action games, lower the score to 8/10.
  88. tupungato
    May 15, 2015
    9
    PROS:
    - Geralt's character development (with quite original method of talents)
    - potion making (includes picking of herbs, harvesting jaws of vampires etc.) - moral choices reflecting in changing attitudes of other characters - multitude of quests - some parts are really intense - deep, immersive story - nice music, beautiful landscapes, amazing architecture - seducing women is    PROS:
    - Geralt's character development (with quite original method of talents)
    - potion making (includes picking of herbs, harvesting jaws of vampires etc.)
    - moral choices reflecting in changing attitudes of other characters
    - multitude of quests
    - some parts are really intense
    - deep, immersive story
    - nice music, beautiful landscapes, amazing architecture
    - seducing women is kind of fun
    - becoming master of dice poker and fist fighting is also kind of fun
    - original monsters

    MEH:
    - somewhere midgame you get a lot of bothersome "run here, talk, run there, talk" quests
    - you need to adjust to game's combat system
    - first 30-90 minutes of the game are kind of boring

    CONS:
    - you don't get to use many weapons or armors, because other weapons than swords are not usable in witcher battle styles making them ineffective especially later in the game
    - after you start feeling which skills are important and focus on developing them, fighting becomes quite easy

    Overall: you need to bite the bullet and endure the first hour of the game. After that you get a really good, immersive RPG with damn good story and lots of locations.    … Expand
  89. Cyraga
    May 3, 2015
    9
    I'd tried a few times to enjoy this game before and it had always eluded me. With Witcher 3 coming up and looking so impressive I decided I would plant myself in front of Witcher 2 until I had given it time to grow on me or cement my disdain for it.
    I have to say I'm glad I did. Before, the combat didn't make sense, the quests seemed ambiguous and the general flow of the game felt    I'd tried a few times to enjoy this game before and it had always eluded me. With Witcher 3 coming up and looking so impressive I decided I would plant myself in front of Witcher 2 until I had given it time to grow on me or cement my disdain for it.
    I have to say I'm glad I did. Before, the combat didn't make sense, the quests seemed ambiguous and the general flow of the game felt plodding and ponderous.
    This time, something clicked and I found that with some patience I learnt how the combat was meant to feel and I fell in love with it (mostly). The seamless jump from an Aard sign to stun, to a quick attack to close, then heavy attacks to tear chunks from the enemies health is addictive and gripping. My only gripe is that most fights tend to be either simple affairs of one or two-hitting trash enemies or somewhat frustrating Yrden/backstab fests while you dodge multitudes of other enemies. It sounds worse than it is though, the combat is punchy and satisfying and I can’t wait for more in Witcher 3.
    The questing system is still a bit frustrating. The game doesn’t warn you when you’re about to fail quests because you cross an arbitrary point in the story that is incompatible with whatever side quest you might have been working on. Again, this is a minor complaint, the system isn’t punitive and for the most part it’s clear when you’re about to enter a major story quest and need to wrap things up before you go on.
    I don’t know what it was that clicked, but I really can’t think of much to fault this game on. If Witcher 3 is everything we’ve been promised then I can only imagine where RPG’s will go from here, because it will be hard to match, let alone beat.    … Expand
  90. RCBobs
    Apr 27, 2015
    10
    Played it because I liked the look of Wild Hunt. Loved it! This is one of the best RPGs I've played since the KOTOR games and held my attention for some 70 hours and I didn't complete many of the side quests. Geralt is a character that puts most video game protagonists to shame and the decisions you make really influence the world and feel uniquely your own. Not easy to get into and I'mPlayed it because I liked the look of Wild Hunt. Loved it! This is one of the best RPGs I've played since the KOTOR games and held my attention for some 70 hours and I didn't complete many of the side quests. Geralt is a character that puts most video game protagonists to shame and the decisions you make really influence the world and feel uniquely your own. Not easy to get into and I'm sick of running around the Temple Quarter of Vizima but easily one of the best games I've played.… Expand
  91. BaronMonaco
    Mar 20, 2015
    9
    The democratisation of dark-fantasy in video-games, just like Game Of Throne did with TV shows. Great graphics at the time, complex, well written and engaging story with choices that have true consequences in a true living world. The first entry in the series is remarkable: 40 hours of gameplay, good alchemy system, amazing story and universe but not flawless: the combat system is tooThe democratisation of dark-fantasy in video-games, just like Game Of Throne did with TV shows. Great graphics at the time, complex, well written and engaging story with choices that have true consequences in a true living world. The first entry in the series is remarkable: 40 hours of gameplay, good alchemy system, amazing story and universe but not flawless: the combat system is too simple and shops are useless and it would have been better if it was a true open-world instead of zone per act.
    I really did enjoy my time, but I know that the second and probably the third entry are even better and close to perfect, those one will deserve a 10, for The Witcher 1 I think 9 is more fair.    … Expand
  92. Tugfahloosoo
    Mar 5, 2015
    5
    I picked this game up because it has great reviews and "The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt" looks impressive.

    The Good: The story is decent. It's not the most original thing ever, but for a video game it's pretty solid. I found most of the characters engaging even if the voice acting is a bit stiff much of the time and the dialogue can be hilariously bad. The graphics of this game are    I picked this game up because it has great reviews and "The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt" looks impressive.

    The Good: The story is decent. It's not the most original thing ever, but for a video game it's pretty solid. I found most of the characters engaging even if the voice acting is a bit stiff much of the time and the dialogue can be hilariously bad. The graphics of this game are also very good for when it came out. The world you explore is very good looking, if a bit cramped. Monster design if interesting and often original. I found the potions system to be in depth and challenging; allowing players to manage different ingredients to get the same potion. The music is comprised of catchy little medieval tunes, except when you have a boss fight and it switches over to heavy metal for some immersion breaking reason.

    The Bad: Combat. Even after I got used to the combat it was still very unresponsive and unsatisfying. I died more times than I can remember just because Geralt would not respond to commands. He would just stand there and get his butt kicked. And I'm not talking about stun locks or anything, he just would not move. Even when Geralt would successfully attack, it always felt like I was just swing my sword through the air (sometimes I was and it still counted as a hit). There is no feeling of impact to the combat. Also, the dodge move is incredibly unreliable. The missions get to be a bit of a mess as well. I had almost 20 missions going on at one time and the game doesn't indicate which ones you can make progress on or not. More times than I can count, I would be looking for a character in the places they normally were only to find out that they had disappeared or moved to another place for no reason. This brings me to the map. The map often points to areas where your objective is, but then there's nothing there. The map is confusing and sometimes detrimental.

    The Ugly: Game play suffers for the story, which comes off as pretentious. On about 5 different occasions, twice during boss fights, the game decides to have a cut scene DURING A FIGHT and when it fades back in, you are getting beaten to death and can't do anything about it. It's like CD Projekt forgot they were making a video game. I "failed" quite a few missions because I didn't do them in the exact order the game wanted. Not that there was ANY indication that there was an order in which they needed to be completed or that I was going to a point of no return. This game had more frustrating WTF moments in it than anything I've ever played. The system in which you collect naked lady cards every time you bang a chick. Classy. It literally objectifies women, which is odd because one of the main characters in the game is an independent and well developed female. The Witcher also crashes a lot. I'm running it on a powerful rig, Windows 7 64 bit, and it crashed at least once every time I played it. No file corruptions though.

    Verdict: "The Witcher" is often called "a thinking man's RPG". I'd say it's more of an OCD fan boy's RPG. Looks like I got run over by the hype train. Not recommended.    … Expand
  93. MadclownJack
    Dec 26, 2014
    6
    It's a good game in the instances when the script doesn't turn on itself (and the player). The battle system doesn't always work as intended, it can become tedious fast, the autosave is inconsistent at best. Also, a lot of boring, boring fetch quests, making the gameplay an unnecessary runaround. Inventory limit is a joke, enemies will bum rush you all the time, getting you stuck unable toIt's a good game in the instances when the script doesn't turn on itself (and the player). The battle system doesn't always work as intended, it can become tedious fast, the autosave is inconsistent at best. Also, a lot of boring, boring fetch quests, making the gameplay an unnecessary runaround. Inventory limit is a joke, enemies will bum rush you all the time, getting you stuck unable to change style or attack. I like it, sometimes. Most of the times, though, i feel like the game was made by people who hated it, or something.… Expand
  94. BigDegs29
    Nov 11, 2014
    8
    Decided to pick this up on a whim, and I'm glad I did as it led me to one of my favorite RPGs of all time (The Witcher 2).

    This game is great for two reasons. First, it has some great ideas. Unfortunately, many of these great ideas aren't fleshed out as much as they could be; the developer being a small Polish company restricted how far they could take the game. Nonetheless, it still    Decided to pick this up on a whim, and I'm glad I did as it led me to one of my favorite RPGs of all time (The Witcher 2).

    This game is great for two reasons. First, it has some great ideas. Unfortunately, many of these great ideas aren't fleshed out as much as they could be; the developer being a small Polish company restricted how far they could take the game. Nonetheless, it still takes RPGs down roads they've never been before.

    Second, it's not afraid to be dark and realistic in its themes. As an adult, I want tough, no-win choices, I want realistic violence, I want shades of grey in the story, I want dark humor, I want sex/nudity, and I want deep, interesting characters. The Witcher has all of that.

    The Witcher is a worthy entry into the series and a good precursor to the amazing game that is The Witcher 2.    … Expand
  95. TUHD
    Oct 26, 2014
    9
    It's a good game. Flat-out likeable. Yet there's one flaw in it - the fighting system. Constant clicking. Once you get used to it, it will feel good enough and you'll make chains of attacks - but getting it can be oh so annoying. Even if you after some time return to the game - you'll get the feeling of 'oh **** I forgot it works like this.' The story is good, the graphics while slightlyIt's a good game. Flat-out likeable. Yet there's one flaw in it - the fighting system. Constant clicking. Once you get used to it, it will feel good enough and you'll make chains of attacks - but getting it can be oh so annoying. Even if you after some time return to the game - you'll get the feeling of 'oh **** I forgot it works like this.' The story is good, the graphics while slightly dated by now remain nice to see.
    It's an underrated classic sadly    … Expand
  96. Qwertie
    Sep 20, 2014
    2
    I like another reviewers description: "combat that's about as exhilirating as learning to type". IMO this is certainly among the most boring RPGs out there; its graphics are nothing special, combat is strangely designed, doesn't look remotely realistic, and is boring once you get the hang of it. To me the menu system is one of the worst parts. It's confusingly designed, with everythingI like another reviewers description: "combat that's about as exhilirating as learning to type". IMO this is certainly among the most boring RPGs out there; its graphics are nothing special, combat is strangely designed, doesn't look remotely realistic, and is boring once you get the hang of it. To me the menu system is one of the worst parts. It's confusingly designed, with everything represented by tiny round icons with unidentifiable features. I've never seen a game with such tiny buttons. I simply couldn't figure out how to use most of it and was so bored by the game as a whole that I couldn't muster the effort to figure it out. I gave up after 3 hours. Voice acting: boring. Combat: tedius. Non-combat elements: boring. Graphics: sub-par for its age.… Expand
  97. Sirik_Matak
    Sep 15, 2014
    7
    It's a really good game gameplay wise. The Aurora engine was brought to its limits with this title I think. The monotonous, but yet easy to control combat system works as intended, character development has a point being there (even if most magic signs are just gimmicks and I never use them).
    The game shines at dialogues, lore and setting, even if the main plot is average at best (you    It's a really good game gameplay wise. The Aurora engine was brought to its limits with this title I think. The monotonous, but yet easy to control combat system works as intended, character development has a point being there (even if most magic signs are just gimmicks and I never use them).
    The game shines at dialogues, lore and setting, even if the main plot is average at best (you couldn't care less about it). But the loads of sideplots, bonus quests and characters is magnificent and keeps you playing just because you really want to see how a certain substory ends, not because "I need to finish this game for the sake of it". But talk about disappointment and uninspired ending, oh God.    … Expand
  98. mpc64
    Sep 10, 2014
    0
    The Mac version is a disaster. Can't really believe they're even selling it as a "Mac" version. It's really just a wine port of the PC version. Crashes all the time and often won't reopen after a crash without reinstalling the whole game. After several reinstalls, at this point it won't for open for me at all. Hardly got through any of the game. Complete waste of money.

    The game itself    The Mac version is a disaster. Can't really believe they're even selling it as a "Mac" version. It's really just a wine port of the PC version. Crashes all the time and often won't reopen after a crash without reinstalling the whole game. After several reinstalls, at this point it won't for open for me at all. Hardly got through any of the game. Complete waste of money.

    The game itself is pretty dull, what I could play of it. Hard to believe it got such good reviews from critics. Must be boosting their ratings in an effort to support an indie RPG. While I respect the work that went into this as an indie title. The game's just not fun to play. The story drags while you wander around some little town area. Combat's mostly just click repeatedly on your enemies.    … Expand
  99. Elissonx
    Aug 8, 2014
    8
    O jogo é de 2008 mas estou jogando agora em 2014 e por isso já dá pra ter uma ideia da fama que o jogo possui.

    Em termos de história, das escolhas morais pelas quests e das várias discussões dos diversos fóruns dedicados eu dou 10, mas pela jogabilidade atrasada, travada e bugs, 5. Assim:

    História = 10
    Jogabilidade = 5

    Nota = 7,5/10
  100. LordAzlan
    Aug 5, 2014
    4
    Shame me once, shame on you, shame me twice, shame on me.

    The Witcher Enhanced game uses the Bioware engine made famous from games like Dragon Age or Knights of the Old Republic. For some people that might be enough info to stick this game in the bin - for me it should have been. The game starts with an excellent intro and then you go through a tutorial section where many of the    Shame me once, shame on you, shame me twice, shame on me.

    The Witcher Enhanced game uses the Bioware engine made famous from games like Dragon Age or Knights of the Old Republic. For some people that might be enough info to stick this game in the bin - for me it should have been.

    The game starts with an excellent intro and then you go through a tutorial section where many of the games systems are played though. The story was quite different than the normal D&D realms as it has an Eastern European influence and the world is gritty, racist, sexist etc. Quite adult sometimes, it is not a family game. You can encounter Elves and Dwarves in your travels and a varied array of monsters. The graphics and sound are pretty good. Nightime can really scare the pants of you and the effects of water, the style of buildings etc is pretty good.

    Witchers are specialist monster hunters that have been through extreme training that has somehow changed their biology. They can craft potions and use magic. Combat is interesting, a timed clicking experience to build up attacks. Silver weapons work better on monsters and steel is better for humans. There are three diffent styles of fighting depending on whether your opponent is large and slow, quick or if you are fighting a group. Alchemy was completly incomprehensible in the earlier version but has been updated now and easier to manage. Easier, not easy. Everywhere you go plants can be harvested for ingredients and then made into potions. Although, before you can do that the recipe must be known. Oh - and you can get drunk and stumble around for a while. Sometimes you can even acquire key objectives through getting drunk.

    First time around I could not for the life of me figure how to rest or make potions. The "Enhanced" version makes this easier and you normally have to find a fireplace where you can medidate, level up and create potions.

    I did like the journal where you have to learn about certain things before you can action it in game. For example, reading a book about zombies will allow you to recognise how to beat them in combat and then what part of their bodies can be harvested for alchemy or profit. That is a neat idea which I liked. The auto map is pretty decent and sometimes you have the option to flag quest objectives on the map where help you go where you must.

    Now, I tried to play this game a long time ago and gave up in chapter one. This time around I have decided to give it a good go and now have given up in chapter two - no more chances!

    The game is simply not fun. It feels like a hard day's work after you come home from a hard day's work. I really tried to persevere as in those other Bioware games but just could not do it. The game environment just breaks the illusion too many times. In other games, the limits of the engine is normally visible at the edges, to places you wouldn't want to go or where it makes sense you can't go. In this game the limits of the engine just slap you in the face every five minutes. Now, the journal is pretty good and can help you navigate the various quests. It is easy to go back and check the bestiary to remind yourself of what style to use against certain monsters etc

    What killed the game for me apart from the engine was that the over reliance of having to do something or talk to someone at a certain time or in a certain sequence - otherwise you are doomed to go from point A to B to C to D in an eternal loop trying to figure out which objective out of 500 objectives is the one that must be completed before all the others. Hours of trawling through Witcher Wiki suggests talking to certain people about certain things which then don't come up in game.

    You have a quest to kill Zombies which pays handsomely.
    You can't get into the graveyard as it is off limits.
    You can get into the graveyard by clearing the debts of the undertaker or getting a city pass.
    You can't clear the debts without talking to Ms S
    Ms S won't talk to you unless you meet her at point (X,Y,Z) at the precise time and location
    Old hag won't let you see Ms S unless you do something.
    To get a City Pass you must solve a murder involving 3-4 people.
    To clear one person you must get into the location where there are Zombies.
    Go to the top.

    Not quite how it is - but that is is how it feels - but with five thousand lines and consequnces. Otherwise the game is completely bugged and can't keep track of it's own quests. Now, I started playing a game called Arx Fatalis which some people say is the spiritual successor to Ultima Underworld. The graphics are a bit naff, the controls taking a while to get used to - but for some reason I am enjoying the game. What is going on?    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

10
#10 Best PC Game of 2008
7
#7 Most Discussed PC Game of 2008
3
#3 Most Shared PC Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. 1UP
    75
    The main adventure still has serious pacing problems, combat's still too easy for the most part, and load times -- though reduced -- continue to get in the way of the action.
    Read full review
  2. Eurogamer
    80
    The new and improved package is increasingly attractive. There are still some rough edges, and moments of genuine drama are still undercut by how they're performed, but this is an agreeably driven RPG in an agreeably ornate package.
    Read full review
  3. PC Format
    88
    Finally, The Witcher fulfills its potential, and, best of all, it's available as a free update, just in case you bought it anyway. [Nov 2008, p.110]
See all critic reviews »