The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1038 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 850 out of 1038
  2. Mixed: 95 out of 1038
  3. Negative: 93 out of 1038
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  1. jrobpaq
    Apr 27, 2013
    5
    I was genuinely surprised that I did not like The Witcher 2, after hearing all the praise from both critics and friends. They praised the story, the gameplay, and the "deep" and "mature" writing. I failed to see any of this in-game.

    My gripes with this game are mainly minors ones. For example, the animations. Everyone looks like they’ve got a rod down their spine, and they barely    I was genuinely surprised that I did not like The Witcher 2, after hearing all the praise from both critics and friends. They praised the story, the gameplay, and the "deep" and "mature" writing. I failed to see any of this in-game.

    My gripes with this game are mainly minors ones. For example, the animations. Everyone looks like they’ve got a rod down their spine, and they barely have any emotions at all. Geralt himself is a robot, responding with grunts and stiff nods. In fact, I found almost all the characters stale and uninteresting.

    Secondly, the menu system. This game was not made for the consoles, period. The menus are crowded, messy, and hard to understand compared to other RPGs.

    Thirdly, the combat. I found myself just mashing the "A" button until my opponent died, occasionally rolling away from attacks and waiting for my health to regenerate. I saw little purpose for using magic, and there was no need to.

    Lastly, The Witcher 2 has a serious lack of customization and variety of its enemies and items.

    Overall, The Witcher 2 has its shortcomings, mainly its menus, combat, and lack of customization. But it has its strong points too, like its story, even if it tries to be “mature.”    … Expand
  2. brockowski
    Mar 29, 2013
    6
    Graphics where fantastic and the storyline was descent. The most frustrating part to this game was that it was way to hard on normal level. I played the game on easy level and it was to easy problem with this game is very simple easy level is pointless and normal level was way to hard. Also the fact that there where no map markers for the majority of quests made me have to continuallyGraphics where fantastic and the storyline was descent. The most frustrating part to this game was that it was way to hard on normal level. I played the game on easy level and it was to easy problem with this game is very simple easy level is pointless and normal level was way to hard. Also the fact that there where no map markers for the majority of quests made me have to continually check the game walkthrough which interrupted the fluency of the game. All in all I was disappointed with this game.… Expand
  3. JamesDeLuca
    Nov 14, 2013
    5
    Disappointment sums it up... Playing the Witcher 2 feels like a chore; it's not enjoyable but more of a bore. It features very linear gameplay, and is not the open world thriller it's been marketed as. Instead of a vastly open map you navigate through a spider web of trails divided into small regions which are susceptible to load-outs when boarder hoping. Combat controls need to beDisappointment sums it up... Playing the Witcher 2 feels like a chore; it's not enjoyable but more of a bore. It features very linear gameplay, and is not the open world thriller it's been marketed as. Instead of a vastly open map you navigate through a spider web of trails divided into small regions which are susceptible to load-outs when boarder hoping. Combat controls need to be executed precisely and will take hours to master. The game often leaves you in combat situations that seem impossible thanks to the stubborn controls and complexity of motions required. The sad part is I want to like this game so much, I put it back in my xbox once a month only to remember that its sucks. And whats even sadder is, I'm decently hyped for the Witcher 3, as if it will be any different.… Expand
  4. LiquidGamer
    Apr 17, 2012
    7
    Just want to start out by saying I have played BOTH the PC and Console versions of the game, will not be giving it either a 0 or a 10 like most on here, and do not work for WB. I am just a lonely podcaster (LIQUID GAMER) trying to let you know what I thought of this game on console. First off the good, game play worked well with the controller, I was worried about that. Besides a fewJust want to start out by saying I have played BOTH the PC and Console versions of the game, will not be giving it either a 0 or a 10 like most on here, and do not work for WB. I am just a lonely podcaster (LIQUID GAMER) trying to let you know what I thought of this game on console. First off the good, game play worked well with the controller, I was worried about that. Besides a few misses the graphics are slightly dumb'ed down than its PC counterpart, still colorful and well executed. And the story is and will continue to be excellent and intriguing. Unlike other RPG's the choices you make matter more than just giving you horns or orange scratches on your skin. They will adjust the story and the way things in the world play out. So choose wisely and enjoy it! Now for the not so good... Audio is a big part of gaming in my point of view, even though the score is great the voice acting and recording quality from that voice acting is horrible. Some moments felt as if the voice actors called in the lines over a land line to a cassette tape and then digitized for the game. Very noticeable and very bad. The game was glitchy but most games are now a days so I didn't mind it that much. So that's it, great game all in all, worth ownership due to length and involvement, but not work a 10 and totally not a 0. Good Gaming! http://liquidgamer.podbean.com/… Expand
  5. RexReqz
    Apr 22, 2012
    7
    Played it and my personal opinion is that it's a good game but the combat and targeting make this game frustrating and cheap. The beginning you are going to get your ass handed to you on a regular basis. The skills you have wont be enough to get through the prologue seemlessly I can understand difficulty but when the game is restricting your ability to attack or target that makes it notPlayed it and my personal opinion is that it's a good game but the combat and targeting make this game frustrating and cheap. The beginning you are going to get your ass handed to you on a regular basis. The skills you have wont be enough to get through the prologue seemlessly I can understand difficulty but when the game is restricting your ability to attack or target that makes it not difficult but cheap. The dialogue and story are great but memorable not in the slightest. The characters are the same stereo-typical characters you've seen in movies, games, and multitude of stories littered about. There is a great variety in the game which I did like from weapons to bombs and traps. The visuals are nice as well. This is not a game intended for casual gamers but for a more dedicated gamer that is really looking for content as well as depth in story. I don't dislike the game but I'm not totally enamored by it. In the end just stick through it because it does get better but if you're looking for a user friendly game look else where.… Expand
  6. Magdal3na
    Apr 18, 2012
    7
    Not get me wrong it's a great looking game just not the best looking game that i've seen on the Xbox360. Pesonally that honour goes to Rage for the use of there Id's Tech 5 Engine, but mainly because the way the characters come across a bit stiff/wooden and not very realistic when there having a conversation, it almost feels like your playing Dragon Age 2 in that respects, plus the voiceNot get me wrong it's a great looking game just not the best looking game that i've seen on the Xbox360. Pesonally that honour goes to Rage for the use of there Id's Tech 5 Engine, but mainly because the way the characters come across a bit stiff/wooden and not very realistic when there having a conversation, it almost feels like your playing Dragon Age 2 in that respects, plus the voice acting is rather poor in my opinion. I do find it fishy that some people have only reviewed two both being the same game (yes i know that the PC version came out nine months goes) and have given Skyrim a very poor 3 out of 10 for a franlky amazing game. As good as Metacritic is it does frankly have too much power over whether a game/developer lives or dies. Look at Homefront for example, the game sold over two million copies, yet due to bad reviews on here the developer was closed by THQ. (I know it wasn't a great game as i've played it) Which i think is crazy, when frankly the sales figures and feed back from the fans should be the most important thing. All in all, it 's a good game, but there are definitly better games out there for the graphics and game play, just don't read too much into what other people have been saying, as after all it's your choice and that's the joys of being a modern day gamer.… Expand
  7. TheQuietGamer
    May 5, 2012
    7
    I am a huge RPG fan, I love the genre and want to see all the different paths it takes so when I first heard about The Witcher 2 and the praise it was receiving I wanted to play it, the problem? I don't have a PC that can play games like that so I was sadly left out, but they thankfully made this console port, but I have to say I am disappointed with what The Witcher 2 had to offer, don'tI am a huge RPG fan, I love the genre and want to see all the different paths it takes so when I first heard about The Witcher 2 and the praise it was receiving I wanted to play it, the problem? I don't have a PC that can play games like that so I was sadly left out, but they thankfully made this console port, but I have to say I am disappointed with what The Witcher 2 had to offer, don't get me wrong it's a good game and I had fun playing through it, it's got solid and challenging combat (well, until you level up, then it becomes easy), deep choices that effect everything in the story, where you go, who you see, and what you do. And it's an experience aimed not only at the most mature audiences (seriously parents, keep you kids as far away as possible), but also an experience that is aimed at the most hardcore of RPG players. But when I compare this game to others RPG's I've played it doesn't stack up to it's hefty competition in the gameplay department, the combat is smooth for the most part but there are some issues with the lock on system and at times the camera, each chapter has it's own location that your going to have to explore in order to complete quests, but there design is so awful you'll often find yourself getting lost in the maze like location filled with dead ends with the almost 100% useless map, I encountered one or two almost quest breaking glitches (luckily I found my way around the glitches or the game managed to fix itself after a bit), and the story is hampered by passable to downright poor voice acting, and speaking of things hampering the story Geralt is for the most part unlikable, his friend range from good to great but he's just ok, the graphics hold up well but they're far from the best, and it's just not as much fun to play as other RPG's. I did have fun with it and want to see where they take the Witcher series from here and how the series story ultimately concludes. I recommend it to people who have either been curious about it or are looking for a more hardcore RPG, but I was ultimately disappointed with it. It's good but not great and will only click with a certain audience, but it's far from the worst out there.… Expand
  8. Apotts
    Apr 4, 2013
    7
    Not a bad game, but massively overrated. I am glad I waited for the price to drop, because had I paid full price I might be a bid disappointed, but at the current pricing I think it is a fun weekend game. I just can't figure out where all the high scores and hype came from. Perhaps gamers were bewitched by the nudity, since it certainly can't be the underwhelming story, sub-par battleNot a bad game, but massively overrated. I am glad I waited for the price to drop, because had I paid full price I might be a bid disappointed, but at the current pricing I think it is a fun weekend game. I just can't figure out where all the high scores and hype came from. Perhaps gamers were bewitched by the nudity, since it certainly can't be the underwhelming story, sub-par battle system, or the painfully linear environments. Still there is fun to be had, just not the amount I expected based on the hype.… Expand
  9. timbers_WSU
    Nov 14, 2012
    6
    I am not gonna completely slam this game since it is obviously not for me. I am not a big RPG gamer and got bored with this game only a few hours in. At the same time how long do you have to play a game before deciding it isn't your thing? 2 hours? 10 hours? I don't know. I guess for RPG's you have to give it a little more leeway. I do not hate the game. It just isn't for me. If you areI am not gonna completely slam this game since it is obviously not for me. I am not a big RPG gamer and got bored with this game only a few hours in. At the same time how long do you have to play a game before deciding it isn't your thing? 2 hours? 10 hours? I don't know. I guess for RPG's you have to give it a little more leeway. I do not hate the game. It just isn't for me. If you are not an RPG fan or maybe something like Mass Effect is about as RPG as you wanna get than this game is not gonna be for you. I am sure there are people who love it and for those people this thing is probably a Godsend, especially on the RPG starved 360. I am more of an instant action gamer so I can pass this by without ever playing it again. Still, I don't think a bad score is something it deserves. I tried it and it isn't for me. Doesn't make it a bad game.… Expand
  10. Panneto
    May 24, 2012
    5
    I have no idea how this game has such a high rating. Its not for the open world loving RPG fans that will of played the likes of Skyrim, Oblivion and Fallout. This game is scarily similiar to Fable II. It has little to none leveling and upgrading abilities for your character taking any any unique feel to the game. The areas are quite beautiful graphically but small compared to other games.I have no idea how this game has such a high rating. Its not for the open world loving RPG fans that will of played the likes of Skyrim, Oblivion and Fallout. This game is scarily similiar to Fable II. It has little to none leveling and upgrading abilities for your character taking any any unique feel to the game. The areas are quite beautiful graphically but small compared to other games. Pathways are set out and you cannot deter from them like a genuine sandbox game. This games only positive i can draw is the interactions with NPC's and dialog. If you want a game thats based purely on dialog and choices but not much substance out in the actual playing world then this is the game for you.… Expand
  11. Mattaclysm
    Aug 17, 2012
    5
    Ah yes, The Witcher 2. A game I had on my radar for so long. Looking for something to kill time with I decided to rent this game. Wow what a waste of time it was. Where to start? Having never played the first witcher I didn't really understand what was going on and you really aren't given much of an explanation about anything only that your witcher Geralt lost his memory. The main plot inAh yes, The Witcher 2. A game I had on my radar for so long. Looking for something to kill time with I decided to rent this game. Wow what a waste of time it was. Where to start? Having never played the first witcher I didn't really understand what was going on and you really aren't given much of an explanation about anything only that your witcher Geralt lost his memory. The main plot in the game aside from that is to find a kingslayer so you can clear your name. Now this isn't where I find my problems with the witcher 2. In fact the way the story, voice acting and character models and clothing are great. The problem I have is the boring gameplay. Combat system is sub par and just below mediocre. It's not fun. It may very well be one of the worst combat systems in a video game this gen. I found myself attacking walls randomly during combat even though I clearly have a marker on the enemies this stems from a beyond poor hit detection. It's really just mashing the A and X buttons. Magic is fine, but traps are absolutely worthless. These unfortunate circumstances add a level of difficulty to the game as well which some people may find a good thing, however I find it a problem with the game mechanics. Speaking of which I also thought my xbox controller was broke at times because even doing things like climbing up and climbing down rocks took a few extra taps of A to go down. Even in combat sometimes I would find myself getting killed because I couldn't draw my sword unless I kept pressing the left or right d-pad. Huh? My controller works fine with other games on the 360. Seems to be a problem with TW2. The menus in the game are a nightmare as well, an absolute mess. Right when I started the tutorial seeing the menu I was just overwhelmed. Not only is it a total disaster but I also found it to be laggy and slow and with the amount of options in each category, especially your items. It can become irritatingly frustrating. This is by far the most cluttered menu system EVER. On to the side-quests. What a joke. No explanation on how to complete quests? No markers on your mini map to tell you who to talk to or what to do? You have to figure things out by yourself? Not since aeons ago have I seen a game provide as little information as possible for you to complete your objective. I understand some people like to figure things out on their own but when you put something like this, in a game where there way too many people you could possibly talk to. It just gets out of hand and makes side-quests and even some main quests more frustrating and downright boring. It had gotten to the point where I stopped doing side-quests because I was not interested in pulling up an online guide anymore. I shouldn't have to do that if I don't want to. In addition to the level of frustration the areas are poorly designed. Every area feels like a maze. Towns and dungeons alike. IN this sense even a map does not help. I don't want to get into this much more. I know people love this game but this is just me stating my experience. This game was boring to me. The broke mechanics and in addition the cluttered menus, poor quest system became too much. Who cares if thats what a witcher does? I play games to have fun not to do extra work. This is a love or hate game apparently and I'm on the side that hate it. I'm giving it a 5 because I like the style and the voice acting. It loses points from me because of the broke mechanics and poor gameplay. I'm assuming the PC version is a lot better because this game just feels like a bad port or something.… Expand
  12. Ejbaudiosilver
    Apr 22, 2012
    6
    I have to say, I really don't get the full scores here - the game has an interesting story from about halfway through but the gameplay is repetitive, dull and utterly frustrating at times. Seriously - why the hyperbole?

    For a sequel to a game that does not actually exist on Xbox the lack of exposition is shocking - also being provided with a map of which you actually play a literal    I have to say, I really don't get the full scores here - the game has an interesting story from about halfway through but the gameplay is repetitive, dull and utterly frustrating at times. Seriously - why the hyperbole?

    For a sequel to a game that does not actually exist on Xbox the lack of exposition is shocking - also being provided with a map of which you actually play a literal fraction of in the game itself is pretty odd too.

    Hard to see why anyone would rate this over Skyrim or Dragon Age Origins - in terms of its button mashing and characters with whom its impossible to really care for I'd say its closest parallel was Dragon Age 2, which on a high note does also feature some of the same political intrigue. As for 'mature' gaming - to a 16 year old maybe, throwing some T&A and colourful words in doesn't qualify it as having greater depth.

    To summarise then - it has its moments but have to (literally) hack through plenty of garbage to get to them that they just never feel worthwhile.    … Expand
  13. ShootTheZombie
    Apr 24, 2012
    6
    There is a lot to do in Witcher 2, with an interesting take to the open world Genre. However, the entire system used here, such as the menu's and potion system, are simply tedious. If it wasn't for the story, characters, and some impressive settings, then this game would just be another RPG to add to the packed market.
  14. Comrade_Critic
    Apr 25, 2012
    5
    Witcher 2 is one powerfully overrated game. Skyrim, Mass Effect 3, even Kingdoms of Amular are far more worthy of your money. I always thought I was an RPG junky, but this game I just can't get behind. I am console only gamer, so maybe if I sat around and played computer games, and then bought this for my console I'd be blown away. As someone completely new to the game, I can't get behindWitcher 2 is one powerfully overrated game. Skyrim, Mass Effect 3, even Kingdoms of Amular are far more worthy of your money. I always thought I was an RPG junky, but this game I just can't get behind. I am console only gamer, so maybe if I sat around and played computer games, and then bought this for my console I'd be blown away. As someone completely new to the game, I can't get behind this game.

    The biggest flaw is the clunky-ness of the menus. Dreadful. Moving around is a bit of a chore too. Storywise I wanted to like Witcher 2, but whenever things start to get interesting you're once again stuck slogging through a very uninteresting world, that's not very pretty and difficult to navigate. Skip this game.    … Expand
  15. Terbo
    May 2, 2012
    6
    Review from 306 perspective only - just finished the game. Story was great, decent graphics and terrific sound, but just can't bring myself to do another play-thru. World is too restrictive, clunky menus, not enough interaction with environment; game just seems a bit dated. I was expecting a little more from the Witcher 2, but IMO it's not even as strong a release as DAO. Meh....
  16. robdot
    Apr 28, 2012
    6
    i do not understand all the very high reviews for this game. there is so much wrong with it. the quest tracker is useless, the maps are almost useless. much of the game is simply tedious and not fun. crafting, alchemy etc. it seems set up almost like an mmo. if i wanted to spend my game time turning cloth into robust cloth, i would go play warcraft. the towns are laid out in mazes and youi do not understand all the very high reviews for this game. there is so much wrong with it. the quest tracker is useless, the maps are almost useless. much of the game is simply tedious and not fun. crafting, alchemy etc. it seems set up almost like an mmo. if i wanted to spend my game time turning cloth into robust cloth, i would go play warcraft. the towns are laid out in mazes and you will spend much time simply searching for the next npc to talk to. its stupid. the so called great story is nonsense and impossible to follow.( the whole seige at vergen is so stupid, if i can kill the king,then why dont i and end it ? ) its impossible to care about geralt or anyone. but its greatest fault is the loot sucks. and when you level , you dont get cool new spells or effects, you just get upgrades to existing ones. yay ! a stat increase ! trust me, kingdoms of amalur is far far better. everything about this game is old and the type of game people dont want to play any more. its simply no fun running around vergen opening doors and looking at loading screens trying to find someone. why do developers make empty rooms and zones? go through this door, watch a loading screen, then cross an empty room or zone then open another door and watch another loading screen. why do you people think that is fun? i could just make a game and call it doors and loading screens and it would get 10's. this game is only fair. its playable. but can be frustrating. some parts are cool. but , its no way deserving of all these scores.… Expand
  17. Jerome89
    Apr 27, 2012
    5
    A simulacrum of open world, Geralt the big hero can't jump over 1 foot obstacles. Dreadful interface, ugly combat mechanics. Not complaining about difficulty because quen is very op, I'm complaining about the character movement and animations. very ugly and clunky, Skyrim has a much better character movement in combat and outside, you feel like controlling the character entirely whereas inA simulacrum of open world, Geralt the big hero can't jump over 1 foot obstacles. Dreadful interface, ugly combat mechanics. Not complaining about difficulty because quen is very op, I'm complaining about the character movement and animations. very ugly and clunky, Skyrim has a much better character movement in combat and outside, you feel like controlling the character entirely whereas in Witcher you pray that a stupid 'combat' animation won't leave your character in a bad position where a group of 2 will eat him alive because of the stupid control that you can't control. The only positive things about this game that kept me playing till the end are the story and the characters, nicely done.… Expand
  18. mako_psy
    Apr 26, 2012
    6
    As a long-time RPG fan and medieval/fantasy buff, I really wanted to like this game. The characters, dialogue and story was all top notch, but what let it down for me was the feeling that it was made by a bunch of amateurs. Little things like the pain in the arse map, ugly way of using the inventory and of course, the auto-saves (or lack there of), all felt a little outdated andAs a long-time RPG fan and medieval/fantasy buff, I really wanted to like this game. The characters, dialogue and story was all top notch, but what let it down for me was the feeling that it was made by a bunch of amateurs. Little things like the pain in the arse map, ugly way of using the inventory and of course, the auto-saves (or lack there of), all felt a little outdated and uninspired. I can't help but feel that if the game was made by different people, but with the same writers, then it'd have turned out much better. Unfortunately, it just felt a little too tedious most of the time and far from fun - despite some brilliant heart-pounding sequences. Fanboys will boast superiority for playing an "adults" game - of course because it has a little boob and bad language from time-to-time. I will admit it feels good to play something a little more complex and "adult" than the lackluster, follow-the-breadcrumb RPG's of recent times, but it could of been so much better. Even the lengthy tutorial hindered how the game could of started. Instead of being thrown into the action and learning along the way (which would have immediately immersed you in the story), you had to spend 10-20 minutes following a laborious tutorial. A 6 is the best I can give it without being too generous. It needs to be made by someone else, or developed into a novel - which I would definitely buy!… Expand
  19. VidsRule
    Mar 18, 2013
    7
    Drastically revamping my score but I don't feel bad about my original score because it simply took too much time and effort to get into this. And there are an amazing amount of small frustrations. It's wierd really, for a game of this quality.
  20. nmaxw63
    May 20, 2012
    5
    This is the most disappointed I've been in a game since FFXIII.
    The good
    Great looking game and great voice acting. The character models and voice acting combine to imbue the NPCs with character far more than any game I've ever played. Some atmospheric quests. When it clicks, the combat requires more tactical thought than perhaps any rpg except Demons Souls. The bad Witcher 2 runs on the    This is the most disappointed I've been in a game since FFXIII.
    The good
    Great looking game and great voice acting. The character models and voice acting combine to imbue the NPCs with character far more than any game I've ever played.
    Some atmospheric quests.
    When it clicks, the combat requires more tactical thought than perhaps any rpg except Demons Souls.
    The bad
    Witcher 2 runs on the rails for far too long before letting you go.
    Worst boss battle ever - the Kayran battle seems to hinge purely on luck as to whether your trap freezes the tentacle you were aiming for.
    Geralt dodge rolls like a drunken turtle. Upgraded the 'skill' as soon as possible, but couldn't tell any difference.
    Worst mini game ever - dice poker - can't even read the dice, clicked randomly to eventually win.
    Why can't I drink potions when I want?
    Running around trying to find next character in quest with no help from terrible, terrible map (how hard is it to have resident's names on houses?)
    Terrible menu system. There's more, but to sum up, don't bother.    … Expand
  21. tylerdurden516
    Oct 11, 2012
    6
    This game is a mixed bag. I dont understand why it received so many 10's from critics. Theres a lot of things in the design of this game that hold it back, so regardless of anything else it does not deserve a perfect score. Heres some examples. The targeting system frequently goes out, and wont come back on unless you get really close to an enemy, so good luck free-throwing bombs orThis game is a mixed bag. I dont understand why it received so many 10's from critics. Theres a lot of things in the design of this game that hold it back, so regardless of anything else it does not deserve a perfect score. Heres some examples. The targeting system frequently goes out, and wont come back on unless you get really close to an enemy, so good luck free-throwing bombs or daggers. The game relies on a "pre-emptive" potion system. You cant take any buffs when a fight starts, so unless your a psychic your going to end up in fights without warning, and with no potions equipped. The game never auto saves unless you complete a mission, or start a battle, so what ends up happening (after a really long game over screen from the fight you werent prepared for in the first place) is you respawn at the very beginning of the battle, still cant use any potions, lose all progress even if you died 10 minutes into the battle, and in some cases you will have to re-assign your load out after each death cause for whatever reason the game didnt save that either (Happened twice to me). And you will die a lot. Difficulty spikes in this game are pretty extreme. Its not all bad, and the story kept me interested enough to finish the game. With that being said, this was the most frustrating game ive ever finished. I wanted to see the story through, and i like games where decisions have weight. So if you can accept some infuriating design flaws, there is some fun to be had. But this game is no perfect 10.… Expand
  22. mugslangley
    Apr 30, 2012
    7
    What I'm about to write is purely first impressions from playing for a few hours.

    Visually, the game is astonishing! Up close there is a bit of texture popping (I don't have the game installed yet) but it's forgivable when you see what else is on offer. Sound, I can't complain about. Voice acting is good, some nice background music, and good effects when using magic and sword swings/    What I'm about to write is purely first impressions from playing for a few hours.

    Visually, the game is astonishing! Up close there is a bit of texture popping (I don't have the game installed yet) but it's forgivable when you see what else is on offer. Sound, I can't complain about. Voice acting is good, some nice background music, and good effects when using magic and sword swings/ clashes.

    There's a nice amount of humour that makes you connect to each character instead of them just being lumps of meat wandering around.

    The gameplay mechanics aren't too bad either. I'd heard it was a difficult game to get to grips with but I haven't felt this as yet. Two buttons for attacking (three if you've got an offensive spell on...) and one for blocking, and then dodging. Easy to learn and not a lot that can go wrong! I especially like the wheel based menu for quick access to magic and items. Much better than having to go through long lists of everything you're holding at the time.

    The only issue I have with this game, is that I hadn't played the first one, so I don't really have a clue what's going on, and so far there has been nothing to explain it.

    Definitely a game I plan on playing till the end. And I get the sense that that's going to be a while...    … Expand
  23. Honest_P
    May 17, 2012
    7
    The Witcher 2 has a very solid mature story that is definitely it's main pull. I'm not sure how many technical problems there are on the PC version but the 360 version has more than it's fair share. With a few quests needing to be re-loaded to finish off and others with inaccurate tracker text. It can also be a bit confusing at times to know exactly where to go and which quests you shouldThe Witcher 2 has a very solid mature story that is definitely it's main pull. I'm not sure how many technical problems there are on the PC version but the 360 version has more than it's fair share. With a few quests needing to be re-loaded to finish off and others with inaccurate tracker text. It can also be a bit confusing at times to know exactly where to go and which quests you should be tackling, but all in all it's still a very enjoyable game, mainly due to the very involving story and characters and some genuinely difficult decisions.… Expand
  24. RaphaelGuri
    Jul 2, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bom jogo, porém muito fraco na categoria 'RPG':
    - Muito curto para um RPG, é possível concluir o jogo em míseras 8 horas;
    - Não sentimos que nosso trabalho em arrecadar loot faça qualquer diferença;
    - Não sentimos realmente que somos o personagem, falta aquele lance de 'Role Playing';
    - Poucas opções de armaduras e armas (Terminei o jogo trocando de armadura 3 vezes e de arma outras 3 cada);
    - Árvores de evolução não são recompensadoras, quase não sentimos real diferença ao subir de nível;
    - Certa linearidade, pois uma vez que passamos por uma localidade é impossível retornar a mesma;
    - Localidades poucas e pequenas, em 1 hora perambulando já se decora a área toda;
    - Quando dado 'lock-on' nos adversários a esquiva não segue o padrão do mesmo e o Geralt ainda não anda 'de ré', ele simplesmente DÁ AS COSTAS pro adversário;
    - Não sentimos que somos realmente úteis! De fato, de 'caçador de monstros' é o que não somos! Todos monstros são pequenos, salvo 3 ou 4 chefes e todos estão me uma área muito próximos uns dos outros.

    Porém o jogo tem seus pontos positivos:

    - Ótimos gráficos;
    - Cenário bem trabalhado;
    - Personagens bem detalhados;
    - Modo de batalha bem legal;
    - Muitas opções de conversa;
    - Diferentes finais;

    Resumindo:
    É um bom jogo, um jogo bem sólido, porém falha em coisas simples e banais.
    De um modo geral, espere algo superior à Dragon's Dogma, mas infinitamente inferior à Skyrim.    … Expand
  25. Krawbeard
    Nov 24, 2013
    5
    I give this game a 5 mainly because its not as good as the hype, plus not to mention people compared this game godlike to that of skyrim which made me feel like buying it more. I bought this used at gamestop with a $20 off coupon so i paid $7 for it so it was definitely worth that price.

    Don't get me wrong the story of this game is a great one, and you don't need to play the first one    I give this game a 5 mainly because its not as good as the hype, plus not to mention people compared this game godlike to that of skyrim which made me feel like buying it more. I bought this used at gamestop with a $20 off coupon so i paid $7 for it so it was definitely worth that price.

    Don't get me wrong the story of this game is a great one, and you don't need to play the first one to understand the story. Though this game is more story than gameplay to where I find myself often bored and rushing some of the pointless dialogue. It feels more like you're watching an epic medieval movie where you get a few free moments to live it.

    The graphics are great and the textures are sharp with amazing contrast to the colors. Very vibrant foliage while out questing that is pleasing to the eye.

    The towns on this game look very disappointing. They look like a giant just ate a village and crapped them out calling it a town. Very difficult to navigate through and ugly to they eye.

    Combat in this game is a plus because its very creative and I love the direction the combat system is moving for this game; however, with this game being more story and dialogue you hardly get to enjoy questing and fighting baddies in this installment of a game.

    You can craft armor in the game which kind of makes me think of a watered down version of monster hunters armor crafting.

    The side quests get a little on the repetitive side and you spend alot more time in dialogue of your quest than actually questing.

    The bad guys in the game get old after a while because it seems most of them fight the same way.

    I will say that in dialogue it stays true to modern RPG's where you can decide what happens in the game rather than it forcing you to do something.

    I'm the kind of guy where I work many hours at my job so when i get home and have caught up with dinner and more I have about 2-3 hours of gaming left before its time to pass out, so this game wasn't truly for me and reason is because 2 1/2 of those hours I spent gaming were more sex scenes and dialogue than actual gameplay.

    The maps aren't very open more so limiting, yet still looks great and the game itself can be beaten quick. The game plays more like if you took Fable and mixed it with dragon age origins, and hours upon hours of dialogue with a better story yet improving the combat features.

    This game plays well on a day where you're hungover and don't want to focus on gaming yet giving yourself a movie experience.

    If you love nudity and softcore sex scenes in games over actual gameplay then this a game for you.
    If you want to be a gaming hipster/elitist and say you play something thats not a popular skyrim game then this is for you.

    I just found myself unsatisfied after beating the game and was wishing there was more gameplay to it.
    I mean the game itself on xbox 360 was a 2 disc game, so i was expecting a game that would take me months to beat while being sucked in its vastness. So yeah I was let down alot.

    I think the 3rd installment of this game will be alot better. It looks like they might be giving gameplay more of a spotlight this time.

    If you have alot of time on your hands and love medieval themes with sex scenes and alot of story then this is for you, but if you love to be more interactive with your game then I would say hold off till the 3rd one and play games like Skyrim, Dark souls and Monster hunter.

    Still a shame that with a good combat system you don't get to truly enjoy its potential.    … Expand
  26. jdizzy
    May 7, 2014
    5
    Eh, it's the slightly more mature version of Fable. The sense of humor is awful along with the clunky combat. You can only accept and do one quest at a time, there's no explanation. Maybe Geralt has a limited mental capacity, who knows. I beat the game in a day and the side-quests are pretty craptastic. There's no variety in it and the love-making scenes are clunky and awkward and not toEh, it's the slightly more mature version of Fable. The sense of humor is awful along with the clunky combat. You can only accept and do one quest at a time, there's no explanation. Maybe Geralt has a limited mental capacity, who knows. I beat the game in a day and the side-quests are pretty craptastic. There's no variety in it and the love-making scenes are clunky and awkward and not to mention, hard to watch. Story's pretty bad and the narrative makes no sense.… Expand
  27. nuterbutter64
    Mar 2, 2014
    7
    This is a good game, but too much holds it back from being a really great game. The game has some really pretty graphics for the most part. My only complaint is that during the cutscenes the characters can often times seem a bit stiff in the face, which takes away from the immersion. The other problem with the graphics being as good as they are is that the xbox seems to struggle with it aThis is a good game, but too much holds it back from being a really great game. The game has some really pretty graphics for the most part. My only complaint is that during the cutscenes the characters can often times seem a bit stiff in the face, which takes away from the immersion. The other problem with the graphics being as good as they are is that the xbox seems to struggle with it a lot when it comes to the cutscenes. Many textures pop in, which reminds me a lot of the first Mass Effect game. Also, several of the cutscenes and story transitions pause to load, which to me was a huge drawback as far as immersion goes and really makes some of the story drag on, especially at the end of the second act.
    As a side note to something that takes away from the immersion of the game, IMO, the audio is downright awful at times. The audio can be all over the place from time to time, from loud to soft to loud. Also, at times it sounds like the actors/actresses were being recorded on subpar equipment with a level of static in the background. I just found this so distracting when I really was getting into the story and cutscenes.
    As far as the story goes, it is somewhat convoluted at times and can get a little confusing, but overall you get a sense that there is a depth to it that many games don't attempt to convey and they instead keep things shallow and simple. I would say that just as The Last Of Us has some very mature themes, this game holds that type of maturity, not withstanding the **** and cursing. I also really enjoyed the tough choices that didn't have an easy "good" or "evil" slant to them, as well as the game having some large story shifts depending on the choices you make.
    Ultimately, for me the gameplay is where this game has it's many flaws as well as triumphs, which makes it a really good game but also a very frustrating one at the same time. As said by many, the beginning is downright infuriating. I will not say it's impossible like some say, but I also can't say that it's just hard and takes skill to get through. Instead, it feels like you were thrown into the deep end without being told how to do almost anything. The small tutorial throws so many things at you at once that I had a hard time remembering what controlled what. That wouldn't have been a problem if the game had allowed me to slowly get use to all the things Geralt can do, but instead, I quickly found myself surrounded by foes, getting slaughtered several times before realizing that the dodge move would be my greatest ally for the first quarter of the game. It really made the first part of the game a huge chore to get through, and instead of allowing me to fall in love with the game's story and gameplay, I became increasingly frustrated. I actually stopped playing the game after the prologue and didn't plan on continuing. But as RPG's go, the setting was one of my favorites, so I picked it up again after about a day, and once I got past the prologue that's when I found myself enjoying it more.
    Some other smaller and yet frustrating things is the annoying cap on Geralt's weight limit coupled with the very involved and often complicated potion making system, making me want to carry as many ingredients with me as I can but not being able to. Also, I liked the alchemy system a lot and the various things he could make was really interesting and could have been fun, but the user interface it's wrapped up in is really complicated and in my opinion annoying too. For me, I actually had a lot of fun with the combat once I got past the frustrating beginning. Yes, the lock on mechanics are pretty awful, the parry and countering system isn't consistent, potion making and taking not being allowed in combat is just weird, traps and knife throwing is too slow and odd, and his magic signs not packing as big of a punch as I hoped for is unfortunate, but I got a lot of satisfaction from hitting monsters and humans alike with the swords. It just felt like I was a slaughtering machine and I liked that. As others said, the map isn't that helpful, and the quest markers are pretty awful. I know I spent a few more hours in the game because I didn't know where the hell I was suppose to go sometimes.
    Lastly, to me the game does get repetitive around the middle of the second act when you realize that each act is the same as far as overall gameplay goes. Your "hub" is a town, and then you can "explore" a little bit outside of the town, but that's about it. At least half the game has you running around these towns looking for people to speak to, and all you do outside of towns is find things, people, or monsters and then come back to the town to progress the story.
    Overall, I loved the setting and the atmosphere of the game and had fun playing it. I will never understand 10s or 0s on Metacritic. This gets a 7.5 for me. Wishing TW3 fixes these things and makes the best RPG to date. Thanks for the read!    … Expand
  28. Tyreneous
    Feb 3, 2015
    5
    Have changed my rating due to a wrong console version. I meant for the PC not the Xbox. Given a third party patch the game works... Third party.... sad... still....
  29. Termin8ter
    Mar 28, 2015
    7
    I have not very much to say about this game. You may disagree but with my Xbox360, the frame rate was pretty low, therefore less fun to play. The graphics didn't look too bad, its very good for it's time. The combat system was somewhat fun and brutal and the magic was useful for many situations. But the game feels a little boring, this game is way over-hyped in my opinion. Not the RPG forI have not very much to say about this game. You may disagree but with my Xbox360, the frame rate was pretty low, therefore less fun to play. The graphics didn't look too bad, its very good for it's time. The combat system was somewhat fun and brutal and the magic was useful for many situations. But the game feels a little boring, this game is way over-hyped in my opinion. Not the RPG for me. I would recommend Fallout or The elder scrolls.… Expand
  30. CenkAlp
    Jan 3, 2018
    7
    Hikaye = 8
    Oynanış = 6
    Grafikler = 7
    Sesler = 6
    Keyif = 6
    Atmosfer = 7
    Süre = 6
  31. LemonyLolliopop
    Aug 30, 2012
    7
    this game may have a good story, plot, characters, gameplay, world, ect.... but it just doesnt keep me on edge i really want to like it but whenever i give it a chance it doesnt suck me in i have to force myself to play it i do not want to play it. which is wierd because this is the kind of game i love. but its still good
  32. calcipher
    Feb 15, 2013
    6
    I really don't understand all the high-scores here. The game is ok, I've played worse in my gaming experience, but this is it. I understand that "The Witcher 2" provides a deep and intriguing plot and a bunch of interesting characters you deal with during the game, but we have to remember that this is supposed to be a RPG, not a movie. And, as a RPG, it has more than one flaw. -1-. TheI really don't understand all the high-scores here. The game is ok, I've played worse in my gaming experience, but this is it. I understand that "The Witcher 2" provides a deep and intriguing plot and a bunch of interesting characters you deal with during the game, but we have to remember that this is supposed to be a RPG, not a movie. And, as a RPG, it has more than one flaw. -1-. The game tries to trick you into believing it's "open world". It's not. You have to "unlock" more areas by progressing in the main quest and, while exploring an area, you are forced to follow predefined paths: the mighty witcher simply can't climb a two feet high cliff (unless the designers want you to do so) or pass through a bush. -2-. The stealth system is a joke. You have to manually turn off the lights by targeting them with the controller. 90% of the time spent in stealth mode you are standing still, trying to center the camera on the goddamn torchlights. -3-. The game warns you to drink potions BEFORE combat if you find them too hard. Too bad the witcher isn't also some kind of precog. Everytime you wander in the wild (well, everytime you follow the predefined path in the forest), and i mean EVERYTIME, be prepared to be ambushed by an army of angry monster-dudes popping from the ground to kick your low level ass. So, every game session consists in you going further, being killed, reloading a previous save, drink potions and fight the monsters AGAIN. The second time, of course, the fight is a piece of cake since you know exactly what's going to happen. This goes on and on, until you are high-level enough to have enough tricks to survive an ambush. At this point, potions are only good for boss fights. I don't mind a game being hard, but this is just ridiculous since at low levels this mechanic breaks the game flow and spoils any fun. -4-. Crafting system: another joke. Again, you might be the mighty witcher, but you can't craft a simple leather armor without visiting a dwarf and asking "Can you please craft this jacket for me?". You end up gathering an insane amount of crafting materials, most of them utterly useless, just to store them in an inn. Then you get a schematic for a good sword. You have to go back to the inn, check the materials, pick up what you need and only that or you'll be overcumbered, then go again to the dwarf, ask him to craft it, then you have your sword. Provided you didn't forget anything or you'll have to make all the trips again. -5-. Some quests are poorly designed, meaning that even reading your journal it's not clear what you have to do. I.e. in the first chapter you are asked to go to the inn to gather infos on the Kayran and the journal points you there. You end up talking to EVERY SINGLE person in that damn inn, just to find out you had to talk to YOUR FRIENDS about topics totally unrelated in order to trigger the Kayran to appear. Lol? -6-. Talking about sloppy designers work? You can rob a vendor's chest just in front of him and re-sell him HIS STUFF while he's smiling. You weren't allowed to do that in Oblivion and we're talking about a 2006 game (yeah, that's 7 years ago) -7-. Someone here praises the graphics. I assume you all have a different Xbox360 than mine, since the graphics are good, but not stunning on my machine. Everything in distance is blurred, and the facial expressions of characters are far from detailed like, i.e., Mass Effect.- 8-. Strong language, lol. Saying sometimes "c0cksuck3r" or "sh1t" doesn't make a fantasy game "mature", it makes it just ridiculous. Kids will surely enjoy that, but I'm 33 years old, I hear enough swearing IRL and i can say those words without having my mom scolding me. --There are more minor flaws, that I will not list here since I also want to say something good about "The Witcher 2". Don't get me wrong, this game is not terrible, as I said before I've played worse. But it's far from good, and for sure not "great" nor "gorgeous". It has its moments: if you're looking for a deep and well developed plot, you will sure enjoy this game. The story is really interesting and that's what will get you to complete the game, maybe 2-3 times to see the consequences of different choices. In this, "Assassins of Kings" is really good, even better than "Dragon Age: Origins". BUT, to get to it you'll have to go through hours of boring and slow gameplay, at least at low levels. To me, that was the fatal flaw: it's a game, it's supposed to be fun and most of the time it's not. If I'm looking for a deep plot just for the sake of entertainment, well, I have the first season of Game of Thrones on DVD. If you're looking for a good RPG, Skyrim and Oblivion are better. Kingdoms of Amalur is better. The Fallout series are better. Dragon Age: Origins is better. Mass Effect trilogy is better. I'll go as far as saying even Dragon Age 2 is better. To me it's a 6, no more.… Expand
  33. zanella_marco
    Jul 4, 2013
    7
    Con The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings sono a metà dell'atto 2 ma non lo porterò a termine a causa dei troppi difetti che gli trovo giocandoci. La storia non particolarmente coinvolgente o emozionante e non riesce a spiccare come invece si vede nei giochi di ruolo giapponesi ben più articolati e complessi; le fastidiose e troppo frequenti scene di sesso gratuito rovinano l'evolversi delleCon The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings sono a metà dell'atto 2 ma non lo porterò a termine a causa dei troppi difetti che gli trovo giocandoci. La storia non particolarmente coinvolgente o emozionante e non riesce a spiccare come invece si vede nei giochi di ruolo giapponesi ben più articolati e complessi; le fastidiose e troppo frequenti scene di sesso gratuito rovinano l'evolversi delle vicende ridicolizzando la sceneggiatura che già di per se appena sufficiente; le espressioni facciali sono inesistenti e la personalità dei personaggi lascia a desiderare; il doppiaggio buono ma non raggiunge i livelli visti in Red Dead Redemption o L.A. Noire; il gameplay un ibrido tra strategia ed azione che a tratti risulta mal riuscito, specie nelle situazioni in cui ci si trova combattere con degli alleati; la quasi totale mancanza di boss battle non attribuisce al gioco quel livello di sfida visto ad esempio in Dark Souls; la gestione del personaggio tallonata dal limite di livello imposto ad un massimo di 35; la mappa confusionaria e poco dettagliata; spesso si obbligati a scartare oggetti perchè non si ha la possibilità di venderli non avendo un negoziante nei paraggi; per creare equipaggiamento/oggetti bisogna recarsi da un fabbro anzichè far da se, ecc ecc… Insomma una produzione con molte buone idee ma decisamente mal sviluppate. Il gioco sarebbe potuto essere un buon rpg se solo fosse stato curato un pò meglio. Per quanto mi riguarda raggiunge appena il 7, non completato e riposto nello scaffale.… Expand
  34. Kaprawiec
    Oct 16, 2014
    7
    Lets start from intro. Thats how games on next gen should look like. AWESOME. The game itself is quite interesting, but overall i think its also a bit overrated. Story is quite nice, interesting, the graphics are ok, this isnt unreal engine which is great because im tired of the games that look like copy/paste products (after couple hundreds of games on UE i really am sick of it). So whatLets start from intro. Thats how games on next gen should look like. AWESOME. The game itself is quite interesting, but overall i think its also a bit overrated. Story is quite nice, interesting, the graphics are ok, this isnt unreal engine which is great because im tired of the games that look like copy/paste products (after couple hundreds of games on UE i really am sick of it). So what made me say this game is over rated?
    Gameplay - its just quite bad. Fighting seems a bit stiff just like the animation of characters. And if You take A/V from the game whats left isnt that impressive. Chceck Game of Thrones RPG - i was playing GOT after i finished Witcher 2 and besides awful Unreal Engine in GOT the game was way better in terms of story, and got pummeled by critics for... stiff animation and bad gameplay :D So the Witcher just cant get reasonable higher score than GOT RPG.

    TL:DR
    My Gameplay Time (1 walkthrough): ~40 h
    Graphics: 8
    Audio: 7
    Gameplay: 3

    Verdict: Overrated, but not half bad. 7/10    … Expand
  35. Beastside
    Oct 2, 2019
    7
    A good game by the standards of the time. An interesting prequel to the Witcher 3 which offers some more insight into the life of our beloved monster-slayer. Captivating and immersive at its best.
  36. mateusbatatais
    Jun 13, 2020
    7
    Ótimo game. Joguei bem depois do lançamento e por isso não aproveitei tanto, mas mesmo após sua época, é bem legal de jogar. O jogo possui alguns bugs que tive que reiniciar alguns saves atenriores pra seguir, bem como um mapa completamente sem noção.. não funcional. E não é por causa do ano de lançamento, pois witcher 1 tem um mapa bem mais logico. Outra coisa que me irritou MUITO nesseÓtimo game. Joguei bem depois do lançamento e por isso não aproveitei tanto, mas mesmo após sua época, é bem legal de jogar. O jogo possui alguns bugs que tive que reiniciar alguns saves atenriores pra seguir, bem como um mapa completamente sem noção.. não funcional. E não é por causa do ano de lançamento, pois witcher 1 tem um mapa bem mais logico. Outra coisa que me irritou MUITO nesse jogo foi o inventario que enchia muito rapido.

    Fiz as escolhar do roche e depois triss. Parece que muda bastante se fizer outros caminhos

    História: 9
    Som: 10
    Jogabilidade: 5
    Gráficos:8
    Diversão: 8    … Expand
  37. pingw30
    Dec 16, 2020
    7
    The Witcher 2 is better than the first game and for me, the story is straight to the point than the 3th game of the series, i didn't finished yet because the Xbox 360 version is very buggy. In chapter 2 after picking up a king's blood in the mission "Where is Triss Merigold?" i was supposed to receive the rose of rememberance but i didn't received and now i have to play the whole gameThe Witcher 2 is better than the first game and for me, the story is straight to the point than the 3th game of the series, i didn't finished yet because the Xbox 360 version is very buggy. In chapter 2 after picking up a king's blood in the mission "Where is Triss Merigold?" i was supposed to receive the rose of rememberance but i didn't received and now i have to play the whole game till this point and wish it do not bug… Expand

Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
11
#11 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012
3
#3 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 82 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 74 out of 82
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 82
  3. Negative: 1 out of 82
  1. Armchair Empire
    Jul 13, 2012
    85
    Witcher 2 is a throwback in a lot of ways to old PC games, which certainly appeals to me. The delivery method is modern, no doubt, but the fact there's a lot of poking and prodding (and death) that happens even early on has me anxious for another instalment.
    Read full review
  2. TeamXbox
    Jun 26, 2012
    80
    The high bar of visuals is followed by a good score, and descent acting, some of the spell and combat audio has a edge to it that sounds lower quality then the rest of the audio landscape.
    Read full review
  3. GameCritics
    Jun 17, 2012
    75
    The Xbox 360 port is an impressive technical accomplishment that brings a classic PC RPG experience to a new audience. The transition is not flawless, but those who stick with it will be rewarded with an intriguing and entertaining experience.
    Read full review
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