During last year, I finally had some time to finish The Witcher 1 and 2. After playing both 1 and 2 after each other and seeing the improvements, my expectations were high. Boy, I was not disappointed...
It really was worth playing 1 and 2 before starting on 3. There are so many things, big and small, that go back to the first games it's unreal.
For the first couple of hours (about 200-ish...
) I was completely captivated by the stunning aesthetics, extremely well written story and quests. Some side quests have a bigger and better story than some full games! Even on my mediocre 1st gen, i5 @2.67/3.21 Ghz, 12 GB, GTX 560 Ti, system it looks amazing. I mean, Far Cry 4 looks sweet, but this... WOW!
I tried Skyrim somewhere a while ago, but please Bethesda, focus on the Fall Out series... TES has nothing on The Witcher series.
I always play all games on the easiest setting (or even cheat sometimes), because I usually play them like reading a book; "Just give me the story already! Enough with all the grinding and dying!"
But this one... the depth of the crafting, preparation and tactics even before the fights deserves the
hardest "Death March" difficulty setting. I have never -ever- died this much in a game before, but I love it. Once you level a bit, it really isn't that hard at all, it just demands dedication to actually being a Witcher and fighting for your livelihood and life... (I mean, I even started talking and growling like Geralt...) I even wished all of the alchemy and crafting items weighed something to add to the realism. The only bit of grinding there is is trying to find that one item or ingredient for your gear or that special potion.
Each monster has to be fought in its own way, exploiting its weaknesses, avoiding its strengths, taking your time to both prepare and fight them... Forgot to apply your Draconid Oil? Did not imbide your Tawny Owl? Used the wrong sign? Rushed into the fight? That Griffin
will take your head home as a trophy...
Have you read your Bestiary?
Go read it.
Now read it again.
Picked the wrong skills to level? You will be so much less effective in
your favorite play style. (Thank you Projekt Red for that expensive Potion of Clearance!) Decide on forehand how you want to play and then level accordingly.
Really, try to play it in all its glory and pick one of the harder game modes. This game is deserving of it. If I can do it as a very casual gamer, anyone can.
I love it.
Meet my current Geralt - Bear School Bodejodel- Of Rivia. (Full on attack - physical combat build.)
(screenshots taken with unplayable settings for prettiness...)
Also,
Valonyx , did they cast you as the Emperor of Nilfgaard?