Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings Preview

Here's the preview at gamespot.

For those too lazy to read, these are the features I'm looking forward to:

1. Combat has been revamped, it's going to be a bit more challenging than timed clicking.

2. Better NPC interaction.

3. A continuation of the 1st game's story.

4. It looks great, it seems they're going for DX11 and its fancy eyecandy enhancements.

Some features not too hot on my wish list

1. Geralt is now with a party, great for some but it ruins most of the mystique of the solo monster hunters.

2. Personal preference: I prefer the character designs for the 1st game over the 2nd so far. Of course this may well change as the game develops.

3. I have a really good feeling that the canon ending for the 1st game has already been set, it won't be like Mass Effect 2 where pre-game decisions change what your character is like in the 2nd game without an imported character.

My current laptop has its 3 year warranty expire this November and I'll then be in the market for a proper high-end laptop with all the bells and whistles. This game is likely the 1st on my wish list. From what I've read so far, this won't be ported to consoles just like the 1st.

 

As long as they use DX11 to make the games run better at high details and not to just show off Nvidia hardware, will be interesting.

Looks to me they are taking a lot of cues from the success of Dragon Age. The Witcher first game while good reviews did not seem to take off like Dragon Age has.

One thing they should be cautious is about making sure the game runs well and look awesome on various PCs. Dragon Age is as popular as it is because it does run so smooth and well on many PCs, not just the high end ones.

RPG action games should be able game mechanics, story foremost, not about eyecandy and DX11.

 

i didn't enjoy the 1st witcher game because of the character control, i considered it an epic fail
i hope they add more options in this one

 

Damn, the game was scheduled to be released in early 2011? I really enjoyed playing the original witcher, both the story and gameplay was fantastic. Hopefully the sequel will live up to all my expectations after 4 years of waitting!!!

I think by the time more and more games will be supporting DX11, it might be a good time for me to buy a new laptop with high end DX11-capable GPU.

 

Well, I still have time to finish the 1st one. Thanks for the input Harleyquin.

 

Nice. I too still need to finish the first one.

+rep for the info!

 

I love the witcher 1st game. Im waiting for this.

I also not like the crew. Maybe a few missions ok, but the witcher is a solo game.

 

Considering the developers released their game long before Dragon Age, I'd say it was Dragon Age that borrowed the feature of gray decisions affecting the storyline long after the decision took place.

If I'm not mistaken there isn't a single Nvidia card to date that supports DX11 but the developers are certainly taking advantage of it to power the new game. Advertising or marketing be damned, if they make their new engine as scalable as the old modified Aurora engine I'll be happy either way.

Another reason to support the game: CDProjekt Red launched the GOG service some time after the initial Witcher for older games. I don't expect to see Ubisoft-style DRM in next year's release as a result.

 

Man I need to get around to beating the Witcher 1 now.

 

Instead of looking at PC requirements before I purchase a game, I look at DRM Requirements now......

 

The Witcher was fabulous especially the part which occurred in the swamps and the lakeside. I am looking forward to this one .

 

No need to worry too much on the DRM front. The 1st game was initially released with TAGES but it gave the developers more trouble than it was worth. Eventually the latest patch for the EE removed the disk check making the game more or less DRM free. As I mentioned CDProjektRED run GOG which is a DRM free website for older games.

They cancelled the console "Rise of the White Wolf" to get this game to run, even if it's developed for consoles it's going to be PC first since no console has the hardware to run DX11 visuals full on.

 

Speakings of requirements... Think a MSI GX640 will run it fluently when it comes out?

 

I have 20 and also not like companion. If is other game, like Halo then is ok and I like co-op games but the witcher is different. Is like when you going to make with some girl and you have like 4 buddies with you, that doesnt work. I dont like the witcher only because monster. I like it more by have a life, when you make decisions, when you decide who to kill, when you have a lot of misteries to resolve, and finally, when you decide with who you going to make . If they only make a game to kill monster with a group that sucks. is like E game.

 

The current artistic direction of Witcher 2 looks really great, but I have doubts about how they're going to implement so many improvements, given the internal problems encountered by the developers. Sometimes ambition can ruin a game.

 

Dragon Age had been in development long before The Witcher was released, so I highly doubt Bioware ripped anyone off.

Not a Bioware-fanatic here as I enjoyed both games and my favorite genre is Rpg's, just stating the facts !

 

this is automatically one of my most anticipated games

 

Yeah really... Bioware is current gold standard to aspire to for any developer for RPG action games.

Next year we may expect Dragon Age 2 and Mass Effect 3. Yeah, Witcher 2 is going to have a tough time this round again.

I'm not saying Witcher is bad or good. Just saying Witcher is still generally unpopular, not well known. And Witcher 2 I think is going to have even tougher competition. The third insallment to a trilogy and a sequel to the most popular action RPG 2009/2010 so far?

Well more good games for us, so good for us gamers But really I don't care if Witcher is DX11, I'm more interested in unique or revolutionary or interesting new game mechanics and ideas.

 

HUH? The witcher is one of the most popular and sold RPG PC games,ever. 1.2 million sales for PC game ( as of March '09). Better get your facts straight.

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/57541

 

Fair enough, although it's notable that CDProjekt RED and Bioware are unusually cooperative for rival studios since the NWN engine was licensed and heavily modified for the Witcher. This time round the developers are going for their own engine so it'll be interesting to see what the results are.

As noted, 1.2 million sales worldwide counting the EE is a fantastic result for an unknown studio based in a non-English speaking country. They're not Bioware but then again they don't claim to be.

 

+1. Those were some of the best levels I've played in an RPG since Oblivion. The riverside missions as well as the ones in open grasslands with The Hunt, Vodyanoi and those assorted monsters were truly excellent.

I hope they don't screw up the sequel with dumb AI squadmates. I always prefer a lone wolf approach; squads never work too well (eg. the really stooopid AI squad in HL2 when you fight the striders). The only exception to this has been the Mass Effect series, esp ME2 where the squad does not interfere with the gameplay.

 

If anyone has not yet experienced The Witcher, Impulse is offering it for a mere $9.99 this w/e.

http://www.impulsedriven.com/twee

 

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/thewitcher2/images/0/1/?tag=thumbs_below;thumb;1

The screenshots are ridiculous. This is going to crush a lot of computer me thinks.

 

They look below par I must say considering how other games are considering a lot on realism.

 

I don't know if the developers will spend a bit on doing motion-capture for the sword scenes, those were a nice touch in the 1st game. As for the realism bit, I don't personally like the character models too much but it's early days yet and things may yet change. It's still a fantasy setting though so seeing Crysis graphics in this series will be upsetting.

 

I just played about 40 minutes of Witcher 1. I really love not having to micro-manage 3 other NPC retards.

I hope in the 2nd they will allow you to play solo.

 

^ I think they confirmed it was in a party, but hopefully the others will be able to manage without manual control.

 

Yes, Witcher 2 uses a party system. But, the NPCs don't need any control from the player (it isn't yet clear if you can control them even if you wanted to).

 

Finished Act 1 of The Witcher, so far the best RPG game I've played since Monkey Island almost a decade ago, along with King's Quest, Space Quest.

 

After that, start Mass Effect (space opera) and Fallout 3 (science fiction).

 

Played a bit of The Witcher, about the first 2-3 hours. It's certainly interesting, but with so much to already play it's a bit hard to get into another game.

 

Already Played ME, The Witcher blows it away, ME is barely RPG. Fallout 3, just couldn't get into it.

2nd act even better than the first, but enough for today

 

Yeah I just started the witcher as well. Something about having voice acting for the main character along with a great story really pulls me into this one. It's a pretty awesome game so far!

 

Some tips.

Once you get near the end of Act 1, you'll know as it's the accumulation of your quests, make potions before!

The end boss fight you will need Swallow potion, trust me I tried for hours without it and just doesn't work. Once you begin the end quest, there isn't anyway to go get more supplies and make potions. Trust me something happens so you can't buy potion base or alcohol.

There is a quest that refers to a lake. The lake is the river, it's not a lake.

Also be sure to forge your new sword, that helps.

 

One of the best ways to make the game easier, easpecially with the bosses, is to max out Aard sign. It is by far the best the Sign. Also make potions for Blizzard. If you use those two correctly, most fights will be much easier.

 

Also Raven's Armour is superb and makes Gerald quite tough and resistant to attacks.

 

Not a great tip for players only finishing Chapter 1 though, that particular armour is available only around the end of the game.

 

Oh... now it's on.

And thinking about it, I'm still on Act 2. I'm gonna finish the game one of these days. But not in this week... Just Cause 2 is just too awesome.

 

I played just cause 2 Demo like 10 times, I really like this game. Is like a fixed Mercenaries. A lot different from the witcher. i dont like the witcher pony tail. The old faces of the first game seems more realistic and better, I will go with the old faces if i are the artist, only make it more realistic (but this not mean to change the face).

 

Yeah the destruction in Just Cause 2 is fun. But the aiming is horrific. Sometimes when I'm on top of car, I can' shoot the person in the face unless I'm using a pistol. It's got a weird auto aim thing going on.

Just doing the side quests in Act 2 right now. Played a few hours last night, fun fun.

 

Yea it definitely had tough competition last time, Hellgate: London is an awesome game and definitely qualifies as tough competition.

/end sarcasm

On topic: YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESOMGYES!

 

I hope they do an excellent job. So far I´m in act 2 and its awesome. I am happhy they released they enhanced edition, taking care of all the initial bugs.