In the essence of full disclosure i have just finished act 1 and have move on to act 2 and so far i like what i am seeing except for the click fest combat. Let me explain i really enjoyed the combat as it was in the first Witcher, it has a sence of ebb and flow and some tactics were required. One had to maintain the pointer on the target until the fimer expired to launch the next attack, if times properly it was possible to damage multiple targets stringing one series of attacks over many targets.

What i have seen so far is so completely devoid of any tactical considerations except one just has to remember to keep moving. But keeping moving can mean one of two things, it can mean dodging and rolling around. It can also mean exactly what i do which is to lock on to a target in combat by hitting "E", taking my left index finger and holding the mouse down and then tapping just the "Left click" as fast as i can, NOTHING and I mean NOTHING can stand against that. I have blown through guys like a whirling dervish no alchemy, no signs except for the occasional Quen. The repeated blows push the adversary back into a corner, not even the Arachnid (the bug you fight when you meet Iorveth with Zoltan) or even Letho lasts more than 2 minutes as a matter of fact neither fights involved the enemy landing any blows except for the first one which the Quen sign blew off.

I so far do like the story, and i am interested in how it all turns out but other than the kayran fight which reminded me of so many World or Warcraft cartoony hokie pokie high fantasy that i can not believe this was dreamed up by the same guys who did the first Witcher. But as i always start a game out with a score of 10/10 and remove points as i play the game until i finish, so far i am not as impressed with this Witcher as i was with the first one. So we arrive at the end of act one with a score of 9/10 with the combat being the largest drag on the game. Spam left click until you win is not a solid combat mechanic, but i guess it is the way of the genre as everybody seems to believe they need some click fest combat and an "awesome button" to make a game.

Asai

Are we playing the same game? If you're spamming the left mouse button, you should be ending up like this guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCjzA-C647o.

Enemy blocking should hit your sword away, leaving you vulnerable to attack. Spamming LMB should result in those blocks-with-counterattacks being the death of you. Are you playing on easy?

On my end, the 'spam left clicky' only really works on 'Easy' (and I am playing on Easy: I started my first playthrough on Normal, but, sometime before Chapter 2, I lowered it because my FPS was just bad on my old PC: the combat is now easier and winnable, but stuff like 'tactics' kinda went out the window)

I was playing on normal slicing and diceing these guys around after that i tried the next setting up and not really much different except that i had to rely on Quen more than once in the fight. So at this point i am not going to go any higher and since combat is a joke i am not going to self nerf like using steel on monsters and silver on humans. The only thing i noticed about the combat at higher levels is that i did have to use left click on any enemy with reach like a halberd or poleaxe, I could two shot any of the lighter targets and i have one hit (right click) the occasional archer.

IMHO combat is just a click fest with my tactic of locking on and spamming left click for the most part other than the kayran fight, which was boring/annoying from a completely different perspective. I am not saying the game sucks just the combat is boring and much preffere the original combat, which was a bit slower, and in alot of was required MORE skill, IMHO.

Asai

If you're using Quen, it's supremely clicky. Upgrade and keep Quen up and you just mash away, really, and I've only played on Hard.

Hey stop making fun of the angry dude.

IMHO the original use less skill but not bad. I just have to wait for Geralt to finish his animation and wait for the pointer to glow to execute another attacking move and switch the combat to group attack for maximum ease and pleasure, no need tactic or anything.

Beside Geralt is kind of invincible. He can attack the enemies but at the same time become receiving ends of his enemies attack. It is like whoever finish his attacking animation / sequence first, he is the winner. That is click fest too in my book.

Good thing that I bought 360-controller for pc a long time ago. Played first time this game today and was suprised how fast that combat is so I dont think I'm going to play with a keyboard, I would smash it to pieces when trying to roll around and stab everyone. But now that I have seen that the game works in my computer. Inventory is indeed bit clunky and whatnot.
Still trying to complete the TW1 and I will.
But boy, they really changed the combat. Not sure, what to think. Plays nicely with a controller but I also like the combat in the first one. And that's a bit more keyboard friendly.
..And I thought that rpg:s usually have a slow start. Thank god it slows down when selecting spells.

combat on Oblivion, Morrowind: omg, I dont understand if it is "combat"

combat Dragon Age, Neverwinter Night: so "classic". It is turn-base

combat on Witcher I: if you and to dodge, the computer basically "dodge" for you. If you want "strong style", you choose it once and let the PC beat the opponent for you. So "convenient"

I am mean: I think people can complain on everything they are not used to, expect.

I am pretty sure that people can complain playing Prince of Persia 2, or Assassin Creed as well, if those games somehow offer some RPG elements. such as conversation choices, diverse story etc.

They "expected" a wester RPG game like a game 10 years ago, just with new graphic.

It is not really a complaint it is a critique, i just dialed the game back to easy just to finish and see how the story plays out. As i said i am not going to self nerf by using the incorrect sword for the fights, i just hope magic is weildy enough to be a viable build maybe that will make the game a bit less "clicky". In the original Witcher combat at the hogher levels did not rely on how fast one can mash a button, instead one had to move, keep the pointer on a target all the while, waiting for the window for the next combo strike. If one did not move while keeping the pointer on a target you missed the window for the next combo and had to start over. If one had skills one could use the combos triggering them on multiple targets but the player had to maintain focus being in range and on target when the timer expired for the next combo. Here in The Witcher 2 all i need to do is lock on to a target, spam Quen, spam left click, and the occasional right click just to be different and i win everytime, period it is really that simple.

If i was complaining that would be it the combat is too simple, spam (ANY) click to win, at this point the game is no longer about the combat, combat is just a minor annoyance i must trudge through to get on with what is the only thng left, the story and getting Triss in the sack, i guess 2 out of 3 is not bad.

Asai

P.S. I suppose that i should be grateful that the combat is not all kung fu movie wire work with bodies flying through the air like on wires in some bad Chineese action flick. I suppose it could be worse like Dragon Age 2 with an "awesome button" win and esplosions of blood everywhere.

I almost forgot that. That was weird that everything had to explode. Over and over in the same dungeons. 10 years. Not so epic.
Can not say about witcher 2 much because I have just tried and I'm just in the beginning. It takes some time to get used to that if I play that right after W1. Can't complain about graphics though. Good thing that it runs even that well on my machine. Infact. Mostly same fps than in first witcher.

Well the Witcher 2 aint no Dynasty Warriors.

If your complaint is that you have you click the mouse a lot don't worry, because you can still do a lot of damage if you manage to hit an enemy once. Like what 227 said, most enemies will counter your attack if you try to attack them head on.

Use tactics like Aard or Igni to catch the enemy of his stance, then roll behind him for a back stab.

Or if you want to play it safe, let enemies attack first and then once you attack them they won't be able to block.

Combat feels a lot like Arkham Asylum with the attack timing of Demon's Souls. I personally like it a lot more than the first game, which I felt was akin to KOTOR mixed with a game show buzzer.

I disagree Noob friendly is TW2 combat with target lock and literally mash the buttons as fast as one can is MORE noob firendly less to do you just have to be faster about it that is all. The faster you can spam the "left click" the easier combat is, that is much more simple than timing your blows while trying staying on target and out of the way of incomming blows. So far all i have had to do is pin my mouse with my left index finger to keep it still and tap any button, left click (the fast swing) does work the best as if you really hammer the left click fast as you can the enemy NEVER gets a chance and as you by this tactic continiously drive the target back the blows from behind are negated until you pin the target where they can not back up anymore and then a solid right click spam and they are done, long before the others catch up. This has been my experience so far with TW2 combat and am not really impressed.

Asai

Are you sure you're playing Normal? I've tried spamming left click but the enemies will block it immediately unless you block or attack from the back. And trying to spam the left click button faster won't make Geralt attack any faster unless you're just trying to imply that Geralt can keep attacking while enemies don't block which is false.

I would love to see how you passed the Prologue by only spamming the left click button. Or in fact how you managed to beat Letho by spamming the left click button.