The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition

I have waited for this game so long and I finally got to play it. It was a really good experience, just what I wanted from my Witcher game. I liked a lot of these new changes what they made. Combat was more enjoyable, though it was not bad either in the first witcher game. Also the maps were really nice and detailed. But the best part of this game is the storyline, definitely. There is no boring parts in the story. I hope we get Witcher 3 someday. Keep it up CD projekt red!

I can remember there was a time in my life where I considered myself an RPG fanatic. I played WoW, Final Fantasy, and a few others. Unfortunately, my obsession with the RPG dissolved over the years, as the FPS genre crept its way into my gaming nerve. No more than 6 months ago, I went and purchased another trophy for my "RPG" collection, in an attempt to revitalize the same feelings of exploration and mysticism that I once experienced all those years ago. It was The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. I dumped a solid 100+ hours, questing, starting new characters, trying different factions, different classes and races, the list goes on. I could say that my old RPG itch had been scratched. Having set Skyrim aside, convinced that I had played a reasonable amount, optimistic that is was the single greatest game I had ever played, I moved on. Now, after 6 months and a steam summer sale, I'm absolutely positive that Skyrim IS NOT the single greatest game I have ever played. The Witcher 2: Assassin's of Kings has to be, by a landslide of a margin, the single most enriching, intriguing, and rewarding game I have had the pleasure of playing. To start of, the Witcher 2 is something of a gaming marvel, in that it takes nearly every element of the RPG experience that I have grown to love over the years, and combine them together, into some sort of all knowing, all seeing RPG hybrid god. There's an eloquence in the Witcher 2's gameplay and presentation that has been sorely lacking since that days of FFX (For me at least). From the real time/slow down/pick your weapon, action, to the diverse and intelligent dialogue, CD Projekt Red's attention to deal and dedication to telling a gripping and down right fun to play story really shows. Perhaps the second greatest aspect of the game stems from the previously mentioned dialogue. Every character within the game, major and minor alike, brings something fresh, unique, and often times unsettling to the table. There's no shortage of deep, complex characters to read into and attempt to understand. I often times found myself, scrolling through journal entry after journal entry, enticed by the need to understand the characters and their stories. Where other game have lost me in the past, The Witcher beautiful integrates into its experience. I can't count the number of times I'd skip over storyline base books in Skyrim, while during my time with the witcher, I'd take no greater pleasure than reading line after line of character development and text. It's a fine testament to the games expertly crafted storytelling. Finally, it is important to note that the game looks absolutely gorgeous. I can remember telling myself "Look at the mountain! It's so lush and beautiful" in Skyrim (And skyrim's graphics aren't half bad) But compared to the rendered magic that CD Projekt Red has given us, the distinction between "not half bad graphics" and borderline photo realism starts to become more and more apparent. This game is truly a sight to behold (even if you can't run it on make settings) The leaps and bounds that CD Projekt Red took after running The Witcher on the aurora (Morrowind) engine, to creating their own, that looks great and plays great, is staggering. That being said, this game is not for everyone. At times, I found myself dying to what seemed like insurmountable odds (I'm looking at you Nekkars), only to retry again and again, however, the Witcher 2 was never met with frustration, but with analysis. “What did I do wrong?” “What should I do differently?” “How can I mix things together to achieve a different outcome?” It forced me to slow down and think about fights, not just running head first into the fray.. The game takes a level of patience to understand and play efficiently. It's not something most people (if anyone) can just jump right into and play flawlessly. There's a noticeable level of finesse that evolves from the trial and error of the game. This leads the game to have a generally slower pace than most RPGs (and most games in general) on the market right now. It's not a bad thing, it's just something to bare in mind if you're migrating from Call of Duty or something over to this (Not sure why you would though.....) On an artistic side note, the soundtrack for the game is jaw droppingly epic, mixing both the tried and true medieval-esc orchestral arrangements, to the heavy metal accompaniments, the game covers a wide spectrum of music from emotional to rip roaring. It’s a lot of fun to listen to, and it further enhances the experience. It's been awhile since I've sat down at a computer (or gaming console) and felt the urge to play a game to it’s fullest extent. No skipping quests, not skipping cutscenes, not leaving any stone unturned. It feeds that RPG obsession that I’ve hungered for so long like nothing before. It's a challenging game, but one that rewards its players, and the sum of it's parts are 100% absolutely worth the price of admission. If you're a fan of RPGs, check this game out. If you're a fan of well crafted and intelligent games, check this game out. An absolutely treat that should be enjoyed by as many people as possible.

After enjoying Witcher EE, Witcher 2 is kind of a letdown, and it comes down to minute number tweaks and crippling controls. Witcher EE delivers based on classic RPGs, its weakness is based on limited tech of the generation, in turn W2 has amazing tech and some of the best art in the genre, but has terrible controls and an overall unbalanced game play. Where it goes wrong is breaking the game flow in favor of challenge, this is fine for those who play this game for that. Challenge is really not the generes focus, exploration, character progression, collecting crafting and enjoying the setting and story is. There are 1000s of better games for challenge, and 1000s of better challenge than games in general. My guess is someone on the team got infected by the Soulshype of the time, and decided to push for a selfish design, only to cater to hardcores. The incosistent difficulty, and the arcade controls with really bad angle connects and delays break this gem sadly, it is a shame the artists are disrespected with such a shoddy gameplay design. Artwork 10/10 Gameplay design: 2/10 Controls: 1/10

A while ago I decided to start a complete witcher trilogy run. Finishing Witcher 1, Witcher 2 and Witcher 3 in this sequence and taking the save file of the previous title into the next to have one coherent story based on my decisions. When I began Witcher 2 I was pleasantly surprised. The graphical and technical jump from Witcher 1 to 2 is huge and while the first title had it's own unique art style, Witcher 2 has basically the same one as Witcher 3. Characters, armor design, clutter items and world building are congruent with Witcher 3. Dialogue also feels the same like in Witcher 3 and combat is similar yet a bit different, just like movement and controls. To be honest I PREFER Witcher 2's movement and combat over Witcher 3 but that's just personal preference. It just feels quicker and more precise for me. Regarding the story: it is phenomenal. Plenty of choice that'll have you play at least 4 playthroughs to experience everything and every consequence. To sum up: Everyone who likes Witcher 3 NEEDS to play Witcher 2 (and Witcher 1. And also read all the Witcher books!). In the past I played 200 hours of Witcher 3 without knowing the other games and the books. After having played to the first 2 games and reading the books I can confirm Witcher 3 is even better. You'll suddenly understand a lot more about the world, the lore, the characters. Previous confusion about certain dialogue topics or why the world is the way it is is gone. It'll 100% influence the decisions you make in Witcher 3.

When the first Witcher came out, I was real late to the game. Pretty sure I picked it up out of a bargain bin and immediately regretted not getting it upon release. I did not make the same mistake with Assassins of Kings. Witcher 2 is not just a spiritual successor to its original, no - it is a vast improvement on what many people consider the greatest RPG of all time. The graphics are stunning and artisitic - not an easy combo to pull off. The music, voice work and cinematography are directly and 100% on point. The fluidity and variation on story are breathtaking. Combat is stressful, intense and feels meaningful. It does not feel like repackaged enemies constantly tossed in your way so that the devs could add a few game hours onto their back cover. No, in fact the fights feel appropriate and choices feel as though they have weight and global influence. Geralt is polished as a character, very easy to fall into and his supporting cast is a eclectic array of sexy, funny and dangerous characters that help this seemingly ordinary fantasy world to it is own unique voice in the choir of typical Western RPG's. Yes, at first glance it is a monster slayer in a world filled with dwarves, elves and trolls. But the things that REALLY go bump in the night in this game are much closer to human nature. Greed, power and hubris are much nastier bad guys in the Witcher's world than any troll, drowner or striga.