The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition

It has it's flaws, still the most immersive RPG so far.

I have played Witcher 1 right about when it came out - for all it's flaws, i enjoyed it a lot. After a while, i switched to consoles - i didn't own a gaming PC and since Witcher 2 never came out on PS3/4, i missed out on it. Then Witcher 3 came out and i fell in love, basically doing a 100% completion in one sitting. Even if some things in Witcher 3 could be better, I find Witcher 3 the game of the decade. So why am i writing about W3 in a W2 review? Because this review is focused on how it feels to sit down to W2 having played W3 (and W1) first. :::::: Here is the main issue: W3 was an upgrade on absolutely everything. Every. Single. Thing. When i started out with it, it was my understanding that while it was obviously an inferior game in a technical sense (graphics, mechanics, gui etc.), it stood it's ground with the story, the immersion and lore. It doesnt, not by a long shot. I was actually surprised on how poorly delivered parts of the story were. The story itself is good/great, but for me the deliverance took away a lot from the enjoyment. The scenes start/end abruptly, the characters act unnaturally, there are a lot of tiny cliches, basically while the overarching storyline is great, the bits connecting it are mediocre. Also, although the main characters are beautifully fleshed out, they contrast strongly with everyone else being very one dimentional. Additionally, I was spoiled by the abundance of fleshed out side-content in W3 - W2 is mainly focused on the main story (though it's not necessarily a flaw i guess). The combat is poor and the gui is very unintuitive. The graphics are still beautiful and the animations are what you'd expect for the time. ::::::: Don't get me wrong, the game is still great and - by all means - play it! As a point of referrence: it's better than every entry in the Dragon Age series. Just don't be disappointed by how far from W3 it is. And - if you have the chance - play W2 before W3.

A huge improvement from the original Witcher. Gorgeous graphics, excellent voice acting and music. The story isn't half-bad either. The only thing that stops it from being 5 stars imo is that there is essentially no in-game tutorial and the combat is a little extreme at times (and repetitive).

There are different reasons why you want or bought this game. First: Because you played The Witcher. Compared to it there are some improvements like a way more flexible battle system, a better organization of the inventory, better graphics and animations. On the other hand, the characters and quests are often more superficial than the ones you find in the first game and the general atmosphere is brighter and happier too. Also, for me, The Witcher 2 is too short, while you had 5 acts in The Witcher 1 you only have 3 in the second, leaving you with the desire for more. The side quests are few and there isnt much good old monster hunting. Though I strongly believe that CDProjekt (unlike other developers) will add a lot of missions and plots as DLC's in the future (thats why I give it 5 stars and not 4). The is also a rumour about an expansion. Second: If you haven't played the first Witcher and this is your first you will find a kind of rpg which is pretty different from The Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age or others. You decissions in the plot have a deep and sometimes disgusting effect in the future. The battles can be pretty challenging at first but are beautiful to watch. You use alchemy to enhance your abilities and you can craft armor, weapons and more. And the graphics are the best for now in a rpg. You will want to replay the game at least once. Third: If you read the books and/or the story of The Witcher 1 you will notice that Geralt has quite left the path of a monster slayer. Thus, the name The Assassins of Kings is well chosen for the game, due the fact that almost everything in the plot is about politics. Conclusion: The Witcher 2 has a lot of technical improvements but also lacks the details of cruelty, dirt and uglyness in quests, conversations and happenings which give The Witcher 1 a darker atmosphere. Don't bother though: Buy both games, for they are epic games and you will not regret it.

I just read that Namco/Bandai is suing Projekt Red because of the DRM-free version of the Witcher 2. I've been on the sidelines about getting this game, but since I read the article, I bought the game and am going to enjoy every minute of it. Thank you GOG and thank you Projekt Red! Keep the faith in us and we will keep supporting you!