Is it true that if you're doing Roche's path you never get a chance to enter the Dwarven city at all? I just realized that when you travel to Vergen as required for the Blood Curse quest line that the city gates are closed - okay I thought maybe they'll open up after I find the three relics I'm looking for.... but apparently not. Whaaaat?

After everyone raving about how cool it is that a plot decision in the first chapter dramatically alters the course of the game, this seems like a pretty major drawback - I was super keen to check out the city and drop into the local pub and arm wrestle some dwarves. And I assume if you're doing Iovern's path you don't get to enter the Kaedwinian camp?

Spoilers, but yes you do get to enter later. However, not in the way you are likely envisioning.

Lastly, the faction choice IS cool. But, you have to play both sides, as each side is basically half of the story.

Spoilers:

You'll get to explore some of the exterior parts of the town, but not the heart. But thats OK because you get to chill out in the Khedwenni(sp?) camp instead and explore the immediate area outside the camp which looks beautiful too.

Most of Vergen is closed to you if you're on Roche's path, yes. It's not just the city that's different; all of the quests are different, too. Remember which saved game you were on right before you chose to go with Roche. When you've finished the game, load that save and choose Iorveth instead.

If you played TW1, you know that the Order path and the Scoia'tael path weren't all that different from one another. In TW2, that's not true; it's really like there are two games in there. You'll need to play the game twice (at least) to see all the cool stuff.

I guess you could consider that a drawback if you wanted to, but I like to think of it as replay value. :-)

Of course I'm going to replay it again - but it still seems pretty disappointing to me. The game still could have allowed a dramatic plot altering faction choice while still allowing to me at least enter the city and complete some of the minor side quests there. Oh well.

ETA - you posted as i was typing. And why would the opposing faction allow you into their camp/city and trust you with quests, one of which requires you to be on friendly terms with Iorveth on that path, when you could be there just to spy or, given that you are widely believed to be the murderer of Foltest, murder their leader?

What Corylea said. While TW1 was innovative in it's delayed consequences and morally ambiguous decisions, you still essentially played the same plot, no matter which side you chose. This, I think, gives more weight to your decisions, illustrates how the information you have influences your decisions, (you are acting with a biased group no matter which side you choose, and have access to limited information about the other side. this clouds your judgement) and allows them to tell a broader story, which has the side benefit of adding to it's replay value... I wish more games would do this. though I can understand why they don't since it is a lot of work for something players who only go through the game once will see very little of.

The saddest thing is that choices really are superficial 99% of the time in video games, so there is going to be a sizable percent of players who will very likely miss the other half of the story because they only bother to play once, as they've been conditioned into thinking that's all they have to play if they want to know the story.

On the other hand, playing the other side changes the story, and confuses your poor Geralt.

He still has enough amnesia that he doesn't remember your previous play-through. :-)

Well, things change due to your influence, yeah, but the background events are the same....

Arcanum is still one of my favourite RPGs ever, because of the fact that you were excluded from certain places and quests and companions dependent upon the choices you made in the game - even something as basic as character development (magic vs. tech) played a role in where you would be welcomed or who would be friendly towards you.

I am glad to see that in TW2 I cannot do all quests or visit all locations in one playthrough regardless of the choices I make.