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Considering season 2 of the TV series came out, I suspect interest in the games may rise and I thought I write a review despite the game's age. I think this is still a great RPG. I read some reviews that recommend going directly to Witcher 3, but if you like the Witcher story, and haven't played the games yet, that would be a mistake. The first Witcher game certainly has faults. It was written mainly for a male audience (it is rather sexist), the graphics cannot be compared to the Witcher 3, the combat system feels weird (though once I got used to it, I found it to be a rather refreshing change). And yet this is one of the deepest and most mature RPGs I have ever played. There is no hand-holding, as in the Witcher 3 (where the game even tells you what level you should be to attempt a quest), and my impression is that indeed it was made for serious and mature gamers. Let me explain what this game is and what it is not, so that first-time players can know what they get. It is not a textbook RPG. You can't choose your character or profession, and there isn't really any variety in terms of weapons and armor. But this is because it is based on the Witcher stories (you play as Gerald the Witcher, using witcher's equipment), and what you get in return is a very detailed and interesting world to explore. The story is original, as it occurs after the last book from the saga, but you are introduced to all the characters because it starts with Gerald having amnesia. As such it is a great way to get into the Witcher world. And let's be honest, it is thanks to this game that the books and the TV series became popular. Hence if you are interested in the Witcher saga, with all faults the game has (as many reviews have pointed out), I recommend that you try to ignore them in return for discovering the world of the Witcher. I think after playing it you will also enjoy the TV series more, as you will understand better some of the small details, such as when Gerald uses a sign.

PROS: • The music is unique and atmospheric. It supplements actual narration excellently. • Believable and vivid portrayals of game characters by Polish voice actors. • The witcher’s fighting choreography. It makes for an amazing visual spectacle and sets him apart from other warriors. With new experience levels you can unlock new combos, which allows combat to evolve. • Intricate alchemy system. There are 5 substances required to prepare potions, oils and bombs. You are encouraged to experiment—it’s possible to discover new recipes on your own. Some ingredients have additional qualities; when combined, they offer extra benefits. • Well written plot with a surprising twist at the end. • Replayability. Depending on your choices, some of the game’s events unfold differently. • Incredible artwork displayed during flashbacks and loading screens. • Great intro and outro. • Varied bestiary. CONS: • While the dice poker minigame is cool, wining is a bit too much based on luck rather than skill. • Yrden and Axii signs take too long to cast and don’t offer much benefit. • Too many NPCs share the same character models. It breaks immersion. • Fast travel is available only for a small portion of the game. • No real challenge even on hard difficulty. • Repetitive locations, particularly interiors—the geometry might be slightly different but textures are exactly the same. You’ll spend at least a third of your time in the same places. • Annoying world traversal—Geralt cannot climb all obstacles. He has to walk around them to reach some spots (invisible walls). • Since defense is performed automatically, using dodges and rolls doesn’t make a lot of sense. • Loading happens too often when transitioning between locations. • Monster deterrents do more harm than good. • Too many fetch quests.

Буду краток. Игра очень понравилась. В первую очередь понравился сюжет и сама атмосфера игры. Плюс хорошие саундтреки. Единственное, что поначалу напрягало, так это боёвка. И то только в прологе, а дальше всё пошло как по маслу. В общем я вне себя от счастья. Несмотря на то, что игре ужу почти 10 лет, она всё ещё является очень и очень интересной и заслуживает внимания.

I finished the game and here are my thoughts below. Some spoilers for this game. This is my second review of the game (I asked GOG to delete my previous review). What I enjoyed: 1. The story - the game puts the gamer into morally grey situations to deal with racial tensions between men and elves in Temeria. I liked that Siegfried and Yaevinn were portrayed as two extremists depending on your choices. 2. The gameplay - Although the gameplay is old, it is easy to use even on the hardest difficulty and is quite enjoyable. 3. The music fits the game's atmosphere well. 4. The graphics are old, but it does not hurt the experience.

I would give it a 3.5/5. The story is just fantastic. It's a slow start, but when you reach Chapter 3, things start to unfold and it becomes really engaging. I really liked the way they portrayed Geralt. Your actions actually have weight and it was pretty cool. The combat is atrocious. It's repetitive and boring. Ennemies adore to use attacks that stun you, either through knock-out or pain and it just makes the combat frustrating. Use your oils otherwise it's a chore. I did like very much the different styles of fighting however. I thought it was nice. The game feels clunky. Geralt doesn't answer to input super well. When you are about to hit a cutscene, the game stops and then a slow fade to black to the cutscene. It's not bad, but it does break the flow of the game a lot. Sometimes you enter a room and you get jumped by the ennemies and it's just free damage on you. It was pretty annoying but heh. A lot of diaologue boxes for simple thing. For instance, in chapter 2-3, when you want to travel to the swamp, you need to click through 3 dialogues and a confirmation just to travel. EACH TIME. It's really annoying. The dialogues are awful. Apart from maybe Triss and Shani (and every witchers obviously), everyone sounds dead inside and a few time I noticed it wasn't even the same voice actor for the NPC I was talking too in the same conversation. The conversations can be pretty funny however. For its age, the game looks good I must say. The NPC are mostly all the same but I didn't really care. Overall the game is ok. I would recommand you play it only for Chapter 5 honestly. The end is so good!