So much improvement since the first one. We have moved from the cramped and identical underground corridors to the vast surface. Different regions, different weather! Much more prominant music! No final boss that keeps summoning adds! Although there are still some annoyances. Like knockback. Or teleporting - seriously everyone and their mother can teleport! Also, some maps might feel a bit too big. But those are minor nitpicks, honestly. Torchlight 2 deserves a solid 4, maybe even 4.5, when you don't run into those particular things.
The game is underwhelming, imo. And annoying at times. Targetting enemies is difficult for some reason, no matter the size. The names of items overlap on the ground and you are having troubles picking up what you want. Don't get me started on the voice-overs... every time you "spring a trap"... which is quite often... The only saving grace is design - both of locations and monsters. While same-y, it is still pleasing to the eye, imo. Music is also nice, though no memorable. I wish there were more tracks. Torchlight 1 barely has enough to keep you wanting to play till the end. Though you might lose interest halfway through. I almost did. PS. The biggest annoyance was the final boss. Those freaking adds...
There are a few notable pros. It's visually pleasing and the overall aesthetics are nice. Nekataka was pretty colorful, for example. Good voicework, for the most part. The encounters shown in form of a book was a nice idea. Also, the map travelling is fun. I liked sailing around and exploring. But there also are many cons, annoying ones at that. I dislike how they changed the grimoires. The way some quests play out is infuriating. Like that family feud in Nekataka or Pallegina's personal quest. The main quest is hella short and the conclusion doesn't feel special at all. Specifically, the location. It has been hyped up throughout the game and I wanted to see more of it. Fight some cool battles, see unique sights. In short, it was a letdown. Overall, the game is undercooked, imo. At the beginning and the middle it's not noticeable but at the end it feels like the developers just ran out of gas. I did enjoy the game, for the most part. I just wish the the conclusion packed an actual punch. Hell, Sun in Shadow and the fight with Theos was more special and memorable than this.
A masterfully crafted piece. Strong narration, people really thought the story through. At times felt not like a game but rather like a movie even. Which not necessarily a bad thing. Combat was good enough, looking for runes was frustrating but fun. Great voice cast. I personally loved listening to lorestone stories. And that final battle. That epic music. Gave me goosebumps.
A fun distraction with forgettable plot and good action. Although frustrating at times. MC can die easily and enemies feel like bullet spounges sometimes. But time powers are handy. Plus there are some cool weapons. I personally loved the crossbow with exploding bolts. PS. Those artillery strikies at the end were irritating. No idea how to dodge them properly, might be just pure luck. Took a little out of my enjoyment.
Such was my experience with this game. Cool psychic powers, superb level design, and just a lot of imagination poured into it. The devs made something unique here, with an actual identity, a soul. Psychonauts is an experience that I would not forget, that's for sure.
In terms of graphics and combat, Witcher 2 is an improvement over the first game. But to me it felt like something was lost along the way. It got a little too linear, a tad bit smaller and narrow. The places didn't have the same great atmosphere as Witcher 1. The plot certainly improved. Better acting, characters got fleshed out more. Leto is a great addition to the Witcher lore. And Roche turned out be a good friend. Does feel like CDPR wanted to expand and add rather than bring back and use references to hit the nostalgia as it was with the first game. Witcher 2 went for bigger scale showing kings and conflicts of the north. Gave you some other points of view. Overall, it turned out very different from Witcher 1. Perhaps, that's where the problem for me lied? Maybe. I would still say it's a good game. Below the other two, but still fun.
I have only one grip with this game - combat. Man, did it take me a while to get used to. But the rest is freaking incredible. I especially praise the developers for the atmosphere. Every location felt unique. They put so much soul into their work. Granted, the plot is like a B or even a C movie. The voice acting is awkward. But none of that put me off the game. I enjoyed every minute of the journey with Geralt of Rivia, as we slayed monsters, completed contracts and tried figuring out what those damned Salamandras were up to. The game is also littered with references to the books. Each warmed my heart, especially the story behind the silver sword we get later on. Although for the love of god, why did they have to be so cryptic about Yen and Ciri? Like they weren't sure if they would ever focus on them later on. Overall, the first Witcher is, in my humble opinion, is a piece of art. I enjoyed it immensely. Thank you for all the hours of fun, CDPR!
Good action and fun mechanics. Weird plot and iffy Russian. I wish they did more research. There were times I rolled my eyes hard at another silly line. But that didn't make me hate the game. It's ok for one playthrough. Miles behind my favorite FPS, Bioshock. Lacking a bit in certain aspects. Not exactly memorable, besides the very beginning when the atmosphere was all tense and horror-like. That and the train boss battle. After that it's all the same.
Not gonna lie, I sucked at the combat of this one. Died and got frustrated a few times. But the world and the story were worth it. However simple it was, it captured me. The apocalypse happened early and now the world is in ruins. War's quest for answers and revenge was like a movie, with some really great cutscenes. And I want more of it. PS. Perhaps, it's better with a controller. God, I am too used to keyboard and mouse...
