Sage Reviews: The Witcher 2
It’s one of the best RPG’s of the last five years, and now it’s on the 360. What more do you need to know?
The Witcher 2
Players: 1 Offline
Publisher: Atari
Genres: Action, RPG
Publisher: Atari
Genres: Action, RPG
Release Date: May 17, 2011
Developer: CD Projekt
MSRP: $29.99
Developer: CD Projekt
MSRP: $29.99
The second installment in the Witcher saga features a thoroughly engrossing, mature storyline defining new standards for thought-provoking, non-linear game narration. The game also features an original, brutal combat system that uniquely combines tactical elements with dynamic action and a new, modern game engine puts players in the most lively and believable world ever created in an RPG game.
Witcher 2, 2.0 Too.
Posted By Johnny Maloney about 1 year, 7 months ago
Might want to put some ointment on that. It looks like it might infect.
“But Johnny, didn’t you already review The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings back in June?” Ha ha, yes children, yes, but settle down or nobody gets any roast pork flavored pudding. While Blistered Thumbs has been busy chipping away at the start of this ridiculously packed autumn of amazing releases, CD Projekt Red has been quietly at work in the bowels of their offices, not only preparing for their upcoming Xbox 360 version of The Witcher 2, but for a game patch the likes of which few have ever lived to see, unless you were around for their Witcher: Enhanced Edition patch, in which case, just ignore me.
Referred to by CD Projekt Red as “The Witcher 2 2.0,” CDPR’s development director, Adam Badowski, spoke to RockPaperShotgun today about a variety of topics, including what the expect from the 2.0 patch, how the Xbox 360 version is coming along, what kind of DLC rules we can expect in the future, and even a couple hints about the possibility of The Witcher 3.
Badowski says, “We approached version 2.0 similarly to how we approached the Enhanced Edition of the first Witcher – we wanted to correct things gamers didn’t like and add features we had wanted to include in the game, but failed to add prior to its release due to time constraints.” What exactly does that include? He mentions smoothing out the gameplay some, but contends that wasn’t the focus, following up by mentioning there are at least forty improvements on the way in 2.0. The first one he mentions? – Tutorial.
“We were really intent on correcting one element of the game that had received a lot of criticism – namely, the insufficient tutorial and steep learning curve at the beginning of the game. To alleviate these problems, we have created a new, extensive tutorial component that takes the form of an additional adventure set in a completely new location – a village in the kingdom of Kaedwen. This module explains everything step by step, from the basics to the most advanced elements. I don’t think we’ll get any more complaints about the learning curve, at least from players who complete the new tutorial. Most of the problems people were having early on in the game issued from the fact that they did not know how to use more advanced combat tactics.”
Geralt in The Witcher 3: The Return of Porky’s
Also added are a robust Arena mode, where players can wander, talk to people, hire mercenaries before jumping in the ring and testing their mettle in battle with an array of enemies, some designed specifically for the Arena mode, such as the werewolf. Additionally, a new ‘Dark’ mode will be added, cranking the difficulty level up to a special level, but still allowing save games. Eighteen special items and mini quests related to them will be added, but all under the provision that once selected, Dark mode cannot be unselected during the course of play.
There’s additionally some talk about DLC possibilities for The Witcher 2, including the very important detail that “All DLC for the PC version is and will remain FREE.” Those are the words right out of Mr. Badowski’s mouth. DLC for the Xbox 360, unfortunately will wind up being monetized, on the grounds that Microsoft has “policies that need to be followed.” He also hints that if any pay to play DLC appears on PC, it’s likely to be a sizeable portion, drawing on Baldur’s Gate’s Tales of the Sword Coast expansion before confessing that no discussion on expansion pack has taken place yet.
For the next little while, we can expect The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings 2.0 to be the big story that CD Projekt Red talks about. Starting next year, we’ll see more details on the Xbox 360 version appear. As for The Witcher 3, Badowski is pleased with the experience the CDPR staff are taking from their sword and sorcery RPGs, and is confident that we likely won’t have to wait another four years to see the third installment of The Witcher series, though in the end, only time will tell for sure.
The Witcher 2: 2.0 will be launching on the 29th, and if you haven’t played The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings yet, it’s on sale on Steam right now for $29.99, and will be dropping to the same price point over at GOG.com on the 29th in celebration of the 2.0 launch. There’s really no excuse why you shouldn’t be gearing up to play it right now.
Sources: Read the full interview over at RockPaperShotgun
The Witcher 2 Review - ZGR
Daniel is clearly very excited about The Witcher 2! - ZGR
The Witcher 2 Review
Johnny M. breaks out his regular sword, and also his good silver one for the guests coming over. He just can't remember how 'sharp' a cheddar the undead prefer. It's The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings review.
The Witcher 2 Sexy Review
Angry Joe takes a serious long hard lustful look at The Witcher 2, the most mature adult oriented RPG hes had the pleasure of playing. This game has sex and titties, but check out the review for what else you can expect!
The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition Review
Finally one of the most critically acclaimed PC games of last year makes its way to the 360. With 4 hours of extra content and gameplay adjustments, does this action RPG stand up to the competition on home console? Find out right here...
Sage Reviews: The Witcher 2
It's one of the best RPG's of the last five years, and now it's on the 360. What more do you need to know? 
The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition Review
Finally one of the most critically acclaimed PC games of last year makes its way to the 360. With 4 hours of extra content and gameplay adjustments, does this action RPG stand up to the competition on home console? Find out right here…
The Witcher 2 on Xbox 360 Will Bewitch You
Does the Xbox 360 port of The Witcher 2 still retain the magic, or is it just a junky pot of witches brew? Read my hands-on preview to find out!
The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition Coming in April
Not content with releasing a 2.0 version of their critically lauded RPG, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, CD Projekt Red has a new enhanced edition, set for release in April for the Xbox. PC copies will, of course, be upgraded for free.
Witcher 2, 2.0 Too.
Development Director for CD Projekt Red, Adam Badowski has a lot to say about upcoming support for the Witcher 2: DLC, patch notes, added tutorials and game modes, and more. That’s a lot of news for a game that was released over four months ago.
The Witcher 2 Sexy Review
Angry Joe takes a serious long hard lustful look at The Witcher 2, the most mature adult oriented RPG hes had the pleasure of playing. This game has sex and titties, but check out the review for what else you can expect!
The Witcher 2 Review
Johnny M. breaks out his regular sword, and also his good silver one for the guests coming over. He just can’t remember how ‘sharp’ a cheddar the undead prefer. It’s The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings review.
HardCorner: The Witcher 2 Deluxe Edition
THE ULTIMATE collector’s edition putting every other ones to SHAME ! Let’s dig in !
The Witcher 2 on Xbox 360 Will Bewitch You
Does the Xbox 360 port of The Witcher 2 still retain the magic, or is it just a junky pot of witches brew? Read my hands-on preview to find out!
The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition Coming in April
Not content with releasing a 2.0 version of their critically lauded RPG, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, CD Projekt Red has a new enhanced edition, set for release in April for the Xbox. PC copies will, of course, be upgraded for free.
Witcher 2, 2.0 Too.
Development Director for CD Projekt Red, Adam Badowski has a lot to say about upcoming support for the Witcher 2: DLC, patch notes, added tutorials and game modes, and more. That’s a lot of news for a game that was released over four months ago.
The Witcher 2 Sexy Review
Angry Joe takes a serious long hard lustful look at The Witcher 2, the most mature adult oriented RPG hes had the pleasure of playing. This game has sex and titties, but check out the review for what else you can expect!
The Witcher 2 Review
Johnny M. breaks out his regular sword, and also his good silver one for the guests coming over. He just can’t remember how ‘sharp’ a cheddar the undead prefer. It’s The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings review.
HardCorner: The Witcher 2 Deluxe Edition
THE ULTIMATE collector’s edition putting every other ones to SHAME ! Let’s dig in !
The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition Review
Posted By Yousif A. about 1 year, 1 month ago
The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition Review
I have to admit I was a little worried about this one. Some may remember that the original Witcher title was scheduled for release on PS3, but was cancelled very late in production. So when I heard that CD Projekt Red were developing an ‘enhanced’ version of The Witcher 2 for Xbox 360, I had some doubts about it ever coming out. Thankfully for 360 owners everywhere I was wrong.
| PROS | Unique, Beautiful, Excellent port, Additional content |
| CONS | Daunting, Poor combat controls, Not for everyone |
| WTF?! | A white robed man who fell to his death next to a haystack |
For those of you who haven’t heard or paid attention to The Witcher before, you need to know two things. First, the game is based on a series of novels by Andrzej Sapkowski which follow the exploits of one Geralt of Rivia, who is like a medieval alchemist crossed with a Jedi. Second, the superb Johnny M wrote a review on The Witcher 2′s PC release and can be read over here. There have been a number of updates since then, but the core of his review is still relevant to the 360 version.
You would be forgiven for thinking that The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edtion requires a play through the original game to understand what is going on, but even having completed the original, I found myself a little lost at the beginning of the game. The story settles down after a couple of hours and lets you relax into the title, but I can see many players turned away from the title due to the bewildering opening section. Unlike the original PC release however, The Witcher 2 now contains a tutorial which I highly recommend everyone plays before entering the game. This quick rundown of the controls and menus helps to reduce the confusion of the opening section significantly as it’s only the plot you now have to worry about, not how to live!
Many of you will be right at home with The Witcher 2. It’s an RPG some of you may liken to titles like Dragon Age or Fable. You travel between locations picking up side quests, leveling up your character and getting on with the story when you get round to it. You’ll kill your fair share of mythical beasts, raid dungeons and sell loot to the local merchant in hopes of having enough gold to by that thing you wanted. The difference with The Witcher is alchemy.
Play 5 minutes of the game and you can remove that logo.
Through the collection of herbs, spices and animal parts, Geralt can mix up potions and oils to boost his effectiveness in combat. Unlike other games were busting in the front door with your best weapon results in killing everything in the room, The Witcher requires you to prepare for encounters, drinking the right potions to fight your foes. Go in without this preparation and you will end up in a world of hurt, more commonly known as, your last save game. Potions can only be imbibed outside of combat, so players must plan ahead.
The Witcher 2′s control scheme is very different from the first game and is far better suited to a console experience. Console players will feel right at home with strong and light attacks sitting comfortably on Y and X respectively. The Witcher 2 feels more like an action game losing a huge portion of the RPG elements of the original when it comes to combat. Unfortunately, this does make the game lose some credibility on the console format. With a plethora of action hack and slash games available on 360, the way The Witcher 2 works feels poor in comparison, despite the control scheme receiving an overhaul for the console release.
I’ll give an example. Having held the left trigger to lock onto an enemy, I found my target obscured by another warrior. I looked to simply hack my way through this bystander without changing lock on targets only to find that despite the sword clearly passing through his head, no connection was made. The Witcher 2 feels like it turned up to big boy school still sucking its thumb. With a little effort I found myself suppressing gaming instincts and eventually retargeting enemies, but it really felt clumsy. Interaction with items and the environment is also a chore. Without the precision of a mouse I once found myself unable to target a bag of gold next to an intractable switch. Best not to even mention stealth sections. All of these issues can be overcome, but with the challenge of the game so high early on, many simply won’t bother to try.
You know, sometimes, just sometimes, The Witcher 2 can take your breath away
Disappointing as the combat mechanics may be, they are worth getting over. The actual visual display of the combat is gorgeous, as is the rest of the game. While the 360 version is absolutely nowhere near the PC version on full spec, that doesn’t stop it from being one of the best out there. The developers have done their best to keep all the effects from the PC version in, including lighting and particle effects. The lighting specifically stands out for me, still giving that warm glow that I remember gawking at on the PC version. It must be said that if you took each visual aspect individually (character models, environments, etc) then nearly all of them would be considered subpar to today’s standards, but when combined together, The Witcher 2 can be jaw dropping.
Technically the game stands up very well too. The loading times are more than reasonable, menu navigation has been adjusted nicely for console use and the framerate stays at a constant level. Admittedly, I think this framerate level is far from 60fps, but it’s not disastrous. Strangely, the tutorial section is perhaps the only section where I really noticed framerate drop and was quite surprised that the busy opening section of the game ran smoothly in comparison.
The Witcher 2 is a long game, even if it does end rather unceremoniously, taking around 30-40 hours depending on your skill level and penchant for exploration. However, the game should take you a little longer than the PC version with a ton of new content and a claimed 30 minutes of additional cutscenes. This added content is of the highest quality too, not just an afterthought. New characters are introduced and the missions are relevant to the overall plot, making it well worth your time. Knowing CD Projekt Red, this content will be released on PC for free at some point, so original purchasers shouldn’t be too disheartened.
best…Reference…ever!
The Witcher 2 is a great game, but I agree with Johnny’s original review, it’s not going to be for everyone. The challenge level combined with frustrating control issues will put many people off before the game even gets started, and the huge scope of exploration in every location will leave some feeling lost. When you can enter pretty much every house in a city and be given a quest, finding everything in the game can be daunting. It’s a title that makes you think that you missed a tutorial, didn’t get a weapon or simply, have walked into the wrong area when things get tough. Powering through is well worth your time, but you would be forgiven for walking away.
As console ports go, The Witcher 2 is a brilliant piece of work that allows console players to get their hands on a fantastic action RPG without having to get themselves a high end gaming PC. While it may have its flaws, The Witcher 2 is a great ride with a very intriguing plot, far better English voice acting than the first game and interesting mechanics that truly makes it stand out from the competition. There is nothing like it, and I can see great things coming from a third installment in the future.
This game was provided by the publisher for review purposes on Xbox 360. The game was played for roughly 45 hours and was completed. Some of this time was dedicated to replaying sections of the game.
8/10
The Witcher 2 Review - ZGR
Daniel is clearly very excited about The Witcher 2! - ZGR The Witcher 2 Review
Johnny M. breaks out his regular sword, and also his good silver one for the guests coming over. He just can't remember how 'sharp' a cheddar the undead prefer. It's The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings review. The Witcher 2 Sexy Review
Angry Joe takes a serious long hard lustful look at The Witcher 2, the most mature adult oriented RPG hes had the pleasure of playing. This game has sex and titties, but check out the review for what else you can expect! The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition Review
Finally one of the most critically acclaimed PC games of last year makes its way to the 360. With 4 hours of extra content and gameplay adjustments, does this action RPG stand up to the competition on home console? Find out right here... Sage Reviews: The Witcher 2
It's one of the best RPG's of the last five years, and now it's on the 360. What more do you need to know?-
April 26, 2012 at 06:52pm
well i just got it and I’m really enjoying it so far. I was going 2 get prototype 2..im pretty sure i made the right choice. What do you think?
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April 15, 2012 at 07:52am
The date given to freely download the extra content for the PC is April 17, that is in two days, if everything remains on schedule and PC players don’t overload the servers downloading it.
Also, “daunting” is a con, now? When was the last time a book, a game, or a movie was “daunting”. “Daunting” is a pro, not a con.
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April 18, 2012 at 05:42am
I disagree, Daunting is a con.
Definition: Tending to overwhelm or intimidate
I used Daunting in reference to the second to last paragraph and how the game will turn some players away.
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April 14, 2012 at 04:06pm
Hi, I’m form Poland and author of The Witcher is not Andrzei it’s Andrzej. You may want to change it ;]
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April 13, 2012 at 10:37pm
Sure, console controls are more limited than those for PC, but they don’t have to be as awful as they actually are.
Ah well, maybe I’ll check out this game eventually, if I can get over the game’s low fantasy style.
I like low fantasy as long as the creators explore life as it could be and take a decided stance that it ought not to be that way.
Does the Witcher fulfill this Dostoevsky-like artistic requirement?
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April 14, 2012 at 09:01am
If your looking for the game to bring to life the low fantasy world created in Blood of Elves, The Witcher 2 will not disappoint. There is plenty the developers crammed into the title to keep players busy just exploring the culture alone.
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April 13, 2012 at 01:03pm
I didn’t have a single issue with the combat of this game, I was playing in a PC with a Xbox 360 controller, and all I read in this review regarding the controls feels far off of what I experienced… There’s nothing wrong with the controls, the game was simply made to be a little hard, that’s what I feel.
You gotta know when to roll, when to strike, when to guard, what signs to use, and so on, and sometimes it is a little troublesome to get rid of certain enemies, but it’s due to the complexity of the combat itself, and not because of lame controls.
But I do agree with Yousif in one thing: it’s not for everyone.
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April 13, 2012 at 01:55pm
The controls have been changed for the 360 version. I too played the PC version on a 360 pad.
Also compared to other hack and slash games on console The Witcher 2 is clumsy. Compared to Dark Souls it doesn’t even come close.
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April 13, 2012 at 11:05am
Given that PC gamers like me were stuck with the console designed menus and controls, it bothers me that when the console version finally came out the word is that the controls don’t quite work.
Do feel the need to call out people who were bitching far less about Witcher 2′s console design then, say, the on par or less console favoring designs of other games like Amalar or Skyrim. Favoritism much due to CDProjekt sucking nostalgic dork?
Well anyway it’s nice knowing I’ve got more content to play through coming my way sooner or later.
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April 13, 2012 at 04:47pm
The criticism of Skyrim’s interface isn’t that it was made with consoles in mind, it was that it was awful.
Also, having to interact with the magic/inventory/skills/map/quests screens so often in Skyrim made it worse.
Even if I agreed that the Witcher 2′s interface is console-centric, that doesn’t make it a bad interface; even if I agreed that it was a bad interface, you weren’t digging around in it as often as you would in Skyrim.
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April 13, 2012 at 10:18am
Good review. I played The Witcher 2 on PC with a controller and it worked great. I’m just curious if the MSRP: $29.99 is also for the xbox version. I want to get this for my brother because his PC was too crappy to play this.
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Sage Reviews: The Witcher 2
It’s one of the best RPG’s of the last five years, and now it’s on the 360. What more do you need to know?
The Witcher 2 Sexy Review
Angry Joe takes a serious long hard lustful look at The Witcher 2, the most mature adult oriented RPG hes had the pleasure of playing. This game has sex and titties, but check out the review for what else you can expect!
HardCorner: The Witcher 2 Deluxe Edition
THE ULTIMATE collector’s edition putting every other ones to SHAME ! Let’s dig in !
The Witcher 2 on Xbox 360 Will Bewitch You
Does the Xbox 360 port of The Witcher 2 still retain the magic, or is it just a junky pot of witches brew? Read my hands-on preview to find out!
i think how projcet CD has gone about with the witcher 2 on PC sets a standard how you do PC gaming properly. from the removal of DRM 2 week after release to the improving the game from player complaints should be considererd standard for every game
The first Witcher was pretty much unplayable, but the special edition made it good. Now imagine a game that is very good in the first place, improved to the same extent.
This’ll be fun.
It was far from unplayable. The load times for even the smallest areas were annoying as hell at release but a patch TWO (don’t remember exactly and can’t be assed to check it so assume a time frame of maximum 1 month) weeks after release addressed that issue so the load times didn’t take more than 10 seconds for the largest areas to load on PC that met the minimal requirements. You’ll never have non-issue PC game, it’s how you patch it that matters.
Sadly my PC isn’t the most reliable when it comes to most computer games and I’ve already preordered the 360 version (plus I’m on a bit of budget at the moment) so I’ll wait until then, but I certainly am eagerly awaiting the release.
The fact that in the interview reported here it was stated that there will be even more extras/improvements available in the X360 launch (free for all PC users that have already bought the game) is even better for x360 users. You’re not just getting bare bones year old game but while you’ve waited the game got additions that will cost you 0$. Regular retail price is all. Usually it works the other way around with way less improvements.