After completing Fallout 3 (and Mass Effect before that), this is the next big RPG I'm looking forward to. It's, as far as I know, one of the next big western-style RPG's we'll be able to enjoy on the 360 (Edit: oops, and PS3), and I'm damn excited. (PC-style is probably a dated term, now, but you know what I mean)
Spoiler'd for huge
A few things to know:
Eastern European RPG's are fucking awesome. They don't hold your hand, and they are exceedingly deep, traditionally.
These guys localized Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment, and the Icewind Dale series for Poland back in the day -- so they know their games.
“Console gamers don’t want to be treated like kids; they’re ready for deep story-driven games, and we think we’re delivering one of the deepest console RPGs ever with The Witcher: Rise of the White Wolf,” said Adam Kicinski, CEO of CD Projekt RED. “The only thing we’re taking directly from The Witcher is the story; everything else is being created from scratch or significantly reworked to get us to our end goal of delivering the ultimate console RPG.”
“We’re not about to dumb down our games for anyone,” added Michal Kicinski, co-founder of CD Projekt. “We want to give players the best games, regardless of platform; it’s important to us that each game plays to the platform’s strengths while treating our players with respect. That was our development philosophy with The Witcher, it’s our philosophy with Rise of the White Wolf, and it’s our philosophy on the other two games in development at CD Projekt RED. Anyone concerned that we’re going to somehow offer a shallow RPG simply because we’re working on consoles can stop worrying.”
The bad news? It's not going to be coming until this Fall, I believe.
Gamespot PC review excerpts:
New battle mechanics, a fantastic storyline, and a gritty setting make The Witcher one of the most engrossing, mature RPGs to arrive on the PC in years. Score: 8.5
"So no, The Witcher sure isn't all sunshine and lollipops. But even though you might need a few Prozac pills to handle the game's bleak tone, the story becomes incredibly compelling when you have so much riding on your actions. Characters seem like real people, not the good-evil-neutral triad of stereotypes that populate most fantasy games. Only a few aspects of the story and setting remind you that you're just playing a game."
"It's ridiculous enough that the side quests in every act let Geralt get horizontal with virtually every woman he meets" (Haha, christ almighty)
"A postwar fantasy world called Temeria that feels lived in (if not postapocalyptic), as well as plot points that involve serious moral choices. Story and setting have been borrowed from The Last Wish, a Polish fantasy novel published way back in 1990 by Andrzej Sapkowski, and for once such an adaptation has been pulled off successfully. "
Interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0r2VyaGHEE
Interview notes:
Weather changes! Cool
Based on an author who specializes in writing in shades of gray rather than the unrealistic notion of stark black and white
40 hours for main quest, 80 hours for side quests and seeing all the places, etc.
Six styles of combat (each can be upgraded) There's other aspects of combat beyond the 'style' of course
Very different from PC version - hundreds of new animations, more realistic and fluent movement and attacks, brand new player models, new lighting dynamics, normal mapping, etc. Basically, a new engine
Enemy AI revamped to be more lively, aggressive
Posts
FYI, I think western-style works instead of PC-style to describe this type of game, since it then contrasts with the term JRPG.
Good point. I guess I'm still stuck in the 90's, when I was playing games like Baldur's gate, and the only comparable thing on consoles were games like Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger.
So this is an action RPG?
It has action-based combat, but it has deep RPG mechanics. It's no Fable 2.
And yeah, its more about role-playing, than combat. I find much more enjoyment out of watching your character being a general badass in dialog than in combat.
I suppose I shall have to when you say things like that. Sounds interesting. :P
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
So much like nowadays.
E3 comic (I think),
Pros: More witchy than I expected.
Cons: Not yet witchy enough.
And near-release,
"I'll have you know I come from a long line of witches, each one witcher than the last."
"So you're not the Witcher at all, then. You're the Witchest."
Anyway, I've yet to hear anything but glowing praise for this game, and I was very pleased to read that memo they put out about how they believe console audiences are, essentially, smart enough to appreciate a game like this. My PS3 waits with bells on!
That said, I sure hope Microsoft doesn't pay for exclusive downloadable game-chunks you can only get on the 360. That Fallout 3 content really burns my waffles.
Play it on Hard and play it in Polish with subtitles. It's magical.
But this game is really good. The stuff they say about tough decisions with consequences really is true, unlike most RPGs (cough cough Bioware).
EDIT: Don't see an option to switch the language to Polish?
You can download the EE content if you register. I know at least after that you can choose language and subtitle options.
This is a ways off, so I'll make sure this thread resurfaces when the game is actually a tangible thing.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
I mean, who reworks an entire game, making everything better, and releases it for free? They guys who made STALKER didn't have the audacity to do that, and actually released, in ways, an inferior game (Clear Sky).
Ironically enough, I actually haven't finished The Witcher yet.
What's the fighting like in this game?
Sounds promising. Does the STEAM version have the Enhanced Edition stuff as well?
Edit - I see that it does, it says "Enhanced Edition" right on the storefront. Awesome. One more reason to say "No, I can legally blow my bandwidth cap in a hurry."
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
No idea, I bought the physical copy for all the neat stuff you get with.
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
The Steam version is the Enhanced Edition, so yes.
Edit: Or do you mean EE out of game stuff? This is what I get for posting before I'm really awake yet. :P
I choose the side (there's 2 factions, or you can go neutral) that I thought was logically best for the situation, but I actually sympathized more with the other side.
Also, as a neutral Witcher you can flirt a bit with both sides and don't get locked in til the end of Act 4 (out of 5).
Physical stuff. Loot. You know. Game guide, the first book featuring the Witcher (translated into English), bigassed map of the game world, dvd with the game's music (and music inspired by the game) and a making-of dvd. For someone who doesn't own the vanilla game it was a no-brainer.
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
... How big is this game? Jesus.
Anyone with the STEAM version mind checking on the filesize of everything, including said DVD/MP3/JPEG/lolextras?
Edit - And the possibility of getting all of that loot physically would make me want to hunt down a retail copy rather than an eCopy.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
Bugs? I had like...3 crashes? in the 60+ hours I spent on my last save. Oh, there is that horrible bug where you completely lose track of time because the game is that good.
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
If only someone had peaked my interest during the steam sale. :?
You are a lucky one. I have lost saves due to crashes several times. It says a lot that the game is good enough for me to keep coming back.
If the games sex cards make in into the console version, I will eat my own cock.*
(*will not actually eat my own cock)
Fixed. But you're right, no way the slutty witchpic (oh you know the one) will make it in. Btw, I did mention you bang like every female in the game right? And you get a softporn afterwards as a reward. As far as collection minigames go this is as good as it gets.
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW