I survived my first fight in The Witcher 2 with a devil's flare. A couple of wimpy soldier boys brandishing weapons they had no right pointing at me fell before I even figured out what I was doing. Oh, right click is a strong attack? E is my block button? Who cares? I choose who dies, and you are going to die by my sword. I don't need to dodge or use magic with a couple greenhorn fools standing before me. Only suckers die in the beginning of a massive role-playing game anyway. I have dozens of hours ahead of me to hone my skills before the real fights begin. I've danced in this ball before. No surprises here.

Second fight, I died like an aardvark in the ocean. I was matched up against two (TWO!) soldiers this time and I moved in with the cocky swagger of an undefeated boxer taking on the weakest kid in junior high. Who needs strategy or tactics in the second fight in the game? Well, turns out I did. I missed with my overly aggressive sword strike, leaving my backside unprotected, and they cut me down in three quick strikes.

The sad part? I restarted my game, once again tore through the yellow-bellied suckers in the beginning, and faced my conquerors with respect and patience. I would win this time. I was ready. I kept my distance, used a few spells, rolled away when they closed in, and still ended up dying.

The Witcher 2 is incredibly difficult and I couldn't be happier. It's such a relief playing a game that doesn't care about my feeling. It doesn't baby me. It doesn't hold my hand and give me a cup of cocoa. It shoves a dagger in my throat and doesn't care that I'm crying. I love that The Witcher 2 is geared toward players who want a serious challenge. Who think that immersion goes beyond atmosphere and story. Who know that to truly feel a part of a world, you need to be bested by it as often as you beat it down. It's a really tough game, and I cannot wait to get back to it.