Right up there with the best of them: Oblivion, DA:O and now The Witcher 2... Game of the year so far...
And now, almost 4 years later, a follow-up to that game came out called "The Witcher 2", where you once again play as Geralt of Rivia, a witcher with a story to tell... So, let's break things down and see what this one is all about:
Graphics:
Well, i'm a big fan of good graphics in a game (as long as that doesn't mean sacrificing good gameplay), but this one is really "off the charts"!!! Not only is the graphics design so believable, the whole world you are immersed in feels so alive! Seriously, i haven't seen better graphics in a game like this so far! Truly beautiful...
-Pros: Beautiful, Life-like, Some of the best graphics ever
-Cons: Doesn't run well with a not-so-powerful rig
Sound:
The sound is also one of the strong points of this game for a couple of reasons: A nice soundtrack, fitting for a game like this one, and really great voice-acting, which gives life to the protagonist and makes you care for all the characters you meet along the way...
-Pros: Voice-Acting, Soundtrack, everything really
-Cons: nothing (except maybe the sound of those harpies)
Gameplay:
This is the most important aspect of an RPG. In this game, there are all the RPG elements you could wish for: big and consistent skill tree, potion making, magic, good weapons-armor etc.
The combat is solid and really exciting, once you get the hang of it and realise what spells to use and when. In the prologue you will feel that this game is REALLY hard, but things will go a lot smoother from then on...
The dialogue is also one of the best aspects of this game, with not only great voice-acting, but the fact that you are called upon to make choices that change the flow of the story and that are not just "good" or "bad", but present real moral dilemmas...
The progression of your skills, the looting system and the abilities you gain, are really satisfactory and well balanced...
Another strong point, is that even if you finish this game once (about 35 hours of gameplay) you will still want to make another playthrough, this time with different choices, and see how the storyline changes!
As for the negative aspects, admittedly this game has some minor bugs and you will sometimes find yourself going back and forth trying to open a door or something...
-Pros: Good RPG elements, Nice combat, Dialogue, Multiple playthroughs
-Cons: Sometimes really hard, minor bugs
Story:
You will travel in many different places, meet different kinds of people and experience all sorts of things (from great battles, to betrayal, love, greed, and the list goes on and on). Again, the great dialogue will make you care for others and the outcome of your decisions...
Maybe it is not THE best storyline in an RPG, but it has A LOT of plot twists and really memorable and epic moments. And you shouldn't forget that this is a part of a trilogy, so that the full story is not concluded in this one...
-Pros: Nice Story, Characters, Memorable moments, Storyline changes based on your decisions
-Cons: Kind of sudden ending
SUMMARY:
-Graphics: 11.0
-Sound: 10.0
-Gameplay: 9.5
-Story: 9.5
-Lasting appeal: 9.0
-Overall: 9.8/10
Well, i have played through the game once, but after my exams are over this summer, i will definitely be coming back for another playthrough. This game has it all: Awesome graphics and sound, good gameplay and storyline. It reminds of why i love RPGs... And in comparison to the "rushed" and "lacking" DA2 that came earlier this year, THIS is a true RPG. As the gamespot reviewers said: "No longer need we accept that role-playing games must sacrifice the quality of one element in favor of another."
This is no less than a hallmark for RPGs and probably the best RPG of this generation...