Could have been a classic if...
The controls and view camera weren't so clunky. In high isometric view (which gives me the least trouble) the camera auto-centers behind Geralt which makes turning a corner a pain. Also when moving over uneven terrain the whole screen bobs nauseatingly. Keyboard movement doesn't make Geralt run when strafing unless forward is being pressed as well. And if you switch to over the shoulder, the mouse inversion setting will need to be changed.
The combat system was more involving than "click the mouse when the cursor has flames." Combat looks incredible with swords and feet flying. I wish they would have copied Oblivion's combat model.
The (frequent and necessary) load times didn't take 20+ seconds to complete, or better, were not necessary at all. This is easily the worst feature as many characters are only found inside a building. Just checking if someone is home can take over a minute. It really slows everything down and is a huge, constant frustration.
The voice actors would have been better and some of the script not made of cheese. Many times they would use horribly wrong voice inflections or tones that just did not flow with the rest of the conversation.
With that said, here's the good:
Graphics are top-notch
Storyline is interesting and compelling
UPDATE: after the Extended Edition, Witcher gets a 9.5 from me
- Ice