Recent reviews by Mystica

Of the three Wticher games, this is my 2nd favorite (TW 2 is tops). Not as much hand-holding as in 3, choices that actually matter and are difficult, quests that challenge, a world that is dark and immersive. I remember how buggy this game was when it came out in 2007 and how amazed I was with CDPR and how they offered a free enhanced edition to those who purchased the original. That was unprecedented and they gained my loyalty up until the Witcher 3, which disappointed on so many levels, I have trouble marking them all. But back to the Witcher 1. It's a VERY good cRPG, one you won't be disappointed playing if you like a complex story despite the fact it hasn't aged well graphically speaking. Only real downside I can think of is the combat and the gross unbalancing. There comes a point when you can sleep-walk through opponents, which is the reverse of how a game should be. The farther you get in, the more difficult it should become.

Oh, boy. Just finished playing Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced Edition. I'm stunned. Honestly. Just...stunned. This game was originally produced seventeen years ago, then was given a makeover and some new content a couple years back. I played the original way back when, had since thought it among the best games I'd ever played, but I had forgotten exactly how stellar BG 2 really is. DEEP role-playing, the quests come with consequences (including the side ones and some you can't do if you make certain decisions or your reputation is too high or low), the world responsive and immersive, the game itself challenging intellectually (no hand-holding here), NPCs that will fight if they differ in too many ways, characters you come to love or hate, the relationships intriguing and complex, especially that with Viconia, a Drow. She GREW as a character,

CHARACTERIZATION.

IN A GAME.

Man! What an incredible experience.

Longtime (once) loyal fan of CD Projekt Red (since The Witcher 1) and cannot say how utterly disappointed I am in this third and supposedly final outing. When I first started playing TW 3, I thought, "Man, this is AWESOME." That excitement and pleasure, however, was from the amazing RedEngine 3, the game engine TW 3 uses that is probably the finest game engine ever created. As I got farther into The Witcher 3 I realized the writing sucks, the continuity between TW 2 and this game is crap (despite CDPR promising the opposite). In short, playing the game is a lot like what I imagine masturbating with a cheese-grater to be.

Slightly amusing but mostly painful.

Tedium -- If I have to use my Witcher sense to follow yet another scent-trail or perform yet another lame "investigation"...

More Tedium -- Most of the quests are transparent. No surprises or mystery to the majority of quests I've taken.

Yet More Tedium -- Talk to person. Go here. Do this. Go all the way back. Talk to person. Return to quest location. Do that. Go all the way back. Talk to person. Return to quest location. Finish. See person for reward.

Yet Even More Tedium -- Same quest formula used again and again and again and again and...well, you get the point.

Simplicity -- WItcher sense takes out 90% of the challenge for too many quests.

Strategy Unnecessary -- I've not yet needed to facilitate strategic combat beyond making sure to have swallow at the ready and dodge at the proper time to avoid injury.

Dumbed-down to the nth degree.

Shallow Role-playing -- Decisions in the game have thus far had little impact beyond the immediate.

Nearly Forced Relationship -- Yennefer. If you want to follow book canon and dictate what a character should/must do, don't call the game an RPG because it isn't. It then becomes a linear action game based on linear books. Granted, those books are excellent, but a game that follows a book too closely is rather boring. Just like a movie based on a novel, the novel is 99% of the time better. Read the book, forget the game. In the words of Sheldon Cooper, no processor can compare to imagination.

Ambiguous Motivation -- I've read the books so I know why Ciri is important to Geralt. That importance, however, is not underscored in the game, nor is it explained how she came to Kaer Morhen and why she is so powerful other than a mention of "Elder Blood". The family unit that was Yen, Geralt, and Ciri is only touched upon. Little to no backstory explaining why Yen and Ciri are so dear to Geralt means little to no emotional involvement for the gamer and a whole ton of confusion for those who romanced Triss in 1 & 2 without reading the books. TW 3 is Muddled, weak, and (again because this cannot be stressed strongly enough) dictating. As an adventure/action game, it is okay. As an RPG? Flat out sucks.

Lack of continuity -- Many gamer decisions made in TW 2 are either not mentioned or blatantly nullified depending on which of the sixteen endings were chosen in TW 2. This despite a promise the opposite would be true.

Yes, all you TW 3 apologists, lack of continuity was an issue between 1 & 2, but two mistakes do NOT make a thing right, do they? A double negative is no positive, is it? Besides, the lack of continuity between TW 1 & 2 was understandable. CDPR had no idea at the time TW 1 was created that there would be a Witcher series. They knew TW was a series when they created TW 2. They should have at that time written a story that could carry over and have a proper climax in 3 (or at least a story they were willing to see through to the end). The lack of continuity between 2 & 3, therefore, is unforgivable because it was NOT happenstance.

Tamed Down Content -- Lingerie in sex scenes? When there is nudity elsewhere? When previous games were not squeamish over sex? Childish, moronic, hypocritical. Granted, this is a small irritant but it puts CDPR in a bad light because this sort of thing is woefully reminiscent of Dragon Age. Comes across as just plain silly in the Witcher. Shouldn't half-ass sex scenes. Either do them right or fade to black after a kiss or what have you.

No Auto Loot on Herbs -- Seriously, could they not have designed the game to grab all herbs when you click gather on them? I can understand picking and choosing or taking all on items, but herbs. I tell you, my thumb's getting carpal tunnel. And, oh yeah, how about being able to loot from horseback? Getting off and on Roach to pick up things gets old real fast.

Perhaps they should have named this game in a way that sets it apart from 1 & 2 and just called it Tedium Witcher. Tagline:

"The not a role-playing game that was supposed to end an RPG trilogy but is actually a disjointed stand-alone."

TW 3 is not recommended. Not in the slightest. You know, unless you simply want to see a world beautifully created or play an okay action game.

RedEngine 3 is the nearly the lone positive and I think the singular reason this game is GOTY. That and there wasn't much competition. As for the terrific sales of TW 3, I contribute that to the buzz The Witcher 2 created. Play that one if you want to play a great and engaging game.

----------------------- QUEST REVIEWS -----------------------
Visit the quest reviews to see where (IMO) TW 3 fell short and excelled. Includes HD video of each quest.

Index: http://wordsbycalasade.com/2016/01/04/the-witcher-3-review/
Kaer Morhen: http://wordsbycalasade.com/2016/01/04/the-witcher-3-kaer-morhen/
Lilac & Gooseberries: http://wordsbycalasade.com/2016/01/05/the-witcher-3-lilacs-gooseberries/
(more coming)

----------------------- HELPFUL MODS -----------------------

AutoLoot - Herbs Only
This will save you tons of clicks. One click takes the herb. http://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/315/?

Weight-Limit Mod
If you're like me, you like to scavenge to get extra coin. This mod will increase the weight-limit of how much you can carry, saving you from postponing quests to find a merchant. http://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/3/?

A fine game if a bit blah in the graphics department. That said, the story is engaging, the NPCs are interesting, and romances are good (if a bit too easy). Quests are fairly easy, too, as are the opponents. Seriously, what ever happened to developers balancing their games??? What happened to games challenging gamers? Yet, even with my complaints, DA:O has become one of my favorite games. It is a bit like the Baldur's Gate sereis. Any game which manages that is bound to be more good than bad.

Recently decided to replay the Witcher trilogy. Loved TW 1 despite its outdated graphics. As for TW 2, I think it's going to come out as my favorite even considering the QTEs and the irritating way in which you have to imbibe potions, through meditation. The story, the grittiness, the depth of the NPCs (especially Ivoreth, Roche, and Ves), and the adult nature of TW 2 makes up for all that. I also like the way fighting is done in TW 2 over 1 & 3. Yes, I'm quite certain thinking about this: TW 2 is my favorite of the series followed by TW 1. TW 3 is in fact a distant third.