Must read before buying. (A brutally honest review)

[Ronin Ghost]

I"ll make this as Short and Sweet as possible. Or as Long and Sour....as necessary

Right off the bat any gamers who has played gems like "Shadow of Mordor" or the "Arkam Knight" series are going to recognize similar elements this game shares.
Such as "Witch Vision" which highlights items and areas of interest in the game to be investigated.

Blocking and parrying mechanics which are reminiscent of the previously named games.
However this title does not share in any way the fluid and nearly blinding polish the other games have in terms of mechanics and gameplay.
Shadow of Mordor plays like an experience. You block, parry, counterattack and perform killing blows in a manner that allows you to literally take on dozens and dozens of enemies at once. And these enemies are of varying difficulty levels, bosses included.

The Witcher III, well, not so much. Granted the games designed to simulate better games. But in practice its just not fun and fails to emulate the polished combat of other titles.

The first hour in game felt like work. Real work.
While trying to follow after one of the NPC's in the opening movement tutorial, I could not stop myself from falling off ledges, overstepping doorways, and bumping into walls.
Dozens of times I had to retrace my steps because the controls didn't allow a smooth approach to a door, or ledge.
The controls were just simply horrendous.

The same goes for combat. The combat tutorial was a chore. There is zero intuition in terms of parrying or blocking, and any enemy with a modicum of skill will have you backing up and cornered quickly.
Once out in the world and fighting actual monsters, your basically just locking on to them and swinging away with next to zero planning or technique.
Unlike games such as Dark Souls, Shadow of Mordor, Arkam Knight, where you feel like every ounce of combat is a carefully orchestrated chess match and balet combination, The Witcher III is soul less and empty combat.
Unlike games such Assassins Creed, where your movement through the world is amazing and fun, this game feels choppy, annoying and tiring.

Overall, this game is so far a big disappointment.
I've gotten over an hour into and without even mentioning how boring the cinematic scenes are, or how mediocre the Graphics actually are, I would recommend a big fat pass on this title.
Sadly, I'm not sure I can even mount the courage to continue playing past my first hour or so to see if it gets better. Because the flaws I've mentioned are not storytelling flaws, or commentary about the game not being fun due to nothing exciting.
They are issues with game mechanics, and handling which in essence are the cause for the game not being fun, or almost unplayable in my opinion.
Things like poor fighting and movement mechanics don't get better deeper into a game. And about an hour is all I needed. In comparison, Games like Shadow of Mordor, Arkam Knight, Dark Souls, etc... All had me fully entrenched and enjoying every second of combat within the first 10 minutes.

My Breakdown: 1-10 with 10 being best, and 1 worst.

Graphics: 6 (Sometimes the graphics inch up to be amazing, but mostly they're just ok)
Gameplay: 2 (Horrendous controls and combat mechanics)
Sound: 7
Cinematics cutscenes: 4 (They have you looking for the "Skip" icon every time)
Story: 4

Overall Rating: 3 (Because sound doesn't weigh as heavily as gameplay)
Unless your dead set on buying and playing this game I'd say STAY AWAY....

[supertrooper225]

Publicado originalmente por solemnpsalms:

Publicado originalmente por Merdakah:

I'm about to drop the game because of the way Geralt controls. I already find myself saving and quitting out because the idea of controlling a drunken brick for a minute longer makes me shudder.
The game is good, but the controls drag it down.

The first game that i noticed the similar idle/run run/stop transition animation was Vindictus.
Unfortunately the devs of TW3 over did it a little.

could be worse...could be Bethesda Fallout 3 animation...or even Skyrim animation...

[Deadbubble]

Publicado originalmente por supertrooper225:

Publicado originalmente por solemnpsalms:

The first game that i noticed the similar idle/run run/stop transition animation was Vindictus.
Unfortunately the devs of TW3 over did it a little.

could be worse...could be Bethesda Fallout 3 animation...or even Skyrim animation...

The jumping animation looks like Bethesda quality, though...

[supertrooper225]

Publicado originalmente por Deadbubble:

Publicado originalmente por supertrooper225:

could be worse...could be Bethesda Fallout 3 animation...or even Skyrim animation...

The jumping animation looks like Bethesda quality, though...

Not really, it is much smoother and Geralt can actually climb ledges.

[Tórç]

Publicado originalmente por solemnpsalms:

The first game that i noticed the similar idle/run run/stop transition animation was Vindictus.
Unfortunately the devs of TW3 over did it a little.

Publicado originalmente por supertrooper225:

could be worse...could be Bethesda Fallout 3 animation...or even Skyrim animation...

lol ...Skyrim third person view...won't even go there. XD

[Deadbubble]

Publicado originalmente por solemnpsalms:

Publicado originalmente por solemnpsalms:

The first game that i noticed the similar idle/run run/stop transition animation was Vindictus.
Unfortunately the devs of TW3 over did it a little.

Publicado originalmente por supertrooper225:

could be worse...could be Bethesda Fallout 3 animation...or even Skyrim animation...

lol ...Skyrim third person view...won't even go there. XD

Bethesda games in general are unplayable in 3rd person :P

[Tórç]

Publicado originalmente por supertrooper225:

Publicado originalmente por Deadbubble:

The jumping animation looks like Bethesda quality, though...

Not really, it is much smoother and Geralt can actually climb ledges.

Skyrim has a slight* float effect within the jump. ESO is a reck with floating...
TW3 is nice but there is a fame skip at the end of Geralt's jump that irks me.

[Remi]

12.4 hours on record lol

[Sherk]

Publicado originalmente por Deadbubble:

Publicado originalmente por solemnpsalms:

lol ...Skyrim third person view...won't even go there. XD

Bethesda games in general are unplayable vanilla:P

Fixed.

[T-Money]

Story a 4? You must be talking about a different game dude

[GipseyDanger ( >ω<)っ ♡]

"Unlike games such as Dark Souls, Shadow of Mordor, ---Arkam Knight---"

R u batman ?:D Only he could get a copy a week before release!

[Crisis]

I don't agree with your review of this game.
and to compare it to a game as boring as shadow of mordor.
that game did not have a good story at all. and the combat was fun for a while.
but later it got boring.

I will grand it that in the witcher you need to practice movement.
but that only adds to the game. when you run in real live.
you can't stop instantly the same is with the witcher.
you take a few more steps before you have stoped.
combat in the witcher needs planning. you need to use the potions and
signs that are best for those types of monsters.
and need to block and parry on time,
or they will kill you,
put that with a great story.
and you have your self an epic game.
and that is the witcher.
well that is my opinion. you have the right to like or hate the game.
but don't compare it to games that are not in the slightest similar gameplay.

[kurosect]

Publicado originalmente por Crisis:

I don't agree with your review of this game.
and to compare it to a game as boring as shadow of mordor.
that game did not have a good story at all. and the combat was fun for a while.
but later it got boring.

I will grand it that in the witcher you need to practice movement.
but that only adds to the game. when you run in real live.
you can't stop instantly the same is with the witcher.
you take a few more steps before you have stoped.
combat in the witcher needs planning. you need to use the potions and
signs that are best for those types of monsters.
and need to block and parry on time,
or they will kill you,
put that with a great story.
and you have your self an epic game.
and that is the witcher.
well that is my opinion. you have the right to like or hate the game.
but don't compare it to games that are not in the slightest similar gameplay.

Pixelfetish, is that you? There can't be two people who speak in rap on these forums.

[darkdog_13]

While i liked the batman games and shadows of mordor i like the fact i can no longer take on half the world in a fight at once and win.

Batman games it makes sense because your batman ultimate badass and your enemies have never been in a fist fight in their lives and would find some way to miss hitting batman even if they had the gun pressed on his head.
Shadow of mordor you are fighting orcs which are pretty much the same as batman enemies.

Seems like your looking for a batman/SoM/AC clone which this game is not but lucky for you there are already tons of those type of games out there.

[bukkie661]

Publicado originalmente por Crisis:

I will grand it that in the witcher you need to practice movement.
but that only adds to the game. when you run in real live.

And now we have people even defending bad controls...