Support NeoGAF

[SneakyStephan]

Perhaps you should actually read his review before accusing him of having an "empty head".

What does him not being able to appreciate tw1 have to do with the review of the second game?

Tw1 had plenty of flaws like pacing problems in chapters 1 and 4, harsh system reqs (if you can call that a flaw considering the great graphics).
But if the story, perfect use of color and amazing art (and combat once you get the hang of it)which are all 10 grades above other wrpgs aren't enough to place the game at the top, then I wonder what he does base his opinions on.

If I had to take a guess it's the lack of loot and rpg level up carrots (leveling took such a huge backseat in this game) that he sorely missed.
Without constant pats on the back most reviewers and pseudo gamers aren't interested apparently.

If you have to find your own satisfaction in the gameplay then they stagger back.
Way too meta, dude.

 

[Echoplx]

yeah i just started troll trouble but i ran into a problem

Spoiler

i have to find out about the she-troll but dunno where to go

says i should ask around but i dunno who to ask

Can't remember the exact name of the guy but he's in one of the houses in the little settlement outside of town.


ALSO can someone explain how the dice game works? can't find shit in the journal and I'm lost.

 

[SamuraiX-]

89 for the game is outstanding. If you had a test at school and the teacher gives you back an 89 how are you most likely to feel about that? I'd feel pretty pumped----as should CDProjekt.

I'd be fairly annoyed and would probably be thinking to myself that I deserved at least an "A-."

 

[markot]

Yes, a weak, rushed ending is a valid complaint in a narrative-driven RPG.

And it's not a "letter grade". His score went from a 92 to an 89 or an A- to a B+.

Isnt that a letter grade?

 

[Salaadin]

yeah i just started troll trouble but i ran into a problem

Spoiler

i have to find out about the she-troll but dunno where to go

says i should ask around but i dunno who to ask

I wonder if theres anyone at the tavern that can help you.

 

[ExMachina]

For Troll Trouble, where is the freaking Troll? I've got the quest downloaded and installed and the village elder outside Flotsam has already asked me not to kill the Troll so I'm pretty sure it installed correctly. I just spent the last half hour running around the forest near the river but I seem to be blind or am just having some bad luck. Can someone spell it out for me? =)

Some screenshots of the spot where you can jump down into the river:

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/542894721421224967/7EF44070BFC2FA5B85BBB1F498B4F5C540B6F84D/
http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/542894721421224150/46FED2820C0DF72C173561F795E0C281B0DB0614/

 

[markot]

Can't remember the exact name of the guy but he's in one of the houses in the little settlement outside of town.


ALSO can someone explain how the dice game works? can't find shit in the journal and I'm lost.

Its poker with dice, you roll to begin with, then you pick the dice that you want to roll again.

You get pairs, 2 pair, three of a kind... etc...

 

[WanderingWind]

Yes, a weak, rushed ending is a valid complaint in a narrative-driven RPG.

And it's not a "letter grade". His score went from a 92 to an 89 or an A- to a B+.

If you say so.

 

[VisanidethDM]

Agreed. Especially when their main argument is "Well, the game was really great and everything, but I didn't like the ending."

....okay. But to knock it down a letter grade because the ending didn't go the way you would have written it? Not really a valid complaint IMO.

He also pointed out how the combat is still a pretty amateurish effort, which isn't a minor flaw.

 

[WanderingWind]

He also pointed out how the combat is still a pretty amateurish effort, which isn't a minor flaw.

And one I'd wholly disagree with. But this is going nowhere fast. Let's just say I disagree strongly with the reviewers two main points. That's likely not going to change, nor is his review, so we're just kinda treading water here.

 

[sflufan]

What does him not being able to appreciate tw1 have to do with the review of the second game?

The 7/10 for TW1 quote didn't come from the PCG reviewer, it came from a poster in this thread!

 

[ExMachina]

Speaking of dice poker... anyone else find it weird that they changed it from best 2 out of 3 to just one game in TW2?

 

[sflufan]

And one I'd wholly disagree with. But this is going nowhere fast. Let's just say I disagree strongly with the reviewers two main points. That's likely not going to change, nor is his review, so we're just kinda treading water here.

At least withhold judgment on his points about the ending until you actually get there!

 

[SneakyStephan]

The 7/10 for TW1 quote didn't come from the PCG reviewer, it came from a poster in this thread!

Then I take back what I said about the man.

Though I could still argue that him calling the combat of the first game amateurish means it was over his head.
Apparently he couldn't adjust to simple timing based on animation length and had to have his global cooldown action bar gameplay.
Bet he's one of those people who rushed through the game with maxed out igni.

If he didn't even get tw1 gameplay then I'd hate to watch this guy play something like ninja gaiden or street fighter.
Omg I press the buttons and I have to wait for animations to finish I want my satisfaction NOW, right now, or I'm going to hold my breath.

There is a really good flow to tw1 combat, but you have to follow the rules.

 

[markot]

Speaking of dice poker... anyone else find it weird that they changed it from best 2 out of 3 to just one game in TW2?

Ive only played one game, but I am pretty sure it was best out of 3 >.<... maybe im wrong.

 

[Salaadin]

Ive only played one game, but I am pretty sure it was best out of 3 >.<... maybe im wrong.

Every game I played, I either lost after one round or the opponent resigned after one round. Maybe tougher players give more rounds?

 

[The Hermit]

Is playing this game on low a disservice? Cause I might upgrade my PC just for this game

Spoiler

and a bunch of others too after that

 

[Stahsky]

He also pointed out how the combat is still a pretty amateurish effort, which isn't a minor flaw.

Are we talking about the Witcher 2 here, or am I reading into this the wrong way? Because I find The Witcher 2's combat to be pretty damn great. It took me about 8-10 hours to really figure it out, though. It's deeper than it seems.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Man that cave quest for Melena in Flotsam is hard for me. I'm level 7 right now. I use recovery potions. I also tried to strengthen myself and they mobbed me. Any tips or do I just have to be more skilled and parry/defend better?

Are we talking about the Witcher 2 here, or am I reading into this the wrong way? Because I find The Witcher 2's combat to be pretty damn great. It took me about 8-10 hours to really figure it out, though. It's deeper than it seems.

It's damn good. As I said, this is easily the best RPG I've in PC in a long time. Probably already my favorite PC RPG ever.

 

[Salaadin]

Man that cave quest for Melena in Flotsam is hard for me. I'm level 7 right now. I use recovery potions. I also tried to strengthen myself and they mobbed me. Any tips or do I just have to be more skilled and parry/defend better?

Use Quen frequently and slowly inch your way into the cave so they all dont rush you at once. I would aggro some and then run back some, kill whatever followed me, and repeat.

 

[Ceebs]

Awesome, I'll dig it out and plug it in.

Now, how do you win at dice, or better still, how do you play it well? I've lost about 10 times in a row now!!

I always found that if you keep your pairs and if you have one, a single 6 or 5 and reroll everything else and you tend to win a decent percentage of the games. It's how I played dice in the first one and it worked wonders until you started playing the characters like Foltest who obviously cheated.

 

[Van Buren]

Are we talking about the Witcher 2 here, or am I reading into this the wrong way? Because I find The Witcher 2's combat to be pretty damn great. It took me about 8-10 hours to really figure it out, though. It's deeper than it seems.

I never thought I'd be saying this, but I wouldn't say no if one of the DLCs adds some sort of an arena/combat room where we're thrown wave after wave of randomized enemies, and we need to make use of all the tools available to survive.

Man that cave quest for Melena in Flotsam is hard for me. I'm level 7 right now. I use recovery potions. I also tried to strengthen myself and they mobbed me. Any tips or do I just have to be more skilled and parry/defend better?

I used swallow, lapwing and golden oriole as my potions. I prepared beforehand and made a lot of different bombs and traps. I set my traps all around the cave entrance and pulled the nekkers to the entrance. Used Axii and Yrden to take the warriors out of the fight temporarily, while Quen enabled me to dart in and out with quick jabs. When they got too close, the bombs gave me breathing space. This worked on Hard, btw.

 

[Minsc]

Is playing this game on low a disservice? Cause I might upgrade my PC just for this game

Spoiler

and a bunch of others too after that

That's not really a question, even if you just think playing on low settings may be a disservice to your experience, then it probably is.

 

[Stahsky]

Man that cave quest for Melena in Flotsam is hard for me. I'm level 7 right now. I use recovery potions. I also tried to strengthen myself and they mobbed me. Any tips or do I just have to be more skilled and parry/defend better?


It's damn good. As I said, this is easily the best RPG I've in PC in a long time. Probably already my favorite PC RPG ever.

On the cave bit, I found ensnaring dudes in traps and shielding yourself to be the safest route. I've only just started using the block button properly about 10 hours in. Once I had a few key talents, it's made it a much better ability. Don't rely on it too much at the start. Focus on dodging and the shield sign.

 

[Castor Krieg]

Any ETA on Polish VO for Steam?

 

[VisanidethDM]

No OT is really complete without people complaining about 85+ scores.

 

[matmanx1]

Double click the quest in your journal and make it the active quest to see the marker. Right next to the broken bridge is a ledge you can jump down and into the river. The troll is standing in the river under the broken part.

That's a problem then because that quest isn't in my log to click on. Sounds like it might have bugged or something then?

 

[Barberetti]

A few times now I've been in a fight and suddenly the combat fucks up. I can still run, roll, and cast signs etc but can't attack with my sword at all. Geralt just stands there holding it in his hands. The only way to fix this has been to exit to the main menu and reload from my last save. Anyone else had this problem?

 

[ColonialRaptor]

I thought the game had 6 chapters not 3?

Also, I don't know if this spoiled LA Noire for me or not, but I've been playing LA Noire and I have an absolute aching to get back into Witcher, it's so much a better game that it's not funny.

 

[Tokubetsu]

Made it to Chapter 3. Yea, I haven't slept. The mid point of Chapter two to the end was just too awesome to stop. Some really sadface shit goes down though, at least based on the choices I made.

I thought the game had 6 chapters not 3?

Don't worry. Chapter 2 was at LEAST twice as long as Chapter one. Took me the entire night/day to get through it. Just finished it. (I cleared Chapter 1 around this time yesterday morning).

 

[Lafiel]

I thought the game had 6 chapters not 3?

It has 5 if you count the prologue and epilogue!

 

[Salaadin]

That's a problem then because that quest isn't in my log to click on. Sounds like it might have bugged or something then?

Follow these steps?
-Register your game from the launcher
-Goto the DLC section of the launcher and download Troll Trouble
-When Troll Trouble is downloaded, go back into the DLC section, click Troll Trouble, and click "Install"
-Goto the notice board outside the inn and grab the Troll trouble notice.

If you did all of that and still have no Troll Trouble quest, I dont know.

 

[Tokubetsu]

Again, Chapter two is meaty as hell and I know for a fact I missed some stuff not quest related (explore and monster related shit). Still felt like it took me 16 hours, easy.

 

[VisanidethDM]

I thought the game had 6 chapters not 3?

Also, I don't know if this spoiled LA Noire for me or not, but I've been playing LA Noire and I have an absolute aching to get back into Witcher, it's so much a better game that it's not funny.

Haven't played LA Noire yet but I've a pretty easy time believing you. It's not even the same ballpark.

 

[scorpscarx]

PC Gamer fails, to give the game to not be named 95 and this an 89.

I mean.... what will 'gamer Joe Dumbasrocks' think?

 

[toastyToast]

Still felt like it took me 16 hours, easy.

God damn, that's more my total over the last couple of days and I thought was overdoing it.

Get your crazy ass some rest.

 

[ColonialRaptor]

Don't worry. Chapter 2 was at LEAST twice as long as Chapter one. Took me the entire night/day to get through it. Just finished it. (I cleared Chapter 1 around this time yesterday morning).

Cool, I've spent 15 hours on Epilogue and Chapter 1 so far and I'm not even half way through Chapter 1 yet, still have a LOT to do and I'm really taking my time.

I'm fully expecting to have put about 50 hours into this by the time I get through it.

Excellent

Ahhh, yep, I think it's the 5 chapter thing that I thought it was, including Epilogue and Prologue. Originally I thought it was Epilogue + Prologue + 6 Chapters (and I was still thinking this after playing Chapter 1 for about 10 - 12 hours so far and thinking WOW this shit is going to be so epic if I'm going to get 20 hours out of each Chapter).

I miss witcher actually... but, devoted to finish LA Noire so I can come back to Witcher un-impeded. Or... maybe I'll just play Witcher straight through un-impeded and go to LA after that... dunno what to do lol.

 

[poisonelf]

"Different reviewer" means nothing. PCG as a media outlet scored DA2 at 90%+ and Witcher 2 at 89%. That's what most casual gamers will see, opinions will be formed (sadly), and PC Gamer will be able to stay friends with the big boys.

Oh, but it's a different reviewer, if you read the review everything is explained, so they're also objective and an all around great gaming journalism source. Sure.

 

[Salaadin]

Cool, I've spent 15 hours on Epilogue and Chapter 1 so far and I'm not even half way through Chapter 1 yet, still have a LOT to do and I'm really taking my time.

I'm fully expecting to have put about 50 hours into this by the time I get through it.

Excellent

Ahhh, yep, I think it's the 5 chapter thing that I thought it was, including Epilogue and Prologue. Originally I thought it was Epilogue + Prologue + 6 Chapters (and I was still thinking this after playing Chapter 1 for about 10 - 12 hours so far and thinking WOW this shit is going to be so epic if I'm going to get 20 hours out of each Chapter).

I miss witcher actually... but, devoted to finish LA Noire so I can come back to Witcher un-impeded. Or... maybe I'll just play Witcher straight through un-impeded and go to LA after that... dunno what to do lol.

Finish The Witcher 2 and then play LA Noire. First come, first served

Im probably 15 hours in and am still on chapter 1 as well. Im really taking my sweet time with it. It took me 2 hours yesterday to complete the Nekker nests quest because I kept getting side tracked and would start exploring.

 

[Tokubetsu]

There were around three or four points in Act II that I totally thought it was wrapping up but then it just kept going. Not in the bad sense of when will this end but more along the lines of "fuck, I can't stop playing now!" and then the sun came up...

 

[LiquidMetal14]

I will try the cave after work. Thanks for the advice. I will likely agro and just do it like that. Funny thing is the first time I did that mission I cleared the room but lingered and more spawned and killed me lol

 

[Echoplx]

Who is the 'ranking official' in Flotsam for the Mystic River quest?

 

[VisanidethDM]

PC Gamer fails, to give the game to not be named 95 and this an 89.

I mean.... what will 'gamer Joe Dumbasrocks' think?

I'm not sure I follow this line of reasoning. This game is amazing (particularly so when you've just upgrade to a top tier rig) in many ways, but it's not exactly sofisticated. If there's ONE rpg the dudebros will get, it's this - it's an action RPG, with fairly intuitive (if poorly explained mechanics), if you get past the prologue it can be played more or less like you would play a beat'em up, it features a macho protagonist that could race Duke Nukem in a testosteron war, has plenty of tits and ass fanservice. Sure, there's a lot of RPG nuances and layers and there's choice and things only a true RPG fan will appreciate - but you CAN really like the game (for its graphics, the badassery, the action-oriented combat) even if you don't really get that stuff.

In fact, the entire project screams that the devs aimed for the widest audience possible, and they did in a quite smart way, creating a game that's hardcore without being obscure and that's accessible without being dumb.

 

[Salaadin]

Who is the 'ranking official' in Flotsam for the Mystic River quest?

Spoiler

I cant remember his name...Merses maybe?. Hes the guy who also wants you to go to him whenever you complete a monster contract like the Nekker one. Hes the well dressed, distinguised looking dude. His house is near the area where the hanging takes place, across from the inn, I think.

EDIT: Spoilered just in case.

 

[sflufan]

PC Gamer fails, to give the game to not be named 95 and this an 89.

I mean.... what will 'gamer Joe Dumbasrocks' think?

Do you honestly believe that he would've been the least bit interested in an RPG title from an Eastern European developer in the first place, no matter what review score it received?

 

[scorpscarx]

I'm not sure I follow this line of reasoning. This game is amazing (particularly so when you've just upgrade to a top tier rig) in many ways, but it's not exactly sofisticated. If there's ONE rpg the dudebros will get, it's this - it's an action RPG, with fairly intuitive (if poorly explained mechanics), if you get past the prologue it can be played more or less like you would play a beat'em up, it features a macho protagonist that could race Duke Nukem in a testosteron war, has plenty of tits and ass fanservice. Sure, there's a lot of RPG nuances and layers and there's choice and things only a true RPG fan will appreciate - but you CAN really like the game (for its graphics, the badassery, the action-oriented combat) even if you don't really get that stuff.

In fact, the entire project screams that the devs aimed for the widest audience possible, and they did in a quite smart way, creating a game that's hardcore without being obscure and that's accessible without being dumb.

I just think that PC gamers' reviews have been wrong lately, but I don't want TW2 to undersell.

Just my feeling on the matter, in case you don't know, I think this game is totally brilliant.


... as far as Easter European developed games... besides from Valve games, Metro 2033 and the TW1 are my favorite games from any recent memory.

 

[VisanidethDM]

I just think that PC gamers' reviews have been wrong lately, but I don't want TW2 to undersell Bioware RPG's...

I think DA2 sold decently but a fraction of DA:O. For simple reasons - on one hand DA:O sold like hotcakes cause it was marketed as some sort of blood-porn version of a Lord of the Rings beat'em up, and reached a much wider audience than the one who could appreciate it, and said audience (the people who didn't get past Ostergar before being bored to tears) certainly didn't come back for more. And then there's the fact that, at least in my opinion, it was a disgustingly bad RPG, so probably some hardcores skipped 2 for the opposite reason. Bottom line, DA2 didn't exactly top charts, and while it's almost given that it will massacre The Witcher 2 in total sales being on consoles too... I really wouldn't rule out TW2 coming on top if a console version is released.

And in the end, Bioware's name is still worth something and DA2 is gonna be one of those last games we all still buy in order to hate them.

 

[Riptwo]

PC Gamer fails, to give the game to not be named 95 and this an 89.

I mean.... what will 'gamer Joe Dumbasrocks' think?

I feel as though Joe Dumbasrocks probably isn't reading PC Gamer and comparing RPG review scores in the first place, so it all works out in the end.

I finally got to start this game last night, and people weren't kidding about the combat being a little unforgiving. It's a nice change of pace, and I'm enjoying it so far!

 

[HeadlessRoland]

I'm not sure I follow this line of reasoning. This game is amazing (particularly so when you've just upgrade to a top tier rig) in many ways, but it's not exactly sofisticated.

I am trying to think of RPG that was this difficult and where strategy is absolutely mandatory and failing. Swinging the sword is the easy the part. Hack and Slashers will die instantly and repeatedly even the least difficult level. Hard is probably impossible for 95% of gamers. And insane? Forget about it.

 

[Anton Sugar]

I used the same exact save as well. For whatever reason the game refused to recognize my original saves while the ones in the OP worked fine. I caught the insane amount of orens that save had and I didn't want to ruin the challenge so basically I just pretend $25,000 = $0 and refuse to go below it. It's tough and tempting as hell to bend the rules a little but I've stuck to it so far.

That's a good idea...I just hate the temptation. I'm wondering if there's a fast and easy way to just LOSE a ton of money. $25,000 seems like enough to coast through the game on.