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[RoadHazard]

Just started playing A few hours ago. Anyone else playing on the hardest difficulty? It really makes the game that more fucking awesome, combat is so intense and every fight feels like it matters no matter if it's a group of bandits or a nest of ghouls.
First time you fight a Griffin is so satisfying.

Yep, went with Death March right away, feels great. Challenging and demanding, but not unfair in any way. Whenever I die I know it's my own fault for not being careful and patient enough. Just rushing in and hacking away means certain death. And when I emerge victorious it feels really rewarding. Almost Souls-esque, one might say.

 

[Sn4ke_911]

An incredibly fair review. I'm actually surprised more reviewers (especially 10/10's) didn't mention the mechanical and technical flaws that are littered in this game.

Jim Sterling is and will always be one of the best and fairest journos out there.

He isn't afraid of pointing out flaws a game has unlike many other so called "gaming journalists" and that's why people care about his reviews and opinions.

 

[SocksAndShoes]

Blood and Broken bones pretty much feels like that to me so far. Really pretty perfect difficulty. Feels dangerous as fuck, but fair.

I'm only 5 or so hours in but I agree. I love how I'm powerful but I still have to be cautious going into new areas or aggro'ing a mob. Fantastic game so far.

 

[rashbeep]

Ah Jesus I Fucked up. Stayed playing last night till like 3 am had to wake up at 6

"One more mission"turned into "let me just meet triss".
I work 9 hour days.

This almost happened to me. First it was, "let me kill the Griffin". Then it was "let me meet Yennefer".. I stopped before I could get carried away in Novigrad.

 

[Rixxan]

im sorry if its already been answered, but is there a fix for the in-menus game freezing?

runs like a dream elsewise, but my game locks up and forces me to restart and lose progress while browsing in menu's quite often, like wayyyyy too often

its kind of ruining the experience of an otherwise amazing game

 

[UnluckyKate]

I find the game super hard and random. Movement are janky and imprecise.

Did Bloodborne spoiled me or am I just missing something ?

 

[midasmulligan]

Just started playing, gwent crashes the game when pressing triangle. Is this being addressed for ps4?

 

[Einchy]

Am I the only witvher noob that flipped a coin at the chambermaid's questions at the end of the prologue?

Geralt: "him? Oh yeah, he's dead."
?

Spoiler

I killed him when I played Witcher 2 but said he was alive during that. You get a cool side quest if he's alive.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Don't worry, the PS4 CE doesn't have the deck either, it's Xbox exclusive. That's about the only thing I would have wanted from it. Maybe the medallion too. But the regular edition is so much nicer than other games anyway. You usually don't even get a manual anymore, here you get a soundtrack CD and everything. Very nice.

You're very right. I'm super happy with the soundtrack alone. I don't want them to just cash in, but I hope they consider releasing some nice standalone Gwent decks. I'd love to buy them!

 

[EatChildren]

Blood and Broken Bones definitely feels like the perfect difficulty balance for me. I mean, it's not realistic, but that was inevitable in a game where encounters can be levelled at all kinds of difficulties. Geralt shouldn't be weaker than a single bandit for sure, but this is a video game and end of the day if you're level 6 and the bandit is 26 that's just how the damage output is going to be balanced.

But yeah, I think it works really, really well. It's got that 'Souls quality where fights around or just below your level still put up enough aggression and damage that they're intense, and fights a few levels higher are difficult but doable if you're skilled.

Currently doing A Towerful of Mice. The work put into these quests to keep them unique from top to bottom is unlike anything else out there.

EDIT: My guess is the "default" word state has as many parties dead or disconnected from Geralt as possible, much like Mass Effect 2 and 3, to avoid new players having too many "hey remember this/me" moments. World simulation, and thus those questions, seemed aimed at people who've played the last games but don't have a save file handy.

 

[Chariot]

im sorry if its already been answered, but is there a fix for the in-menus game freezing?

runs like a dream elsewise, but my game locks up and forces me to restart and lose progress while browsing in menu's quite often, like wayyyyy too often

its kind of ruining the experience of an otherwise amazing game

Yeah, this is bothering me too. Seems to be a known issue. I always trigger it when I am pushing Esc in the inventory. Leaving with "i" or by clicking on the Esc icon top right seems to work without risk.

 

[MrRoflWaffles]

I find the game super hard and random. Movement are janky and imprecise.

Did Bloodborne spoiled me or am I just missing something ?

It's the fact that his turning circle is so wide and Geralt always has so much momentum. Hoping this can be tweaked somehow in the configs, the stumbling around is pretty annoying

 

[Einchy]

What the fuck, I've been playing on Death March. No wonder everything was hard as shit and bosses took, like, 7 minutes to kill.

Shit, now I don't know if I should continue playing on Death March or bring it down to Blood and Broken Bones. I

 

[Gbraga]

I find the game super hard and random. Movement are janky and imprecise.

Did Bloodborne spoiled me or am I just missing something ?

The movement is indeed janky, but you'll get used to it if you're still enjoying the game overall.

It's definitely even more noticeable coming from Bloodborne, I agree.

What the fuck, I've been playing on Death March. No wonder everything was hard as shit and bosses took, like, 7 minutes to kill.

Shit, now I don't know if I should continue playing on Death March or bring it down to Blood and Broken Bones. I

I'm having a lot of fun on Death March, it feels fine, the Noonwraith contract thingy was even too easy, even though I was still level 1.

 

[meep!]

Liking the game quite a lot so far. Contrary to popular opinion I quite like the combat system and the atmosphere is great. But I can't help feeling like I was expecting more. Or perhaps something a bit different.

While I didn't expect the game to be Skyrim I do feel the world is pretty "static". Only choices I can do are within dialogue which makes it feel a bit "gamey". I wish I was able to attack and kill anyone whenever I want and have consequences for such actions. Something else thats bothering me is that the time of day mostly seem to be a visual thing (outside of a few monsters who only appear during night / day and such). Why is it that all NPCs in town are constantly up, shops are open 24/7 and generally they always stand in the same spot. I really wished NPC's had their "own lives" and went about their day, went to sleep, woke up etc.

Something else I find lacking (perhaps this changes later on in the game) is that there is barely any random events I can bump into. You have the question marks and a few quests you randomly find in the open but I can't help but wish there was more to it.
Are there even larger dungeons you can find in the open, not presented with a question mark and not connected to a quest? So far I haven't ran into it, but I hope there is!

 

[EatChildren]

im sorry if its already been answered, but is there a fix for the in-menus game freezing?

runs like a dream elsewise, but my game locks up and forces me to restart and lose progress while browsing in menu's quite often, like wayyyyy too often

its kind of ruining the experience of an otherwise amazing game

Not yet, seems to be a very common bug. A really, really bad bug mind you.

 

[rashbeep]

So I've never been a big RPG guy, in fact Mass Effect 2 is the only RPG I've ever really gotten Into and it's rather light on RPG elements, but it's a genre I would love to get into, and Witcher 3 looks like such a fantastically made game that I'm considering starting there.

Are the first 2 games required before playing?

They aren't required, but they make the experience more engaging. Meeting characters for the first time that you have only heard of in the past two is a neat feeling. It was nice seeing the palace in Vizima recreated pretty faithfully to the first game.

 

[brau]

Liking the game quite a lot so far. Contrary to popular opinion I quite like the combat system and the atmosphere is great. But I can't help feeling like I was expecting more. Or perhaps something a bit different.

While I didn't expect the game to be Skyrim I do feel the world is pretty "static". Only choices I can do are within dialogue which makes it feel a bit "gamey". I wish I was able to attack and kill anyone whenever I want and have consequences for such actions. Something else thats bothering me is that the time of day mostly seem to be a visual thing (outside of a few monsters who only appear during night / day and such). Why is it that all NPCs in town are constantly up, shops are open 24/7 and generally they always stand in the same spot. I really wished NPC's had their "own lives" and went about their day, went to sleep, woke up etc.

Something else I find lacking (perhaps this changes later on in the game) is that there is barely any random events I can bump into. You have the question marks and a few quests you randomly find in the open but I can't help but wish there was more to it.
Are there even larger dungeons you can find in the open, not presented with a question mark and not connected to a quest? So far I haven't ran into it, but I hope there is!

Feel the same way. I commented on the lack of events or things going around in the world. I hope this changes later. I am in a new area after doing all the white orchard stuff.

I do think a fog of war would help with the map. Then you don't feel like you just have to go to the markers right away from the map. You would be able to explore and find things on your own. Nothing more exciting in skyrim than discovering a new area or something that you can explore that leads to a series of side quests.

This game needs more of that. Side quests that lead to more side quests. Some just kinda end there.

 

[Einchy]

The movement is indeed janky, but you'll get used to it if you're still enjoying the game overall.

It's definitely even more noticeable coming from Bloodborne, I agree.



I'm having a lot of fun on Death March, it feels fine, the Noonwraith contract thingy was even too easy, even though I was still level 1.

I started on normal then brought it up while doing that mission since it was so easy. I opened up the menu once and I guess I must have set it to Death March without noticing.

 

[Virdix]

Game is everything i wantes it to be, im running on 4 hours of sleep, gotta go to my 3 classes for the day eith finaks coming up.

Crashed twice on PS4 only because i was stubborn about Gwent, the atmosphere is awesome and i dont feel like im doing sidequests. Playing on Blood and Broken Bones, I wouldnt call it hard just gotta play smart.

 

[Sn4ke_911]

 

[LProtag]

I'm still going around and finding the places of power and such in the tutorial area. Am I always going to be this broke or do you start making more money once you get along with the main quest? People give me no money for things I find and charge crazy amounts for what I want.

 

[aravuus]

im sorry if its already been answered, but is there a fix for the in-menus game freezing?

runs like a dream elsewise, but my game locks up and forces me to restart and lose progress while browsing in menu's quite often, like wayyyyy too often

its kind of ruining the experience of an otherwise amazing game

Like others have said, common bug with no known fix atm.

I was advised to try playing the game on fullscreen rather than borderless windowed on the PC performance thread. Haven't given it a try yet.

 

[KorrZ]

Blood and Broken Bones definitely feels like the perfect difficulty balance for me. I mean, it's not realistic, but that was inevitable in a game where encounters can be levelled at all kinds of difficulties. Geralt shouldn't be weaker than a single bandit for sure, but this is a video game and end of the day if you're level 6 and the bandit is 26 that's just how the damage output is going to be balanced.

But yeah, I think it works really, really well. It's got that 'Souls quality where fights around or just below your level still put up enough aggression and damage that they're intense, and fights a few levels higher are difficult but doable if you're skilled.

I do like how there is still the element of skill and not purely based on level. You can take out monsters of quite a few levels higher than you as long as you dodge properly.

That's the problem with Blood and bones for me so far, when you're dodging and rolling, getting the rhythm right and not getting hit it almost feels too easy. Until you get cocky and take 3 swings in a row and are down to 10% health.

I'm still going around and finding the places of power and such in the tutorial area. Am I always going to be this broke or do you start making more money once you get along with the main quest? People give me no money for things I find and charge crazy amounts for what I want.

Have you been selling off your junk items? You can make a pretty good amount just from selling things that you pick up.

 

[EatChildren]

I don't know if you can turn them off in the menus, but if you want to avoid the map being populated by ? points of interest and instead discover them for yourself, just don't check notice boards. Notice boards serve the function of populating the local area with points of interest.

 

[Ray Wonder]

Lmao plank!

 

[iNvid02]

silly bandits, you almost got away with a free drink but you went ahead and spoiled it by threatening to rape the peasant's daughter, now you're all dead.

 

[| Praxis |]

Playing on PC, HDD, loading time after death - 15-20 seconds.

Yeah, sometimes don't have time to read the loading screen text. It's not even on my ssd either.

 

[Virdix]

Also is

Spoiler

Velen

the "big" open world? For some reason i thought the dptted regions were there own zones and thenrest was a huge open world.

Though in retrospect thats insanely big, inmustvw misread an interview.

 

[WeAreStarStuff]

Not sure how people are having issues with text size. My PS4 is played on a 55" TV, and I sit about 6.5 feet away and everything is fine.

 

[Einchy]

I feel slightly badass having beat the boss for Places of Power underleved now that I realized I was playing on Death March. Took me about an hour worth of tries.

It was like beating a Bloodborne boss. Each of my attacks barely took any of its HP away.

 

[Sanctuary]

This was a huge problem in TW2, too.

Spam F5 (quicksave).

That's another problem. F5 doesn't even work for me in this game. Not sure if it has to do with using a controller or what, but it simply doesn't quick save.

 

[rashbeep]

I don't know if you can turn them off in the menus, but if you want to avoid the map being populated by ? points of interest and instead discover them for yourself, just don't check notice boards. Notice boards serve the function of populating the local area with points of interest.

Actually didn't know that.

Anyways, who here has met

Spoiler

Dandelion

? Is it the same VA as the one in the loading screens? He's always had bad VA's but his voice in TW2 seemed to fit him.

 

[sTiTcH AU]

So I fear I am about to lose 4 hours of progress. My game won't let me save. It just keeps giving me the message 'you cannot save right now'

 

[PintSizedSlasher]

Started out on Death March, went to Broken Bones and now playing on Normal. I just was getting too frustrating for me and I decided to enjoy the story and wonderful world CD projekt Red created. And if I come at a point where the game gets too easy I can always take it up a notch.
Playing on PS4 btw and only problem I had was the game crashing while playing the card game, other than that zero issues for me.

 

[danowat]

Not sure how people are having issues with text size. My PS4 is played on a 55" TV, and I sit about 6.5 feet away and everything is fine.

Because we don't all have a 55" TV and sit as close as 6.5ft away!

 

[Anung]

And people say Geralts performance is wooden...

 

[EatChildren]

Also is

Spoiler

Velen

the "big" open world? For some reason i thought the dptted regions were there own zones and thenrest was a huge open world.

Though in retrospect thats insanely big, inmustvw misread an interview.

Yes, and it's one of two.

1. Valen (Novegrad + Dead Man's Land)
2. Skellige Islands

White Ochard, Vizima, and Kaer Morhen are mini worlds. And there may be others.

 

[Ultima_5]

Okay. I'm sure this has been asked a bunch and in other threads, but I don't follow them because this really isn't my sorta game.

GF however really digs stuff like this. PS4 or Xbone version? I see the xbox has "dynamic scaling" or whatever that is, but hows loading and what not. What's the preferred version?

 

[RaptorGTA]

I am a wood sprite.

 

[Tacitus_]

Well fuck me, a game breaking bug. I told one guy I'd think about his proposal and backed out of his secret tunnel and now he won't let me back in, I went in a different way and snooped around, but he won't acknowledge that :d

 

[Interfectum]

Okay. I'm sure this has been asked a bunch and in other threads, but I don't follow them because this really isn't my sorta game.

GF however really digs stuff like this. PS4 or Xbone version? I see the xbox has "dynamic scaling" or whatever that is, but hows loading and what not. What's the preferred version?

As usual, PS4.

 

[shiftplays]

Wait really? my version of that trophy gave a 10% chance to remove limbs from enemies, I did get a 5% xp boost with the noonwraith trophy tho

Mine are the same way. I was going to do some testing after work to see if my item text was bugged, but maybe it's random for those trophies found in the same area.

 

[Veritigo_X]

Are some notices on the notice board not tied with quests? I've picked up a couple that didn't do anything.

 

[Ultima_5]

As usual, PS4.

okay. that's what i figured. I was hoping for the xbox so I could keep playing resident evil or whatever, but I guess i'll let her bum the ps4 for awhile

 

[Mindman]

How do I use the torch once its assigned to a pocket slot?

 

[XANDER CAGE]

After a lot of time with the game I still think the controls are horrendous, at least on PS4. I'm loving pretty much every other aspect but the controls, holy shit they are bad and I feel like I'm fighting with them to enjoy the game sometimes.

The movement just feels sticky - Geralt goes from 0 to 100 real quick when you touch the stick, but turning or changing direction makes him take his sweet time and the camera sometimes has a different idea about where to go. And combat... I'm sure it's been brought up a million times at this point, but when I press an attack button in a video game I expect the character to attack, not jog a few steps, wind up, and then attack.

Still loving the game overall but this stuff is not getting any better as time goes on.

 

[Volcynika]

I laughed at the sidequest in White Orchard

Spoiler

where you go to retrieve an iron box for someone and find out they killed the guy with it. He was like "look out behind you!" Geralt: "I'm a witcher, dumbass, I won't fall for that." (nutshell)

 

[His Majesty]

Gwent is so much fun. Won the first game and then went all-in for 2-0. Sadly my opponent managed to get to 34-34 with his last card and Nilfgaard ability triggered.

 

[Chariot]

Are some notices on the notice board not tied with quests? I've picked up a couple that didn't do anything.

Yes. Try reading them
It's a general notice board people put all kinds of shit on them.