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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JohnRTroy" data-source="post: 5573841" data-attributes="member: 2732">Nobody's actually reviewed or provided game-play feedback the game yet, so I think I'll start.I have a Quad-Core PC, and I had just bought a 6850 Radeon card a month ago for it.  So I think I'm a good candidate for doing a review.  I completed my first playthrough.  I played the steam version of the Digital Download Deluxe edition.Overall, the best way I can describe this is an real-time-action RPG.  I've heard a lot of inspiration for combat came from a game like Demon Souls, but I've never played that.  The best way I can describe it is consider it akin to a combination of Assassin's Creed-like combat with loads of tactical choice akin to the Deus Ex games, and the fixed personality of both games.That has good and bad elements.  You have to time your attacks right, so real-time feedback is key--and you also have to manage blocks and rolls.  Boss' require a lot of tactical thought and moves.  But you have a lot of options--focusing on signs (gylphs), alchemy, swordplay, and the ability to use a lot of options.  It reminds me of old D&D multiclassing--you can be awesome in one path, or have lesser abilities in multiple ones.The graphics are really cutting edge for an RPG.  A lot better looking than Bioware's current efforts--even ignoring the "reuse problem" in DA2.  Large levels--the game sometime swaps out memory similar to a loading screen, but only when it has to.  You'll really want to soak up the scenery.  Storywise, I'd give it an overall good--with some concerns.  The game doesn't pull punches with it's M rating--swearing, implied threats, some violence--this is gritty dark fantasy.  The characters are interesting.  However, I still feel the people who will get the character best are those who read The Witcher series of books--and unfortunately only 2 have been translated.  I think there are elements that can't be known--the "Yennefer" character referenced is not explained well to those that don't know her from the books.  I think other games do a better job of explaining things, so I think the narrative in the other games are better than this.  But the story is entertaining enough to make up for that loss.  Cinematics are very well done--the game really pushes the envelope here with real-time generations.  A few "graphic novel" movies occur during some key personal flashback scenes.We've lost some variety of monsters this time.  There was more variety in TW1, but I think that's par for the course with level design being the way it is.  And unfortunately TW2 didn't have the good facial generation system DA has, which lead to "recycled" heads again--not as bad as the first witcher but notacable.  The settings are dynamic--day/night cycles, people walking around to set schedules, conversations happening in the background.  And the game has a lot of "cool moments" similar to what you got in some of the better Bioware games (shift of control of characters, unusual circumstances).  Like DA/DA2/TW1, you can loot inside chests without repercussions. They made better use of techniques story-wise than Bioware did with DA2.  A "Flashback narrative" that was more Alpha Protocol than DA2.  Instead of having the freedom to go to different locations, instead you got a branching path for ACT 2, so the story and setting is a lot different before you merge back into ACT 3.  This, plus all the tactical options almost guarantee some replays.  And since this is a licensed character and world, major known characters aren't going to die.Storywise, there's enough branching to feel like you're in control, and the decisions seem to be what Geralt the character would do--you don't have clear good guys or bad guys here.  There's actually less freedom than in a Bioware game--the Act 3 outcomes are a bit similar (though not as mind-numbingly the same as DA2's act 3), though I do believe the creators that there are 16 possible endings.  If you played TW1 there are some minor references to the choices you made there--a few advantages you can take advantage of--and you get better equipment from the start.The tutorial and intros are not good, unfortunately.  A good tutorial helps explain the rules of the game to new players, and since the rules have changed, it could have been more helpful--it took me a while to know that I had access to all 5 signs at the beginning, for instance.  Also, the introduction to the game doesn't help introduce the plot at all.  Having never experienced QTE (quick-timed events) before, I had to figure out the protocol.  And some of the quests are difficult to figure out.  One flaw I had was that some city environments look a little too generic, so you don't know until later than you could find X in area Y--a few more signs would have been helpful.  Also, later in the intro and in act 1 there are "stealth options" that aren't explained well.Level gains are a little lopsided.  Overall I felt (on the normal difficulty level) the game was a little difficult in the Intro-Act 1 stage and you didn't get experience as quickly as you should.  In Act 2 suddenly I gained 3 levels at the start!  I think it could have been handled more evenly.The Crafting system has a lot of variety--although it might be overwhelming for some--there's no game storage so you carry a lot of stuff around or sell it.  I think there are enough options to prevent the "mass effect 1" instance of having a boring repetative inventory.  But I found bombs useful.There are some niggling bugs.  A few times during my 60 hour playthough I got "locked" in a mode where the camera has a weird position and I can't engage half my controls--a random hit will send you back into mode, but for a long time the attackers can't seem to attack you.  A problem with DLC prevent my impatient self from playing the Troll Trouble--and unlike the Bioware Day 1 DLC, this one actually seems to have been taken out of the game before launch, since the existing environment has the settings all there and awaiting population.One thing that's weird is that there are no real-time health potions at all.  Health has a slow regeneration rate.  Potions have to be consumed before going into planned battle, and they mostly speed up regen rates.  Combat is challenging and you definately don't want to get flanked or surrounded.  Rolling and the Quen sign are your friend.  This is mostly a solo came--you can have companions but have no direct control (unless you are playing them directly under some special circumstanced), and  (a) they never seem to fall unconscious or die and (b) their attacks don't seem to be that effective--occasionally they take out a bad guy, but it's definitely not a "party based" game.  The game has auto-save points and also allows free saves during non-combat times, but sometimes they are awkward and a few more save checkpoints would have been nice.Overall, it was a good RPG.  I give it a B+.  To compare to recent RPGs, DA2 was a B- while DA:O was an A.Any questions?</blockquote>

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