Wiedzmin

First, the good: Graphics are excellent, the game runs well even on a low-end computer, and the story is one of the best in gaming history.

EDIT: The 1.2 Patch has corrected long loading times.

There are a few low points, most notably long loading times, but these are easily forgotten as you get caught up in an incredible universe. Rather than some cliché Utopian Star Trek world like Oblivion had, The Witcher is about the worst of human nature. Racism against non-humans, prostitution, gambling, sex, and violence are rampant here. It's a terrific take on a Lovecrafitan kind of world, and I throughly enjoyed every aspect of it. Mythology and history from our world are combined flawlessly with creative new monsters and an expansive back story. (Be sure to check out the in-game journal for more insight on the world. It's the best I've ever seen).

The philosophical aspects of the story are all there, and I really enjoyed them. Free will vs fate, the meaning of life, what it means to be human, science vs religion, you name it, it's there. And the best part is, you are actively involved in creating these themes through your decisions. Fantastic.

Combat is good as well, the system is original, and while it took some learning to master, I never got sick of it even after around 200 hours of game play (I beat the game 3 times, once for each ending).

Now, the bad: (These are all really just nitpicking, except for the long load times)

-Loading, loading, loading. I swear, this game takes longer to load than any other game I've ever played. 2+ minutes just to load a house? You've got to be kidding me. EDIT: Ignore this, as of 1.2, loading times are now 5 seconds to load a house.

-Mob balance. This game starts off pretty well, but it becomes ridiculously easy in act 4. Act 3, (especially the swamp) was really, really hard, and then, all of a sudden, it's like someone turned down the difficulty. I've never faced such an easy final boss. I defeated him without losing more than 25% of my health (hard mode). Kind of anti-climactic, if you ask me. -Ingi sign is amazingly overpowered.

-Inventory and quest management system needs help. Badly. Icons are tiny and impossible to distinguish from one another.

-Act 3 performance issues. This game runs poorly on single core And processors in act 3 (outdoor areas only). Settings don't matter, the game gets a constant 5-10 FPS in this region while the rest of the game gets 25-60. I've tested on 3 computers, all had the same problem.

-Poor replay value. With most RPG's, you can play whatever class you want. Here, you can play a battlemage, an alchemist, or a swordsman, but that's it. No ranged offerings, no stealth.

-Without going into spoilers, I felt that the story (the game's strongest point), was kind-of a letdown on my second and third time through. The choices you made throughout the game didn't really impact the ending as much as I thought they did the first time I played the game.

-Redundant people. Everyone has clones of themselves running around everywhere. Yep, it's annoying, but it's hardly a make-or-break feature.

The bottom line: It may seem like I'm being hard on the game here, but I really, really loved it. The 1.2 patch should fix most of my grievances. If load times weren't so long, this would be a 10/10 game for sure.

EDIT: If you patch your game to 1.2, you will get much, much better load times. My final rating: 9.3/10; one of the best games ever.

This game is very, very similar to Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines, however the story here is stronger and the replay value is a little weaker. If you like RPGs like Oblivion, Vampire Bloodlines, Gothic, or NWN, or dark fantasy in general (I especially recommend this game to Wheel of Time fans), this is a must play.

EDIT: The below tips are still useful, but are less so as of patch 1.2.

I feel compelled to point out that loading times can be improved upon, if you do the following: RAM upgrades: I upgraded from 1GB 166mhz ram to 2GB 200mhz ram, and loading times decreased 45% Defrag: Get a real defrag utility and defragment your hard drive. I recommend Perfect Disk (free demo available). This one helps in game performance, too. RAID: I can't personally afford it, but if you have the technically savvy and the cash to blow, a friend of mine RAIDed two 15,000 RPM SCSI drives and decreased loading times to around 5 seconds.

I learned to love 'The Witcher', but it didn't come easily. It took me three or four attempts to advance past the first level, as I found it very hard to enjoy the combat. When I eventually convinced myself to stay and at least put in a few hours' work, I found that most of my earlier criticism washed away. It isn't as exhilarating as the combat in the second and third 'Witcher' games, but it presents its own strengths in offering a more strategic approach, turning boss battles into tests of ingenuity and wit rather than button-mashing.

When the story is good, it's very good. The quest(s) relating to King Foltest are particularly interesting, and there's arguably more intrigue in the first game's plot than in those of the later instalments. I'd argue that the primary villains aren't as well-written as later ones like Letho of Gulet ('Assassins of Kings') or Dettlaff ('Blood and Wine'); they seem a little too cartoonlike to ever become truly intimidating. Still, the good definitely outweighs the bad where storytelling and writing are concerned.

I played this before reading any of Andrzej Sapkowski's novels, but fans of the author will appreciate seeing some of Geralt's most memorable book scenes represented in the game. Unlike most game adaptations, though, there's a significant amount of choice offered to the player - and sometimes you can make a choice which directly contradicts the books. The developers, in this sense, have successfully combined the freedom of role-playing with the structure and solid narrative context of the novels; I don't think I've ever seen a feat like this replicated in another game.

'The Witcher' is a great RPG, and in a genre which tends to draw its inspiration from a select few contexts, this game really stands out as a unique work. Unlike many promising titles, 'The Witcher' was given the sequels it deserved.

The Witcher is one of those role playing games you wont forget for a long time. Once you get over the first "Tutorial" level, which is really just a hurdle you have to take to get to the main story, the story just takes off! I have played a lot of RPG's like Diablo, WoW, Neverwinter Nights and Elder Scrolls, but the Witcher is by FAR the best i have experienced.

The Story is about Geralt of Rivia, which under mysterious circumstances lost all his memories. He ends up with his friends in the abandoned Witcher's School, from where you start of your journey which takes you to an intriguing quest to find out who you are.

The game is very well developed with outstanding Characters and Storyline, and very minor bugs and features missing. Another notable thing is the adult content. Swearing, Blood, Gambling and the possibility to have a relation with other NPC's are just some other things that i particularly liked.

Overall i give it a 9 of 10 because it crashes a lot under vista (no problems in XP tho) and the missing coop and multiplayer modes. I for my part like this game very much and would love to see a sequel to it.

What defines right or wrong? Good and Evil? Justice and Lawlessness? Is it the act, or its observer? You see why defining morality is a tricky business? Games are the ideal medium to convey these questions, for one reason: they give the possibility of choice; in a game, your moral compass can be tested. That is not to say that the author's morality is absent: the consequences that derive from these choices, and their moral weight, are entirely defined by the creators. Which opens a whole world of possibilities from a narrative standpoint. Should the player be rewarded for a good deed and punished by an evil one? Or should he be reminded that in the real world, good deeds are hard choices, and that crime, sometimes does pay? That to achieve great things, compromises must be made? Just the fact that so many issues can be discussed is a testament to the importance of interactive narratives. For many years, western rpg's have been the genre that has explored these issues. In comes "The Witcher", an adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski's series of dark fantasy novels centered round a monster-slaying mutant with magical powers, named "The Witcher" Geralt. Sapkowski's work is reminiscent of high fantasy classics like "Lord of the Rings", but, as is common in dark fantasy narratives, twists its mythological nature in favor of a more cynic, realistic tone. Racism, segregation, social struggles, political and law corruption are just some of the themes that manage to squeeze into his universe, transforming it into less of a fantasy world, and more of an allegory of our society.

Geralt's tale starts with an attack on the witchers' citadel, carried out by a mage who seeks to rob the arcane secrets hidden therein. After failing to repel the attack, Geralt goes on a quest to recover said secrets and have revenge. As poor as this sounds, it develops in a series of unpredictable ways: on his journey, Geralt will be caught in the middle of a conflict between humans and non-humans. Elves, dwarfs and other species have been the focus of prejudice throughout the history of human civilization, and thus have taken up arms against them. On the other hand, humans see these "freedom fighters" as terrorists that are not afraid to kill innocent men and women. Throughout the game, Geralt will make difficult choices in a war he doesn't understand. Does he help the non-humans, that have a noble cause, but are so filled with hate that they won't stop at any means to fulfill their objectives? Or does he side with the humans, that are merely defending themselves, and whose society, though decadent, is a synonym of order? He can also stay neutral, waiting for one side to win. The player has many choices, and none right or wrong. Curiously, the player will only acknowledge their consequences much later in the game, when his overall perception of events has changed. More than once, good-hearted decisions will have horrible consequences, and cold judgments bring good in the end… just like real life. This simple substitution of black and white decisions with gray ones, transforms binary selections into conundrums of unpredictable consequences, giving a whole new meaning to the word "choice". And since the consequences are only known much further in the game, there is no point in doing the save-load routine: once you make a choice, there's no turning back.

The script of the game is a testament to the creativity and quality of its author's writings: dialogs are rich and mature and characters are multifaceted, filled with ulterior motives. As standard, a number of twists will turn catch the player off-balance. The only downfall in this department is the somewhat lack of quality in character animations and the absence of certain narrative bridges that make the plot seem somewhat confusing at times.

The presentation of the game is almost as good as its narrative. Art design department had a lot of work in conjuring up this dark-themed world, half way between Earth and Middle Earth, without falling in the temptation to transform it into either of them. Scenarios could have been taken from a historical-background game, as cities are usually places of decadence and poverty filled with Anglo-Saxon architectural details. Even forests and lakes, places typically associated with magic, have a down-to-earth feel, with somewhat drab color palettes. The game manages to feel idyllic, thanks to a good use of lighting and weather effects, but never surreal, like most fantasy-themed games. On the sound department, the soundtrack is mostly epic and medieval sounding, but fails to harness the emotional power of, say, Jeremy Soule's compositions ("Oblivion").

On the subject of game-play, "The Witcher" stands as most RPG's - In each chapter, you'll have to enter a town, talk to villagers to fetch some clichéd quests to make money. Once you've fed up with trifle matters, you can do the main quest and watch the plot unveil. Fortunately, most quests have something to say about the game's setting, even when they're pretty boring. Combat is a bit hack-and-slash, with the player only having to click on their enemies at the right time for Geralt to release massive sword-combos (like "Legend of Dragoon"). There are also some magic spells and different combat styles, bringing some tactical planning into play. Nothing new, but it manages to keep the player captivated.

Few games can brag about having meaningful stories, let alone about having meaningful possibilities. By taking the best out of the "Good vs Evil" rpg's and adding a morally confusing tale, the authors ended up creating a truly thought-provoking fantasy world. It has the writing quality of a book, and the endless possibilities of a game; it is the new landmark in interactive storytelling.

After reading the books, I started playing the Witcher 1 right away. I was told that it was directly after the books so why not give it a try. At first, I was hesitant because I'm not really into RPGs and PC games and thought that it will very difficult for me to navigate and control everything. I can say that The Witcher 1, is very newbie friendly. Maybe it will make you wonder what the hell you are doing at first, get lost, can't track of the quests you need to do but eventually as you play the game, it is actually very easy to understand. I played the game on normal so I could at least experience the wonders of alchemy. It was very tricky at first on how to mix potions and stuff. In the end, it was just about collecting the right ingredients needed and just click which potion you like and the potion will mix itself.

The game makes you decide on how you want your destiny to be fulfilled. And since you're choosing your own path, it made the game more interesting for me. It made you explore and play whatever you think fits best. I also like how they make cut scenes that looks like you are watching a movie. They even have a small recap of the path you've chosen after every major event. I think with those recaps, it will make you wonder if you've chosen the right one. Which is funny because the game doesn't really have a right or wrong answer.

What I don't like about the game is the fighting style. When you fight enemies, of course you wanted to do it quick fast and in a hurry. In the game you have to time it precisely with the icons that is shown in your screen. It frustrates me sometimes when they do that and I miss it or I'm too fast. I guess considering the time the game was made, should be pretty decent.

One of the funniest parts of the game is how Geralt ended up sleeping with a bunch of women even though it wasn't really what you want him to do. One minute you're offering bread and arguing about pity and the next thing you know, bang! They're sleeping together. Geralt clearly, doesn't just like sorceresses.

Background music is also amazing. You would know that CDPR has really given this a thought. I remember whenever monsters are close, the background sound will change and will give me panic attacks and I have to think fast and react fast. The music makes you aware of the surroundings you are in and I think that's great.

The ending though is not as great as I thought it would be. I think that's because the chapter before that is so interestingly good, that the last chapter loses to it. I definitely would want to play this again and would recommend it for people who wants to experience a good game be it a newbie like me or a veteran. 8/10.