Witcher 3

[Rage187]

Couldn't find a recent thread on this.

How is it? What would you compare it to combat wise?

 

[smackababy]

I have this on PC, but play with a controller. Combat is a mix between a standard hack n slash and Dark Souls. It is similar to God of War in terms of attack smoothness, but you can't just mash and go. You must dodge, parry, block, or roll out to avoid damage.

As an RPG, it is phenomenal. The open world is great and has a ton to do. The story is pretty good, as stories go. The side quests are what really shine though.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Great game, best open world RPG I've ever played. I'm on PC but have tons of hours(over 60) and I'd say I'm only 50% through the main story.

 

[SlitheryDee]

It's the only Witcher game I've actually manage to get into. I've been playing it for a week now and I'm only a couple of missions into the main story. So far it's been a lot like when I played Skyrim. I started out with the intention of playing through the story at a reasonable pace and immediately got sidetracked with all the side quests and undiscovered areas and never looked back. The combat is a little like Assassin's creed and a little like Dark Souls. There is heavy emphasis on using parries and dodges intelligently and mixing up your fast, strong, and sign attacks.

I love games like that, so naturally it sucked me right in. People say that it sets a new bar for storytelling and character development in the main story, but I really couldn't verify that yet. It's so great to be able to play a game for some 40 hours and know that I've barely scratched the surface. My character is only level 11 after all this time as well, though I think all the serious leveling is supposed to occur in the main quest line.

In short, if you liked Skyrim, you'll probably also like the Witcher 3. It's a different game from the other two entirely, as I could never get into them. I'm enjoying the hell out of this one though.

Edit: Also, if you have a decent PC GET THE PC VERSION! I got it for xbox one because I didn't want to wait for steam to download it and I regret it a little bit. While it's certainly fine and playable, the graphics are noticeably low resolution and the framerate kind of sucks. The PC version can run at 60 FPS and at much higher detail settings if you have the hardware to drive it. I like the game so much I may wait for a sale and buy it for PC as well just to see how big of a difference there is.

 

[Madia]

I'm somewhere around 15 hours into the PS4 version. The game is great, one of the best ever and will probably easily win every goty award. So far it's been surprisingly polished for a game of it's type and I haven't encountered any major glitches (I once had my horse spawn twice when I whistled for him). There were some minor framerate drops that were noticeable during battles but cd projekt red seems to be improving them with each patch. It's not a game where you'll have to wait 3 months or so to be playable.

The main story and side quests are all excellent. I'll definitely be playing this a second (and if I have the time perhaps a third) time especially with the expansions. The combat does take a bit of time to get used to. With all battles you have to use a combination of light/heavy attacks and magic attacks called signs. With human opponents you mostly parry and sometimes roll/leap back. With monsters you'll be mostly rolling and occasionally leaping back. You can also apply oils to give you a combat boost, use potions with different effects and throw bombs/shoot a crossbow. You have a bestiary which will tell you what signs/oils/bombs are most effective against each opponent. There is some thinking before battles especially with monster contracts. The game it's most like is Witcher 2. Other than that, the combat isn't really similar to any games. I'd have to say that the combat isn't quite as fun as a triple a game like shadow of mordor but it is a lot smarter than one.

I know a lot of people were upset with the PC's graphics but I think part of the problem is that the console version is really good and you'd have to have a great computer to really notice a big difference. The main advantage I see with the PC version if the 60fps rather than the graphics which are already excellent on the console.

The game is pretty much a must buy if it's your type of game. I would highly recommend playing the Witcher 2 first which is a great game itself. Witcher 1 I didn't like and it was a love it or hate it type of game. The plot of the first game doesn't affect the rest very much so you can get through just reading a summary of it.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I like the following 5 things about the game most.
1) The side quests aren't filler and they make you care about the characters in the world. Speaking of characters. I don't think there's a boring character in the whole game. Even some of the ones who are only part of a quest sometimes are so superbly voice acted and well written that they make you feel their sorrow or joy.
2) The contracts for killing monsters and other quests are numerous and don't just have you running to point A and attacking. You have to use your witcher senses (like heightened awareness) to discover foot prints, follow a blood trail, examine wounds on a body closely, or follow a scent to find the objective. You have multiple ways to do some of them. You can kill a troll, or let it go because it was defending its cave. Your choice. On other quests you can choose to leave out certain information for personal gain or you can do a little jedi mind tricking to get your way. Many have multiple outcomes depending on your choices with little details meaning a lot. If you miss a piece of information you can make the wrong choice only to realize later that you were being lied to or there was another way to resolve the situation. Really like that. The other thing is that a lot of quests tie into the main story. You might think it's unimportant to help a character but it may serve you later. Things have consequence.
3) The world is seamless. Caves and dungeons aren't separated by a loading screen. Every area, cave etc on the map is accessible at any time.
4) The character backgrounds, bestiary, and the events happening around you are very well done. There's also many books and letters of various types around the world and cities/towns. Some of these will lead you to a quest, some of them just give information to flesh out the world.
5) The political landscape isn't your typical "tyrannical big bad wants to take over the world" There is a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes. Spies, bribes, seedy criminal underworld, plots etc.

 

[IamDavid]

Best RPG in years, if not all time. Wish it had co-op mode.

 

[ArizonaSteve]

Lack of first person mode and Kepler issues are the only things preventing me from buying this.

 

[digiram]

Sounds like I need to pick this up, then.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Lack of first person mode and Kepler issues are the only things preventing me from buying this.

Lack of first person? Why is that even a problem at all? Skyrim is first person and has some of the dumbest and clunkiest combat in any game ever. It's not a shooter..only shooters should be first person.

 

[zinfamous]

Lack of first person? Why is that even a problem at all? Skyrim is first person and has some of the dumbest and clunkiest combat in any game ever. It's not a shooter..only shooters should be first person.

eh? Skyrim is 3rd person in my hands. I hate first person in games. never could get into it.

Anyway, I totally agree with your list up there.

The only addendum/criticism I would make, regarding the choices and ways to resolve a situation in conversation are that you are more or less limited when it comes to a non-combat outcome. Meaning:

You come across some whoreson guards intimidating/shaking down/raping some peasants, and you want to intervene (I love how these are done, by the way--you can hear the commotion nearby as you're passing through. You either notice it or you don't. There isn't even an indicator on the minimap or in the environment. Only when you--the player--notices something is up, and choose to check it out, does this happen. You can just walk on by, though).

If you want to intervene, your options are basically to fight, bribe, or hex them with mind control (or just walk away). I don't like that there isn't a real intimidation option. When you do the plain old "threaten," it only ever ends in a fight, which I find annoying...because you are this badass witcher, everyone knows who you are, and especially these guards who know of you well before you even arrive in their town, because news has already spread that you single-handed cut down a dozen of their buddies in a nearby tavern.

So, I get that they will continue to be angry and threaten you, want to fight...for killing their buddies. But, you know, after the 5th time you kill a group of 3 or 4 of them, wouldn't they get the hint that maybe fighting this guy isn't the best way to get ahead in life...you know, especially when he's always encouraging the fight?

Basically, it would be nice if your reputation as a badass sword fighter meant something beyond the regular dialogue, and actually influenced the choice-driven outcomes. Something like Fallout, where either you trait into a category (as you have to do in Witcher--buff your Axxi in order to charm people in dialogue) to successfully intimidate people to walk away, or develop enough of a reputation that the lowliest of thugs actually learn a thing or two.

I get that there should be some groups that will only ever fight, which is great, but I don't like not being able to avoid fights simply through reputation. One particular town: those dudes really seem to be aiming for a situation where their entire faction is wiped out by one old mutant freak, because they have a hard-on for hubris.

 

[KentState]

It's worth the $60 and has a ton of content.

 

[cmdrdredd]

eh? Skyrim is 3rd person in my hands. I hate first person in games. never could get into it.

Anyway, I totally agree with your list up there.

The only addendum/criticism I would make, regarding the choices and ways to resolve a situation in conversation are that you are more or less limited when it comes to a non-combat outcome. Meaning:

You come across some whoreson guards intimidating/shaking down/raping some peasants, and you want to intervene (I love how these are done, by the way--you can hear the commotion nearby as you're passing through. You either notice it or you don't. There isn't even an indicator on the minimap or in the environment. Only when you--the player--notices something is up, and choose to check it out, does this happen. You can just walk on by, though).

If you want to intervene, your options are basically to fight, bribe, or hex them with mind control (or just walk away). I don't like that there isn't a real intimidation option. When you do the plain old "threaten," it only ever ends in a fight, which I find annoying...because you are this badass witcher, everyone knows who you are, and especially these guards who know of you well before you even arrive in their town, because news has already spread that you single-handed cut down a dozen of their buddies in a nearby tavern.

So, I get that they will continue to be angry and threaten you, want to fight...for killing their buddies. But, you know, after the 5th time you kill a group of 3 or 4 of them, wouldn't they get the hint that maybe fighting this guy isn't the best way to get ahead in life...you know, especially when he's always encouraging the fight?

Basically, it would be nice if your reputation as a badass sword fighter meant something beyond the regular dialogue, and actually influenced the choice-driven outcomes. Something like Fallout, where either you trait into a category (as you have to do in Witcher--buff your Axxi in order to charm people in dialogue) to successfully intimidate people to walk away, or develop enough of a reputation that the lowliest of thugs actually learn a thing or two.

I get that there should be some groups that will only ever fight, which is great, but I don't like not being able to avoid fights simply through reputation. One particular town: those dudes really seem to be aiming for a situation where their entire faction is wiped out by one old mutant freak, because they have a hard-on for hubris.

True, but in my mind I think it's more along the lines of "if we kill you we will be rewarded and if we run we will be outcast, or killed by the boss" so they want to fight no matter what cause the alternative might be death anyhow. Now if they said something like that before they fight like "The captain would pay a pretty price for your head but would surely kill me himself if he ever found out I turned tail at the sight of you so I'll take my chances with the sword." It would fix that right up.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Ok I've run into a major bug in this game. I'm in Skellige and anytime I try to fast travel outside of Skellige it crashes the game. Fast travel within Skellige works though. I've tried multiple fast travel points in Velen and nothing works.

All I can find on the Google is suspicion that it's related to some unfinished quest that must be finished before the bug will resolve itself. Problem is that all the unfinished quests I have require traveling to Velen to complete.

Has anyone run into this? Did you fix it? How? I'm pretty stuck right now. I'm playing the Xbox one version.

 

[zinfamous]

True, but in my mind I think it's more along the lines of "if we kill you we will be rewarded and if we run we will be outcast, or killed by the boss" so they want to fight no matter what cause the alternative might be death anyhow. Now if they said something like that before they fight like "The captain would pay a pretty price for your head but would surely kill me himself if he ever found out I turned tail at the sight of you so I'll take my chances with the sword." It would fix that right up.

yeah, perhaps. but that would get really tiresome by the 50th time

 

[cmdrdredd]

yeah, perhaps. but that would get really tiresome by the 50th time

Well, not the same line...like a couple of Whoreson's men could say something different.

 

[Madia]

How is the game on Blood and Broken Bones difficulty? I would like a higher challenge in combat and don't mind having to prepare a bit for more difficult battles with oils/bombs but not regening health via mediation seems a big turn off. Having to walk around with a buffet to replenish your vitality seems more like a chore then a challenge. Also, is the AI any better with a higher difficulty or does Geralt's attacks do less damage while enemies do more?

 

[cmdrdredd]

How is the game on Blood and Broken Bones difficulty? I would like a higher challenge in combat and don't mind having to prepare a bit for more difficult battles with oils/bombs but not regening health via mediation seems a big turn off. Having to walk around with a buffet to replenish your vitality seems more like a chore then a challenge. Also, is the AI any better with a higher difficulty or does Geralt's attacks do less damage while enemies do more?

The fights are just harder because you need to do more damage and the enemies are more aggressive. It's easy to get items to replenish vitality. You basically never run out after a while.

 

[SpiderWiz]

I love it so far but I've only scratched the surface compared to the above input.

I have this weird bug that I randomly loss the audio on cut scenes and have to do a "hard reset" to restore the sound. I'm playing on my Xbox One.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Dumb question: does it require XBL Gold?

 

[Fulle]

I'm enjoying the game on the PS4. The Witcher 3's not a perfect game, but it does a lot of things really well... I've been pretty impressed by the story writing, lore, and quest design.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Dumb question: does it require XBL Gold?

it's not an online game, so no.

 

[Madia]

I'm enjoying the game on the PS4. The Witcher 3's not a perfect game, but it does a lot of things really well... I've been pretty impressed by the story writing, lore, and quest design.

I beat it today on the PS4 and it's easily one of the best games I've ever played. It's also an excellent port except for the horrible pop in when going through Novigrad. Has anyone else encountered this? Sometimes I'd have to wait almost 10 seconds for everything to load and finally be able to talk to a merchant.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I beat it today on the PS4 and it's easily one of the best games I've ever played. It's also an excellent port except for the horrible pop in when going through Novigrad. Has anyone else encountered this? Sometimes I'd have to wait almost 10 seconds for everything to load and finally be able to talk to a merchant.

That's a limitation of the consoles with their engine I think.

 

[KentState]

That's a limitation of the consoles with their engine I think.

I also get a lot of pop in on the PC, just doesn't take that long for everything to appear. Even during cut scenes, I will see different parts of the characters apparel (scarfs, armor, beards, etc) pop in after a transition.