11/1/2022 0 Comments The witcher video game![]() ![]() ![]() All in all the combat is weird and definitely the one thing I struggled with early game because from the get go you don't have a silver blade, and you only have the bare minimum of combat skills to manage threats and as I started off saying both silver and steel blades don't have a shared skill tree but instead separate trees for each respective fighting style. ![]() ![]() The other two spells are Yrden is a trap spell that repels enemies and Axii is a mind control ability that makes enemies passive for the most part, but again I never used those two since I could easily repel enemies with a well-placed Aard blast or Igni blast. Either resorting to Aard which functions as a force push that stuns enemies or Igni which is your stock standard fire spell, I did use Quen sometimes which gives you a temporary bubble shield but when you have potions that almost trivialize some of the combat I don't really feel like it's necessary in most cases. Spells/signs are another feature that in theory sound cool but honestly boil down to you most likely using two (or three) out of the five given spells, and that's what I usually did. Execution of these styles boils down to standing still, clicking on them, and waiting for your mouse to light up indicating when to score a hit or link a combo, essentially boiling down to this tedious song and dance of stationary whoopin' that can get a little tiresome and most definitely can take you out of the action. These styles are self-explanatory in concept, but poor in delivery, Strong is for the big uglies that need an extra bit of a wallop to put down, fast is for the nimble freaks you can't hit with your regular brute strength, and group is for when you're completely surrounded and singling out individual foes is not an option. Essentially, combat boils down to whether you're going to fight monsters or humans and even though the former is more common you still fight humans just as much, and I state this because you carry two swords, silver for monsters, and steel for humans, it's a staple of the franchise that no fan can forget but when both weapons have their own separate skill trees for all three fighting styles you are left feeling a little stuck between which to invest in, at least I did, because as stated you have three fighting styles that are tailored for certain situations. I understand that back in 2008 CDPR probably didn't have the resources to streamline the combat, or they were trying to go for a traditional but "unique" take, but even that statement can't pad out or excuse how bad it is. To put it bluntly, the combat in this game is janky, unremarkable, and sometimes dreadful on occasions. I need to lay into the negative, which is the thing that may push people away. But enough gushing about the story and narrative beats. It's a narrative marvel that carries this game, and it's further elevated with the branching paths and decisions you can make, and yeah in 2022 that may not sound remarkable but back in 2008 it was, and to have those actions brought up in the following game is also great. It's remarkable that CDPR planned out this universe from the get go, and for that alone I commend them for that level of ambition and effort, especially since you can import your save from this game into the second, creating a seamless story. But despite that frustration, The Witcher is probably one of the most engrossing and rewarding RPG experiences I have played in recent memory, due to the fact that it works as foreshadowing for the next installments with references to The Wild Hunt, a cliffhanger that leads into the second game, and reference for what may come in the recently announced fourth game. #The witcher video game seriesTo put it bluntly, the original Witcher is a uniquely ambitious game with a very antiquated and frustrating gameplay loop that for most modern gamers will be a little intimidating, especially if your introduction to this series was either the second or third game. This is a review that's been three years in the making and to you, you're probably wondering "why does that matter". ![]()
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