Unlike nearly all fantasy RPG's, this one actually has depth to it's story, depth that i have yet to see in ANY other RPG, why? First of all, it manages to recreate a truely authentic feeling medieval game world, where the land is governed not by your own status as a "hero", but by the kings that rule over them, and your merely just a warrior trying to help along with many others. Not to mention it doesn't carry the fanciful "kiddy" aspects of rpg's such as cut elvish women dual wielding blades while wearing armor that covers less then a quarter of their body, this game takes itself very seriously while also squeezing in some small moments of comedy which helps to diversify the atmosphere and create even more depth. The combat has been majorly upgraded as well, the magic system has been improved so it flows far more fluidly with more intuitive controls allowing for easier and quicker use. Sword-play has been polished and is now smoother then in the original game, allowing for easier encounters with enemies. If you think this game is hard, your not a gamer, simple as that, you may think it's punishing, but there are far more punishing games then this, this game requires a tactically sound mind and quick thinking. Dialogue and NPC character animation are superb, you can see the heart put into each simple little movement such as walking or drinking, each animation finely done to feel realistic and human, with characters speaking in ways which suit them and don't spout over-pretentious monologues which get boring and slow down the gameplay AND the story. (im looking at you Assassins Creed and Metal Gear Solid) I look forward to much more coming from this great polish developer, as they definitely have seemed to of learned from their mistakes in the past. Their future continues to look bright.… Expand

a compeling story with much action and beauty. Graphics are breathtaking and the gameplay the same. amazing fight scenes and fluid controls. With a new arena mode and constant free DLC's what more can you ask for?

Its got kinda bugged controles. Didnt like the way they decided to make the 3rd person view work. Its a ok+ story but I wouldnt rly recomend buying this. Get something different like Skyrim if you want a RPG

Very enjoyable sequel to a fantastic game! If you liked The Witcher, you'll love The Witcher 2. The combat is well paced and the story is brilliant wrote, the voice acting is good too.

One word to describe it all epic .A little known developer has created a FANTASTIC RPG .Bioware should learn . Many are complaining about the difficulty but its not affecting me.The witcher 2 s graphics make dragon age 2 many generations old.Hats off to CD Projekt Red Studio.This really is a game of the year material.One complain though is that of the inventory and casting of spells..While dragon age 2 was a letdown wheres witcher 2 steps into another gear.The atmosphere & environment is great.It makes you sit out and enjoy the environment.The trend is changing .Its not always about the big developers.Along with the price tag I Recommend it to all .Witcher 2 is really anti-bioware material.Bioware u listening… Expand

Do not pay any attention to those stupid negative scores, it's simply Bio Ware Meta bombing this fantastic game. Game of the year for me by a country mile. Superb visuals, storyline, dialogue. Great combat and questing is fun. If you are an RPG fan there is simply no way you shouldn't play this. Get it, get it now.

No other game can compete with the Witcher 2 's narration. Perhaps a game like Uncharted has a cinematically superior method of presenting the story, but the Witcher 2 has the best story ever. The game is over 30 hours long. It stays in a chapter for a while, but doesn't overstay its welcome. The gameplay is phenomenal to say the least. The 3 different specializations (swordplay, magic, alchemy) totally change the approach you must take in combat, each of which are awesome to experience.… Expand

As one of those dissapointed with DA2 i aproached the Witcher 2 with caution, however i neednt have feared because the game is quite simply stunning! For reference, i enjoyed the Witcher 1 after they released the re-done sound. I thought the combat was lacking but the story and atmosphere from Chapter 2 onwards were good enough that i didnt mid the short comings so much. The Witcher 2 is an improvement in almost everyway. First of all, one of the things everyone is talking about are the graphics. They are probably some of the best graphics currently available. Every moving tree and nasty beasty look exactly as they are supposed to with beautiful design. The attention to detail doesnt stop there though. The game is brought to life by a substantial amount of things going on in the background from soldiers groaning about their lot in life to whores selling their services. From the first moment you really get drawn in. The combat is improved by a long way but perhaps not mastered yet. The delay in reaction time can get frustration and the game does really punish you for getting it wrong, that is until you upgrade. Talking of upgrading, the game manages character development fairly well. There arent the amount of options i usually prefer in RPG;s but they do make a difference and you really feel as if your character is improving through out the game. The storyline is well crafted and well told with only a few average voiceovers to marr its tale. All of the quests, sidequests included are fun and engaging and no two are the same. There will be no fetch quests in this game. The adult nature of the game is done in a much more tasteful way this itme and you wont feel offended by the gameb ut instead just take it for granted that the way they present the world is the way it is. In other words, the adult aspects dont stand out like a sore thumb like they did in the Witcher 1.

There are a few problems however. For one there is the doors. They are akward to navigate and in a minor way, kill the immersion when you have to locate the correct point to stand to open them, and even then only one person can go through at the itme, often shutting the door in your companions face. The jumping points suffer from the same problem. The ending is less the satisfying but does its job but you can forgive that by the way all your choices throughout the game mold it until you are quite literally playing in the world you chose. To the point where the entire second chapter is different depending on your choices in the first chapter.

This is a fine example of how an action RPG should be made, its perhaps not as deep as the rpgs of old, but it certainly handsdown beats its competition. I highly reccomend this game.… Expand

Did you like the first game? Well like myself you will more than likely LOVE the sequel. Hell even if you didn't like the first game this is worth giving a go, the combat has received a radical overhaul; from the addition of ranged weapons such as bombs, traps, the new sign or the fact it is actual fighting this time round rather than just one-button combat. The lore in the Witcher series is simply fantastic, from the rich variety of monsters to the religions and various regions within the game, I personally find the series incredibly immersive and it even convinced me to buy the novels the series is based on, which are also excellent. The best part of the game without a shadow of a doubt is the moral choices you make; your action in one section of the game may have rewarding or perhaps dire outcomes later on without you realising earlier on, it makes you feel you really do have an effect on the world. The mini-games such as dice-poker, arm-wrestling and fist fights are also a great little past time and a great way to earn Geralt a bit of cash. Of course the game isn't perfect; the odd bug here and there and the occasionally glitchy animation but nothing to ruin your experience. Any RPG fan should purchase this game, although my biggest criticism is the difficulty of the learning curve, the game actually starts very hard but eases off as you progress.… Expand

This definitely is Game of the Year 2011. The single best RPG I have played since Planescape: Torment. The characters are deep and complex, the storyline develops depending on your actions and choices. It takes what was good from every single RPG released in the last 15 years and makes it into something better. The graphics are simply the best ever seen in an RPG

amazing story, awesome graphics and developers are not scared to show some nudity! It is a very mature game with a lot of potential. everything was made with love...Bravo devs...

I gave this game a 3. That's because I left it around one third of the whole game. I wanted an RPG game like Witcher1, for the PC you know. And I ended up with a stupid consol platform/arcade. Why no official review mentions this? I tried to kill the 1st boss at least 40 times. It didn't work, the controls wasn't made for the PC. I played many action games - Crysis1-2, MOHs, CODs, MWs, etc. Also online shooters. I load back 50 times if needed if something keeps me going on, but in W2 I just grew angrier... After many tries I gave in, used a cheat, played some more than deleted the game and sold it. This was the last time I actually bought a game without playing it through before... If game companies lie to me, I feel myself authorized to cheat too, but I won't. I play fair. But I pay only after playing it through...… Expand

Easily one of the best RPGs of this past decade, and what firmly rams it into such an elite category is the fact that it is a real RPG. Your choices have real impacts on the story - many developers claim this with it amounting to little in real terms but in this case, decisions are pivotal to AoK and how the story pans out. I've completed the game, but i haven't even played one half of it. That's because certain choices lead you to side one way or another a third into the game, which gives you an entirely different side of the story and shapes how the rest of your game will play out and what you'll be doing in your game. You're practically getting two games rolled into one, but the choices don't end there as there are roughly 8 different endings for each side, and all the choices you make throughout your playthrough will give you a different experience and story leading up to those endings. Such a system in what has become a stale genre catering for drooling buffoons is incredibly refreshing and something RPG fans of olde have been longing for. There's no good and bad system in making those decisions either, another plague of the genre being forced upon us elsewhere, but simply choices which lead to concequences, concequences which might turn out favorable or not, but there's no right or wrong. This all nods to the story telling which has endless (note: may not be endless) amount of plot twists and turns, always leaving you pondering over decisions, trying to decide if you're really making the wisest choice. The story has great depth to it, more so than any game for a long time or that I can remember without casting my mind back to the dungeon crawlers of yester-year. It can get slightly overwhelming at times and feel like characters and place names are being vomited all over you and you're expected to know who said what to who and where, leaving you to try and comprehend what has just been said - but that's accepted with open arms and glee when you know that the story hasn't been watered down for simpletons, and you see for yourself just how much detail they've gone to with the writing. It's like an interactive novel, apart from you're not just interacting, you're shaping and of course getting to play out all the action instead of imagining it. The plot here puts other RPGs of similar stature such as Mass Effect (one of my favorite series) to shame and makes that look like a childs toy in comparison. Especially when you come to the grittiness and darkness presented here. They've held back on nothing and the end result shows, not only in adult humour and content, but the plot benefits too. I've seen people complaining about the complexity of the combat, but this ties into the game not holding your hand or becoming a one button fest like so many others. The one problem I did have was between the difficulty settings, and finding I had to moderate them myself to keep the game challenging and even then it wasn't too hard. At the start a few fairly easy mobs will have you eating dirt, but later on in the game, even the supposedly hardest mobs are no match once you've mastered the combat, have some skills, items and decent gear behind you. You'll easily be finding yourself at the reload screen during certain fights if you wade in, but if you play it cool then no fight should be a problem and you can drop most enemies fairly quickly, so I feel balancing does need some work but it's no game-breaker. There's enough items to keep you interested in the loot and make it a rewarding experience, especially the crafting but managing your inventory can become tiresome and if like me, you care about getting the most out of your loot, will result in several slow treks to and from vendors - however there are mods out to solve this problem, so on my second playthrough I'll be using one of these. The attribute and skill system is very nice, and no path seems to be the prevalent path which gives you a good amount of freedom to shape your character for your playstyle or try new abilities for multiple playthroughs. A gripe of mine was not having a respec option, one only being available to you if you've made specific choices - which I hadn't. Every player should be given the oppurtunity to respec as otherwise it can lead to sometimes frustrating experiences, so choose your abilities wisely. The fact you have to drink potions before a fight, not always knowing when you're about to fight is an appalling oversight and I don't see why they changed it from the first game. Act 2 was a little dissapointing with linear areas and a plot then became flat, but it picks up again at the end of the chapter. The craft system is excellent and there's so many craftable items that you can try for an entirely different variety of tools at your disposal each playthrough. AoK is truly unique in its atmosphere and style. It's earned it's place as one of my favorite games of all time.… Expand

Finally we have a real game being released in 2011. I was beginning to give up hope. This game clearly shows that if developers just put some effort into their games, instead of releasing the same game every year, they can easily be GOTY. The graphics are spectacular, even on medium mode. The storyline, the characters and the environment are so amazing, the entire atmosphere made me get really into it. Combat is better than the first one. I sort of wish you could drink potions in combat, since that kind of makes sense, but whatever.… Expand

The Witcher 2 might just be the best fantasy game I've ever played. The graphics and presentation in general, from the voice acting to the soundtrack are all top notch, and the questing is greatly improved over the first game and far better than many other fantasy games that make up for a lack of imagination with lots of repetition (Dragon Age 2 in particular). The combat is also far more active than many fantasy RPGs, with a perfect level of difficulty on the normal setting that keeps combat tense and exciting for the 30+ hour adventure, and the multiple playthroughs that follow. But the obvious highlight of the game is the story, which is far more mature than many other supposedly "dark" videogame stories. Filled with memorable characters, awesome epic battles, lots of political intrigue as well as an incredible number of morally ambiguous choices to make that will greatly affect how the game unfolds, the story in TW2 is one of the best stories in a videogame ever, only slightly surpassing that of Dragon Age 2 thanks to the fact that all the story elements in TW2 are connected to the overarching plot, unlike DA2, which felt more like 3 separate stories all meshed together. Overall, TW2 is simply an amazing game and a serious contender for GOTY. It's got beauty, action, story and lots of replay value, and it should not be missed by anyone who values a good story-driven action RPG, or just a great game in general.… Expand

Best RPG since Mass Effect 2 but graphically the best looking game I've ever seen really worth the money even tho TW2 only costs 23£!!! Epic deal get it !!!!

I'm praying for one thing - that big-shot RPG game developers will check out this game and will finaly understand what are the most important things for good RPG. And TW2 didn't discover America here - they just used ideas and way of thinking from 10 yers ago when things like Baldur or Planescape were created. Maybe they will also notice that creating half of game and selling second half as DLC is not the only way to make proffit from game - sometimes it's enough just to do a good game.… Expand

I won't go into plot details to avoid spoilers. Let's just say the story is mature (political intrigue, racism, etc.). There is no corny white vs. black decisions, and the decisions you do make WILL impact your gaming experience. The story, like the game overall, is immersive.

INCREDIBLY IMMERSIVE.

The graphics are stellar, not only the best of any RPG that I've seen, but any game period. They are that good.

The combat takes some getting used to. I personally found using an XBOX controller superior to using a keyboard and mouse. To some, this may scream streamlining for consoles. Believe me, that's not the case. We had controllers for the PC long before game consoles appeared. You will find it challenging in the early going even on easy. You will get your butt kicked.

Which is good.

Lately it seems even nightmare and hard levels are too easily conquered (see Dragon Age). For me, that takes away the satsifaction of playing a game. There must be challenge, and here, oh boy, there is.

The best feature of the Witcher 2 isn't singular. This is an incredible game. It is evolutionary, challenging, beautiful, dark and immersive doesn't cover how much it will suck you into the world of Geralt.

If you buy one game this year or even in the next ten, buy this one. It is a masterpiece (and that's something I've never said about ANY game).… Expand

I'm new to this franchise and decided to buy it after reading its reviews. I loved the game! The story was quite fascinating and the graphics are top notch. The gameplay takes some time to get used to, but once you pick it up it's not bad. The characters and voice acting are very good and are also very interesting. There are a few things that could make this game a bit better - one would be some sort of class system and more customization (but I'm not sure how this would fit in). The game also has some glitches that could be fixed (which I think they did with the new patch.) The game kind of slacks off near the end though (notably the third act) which the story seems kind of rushed and the environment in the 3rd act seems completely wasted. While the 1st and 2nd acts of the game took a very long time, the third act was so short to be even called an act in itself. It was clear the developers were rushed to finish it, which is kind of disappointing - since the game had so much going for it. Decisions made also impact the game's progression (which I love) and makes you want to play it at least twice to get the 'full' experience. Mini games like arm wrestling, gambling and fist fighting were also a plus (gambling game kind of confused me though). (Overall score: 9.0 )… Expand

Witcher really suprised me when i played it last summer. Little did i know, the second one had just come out. So i dove into those games. And i mean dove hard. The voice acting is pretty much the only flaw. This is a real gritty fantasy game, that dug deep into my brain, and heart, to make it one of the most memorable games ever. The graphics are top notch, probably best in the market before Battlefield 3 came out. I was blown away.… Expand

If you love fantasy action role-playing games his is the game for you, with grit and lore from Andrzej Sapkowski work and CD Projekt RED being a fan friendly company even throwing in the upgrade to Enhanced Edition for free when most bigger companies would charge a fee its worth the buy.

This got such excellent reviews and I'm struggling to understand why. The lack of freedom while playing is the one thing that put me off - not freedom as in decided to go wherever I want to go but more in terms of it just being so forceful as to how I get there. You can't climb up most things or jump over them - when you can you have to "left click". You can't just enter a door unless you're right in front of it and when you can you "left click". To attack enemies you "left click" ok and you can "right click", "Q" and "E" but most of the time it's "space" "space" "left click" "Q" "left click" "space" "left click" etc. It's just not satisfying.

You're "pulled" or "pushed" through doorways rather than having free movement and the invisible walls (more like blocks) make it feel like I'm playing in a maze with very tight corners. The graphics are rather pretty but not pretty enough to have it killing my PC as it currently does. Oh and the camera view feels off as does the movement. Find herbs and making potions is another boring part of the game.

Conclusion: I just don't find this fun to play...isn't that way games are meant to do - be fun?… Expand

Nice graphics. Deep combat system. A storyline that is heavily influenced by your choices, And an interesting but sometimes confusing plot. A good effort.

Amazing game, while it's quite difficult at the start due to confusing tutorials the entire game is breathtaking. Possibly one of the best RPGs ever made.

The game would have been pretty good (certainly not 10/10 that people are excitedly scoring) but it's just so incredibly rough around the edges. The game I will no doubt have these ironed out with mods and patches but I would suggest waiting for that time rather than a purchase now. And as for why only pretty good, the game has lost the atmosphere of the first game - crypts caves swamps forests - they don't feel intimidating places to be anymore.… Expand

Contender for GOTY 2011 and best RPG to come in a long while the Witcher 2 has a deep mature storyline that actually significantly alters depending on the decisions made offering replay value and a sense of making an actual impact on its world. Combat is actually interesting and not dumbed down for the console kiddies but some may find it a bit too hard at the beginning but hey a little challenge is always good so top marks for that. Graphics are top notch and on my average system it plays satisfactorily. Not a title to be missed surely especially coming from a developer that actually tries to cater to its fans.… Expand

This is how modern RPGs should look like. It has reference graphics, a enjoyable story and great characters. Don't expect an open world though. You go straight from location to location but there are several decisions that have major effekt on the story. Gameplay mechanics are great once you mastered it.

Follow suit other game developers/publishers! Releasing games DRM free rather then including intrusive rubbish such as Steamworks or Securom that punish customers is a great way to get people supporting your games and company.

I wish DragonAge 2 had been more like this one. A compelling story, lots of content and areas to explore. The soundtrack I found to be wonderful. I'm really hoping we get some downloadable content for this game because I'd like to come back to it.

A pretty good RPG. The story, music, and graphics are all top-notch--I had goosebumps for literally minutes after the ending. Decisions have real consequences that aren't always apparent, making this much more like a real story than any other RPG out there. The gameplay, however, is a bit clunky. Combat is weightless and hollow, and while the creature design is amazing, few enemies come down to anything other than "slash-dodge-slash-dodge". Moreover, the minigames are shallow and truly quite pointless. So while the game is definitely worth a buy, just go in treating it more like a gorgeous, interactive novel than a normal video game.… Expand

Never trust your initial reaction...some people just don't have any patience and tend to blow things off immediately for little to no reason at all. Back in the day, I blew the first Witcher off because the genre and the thematic didn't interest me. I said "oh no, fantasy games are for nerdy effeminate geeks" I had just heard about it on the internet, but never looked into it, or ever imagined I would be playing it. 2011 came up, The Witcher 2 came out. Back then, I was playing Modern Warfare 2 or Bad Company 2 and was never interested in role-playing games or the like. What I first heard about this game was the whole hype about the graphics about one month before it was released. Back then I was already the proud owner of my first computer I ever assembled myself, and it consisted of an AMD Phenom II x4 965 (now 4 years old), 8GB DDR3 RAM, and two ATI HD5770's (which have since been replaced by two AMD HD7770's). And I said why not, I'll give it a try. So I drove to Kmart and bought this game (Another reason I heard about it was because it was a gift to Obama form a Polish delegate, so that caught my attention too, because it was all over the news). I was eager to see the reason why the media was hyping this game so much. The game play was confusing at first, I was not used to that type of difficulty in a game ever, but that was my fault, it took some time to figure it all out. At first I tried to hack and slash, but that failed miserably. Gearalt kept dying on me in like two hits. I wanted to give up, but then I started to look things up on the internet (that's how I basically got through the game the first time). I discovered you had to combine the signs, sword fighting and potions to beat monsters and bosses. What I most enjoyed about this game is you can craft armor and swords, because not only do they help you in the game, it gives Geralt a very elegant and slick appearance. I like the art style in general, it is an improvement over the first Witcher (sadly I am playing the first Witcher now and it's 2013, I was obligated to go back and play it). I can say almost everything was an improvement from the first Witcher. In the Witcher 1, you constantly draw the wrong sword, like for example when fighting humans I accidentally draw the silver sword which is not effective against them, I have to sit there and wait until he draws the correct sword to be able to beat them. This is not a problem in The Witcher 2. Another improvement is the signs. In the Witcher 1, you get the signs through exploration and quests. If you miss a quest or a place where a sign stone is located, you can never get that sign. For example to get Igni, you have to explore a cave in the first chapter, but if you never do for whatever reason, you will never get igni. In the Witcher 2 you already have all the sighs by default. Quen is by far the most useful because it gives you impenetrable armor for 30 seconds. The story in the Witcher 1 is superb, however I beleive The witcher 2 surpases it. The facial expressions and body movements and character animation help get the point across very well (this is one reason the graphics help). Decision making is also an improvement, but it can be confusing at first. A couple of times I found myself reloading saves because I said, "oh no I didn't want to do that, I wanted to do this instead" or "oh no, I didn't like how that turned out." But then I discovered that was not a bad thing at all. Unlike the first Witcher, The Witcher 2 doesn't penalize you for decisions. In the Witcher 1, you can fail or miss whole quests by making other decisions. For example if you make Kalkstein mad, you can never finish the tower quest (reloading saves for the 10th time lol) you have to finish certain quests before you go on to others. Not in the Witcher 2. In the Witcher 1, If you never talk to Vaska in the swamp, then you cannot finish the tower quest, because she gives you a stone and also sends you to fight the golem, who has the other stone. You see, these kinds for things are easy for noobs like me to miss. I really hope the devs take note of this for The Witcher 3, because there are similar quests in The Witcher 2, for example the medallion quest Meliteles Heart. If you don't talk to the Crinfrid Reavers at the beginning, you will never get that quest. So overall this game was an honor to play. It is my all time favorite video game, and I showed my devotion to it by buying the XBOX360 version too. I bought a whole XBOX360 system just to buy this game again. Now that should be devotion lol… Expand

Incredible game, sadly marred by some design issues. Don't get me wrong, besides a few little things, this game is a 10. No, not a 10 like critics hand out left right and middle. I mean a REAL 10/10. The story is fantastically good. I got pulled in within the first minute, and I'm not easy to pull in. The graphics are out of this world. The atmosphere, the world, the detail, it all shows a staggering amount of care in its development. The voice acting, which some seem to think could be improved, is fully sufficient in my opinion. This is a game, not a movie.

Sadly there are a few things that are simply done wrong in this game. Quicktime events, which reek of console and taking the player for a 9-year-old, in an adult game, with nudity and STRONG language. And then there is the interface, like looting, which is fairly cumbersome, and finally, combat is clunky at times (and most of the time it is great). For these 3 blemishes on what is otherwise a TRUE MASTERPIECE, I remove 0.5/10 each, for a total of -1.5 on what would otherwise be a solid 10/10.

Overall it is a truly great game, one you will enjoy tremendously if you aren't extremely picky about controls and interface.… Expand

This game went the same direction as Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age 2. RPG elements cut down to minimal, lots of sexual attractivity to lure the horny masses in front of the screen and a washed-up rest of what was a great game in Witcher 1. What a pity ..

Take note EA, This is how a proper and immersible RPG is made. Have your mediocre and simplistic Dragon Age 2, This game exceeds it in every possible way. Truly a refreshing RPG in this 2011 year and definitely one of the better ones. I've been waiting for a real and actual RPG and having Witcher 2 grace the market/industry made me glad to be a PC Gamer. Depth and soul defines this game. Well done CD Projekt and do hope to see more (RPG) games produced by you. I would advise people to buy the game through GOG, CD Projekt's DRM-free site. Help and support not only the game but that company as well. The Witcher 2 is not broken, mediocre, or shoddy and I'm glad CD Projekt actually cares for their product and customers.… Expand

A truly amazing game. Unlike some other RPGs that hold your hand throughout and have terrible acting and writing (Dragon Age 2 I'm looking at you) this game actually feels like an RPG should. Your actions effect the game, your previous actions aren't retcon'd, and the game has a wonderful sense of freedom to it. If you're looking for an awesome modern RPG look no further.

Pros: - Great battle system - A wide array of weapons, items, and armors to choose from; an improvement from The Witcher 1 - Great narration of the story - Powerful voice-acting and dialogues - Overall very deep immersion - Diverse and serious quests Cons - A bit too short. Add 10 more hours to this and it'll probably become one of the best RPG ever - Initial chapters were a bit too difficult… Expand

I had a great deal of difficulty installing this game with the code to activate it so I shelved it for awhile. Well, I am glad I played it finally. This is definitely a well deserved M rating. Don't let a kid play this one! The gameplay is great though and is very exciting. Better than the first one in every way. I have the XBOX version pre-ordered I loved it so much. One of the best RPG's in recent years especially as a PC exclusive. Definitely recommend playing this before the XBOX one comes out if you play PC games.… Expand

Starting off being one of the best RPG's I have ever played, the last two chapters did not shine off so well to me. The beginning was beautiful and wonderful, don't get me wrong. The story, setting, characters, and map design felt fresh and great to play in. The combat has gotten more difficult, which I like to see in games (considering how many games like to go easy on players these days). However, I was not a fan of the potion-usage in the Witcher 2. In fact, I still question what was wrong with just keeping the Witcher 1's potion usage. Did they feel like being able to use your potion whenever was wrong? Unless I missed something, you could only use your potion when meditating, but it's a matter of opinons. When I entered the city in Chapter 3 (I believe), something felt off. It really did not feel like there was much to do and there really wasn't. The main quest line was a breeze and the dragon fight felt a little unsatisfying to me, it honest to god did not felt like I fought a dragon. And then in the epilogue, I did not like how they decided to have the bad guy (forgot his name, sorry) answer all your questions right there and then, instead of answering the questions slowly. He had at least 25 things to say (if you decided to listen) and I was sitting there wondering "Why couldn't they just answer some of these things over the game, not at once." And the ending was just so bland, it really had no meaning. The Witcher 1's ending was very intense and very story-compelling to me, they gave you a very good reason why the bad guy's were doing what they did. In the Witcher 2, the bad guy assassinated kings, which sparked off revolts, just because the king in the south caught him and said "I will start a new Witcher academy if you kill the king". Felt cliche and bland to me. To sum it up for any "tl;dr" people. First half of the game: Witcher 2>Witcher 1. Ending chapters of the game: Witcher 1 >>>>>>>>>> Witcher 2. Let's hope in the Witcher 3 that they can ultimately conclude this game series with a very interesting and mind-twisting ending.… Expand

The Witcher 2 is a great game. I wont be a fanboy and pretend it is perfect, because simply put, it isn't, but that doesn't change the fact it is one of the biggest and best games 2011 has to offer.

PROS:

Combat - the combat is really diverse and just to survive on Normal Difficulty or harder, you WILL need to employ your alchemy and magic as well as your sword play tactics. Running in and just slashing the crap out of enemies doesn't work in this game because it forces you to be much smarter in how you approach to deal with enemies and scenarios.

Story - The story is fantastic and really draws you in. If you haven't played or beaten the first Witcher, rest assure that you will be able to get a basic sense of whats going on and so on and so forth. However, it does help knowing the back story since it makes events, characters and certain missions much more important and personal. The only people who will be truly at home with the story will be those who read the books, but this doesn't require you to do so.WORD OF WARNING: If you are interested in playing this game, then you should have already seen the M rating it has received, but for the few who are unaware, this is by far a very adult game. It has sex scenes [you are given options for partners depending how you deal with scenarios], bloody violence [decapitations and so forth], mature topics [such as incest, rape, murder], and harsh language. There are definitely elements which would offend some, but the reasons these are part of the game and story isn't for a so-called 'shock value' but a real and stoic representation of a mature world where good and evil are not so easily divided. Because of that, this game is great because its rare that adults get a good story but one that is not geared towards a younger generation [BTW the games that are geared for younger people aren't necessarily bad, it's just appropriate for those settings].

Gameplay - Fun but requires thinking [this game is literally more of a RPG compared to Dragon Age 1 and so on and so forth]. You make decisions that do seriously affect the outcome of where the second and third chapter could take place and from what I understand, there are 16 different endings based on your decisions. What makes this fantastic is that decisions aren't necessarily GOOD and EVIL, but gray areas in which you might have to pick the lesser of two evils or decide how to take advantage of a situation which would be bad for many but help you and your cause. This is a mature approach to a serious game and I give it heart felt approval for the developers going down that path.

Music/Sound - Fantastic. Has dark themes as well idyllic music that helps to really flesh out the world and nothing that's annoying or out of place.

CONS:

Story - The ending leaves a bit to be desired and mature themes will definitely be towards a more adult audience.

Combat - As fun and inventive the combat was, it will be difficult for a select few to approach. This game really emphasizes complete control and for some it can be frustrating when they keep on dying because they weren't fast enough for a dodge or other things.
Sound/Graphics - While yes, the graphics and animations are SUPERB, you need to keep in mind that you need hardware to run this game. This is not Crysis 2 but then again that doesn't mean you need less powerful hardware. Make sure that you check thoroughly that you can run this game smoothly because I can see frame rate issues and other things seriously messing up combat.
ALSO: While the world is beautiful and the clothes and people look lifelike and real, voice-speaking animations do hiccup a bit and lag every once in a while [but is more of a minor annoyance]. Don't forget that this game was made in Europe with the native tongue being recorded in some other language and while, yes they do English dubbs and so forth, the voice acting is great but then again, it doesn't do miracles at other parts. Still good all things considered.

Yes, this was a long review, but hopefully this gives ideas to those who are eying this game on the fence and are unsure whether or not it is for them. I personally LOVE this game and everything it has to offer. It is extremely re-playable and a fun world to traverse through but there will be a few people who may be turned off by its difficulty and how hard the combat and quests can become. But hey, that's why we have game guides right? ;) Must have for RPG/Fantasy lovers!… Expand

This is how to make a sequel, it takes all of the problems with The Witcher, and improves upon all aspects of the game. The game simplifies combat and eradicates the stances, and quick and strong attacks are simply left and right clicks away a vast improvement over the original. The game is overall very linear in direct on where you go but the choices you make impact the story greatly, if you've played number one you know what to expect and will enjoy the game tremendously. The few qualms with the game is the difficulty at best is erratic, at first it's somewhat brutal but towards the end Geralt can literally brush off most encounters with ease. Loading screens, which you'll see a lot, are too long and really disconnect from the game and the way zones are loaded together can become a nuisance when you're following/escorting someone. Targeting in the game is iffy at best as in noncombat situations selected items in the world is a definite pain and in fights with multiple enemies sometimes the wrong enemy will be attacked which is a nuisance. Overall for any RPG fan this is a can't miss game, the game has it's shortcomings but overall is a solid product. The game looks beautiful, sounds beautiful, and plays beautifully. Any RPG fan who hasn't played this gem deserves to treat themselves to such a fine game.… Expand

Game is nice, for sure not a masterpiece as a whole. graphics are great , even thou on my i7 with a gtx560 i can't run them fully. Story is interesting and you can play the game twice (or even 3 times), but no more. what i didn't like: -instanced maps, you see that road?, fine now that you've seen it go back to what you were "paid" to go -console "press X" mechanics, wanna hit that big baddie? click B..swirl swirl now click B again
-console inventory, how the hell you'r goin to find something in your backpack is a miracle
-stupid potions, drink now you never know what you might face tomorrow..you drank the wrong one? haha silly witchy
-fighting animations, i don't like playin the role of a pale monkey swirling and jumpin around while weavin a stick at big guys… Expand

I bought this just after finishing Skyrim and the experience was jarring. Skyrim is huge, free flowing and fun. In comparison witcher 2 feels small, cramped and constraining. It does have its good points like some good combat but thats offset by how short it is (its truly tiny), the lack of freedom, and the awful awful boss battles.

Still its an OK game, just made to look very weak by Skyrim.

One of the best video games in the last 10-15 years I think (not many worth playing, generally). RPG base with actual meaningful decisions (when did you ever have those since PS: Torment?) and mature setting/story. They also basically added an action game on top for combat. Needs to be played in the original Polish (English subtitles for me) in my opinion.

I played the EE of the game fully patched so I base my review on that. The game is great not much to say. Great story, great gameplay, great characters. Things I didn't like where the kinda small locations and to little side quests I think the first one was better in that aspect and I wish they didn't remove the collectible cards (you know what I mean).

If you don't like this game, you're an idiot. Period. A stupid idiot. This game wow'd me as much as any game has ever. Not since Shining Force have I been so sucked into an RPG. Sword of Vermillion is another ancient RPG that comes to mind to which TW2 harks back. I felt like the voice acting may be the best I've ever witnessed in a video game. Multiple experiences caused my disbelief to be fully suspended. Buy this game through GoG.com...do yourself, and every PC gamer everywhere a huge favor.… Expand

I liked the game, but after playing it through once, I have not been able to muster up enough interest to play it through again. The balance is off. Combat in the early part, especially for the side quests in Flotsam are ridiculously hard, while the boss fights and combat in the later chapters is too easy.

If you're willing to invest in a game, if you are willing to get sucked in and truly engage with an RPG, this is the game for you. People who have scored this game low, either critics or users, have as main negative points:
-bugs (very few that are now fixed with the patch)
-difficulty in battles (that's one of the games biggest strengths for people who want a challenging strategic battle instead of a button-mash)
-Bad UI (I'll give them a little point there - it's not bad, but could be better)

So please ignore them, and support a game developer that is truly passionate about creating quality games.… Expand

Follow up review. After having played through the entire game twice (and going back for a third), I feel this is the best game I've played so far this year and well into last year. Graphics are terrific with an amazing amount of detail. Gameplay is easy to learn, hard to master. Cut-scenes are well-placed and non-intrusive. The story is intreguing and, best of all, it doesn't hold your hand like you're a mentally-challanged 10 year-old. This is truly what PC gaming is all about, brought to the next level. Has similarities to DA2, but beats the pants off of it in all respects. For those publications that rated this lower than a 9 (and lower than other inferior big-name games), any reasonably intelligent reader knows whose hands are dirty here.… Expand

great game. not without it's flaws....but overall great voice acting, music, freedom of choice, immersion and graphics. Combat can be a little strange (the wrong enemy getting highlighted etc) but this is rare and overall this really is a great experience and one I have very much enjoyed. I hated the Witcher 1 but love this!
Oh and by the way, I also loved Dragon Age 2 so I don't get all the DA2 fanboys bashing this game. I just prefer the Witcher 2.… Expand

The games improved a lot since my initial review (when Witcher 2's was completely broken). Now it stands as one of the best RPG's in recent years. A mature story with good game play mechanics.

This game is a work of art. One can easily tell how much heart and soul the developers put into this game. The voice dialogue is vastly improved over the previous game, and the story telling seems to possess more character. The combat now makes more sense where you can better make use of your parrying and dodge functions. The character movements and animations now seem a lot more fluid and realistic. The music, like the original Witcher, is still memorable enough to keep your attention for hours at a time. Definitely worth playing if you have a good enough system to run this beast.… Expand

Finally I completed my second Witcher 2 playthrough. So now I feel like I am competent enough to review this game. Now the main marketing focus was the non-linear story, and that is what I would like to concentrate on. I feel like non-linearity in games is like choices in the matrix... as long as you have the illusion of choice, it is good... Now, do I feel, that the non-linearity in the W2 lived up to it's hype? No.
Do I believe, that this is the most Non-linear Game ever made (with nice graphics at least...)? Yes.
The devs have been bragging about the 16 endings, now... does this really qualify as 16 endings? Let's go with a Mass Effect comparison: you have like 12 companions, each one can be (dis-)loyal at the end, each one can be disloyal and each one can die. Now ask your selfs: How many possible ending-scenarios would that be: more than 400 plus destroying collector base or not and you can double that number. So the final outcome of the Witchers Non-linearity is not THAT amazing and it comes down to who lived, who died. JUST as in Mass Effect 2, or is there more to it?
Well there is more to it, because the game is not about the (over-hyped) endings. It is about the various ways your journey will go, to get you to the one ending with 16 variations. And that is the ground by which the Witcher 2 dethrones EVERYTHING that has come before it!
BioWare games go like this:
Go to location 1. Fight. Choose A or B.
Go to location 2. Fight. Choose C or D.
FINALE which is impacted by decisions from locations 1, 2. The End -with trillions different WRITTEN endings in DA:O -with 2 different animated endings in ME1 -with one ending in ME2
Now, I am not saying this is bad. I love me a good BioWare game, loved all of them besides one... you know which. But: Enter the Witcher 2.
You get to choose one of (OMG!) 2 different paths to get to the 1 ending (with 16 variations). Now that still does not sound very non-linear. Just two? Well, for one thing, THAT is already twice as much as any other BioWare game. Those paths are not just side missions, they completely change the location, the characters, the quests, the tone, it is COMPLETELY different. Playing it the second time around I felt like "touched for the very first time". OK, but let us get to the question no one asked. Are both paths equal... most comments I read, said the elven story is better and although both were engaging and fun I have to agree... if you choose to go with the Elves it seems there is simply much more to it. I recommend to play both paths, because they are both great. BUT the Elven story is definitely stronger in it's narrative!
So in the end... is this the holy grail of non-linear RPG? No
But it IS the closest thing anyone has come close to.
Now the other thing: Save game import... Is it done great? Does it justify playing the earlier game just to get different starting scenarios?
Well ask youself: DO YOU LIKE THE EARLIER GAME? If no... than you might miss out most in the Mass Effect franchise. If we are talking about Dragon Age the import is really under-utilized here. The Witcher is somewhere between those 2, closer to the DA. The save game import is not really a very sophisticated function and it really needs to grow.
OK let's talk about sex!
I am sorry I am comapring this so much to BW, but BW is my favorit company, so I know their games. In both ME and DA the sex seemed more explicit in the first ones, then in their sequels. The Witcher goes the other way... is it better because of it?
I have heard praises as wall as critiques, here is my take on this:
The sex cards were a stupid concept... but well executed. The soft-porn scenes are a better concept... but they are not that well executed. The voices, the sounds, the whole audio in them seems badly done. The editing is not exactly top. But I support sex in games. Best sex scene ? ME1 then Heavy Rain then The Witcher2!
OK, so lets cut to the basics, and lets get to the end of this. The Witcher 2 has lots of bugs, which annoy, but do not destroy the it!
The Witcher 2 has 2 big patches which make the above statement just 40% true!
The Witcher 2 gets free DLC with every patch!
The Witcher 2 has great combat,
The Witcher 2 has one hell of a great story, which seems to really find it's ending in the next Witcher... or the one after that...
The Witcher 2 is simply one great game and I accomplished not to
mention up to now the beautiful locations and all around graphics...
Is this the official dethronement of Bioware? No.
Is this the official dethronement of Dragon Age? No. Dragon Age committed
suicide in my opinion...
This is just another top notch RPG... and we do not get many of them! So
buy it... play it! And than buy all Dragon Ages... and than go buy Mass
Effects... And Deus Ex... and Elder Scrolls... and Fallouts... (although I never liked the last two... ahh well.. here comes Skyrim, will give it a chance) RPG needs to live! It needs you to buy it! In all its forms!… Expand

masterpiece of a game. deep mature storyline, fantastic combat and incredible graphics. its a must buy for pc gamers. i cant stand that all of these people are trolling this game with low scores. its ridiculous.

ok,lets get the negative point out of the way first. the UI is pretty unefficient, so regular inventory use,can be a bit of a chore,and as there is no where to store extra equipment (NOT a bad thing in my opinion), its important to keep visiting traders to sell off un wanted or excess goods. the fact that a decent way to stat match is missing can be quite time consuming. this can effect immersiveness,but i'm hoping one day i'll be able to play using a revamped ui. after playing around with graphical settings extensively i've noticed that whether i'm playing on mainly high settings (which is the normal setting i use) or when ive experimented with lower ones, the framerate has not changed. its not a problem for me but i felt it should at least be identified and adressed. (on high,i'm getting between 32-40fps, even in crowded combat scenes or towns the framerate never drops below 30fps so i'm quite happy with that seeing as how gorgeous this game is). luckily the good points about the game are abundant!! i've noted in other comments left by users that they find the camera and object interaction a probem. this hasnt been an issue for me.I hold the shift button whilst moving to slow you down and it works. looking for correct ledges to climb is just common sense, and is another example of how hand holding has been limited in this game. as you may have guessed the graphics are incredible, and they WILL test your rig! so if you buy the game with just minimum requirements you might be dissapointed and i feel your witcher experience will be marred somewhat. story and lore is facinating and i found myself more and more engrossed as i adventured thru the game. the choices you make actually have an effect on the game you end up playing.(afterall you are writing history as you go along,well, Dandellion is). i find the combat satisfying and enjoyable.you will need to use everything at your disposal most of the time and the difficulty on normal feels just right. it definately gets easier as you level up giving you a proper sense of getting stronger and more capable.....quite a refreshing change compared to a lot of other games these days which are far to easy and hold your hand WAY too much. customising the character with your chosen skill tree path is done perfectly, with not too much emphasis on having to time spend ridiculous amounts of time deciding how you'll end up. at the end of chapter 1 you are forced to make a choice that basically decides what area you open up and effectively the dicsoveries you make and quests/sub quests you end up doing. this makes at least one other replay and absolute must! the games ending, which is kind of a hot topic of late, has people divided, but its hard to argue whithout knowing the choices they made.i was happy anyway. the good thing is that there is FREE DLC.hopefully some future expansions will be made that might extend things and sort out the UI, and i'm definately looking forward to another sequel! big thanks to CDPR for a great game!… Expand

Witcher 2 is one of, if not, the best experience I have had with gaming in 2011. After playing through and enjoying Witcher 1, I knew this game would not disappoint. The graphics are better, the combat is more refined, the plot and character interactions just keep getting better and better. Definitely worth the purchase for anyone into WRPGs.

One of my all time favorite RPG's. Gorgeous graphics, fun combat system, amazing story, real choices, and nice difficulty. Any fan of RPG's needs to pick this game up.

All hail the Witcher!
Behold a game made by gamers for gamers. There is meticulous carre given to every inch of this game, the makers willing you on to have the time of your life. This game was made to be enjoyed and cherished. In every sense of the word a love letter to games. The company behind it not wasting time on finding new ways of milking people that already bought the game, but thinking of ways to give them more bang for their buck.… Expand

I'm playing it again and again. The best RPG ever. Beatufiull world from polish writer books - Andrzej Sapkowski's. Great graphic, dialogues and story from polish CD Projekt RED. Very good sequel and there's 100% support from developers of game, free DLC's and free patches (2.0 that gives special content from stores extended edition). Big and deserved 10.

Initially I turned The Witcher 2 down being biased against console style RPGs. Luckily, I accidentally tried it and I was immediately hooked in. The Witcher 2 (enhanced edition) is truly a gem. I had to enjoy so much an RPG, since Mass Effect 1. Behind the console style design, there is a deep, old school core waiting to absorb you. The graphics, the story, the non-linearities, its gameplay variety remind me of KoToR. Well done TW2 team. I give it a 10 wholeheartedly.… Expand

This grade is mostly for the UI overhaul and removal of ISO camera. Anyone who gets motion sickness avoid this game, the 2 ISO cams from the original game are gone. You're going to get stuck with the annoying over the shoulder cam (even the widescreen mod isn't a massive improvement). They redid pretty much everything about the UI for this game, needed for the additions but more clunky than the original. Story is still solid, gameplay pretty much the same with some slightly more complex options added (traps/thrown weapons). The the cam isn't an issue and you liked the first no reason not to grab it.… Expand

-Amazing game.
-Stunningly beautiful
-Deep and detailed story line
-Multiple endings (I think its 4 huge ending differences and something like 20+ course changes available to you slightly altering the outcomes)
-ADULT Setting (you have no idea how much a old fart like me appreciates a Mature setting rather then the dull and Politically Correct settings of so many other fantasy titles. Not even talking about the nudity or swearing, just the over all atmosphere of setting)
- A company that actually cares about its customer base (new update or addition comes out, you update for free, no nickle and diming you, like other so called AAA developers do
- Part 2 of a 3 part series (part 3 comes out in late 2013 I believe and offers up a exploratory landmass triple the size of Skyrim)

I just cant say enough good about this title. I know some people may dismiss the 10 rating as overly generous but thats not how I rate. This title is a solid 9.5 but I went 10 because its closer to 10 then 9.

THE ONLY ISSUE I had with The Witcher 2 was the Kayran fight. It was clearly designed with console controls in mind and thus is very hard to master using a keyboard.

Beyond that 1 instance, Brilliant game by a Brilliant developer (who is currently working on The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077).

CDProjekt Red is one company I DONT mind being called a Fanboy for. Their work and professionalism and loyalty to their customers deserves no less IMO.

ONLY other company I ever felt so loyal to was the PRE EA buyout Bioware… Expand

Not as big as a console hatchet job as DA2 was, but the RPG elements have been cut down. Combat balancing was uneven and repetitive. I hated the potion system. The camera was atrocious. It's not very long, but you should get 2 very different run thoughs. A mixed bag, overall.

I am writing this review as an honest appreciation for the work put into making this game a truly worthwhile experience

You know a game is well crafted when you after you play, you know it will end, and that you do not want it to end.

I first registered this account to critique the terrible job DA2 did with its original franchise, now I am here in love with what the developers of The WItcher 2 did to their IP. I am actually captivated by the story, the gameplay requires thinking, and the voices are absolutely amazing. I am glad they did NOT try to make the main hero bi sexual, or a sarcastic baboon, and kept true to a badass RPG hero.

Thank you CD Projekt Red, I was originally pirating the game, but after being swayed by the universal acclaim it received here, I bought it on GoG and cacneled the torrent, and am glad I did… Expand

A fantastic video game with an elaborate story, engaging plot, enjoyable gameplay, and fantastic graphics. The only things that hold it back from being a 10 are a few minor glitches, an AI that is awkward at times, and some hiccups in the plot during the final act.

Prepare to enjoy yourself with this great game.

So I just finished The Witcher 2 and I am left feeling a little undecided still. There were moments that were fantastic and others where I struggled to force myself to go on. I am a great fan of the old classics. The first Baldur's Gate game still stands out in my mind but I enjoyed the sequel, as well as Morrowind and Oblivion - the latter slightly less than the former. So I suppose it comes down to taste. I thought there were some good scripting moments but a lot of the time I had no real idea what people were talking about (perhaps a symptom of having played but not finished the first game) or even if I did know what they were talking about I just didn't care. I wasn't fighting my own fight but merely a pawn in a greater struggle I had no real sympathy for. I was really excited about the combat after the first couple of tutorial fights. I played through Demon's Souls a number of times and loved that and there were certainly similarities. But sadly that was as good as it got. As you upgrade your skills the combat becomes less and less skillful and more and more of a button-mash fest. This was a real disappointment.

So all in all I liked the game but certainly didn't love it. It was a big improvement from the first one in many ways and hopefully they can continue that trend with what will almost certainly be a third game. On the right track but not quite there yet. Good, but not great. 7.5/10… Expand

What praise can I give this game that hasn't been given before? Well, let's just say that I bought and played TW1 just to be able to get into the story of this sequel, and it was well worth it!

Keep it up, CDPR! I look forward to more great stuff by you guys.

this game is awesome this makes DA2 look like child's play. CDProject know how to make mature pc games i am having a blast playing this game I've heard people say that its too hard. It takes about 30 min to get used to the fighting style of the game the story is simply amazing and there is plenty of RPG elements to keep even the hardcore gamer happy if you haven't bought this game yet bye it know i promise you wont be disappointed.… Expand

Very good game, good story, believable and likable characters, Great graphics and gameplay. Few minor glitches here and there but are only small and do not matter. I find the environment in which you play immerses you into the game very well, hearing mutters of a conversation as you walk past etc I will definitely play through again and again. Normally not much of an RPG fan, but this game has surely gotten my attention. I do not understand these people giving it a bad review, either they've got such a crappy system that they cant run it or are bioware nuts or just down right idiotic.

This game takes the cake in the RPG genre.… Expand

After the disappointing dragon age sequel, this game looks so much better because these guys did what a sequel is suppose to be. They took the original game and improved it. It's that simple.

The graphics are stunning. Can't really describe it unless you've seen it.

Combat is really more or less challenging at the start and gets easier later. I enjoy the challenge, too many games out there are just a fancy CGI movie and you're just button mashing as a complicated way of hitting play on the DVD player. Story is overall pretty strong, it got kind of weak at the end but that's probably because it's set up for the next Witcher. Honestly I think a lot of us rave about this game because DA2 set the bar really low this year in terms of sequels. This is exactly how a sequel should be, you take the original game and overall improve it.… Expand

It's been four years since the first Witcher game opened to warm reception in 2007. The PC exclusive action-RPG featured a new combat style, deeply evolving and open-ended paths, and a powerful protagonist with some brutal decisions to make.

The Witcher 2 has proven CDProjekt as a powerhouse developer in the RPG arena. This fledgling developer has improved upon the original Witcher in almost every way possible, bringing us a climactic and thrilling adventure that both action and RPG fans alike will appreciate.

See the full text of the review here: http://boredomsadvocate.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-witcher-2-tw2.html… Expand

I was never able to really get into Witcher 1 for some reason, but the deficiencies, combat and plot advancement were all improved in Witcher 2. Skyrim and Witcher 2 were both tops on my list for 2011. The Enhanced Edition was even better and has added more replayability, and I appreciate that Projekt Red has actively grown and supported their games post-launch.

The Witcher 2 is epic in every sense of the word. The narrative is incredibly well done and one of the best in the industry, the graphics are jaw dropping, and the combat system is a huge improvement from the first. What really amazed me is how big of an impact your choices do make in this game, even more so than the original Witcher and any Bioware game which is usually a good vs evil decision. But in WItcher 2 every choice has a consequence and it will have you second guessing your choices wondering what would have happened if you did choice Y instead of X and Z. It's one of those games you will replay a few times just to see the different outcomes and endings. The visuals are out of this world and I think the best looking game of 2011. In terms of technology BF3 wins but the art style in the Witcher 2 really takes it over the top I think. It's like an oil painting at times and I just want to sit and stare at some of the gorgeous scenary (the rain effects!).

The combat is fast, fluid, and fun, plus it takes a lot of skill to master. This isn't an easy game, however it is a very rewarding game if you put the time to learn it.

If you are a fan of RPG's or just a good story you will enjoy this game I think.… Expand

My favorite game on the PC by far. Everything is great! Best graphics, story and gameplay in a game ever created. There is nothing like it on the consoles. Shame this game will be completely overlooked.

Great RPG game, what the genre is supposed to be like. The Witcher wins out slightly in my opinion over TW2 simply because they slightly dumbed down the combat system. I personally like the combo attacks from the first one, but it's still an awesome game. Gives a satisfying ending as well as preparing your for the next installment, highly recommend.

At first, I was disappointed a little bit, because some major mechanics of the game are entirely different. I loved the realistic inventory system of Witcher 1, that's gone completely. But that's not a big issue, we get a more traditional RPG inventory system now. It may use some tweaks however, and I'm sure they'll be delivered with the future patches. Combat is totally different. I always wanted more games like God of War, Batman: AA, or Darksiders on PC, because of their combat mechanics, and Witcher 2 delivers that. You need practice however, and higher difficulties punish the players if not careful, especially Insane; you cannot load your saves if you die. Hardcore mode so to speak. Really enjoying the combat mechanics.

Graphics are the best I've ever seen, and I've played other games that support DX11 and so on. I just can't believe this is a DX9 game. However, many players experience FPS problems with high-end PCs, but that's not entirely their fault, as AMD and NVidia are working on hotfixes to address the issues in the game. Patience, and you won't have any trouble.

Voice acting, music and sounds are really good. Especially the music, it is a vast improvement over Witcher 1 in my opinion.

I just love this game. And I throw my hat off to developers. It seems they knew what they wanted, aimed for it, and bullseye... A perfect PC game!… Expand

Excellent Game. Excellent RPG.
PC Power Hungry RPG too.

Graphics, Atmosphere, Ambiance..
Improvement over the original in nearly all aspects: graphics, gameplay, combat.. Refined and tuned.. Surpasses the good first sequel..

So many things to do and so many places to explore.

Geralt is charming too. You play an interesting character.

People take notes. This is how PC Gaming should be.

The Witcher 2 is an amazing experience. I'm on the second act now, and I haven't played an RPG with so many good things going for it in a long time. Depth, story, characters, graphics, items, crafting, traps... so much stuff you can do in this game. There's nothing quite like it that's out there right now, and this is easily RPG game of 2011, if not Game of the Year. Well done, CD Projekt Red.

Kudos to cdprojekt for creating this shining gem in a genre that is starting to become very stale and lowest common denominator. They've created one of the most enjoyable, beautiful, well written RPGs I've played in many years. If you're a true cRPG fan you need to play this game and the first Witcher as well. To those complaining about difficulty (including critic reviews), give it a rest. Games used to be about using your head, learning mechanics, trying different things to overcome an obstacle, not crying because you can't "one-shot" everything on the first try.… Expand

What I always try to do when playing a new game is to purposely look for the bad features in the game, this lets me see if they can be overcome by the good features and whether the game will be enjoyable or not. One of the key things that you need to have in any RPG game is a smooth and consistent method of combat. Sadly the combat in The Witcher 2 is extremely clunky, inconsistent, and quite often just downright frustrating. At times you will find that enemies just block attacks over and over again, leading you to resort to 'cheesy' tactics (running around in circles like a headless chicken, planting traps and throwing grenades. Pre-trapping areas against boss monsters with about 50 snare traps on top of each other.) in order to overcome them. Sometimes enemies will just outright kill you without you having any opportunity to retaliate. Then on other occasions you will effortlessly slaughter a group of enemies within the span of 5 seconds. The camera needs serious tweaking, and a Field of View option should be mandatory for any first or third person PC game these days. I like to actually be able to see things considering I'm using a 29" wide screen monitor. I wouldn't mind being able to consume potions without having 1 minute downtime every time I need to apply them. I find it ridiculous that some keys are hard-bound into the games code, so you can't even bind the keys the way YOU want it. Combat aside for a second and the game may have some redeeming features, other RPG's usually win points for ingenuity, story, character development. I just don't see any of that with The Witcher 2. The characters are pretty bland, and don't really make much of a forward movement from the first game in the series. The gameplay hasn't really taken much of a step up, I'd say in ways it's more frustrating than the first one. When I play games it's usually for a challenge at the same time as entertainment. The Witcher 2 tests my patience to the extreme. On an extremely robust computer the load times are agonizing, considering you'll be reloading some points over and over again. The graphics are pretty, but that's only after I watch the textures loading when I turn around quickly. The voice acting is good enough for an RPG, the sound in combat is acceptable, the music works well with the game and the situation (exploration/combat). There is no 'sprint' feature so travel-time can be excruciating during some points of the game. With sub-par combat, long and painful 'buff' periods, and an overall below average immersion level, I give the Witcher 4/10 for just not having the same kind of effect that the prequel did.… Expand

All I can say is some people are easily impressed and clearly taken in by the hype. While the world, the graphics and the writing are all first class, it's all let down by a disastrous combat system, obviously consolised UI a general lack of depth compared to the first Witcher game. The combat system is particularly bad, being laggy, unresponsive and repetitive (combat ultimately boils down to dodge-attack-dodge-attack ad nauseum). Plus there are some very strange design decisions (like not being able to drink potions in combat)

It's not a bad game by any means, but it could have been so much better.… Expand

Superb game. Awesome unique world of Witcher: tough, brutal, racism, sexism, bloody true medieval for mature players.
Gameplay is very addicitive but very easy to absorb in. You should think and find a way for a victory for the each enemy you would fight( humans, and monsters( for example ctulhu-kraken boss). Story is awesome. You always surrounded by your friends( Zoltan, Sexy Triss). Its one of the best storyline i ever played. And ofcourse its non-linear!

Graphic is tough too. Vert good art job, style and HD textures. Id like nake many screenshots that look like photos while i playing it!
Summary - its good alternative for each mature player, whose remember old-schoo rpg but wanna new features( like graphic, battle system, and dialogue). Its not like Skyrim( not soo endless) and not like bioware( here in Witcher not copy paste location and characters. Its made with a soul, i thought) but the unique new way of rpg!… Expand

Absolutely not impressed! Frustrated and annoyed: that's how I felt during the first two hours of play. To me, this is NOT a good role playing game, but nevertheless, still a decent action/adventure game. I really don't see what could justify all these 9 and 10 ratings out there. This is probably the most overrated game of the year...

The Witcher 2 is a quite an impressive RPG, first point: my computer meets the low end specs only just and the game runs beautifully on the low settings. I get a good level of detail and visual background without any sluggishness or jagging, it is eye candy stuff, I can admit I envy those with more powerful systems. This is helped further along by no annoying load screens.

The game story is deep with a very detailed and fun prologue/tutorial to help you get under the player Character's skin and make him your own man by the choices and abilities you give him and those you don't. Style of play is influenced by skills given, sword play is not a just random set of key mashes (unless you like dying alot) Thier are plenty of support skills to keep combat interesting and the enemy AI is quite good: they know how to hit you when you are down or catch you when you are not paying attention. Each opponent requires certain tactics to combat or get an advantage over to defeat.

The only down side I can see is the 'brawling' aspect where some button mashing is required and the intuitive fighting skill requirement to win is lost, it is a sort of random thing: who is quicker you or the enemy AI. But watching the enemy take a whupping is always fun!

There is little or no quest/plot guidence or handholding you have to figure things and locations out for yourself and learn the consequences of actions in the game world. A thinkers game where you kicked off the apple cart and have to fend for yourself. Thier is also plenty of fun and humour to be had wthin and outside the storyline keeping the game immersive and interesting. The game has mature humour and content showing that the developers know it is not a game for kids and respects that in the overall offering, they are catering to the audience who enjoyed the intrigues and reality provided in the first witcher game blood, guts, politics, swearing, nudity and all. Naturally there are a few miniscule and barely noteworthy flaws as with any new game but these pale in comparison to the beautiful gem that is the Witcher 2. And knowing the high level of support CDproject provides they are probably already working overtime on patches now to keep thier fans happy. Defintely a game built by mature and modern gamers for mature and modern gamers

Overall a fantastic game, well worth the price if you are an RPG fan and a must have if you enjoyed the first one. Not a game for hack and slashers or those who don't like thinking too much, full on swearing or tasteful nudity. If bought retail it does require once off DRM activation a pest I know but well worth the effort. High replay value with many options and paths to walk.… Expand

Why a 9? I'm saving the 10 for Witcher 3 if CD Project continues to redefine artistic integrity, passion and love for the detail in the next game. The never ending platform, corporate fandom and genre wars that games like this one tend to incite, are just another confirmation that there is a serious need for games that don't treat the gamer like a idiot. The game is a nearly seamless continuation to the previous incredibly atmospheric game, and features a protagonist that is more the player than some custom characters in other games. The combat: After finally remembering the importance of the sword/sign variety and alchemy from the first game it became a nearly flawless experience, at times difficult but incredibly rewarding. A game that doesn't hold the players hand and spoon feeds Him to the solution, a challenge for the physical and logical skills of the player. Spectacular finishers that are worthy investing time in character development . A welcome addition, because most of the recent games are somehow confusing difficulty with complexity, and allowing the gaming experience to be only a Hand-Eye Coordination test, when gaming is so much more. The World: The vibrant visuals, the living world, the interesting NPC's with their daily and nightly schedule, the love in the environmental detail, vastly improved dialogues, the atmospheric sound scheme and musical score are simply put amazing. A game that is a technical and performance challenge for many modern PC's, is a game that actually doesn't need any of these, simply because similar to the first game a poster on the wall or road sign in this game, puts to shame many games out there that are made with the idea
that the player will not notice or care about the detail. Maybe the player will not notice, but it's not up to the developer to decide that for every player, but make it available for those that want it. The the story questline and Geralt's character progression are something that puts the Witcher2 right in the instant classic's department, simply because it manages to do one of the most important parts in a RPG right- the player impact. Next to the stunning visuals it's a game that brings choice and consequence to the next level by creating a completely different chapter depending on the player's choices, a rare feature when most modern RPG's allow only a few different lines, or minor Cinematics without player input.. A game with high replay value just for that.
The characters: Geralt, the often misperceived main protagonist of the books and games is actually a character that
is not a man of words, but a pragmatist sometimes unaware of His qualities.
The essential NPC's: Each one of them has different motives, something that provokes the player to dwell on His own decisions, gray moral choices and cleverly developed characters that make the player hate the good or half good guys and sympathize with the evil or half evil guys, it is a fantastic expansion of the rich world created by A.Sapkowski. The spirit of the books even if adapted for gaming needs is alive and welcoming. â… Expand

This game is brilliant! Engaging combat, great story, awesome graphics, immersive surroundings, compelling dialogues, tasteful love interests... and I could go on and on with the praise, but I think I'll just go back to gaming.

This games is a triumph. Also very different from it's amazing predecessor it is more focused, more epic and it gives you more choice while at the same time it makes you feel like a small piece of wood on a stormy ocean. After finishing it once i have immediately restarted it. And i feel the same excitement i felt when i first installed it. It is a once in a lifetime experience that should be played by everyone. I would especially recommend this to young players despite it's mature content. It is a lesson about life and it s a lesson about gaming. What it was and what it should be. 10/10. GOTY. Best RPG of this decade so far!… Expand

Excellent game all around.

Excellent graphics, very good combat system. Great voice acting and character design. Beats Skyrim on all fronts.

My only gripe with it is the story it wasn't as engaging as the one in original Witcher and the ending is something murky. That was however to be expected since there is no doubt will be the third installment in the game and developers wanted to keep storylines open for that.

Worth every cent of it.… Expand

To all bloatware dlcware employees that gave zero to this game, u are so pathetic that hurts, really pathetic

GTFO cry in shame and learn how to make a proper rpg

I have no doubt in my mind that we are looking at game of the year here. Amazing story.graphics,music and fighting mechanics.this game imprves on everything that the witcher 1 done and the witcher 1 was an amzing game in its own right go do yourself a favour and BUY this game,you will not regret it

This is the best RPG I have played in 10 years. The storyline, gameplay, and dialogue are all the best parts of the good old days of RPGs. Except for the graphics, that is. The downside to this is that you need a pretty good machine to experience the graphics, but you will be glad you got that video card upgrade when you see the graphics here. This is a rare case where the sequel blows the original out of the water. I spent 70 dollars on it and I feel like I got a bargain for all this game is worth.… Expand

Brilliant game! A huge and very detailed world. A complex and inspired story that your character can actually influence. Depending on your choices you can get completely different quests in the second chapter, making your second playthrough feel like a different game. The story consistent and immersive, mature and morally ambiguous. The quests are highly varied, original, dramatic and frequently surprising. True to its genre, you are playing a role here and it's a good one.… Expand

Absolutely fantastic and my personal favourite for the GOTY-title.
The world is rich, voice-acting is perfect, facial animations are great and the combat is fun and fluid, though not really challenging. What is challenging, is the choices you have to make which will change the game-world decisively.
One of the rare games I care to pick up twice to see more of it.

Story: 9 --- What makes the Witcher 2's story so interesting is it's multiple paths. I have played through the game six times and there are 16 endings. Each one is detectably different but there are really only four major endings. The story is well-written and interesting but not particularly unpredictable. --- Visuals: 10 --- This is a pretty game, a very pretty game and the visual splendor is most clearly emphasized when it matters - during the many cutscenes. --- Sound: 8: The music is great but very repetitive. The VO is fantastic in most cases though. What strikes me most is that when music is important it is there and when silence is more important than music, you will have it too. --- Combat: 8 --- The combat in the Witcher 2 beats its predecessor hands down. But it isn't perfect and shows it's clumsiness in certain parts of the game, especially when in confined spaces. --- Fun Factor: 8 --- This game is very fun to play game (fun enough to play through six times). The reason I give it an 8 instead of a 9 is because it is too short in the mouth and too long in the knee. That is at certain spots the side quests feel drawn-out and not that interesting. --- Overall: 9 --- Actually an 8.6 but I rounded up. With a great story, beautiful cinematic vibe and solid all-around playing experience, this game is well worth the $30.… Expand

This game is worth 9 and get last points so that be 10 when him whores I really like naked girls and porn in games beacuse that make me play them more.

Well I think there is not much to say after nearly two years after release. Only that The Witcher is still one of the best RPGs ever made. I preordered the game as soon as I saw it on gog.com And I finished the game fourth time yesterday (3x Roche's patch 1x Iorveth's path in total) on the new Dark difficulty.
Although it should be hard it actually looked like a peace of cake. And all I have crafted were the Basphemer's and Oathbreaker's armors. I have not used special swords (did not like the effect associated with them). So if there is still someone who has not played the game yet and is considering to buy it, go for it. Just a little warning. You must use your brain and abilities in combat. Forget pressing a mouse button like crazy to kill an enemy (as seen in most games this time unfortunately).… Expand

Wow it looks like the Witcher 2 company paid someone to come in and post a bunch of positive reviews on this site. At best This is the same thing that Bioware tried to pull off with DA II, just better executed, but it is still light years away from great classics like Baldur Gates/Wizardy/Might and Magic/Elder Scroll series. Poor console port, lame combat and really long and annoying cut scenes

So this is my second review here, TW2 is one of the best RPG games I've played - it has great graphics, good humor, nice story, animations and so on but on the second hand simply I can't give this game more than 7,5. CD Project Red I hope your next game will be better and thanks for TW2!

Ignore the scores you see on metacritic giving 0 theye are from competing games employees and in no way are sincere or reflect this awesome game!...am not going to say much other than this game is the best RPG i have ever played its so polished and immersive its hard to spot the odd flaw or blemish....This game msut surely raise the bar for others to follow...all games should be like this...well done to the polish team who developed it and shame on those sad people abusing metacritics user ratings system to try to downgrade this in favour of their own companies games..

I see one previously confirmed BioWare employee gave Dragon Age Origins 2 a 10/10...yet he gives this game 0..... It is a shame to see this happen.....MAKE NO MISTAKE FOLKS THIS GAME IS AWESOME!!!!...… Expand