Games

Best of 2009 | 08 |07 | 06 | 05
Advanced Search

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.

Witcher: Enhanced Edition, The

EMAIL PRINT pc

9.0 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 30 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 96 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >

Game Info

Publisher: Atari

Developer: CD Projekt RED

Genre(s): Action, Role-Playing Game

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Release Date: September 16, 2008

Summary

Assume the role of The Witcher, Geralt, a legendary monster slayer caught in a web of intrigue as he battles forces vying for control of the world. Make difficult decisions and live with the consequences in a game that will immerse you in an extraordinary tale like no other. The Witcher shatters the line between good and evil in a world where moral ambiguity reigns. The Witcher emphasizes story and character development in a vibrant world while incorporating tactically-deep real-time combat like no game before it. [Atari]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Witcher, The

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

PC PowerPlay

All in all, the Enhanced Edition is a triumph. Projekt Red took a great game and made it better. While the new content won’t take too much time to plough through for a veteran, it’s worth playing the original campaign again just to marvel at how much has been tweaked. [Nov 2008, p.54]

100

Just Adventure

The game as improved by condensing code which reduced inventory and graphic location loading times, reduced crashes (greater stability), and made the combat more fluid and responsive.

Read Full Review >

Digital Chumps

The game is really that good and reminds me so much of the great games Black Isle used to produce.

Read Full Review >

RPG Fan

The Witcher is in better shape than ever, and gamers that played the original will be jealous of those who can enjoy the game for the first time in its higher form. Don't worry, though, as the Enhanced Edition gives Witcher veterans a perfect excuse to replay a sure-to-be classic.

Read Full Review >

GamingTrend

Not only is the Enhanced edition a great value, but it is also one of the best CRPGs to come out in some time.

Read Full Review >

Gamers' Temple

Everyone with a PC should play this game; it's worth ten of most games out there today.

Read Full Review >

Total PC Gaming

It's bigger and better than the original - a no-brainer on the score. [Issue#13, p.59]

RPGamer

An amazing game. The combat system, while quite solid, may not grab everyone. The plot, characters and ability to affect the story will.

Read Full Review >

VideoGamer

If you previously held off from buying The Witcher on the grounds of the English localisation being sub-par, then now be assured that the Enhanced Edition not only restores the game to what it should have been like in the first place, but also makes it even better.

Read Full Review >

LEVEL (Czech Republic)

Finally the game in its witchiest form! Batch of small patches and add-ons improves the experience to the sky’s limits. New content comes for a reasonable price or free for owners of the previous version – an unusual but welcome feat. [Nov 2008]

Hardcore Gamer Magazine

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition is a remarkably deep title filled with decision making tasks that actually have an effect on the story itself.

Read Full Review >

PC Format

Finally, The Witcher fulfills its potential, and, best of all, it's available as a free update, just in case you bought it anyway. [Nov 2008, p.110]

Computer Games Online RO

The Witcher Enhanced Edition is an excellent purchase for RPG fans that haven't come in contact yet with the universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski. Players that have finished The Witcher won’t have much reason to replay the game.

Read Full Review >

Worth Playing

For the price, the TW:EE pack has a tremendous amount of value and the sort of extras usually only found in a Collector's Edition.

Read Full Review >

Meristation

Geralt of Rivia is back with the best incarnation of his adventures. CDProjekt kept on working on their successful game in order to improve it, and they sure did. Now, The Witcher is stronger, longer, bigger and greater. All that, in an incredible package with special features: level editor, two new side quests, making of, soundtrack, game guide, the original short story written by Sapkowski, and many more things.

Read Full Review >

GameSpot

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition is what this role-playing game should have been when it made its debut a year ago.

Read Full Review >

GamerNode

The Enhanced Edition of The Witcher corrects almost everything people complained about with the original release. Bugs have been fixed, loading times reduced, and the audio overhauled. This cements The Witcher's status as the best PC RPG in years.

Read Full Review >

GameZone

This is a great game for those who love single-player RPGs, now that the story has been re-dubbed and explained better, the game is everything we had hoped it would be a year ago, only now they got it right.

Read Full Review >

Gaming Target

If you are an RPG player then you should not skip out on The Witcher because it has it all, visuals, audio, gameplay, story, and scantly clad women/dryads/hookers/etc.

Read Full Review >

GameStar

Worthwhile improvements and additional content - CD Projekt has put great effort into The Witcher: Enhanced Edition. With new animations, new voices, better combat, better controls and two new side quests the game is finally the great adventure the first version should have been. Buyers of the original game can download the additional content free of charge.

Read Full Review >

GameFocus

If you are one of the many who already own The Witcher, you can just download the patch and update your game, so you know you will have some great extras for free. But if you no longer own it, or are looking for a RPG to dive into this is one of the better ones to come out in the last year or so. So I am heavily recommending RPG fans to go out and buy this game.

Read Full Review >

PC Gamer UK

Flawed RPG fixed. [Nov 2008, p.88]

G4 TV

The most welcome updates are the language options. The game's original English translation was terrible. Much of the dialog has been re-recorded, but let's be honest, voice acting in games is usually barely passable to begin with. That's why the new language options are so welcome.

Read Full Review >

Thunderbolt

This game is as good as it gets for most RPG fans on the PC, and The Witcher is sure to give you an enjoyable experience despite the pacing issue.

Read Full Review >

Wired

The one major qualm I have with the game is in its voice acting.

Read Full Review >

Eurogamer

The new and improved package is increasingly attractive. There are still some rough edges, and moments of genuine drama are still undercut by how they're performed, but this is an agreeably driven RPG in an agreeably ornate package.

Read Full Review >

GameDaily

Whether you enjoy role-playing games or simply crave a more mature experience, this patched up $39.99 version of the Witcher is bound to please.

Read Full Review >

Play (Poland)

New, enhanced, stronger, able to jump the tallest building... or at least smash through two long, juicy adventures. This is how The Witcher should look like from the beginning. The loading times are entirely acceptable, the graphic has a new look and we get the editor on top of the deal. What's not to like? [Oct 2008]

1UP

The main adventure still has serious pacing problems, combat's still too easy for the most part, and load times -- though reduced -- continue to get in the way of the action.

Read Full Review >

Armchair Empire

Overall, The Witcher was a game which strived for the peaks of the highest mountains, but only reached the base camp.

Read Full Review >

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 96 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Para F. gave it a10:
With few imperfections, the Witcher is one of the most enjoyable games to play. Decorated with beautiful worlds, great attention to detail and impeccable swordplay, punctuated by entertaining and well polished character interactions, sharp and original dialogue, it's unfair to give the mammoth development effort any less than an 10/10.

Bo M. gave it a10:
Awesome game. Some complain about not being able to hop over obstacles, or draw a sword whenever you want; to me, minor details. The storyline is great. Can't wait for the sequel.

Jordan R. gave it a9:
Seriously one of the best games of its genre. Aside from a few small issues with the quests and a bit of confusion traversing the map this game is a true diamond. Considering some of the rubbish out there saturating the game market this is seriously a must have for true gamers.

Kostas I. gave it a9:
This game is simply awesome. The 3D version in terms of details that flesh out the world and characters of Baldurs Gate 2. At first i was disappointed with the combat system but you learn to overcome it quickly and it actually becomes very fun if you pick up the potion/ bomb and weapon coating making. The consequences of your actions are always there to remind you to be careful of what you say and do and the world you play in feels very alive. Its a very dark game with mature themes that do get presented believably and the language is realistically harsh as well. This is very welcome indeed. RPG bliss in all its glory even if it is a fact that you play a predetermined character. Night and day cycles, character schedules, trust and betrayal, neutrality, cause and effect, action and reaction, its all there to be experienced the way the player wishes. You have a place in the world and it shows. The game grafically is dark, gritty, realistic and especially unwelcome. You are always feeling in constant danger which is a good thing. Music is well done and fitting throughout the game and acting performances are also good enough without winning any oscars. They are just universally well done enough to not detract between great - horrible as many other games of the genre tend to do. If you can bypass the initial shock of the bemany style combat system and sink your teeth a little deeper you are sure going to find a game worth of your time and money and now with the Enhanced edition things are even better since most of the serious flaws that plagued the initial release of the game are no more (like loading times who are now at a perfectly acceptable level instead of absolutely unbearable). Just go get this game and see what the fuss is all about.

Evil Ernie gave it a10:
The Witcher is the greatest momement in RPG history since Gary Gygax added more sides to his dice. The Witcher team has created a dark, stunningly realised world, full of great characters and satisfying moral choices. A 9+ is the only mark you could give this gaming achievement - its that good. The reviewers that gave this game a 4 were either not to bright or distracted with a ball of string.

Joe gave it a2:
This just isn't fun. The map system doesn't give a decent idea of where you should be going so why on earth have the map designers put in so many dead ends where you can see where you want to go over a 3 foot wall but obviously the all-powerful witcher can' t jump it! It's not the only flaw in the map design as a lot of the time you're running from somewhere to somewhere else instead of questing or fighting; I did not buy this as a running simulator. The quests tend not to make sense as I keep being told what to do from my journal, which doesn't bear much resemblance to what the quest-giving character has told me. When you drink certain things you're slowed to a snail's pace, unless you've got your sword out... but you're only allowed to draw your sword at night meaning a trudge through molasses until it wears off. On the positive side, the secondary component of herbal ingredients does add a very nice twist to when you make potions and does give you a smile when you find a component that will perfectly complement a certain concoction. Perhaps some day I'll complete the game but since my frustration reaches too high a level after about an hour with this that day will be far off.

Echolocating gave it a4:
I picked up The Witcher recently and was pleasantly surprised to find the Enhanced Edition was a free upgrade (not bad for $10 bargain bin purchase). The setting, based on Polish fantasy books, is very dark and intriguing. I’ve only played up until the part where you break out of prison and enter the city in chapter 2, but that’s where I had to stop. I’ve heard that the game really gets good from that moment on, but I just couldn’t bring myself to play it any more. The game is quite boring, actually. The combat consists of clicking the mouse button at the right time to continue the combo and switching between combat modes and weapons depending on the type of enemy you’re facing. It sounds arcade-like, but it’s just silly and that feeling is compounded when you can’t traverse over a pile of rubble on the ground. There’s no climbing or jumping mechanics so you move like a tank, glued to the ground. Also, the game is very linear and the maps are restrictive; you don’t get to explore beyond the artificial barriers. The gravely voiced anti-hero does nothing for me and I didn’t understand the value of having women throw themselves at him at the drop of a hat. It felt shallow and needless. The story might be very good, but I couldn’t get past the actual game to enjoy the story.

Games

Sony

Microsoft

Nintendo

Other Platforms

Upcoming &Recent Releases

Witcher: Enhanced Edition, The

Game Info

Summary

Also On Metacritic

What The Critics Said

What Our Users Said

Upcoming &
Recent Releases