The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

[CHIPS]

I can pick up Witcher 3 GOTY for $30. Or I can grab King's Bounty Ultimate for $10. Which should I get?

I had been waiting for the 75% off deal on Witcher 3 for a while. Not sure when it will come.

I already have a huge backlog of games. That's why I am hestitant to get any game not at least 75% off. But this is Witcher 3. I loved the **** out of Witcher 1 and 2.

If I get King's Bounty Ultimate, I probably won't need Witcher 3 until 2019.

[theshadowcult]

Witcher 3 is easily worth full price, so why even hesitate at 30? Especially if you loved the first tw games?

[yoz]

Kings bounty is awesome. Will keep you occupied for a while until a good discount for the Witcher.

[theshadowcult]

kings bounty is definitely goode, especially if its the pack with all the expansions, but it's not witcher 3

[SD-[Inc]]

Don't buy the Witcher 3 until you are ready to dedicate your gaming time to it. It is massive. And, if you loved the first 2 you will not want to miss any of it.

[Jay20016]

Picked this up a while ago and hadn't gotten into it at all until last night.... This game is bloody gorgeous.... Don't run the Hairworx stuff on the 390, but rock solid performance as well.

Played for about an hour or so last night, will need to clear my gaming schedule for it.. /sigh

[theshadowcult]

Just word of advice, dont try and do EVERYTHING, ignore most of the question marks unless you happen to already be in the area, OR you have a quest or something for them. There is so much in the this game, that you can very very easily not only burn out on the game, but out level the content quite fast.

[kboye]

To some us that equals "do not press the red button"

[yoz]

Better yet, disable all markers for the map, this way you will stumble upon stuff naturally and wont be overwhelmed.

[Nunz]

I finished Wild Hunt about ~3-4 months ago and put Witcher 3 down to give myself a break from the game after sinking in over 70 hours.

I picked it up again and started playing the DLC. So many people talked poorly of Hearts of Stone, but I thought it was great. The dialogue made me laugh on numerous occasions and generally was a good bit different/less super-serious as the vanilla and, by the end, Blood and Wine.

That brings me to B&W .. dear lord that was an absolutely awesome story and I couldn't stop playing. I loved it from start to finish, just like the Wild Hunt main story. The amount of characters that have exorbitant personality, fleshed out backgrounds, and the writers ability to make the player care about them .. it's phenomenal. I really can't wait for CDPR's next game (besides the Gwent game, which I'm also looking forward to. The Skellige deck is a blast!!) and the story they will create. I don't remember what they said but I'm hoping it is still in this world even though they confirmed no more Geralt. As crazy as it sounds, I'm not tired of Geralt at all - but playing as another character would be interesting, possibly someone who isn't a Witcher but an extraordinary person none-the-less.

I really can't say enough awesome things about this game. I consider it the best game ever made by quite a longshot. From the story, a fun combat system even though it isn't the focus of the game, the way combat enhancements worked with the oils/potions .. every single time I launch it, I have to force myself to close it. I finished with 121 hours on Death March, and I still have a few sidequests to take care of in Touissant, a few contracts left in Skellige, along with some scavenging missions in all lands.

Blood and Wine spoilers ahead so I'll cover it up The scenes between Regis and Detlaff were ****ing awesome, and they look VICIOUS. Watching them both go at it made me giddy.

I really would like the next game to have a Higher Vampire as the player. They're such well thought-out creatures and the uniqueness of each one as having an "extraordinary talent" made it even cooler - plus the whole "Higher Vampire can only permanently kill another Higher Vampire" was a really neat concept that made the moral conflict between Geralt, Regis, and Detlaff all the more serious. I also think it would work quite well with the combat system as is - The combat you do with Ciri is very "teleport" based, like the way Regis+Detlaff fight. Could easily see it working with some tweaking. Make my dreams come true CDPR.

I never finished Witcher 1 or 2, though I did get quite far in Witcher 1 (lost the saves due to a HDD failure a while back). I might need to play through them again. Last I remember I couldn't play Witcher 1 because of a bug in the graphics that caused all textures to render invisible .. can't remember exactly but I couldn't find a fix for it.

Will look into it. I NEED MORE CDPR AND WITCHER

[theshadowcult]

The reason people put down hearts of stone, is cause blood and wine exists. Alot of people waited like i did, to play both expansions, so hearts just paled by comparison. Hearts is very goode though, it felt like a full story chapter for the main game, and it was top quality.

[Brainstew]

I was actually more captivated by Heart, it felt like a movie. I still have to go back and finish Blood and Wine, not that it isn't great, but the story didn't really hook me from what I had played of it. I think I was just starting to feel a little Witcher fatigue from the insane amount of time I had sunk into it.

[Nunz]

I was actually more captivated by Heart, it felt like a movie. I still have to go back and finish Blood and Wine, not that it isn't great, but the story didn't really hook me from what I had played of it. I think I was just starting to feel a little Witcher fatigue from the insane amount of time I had sunk into it.

I was worried that would happen to me too, which is why I took a long break after finishing Wild Hunt before moving on to Heart of Stone + Blood and Wine. Really glad I did, and I thoroughly enjoyed them both, but Blood and Wine has a much more captivating and fleshed out story behind it, better characters too. It doesn't hurt that Toussiant is dropdead gorgeous.

Heart of Stone suffered from the "this looks the same as the last 80 hours I've spent playing," even after taking a break. Blood and Wine was really refreshing in terms of landscape and voices. The dialogue is superb in both but Blood and Wine was on another level, imo.

I'm just starting Witcher 1: EE and I completely forgot how much different this game was back then. No controllers, combat stances .. it's a much different game.

[aop]

Heart of Stone has better story than the main plot or Blood and Wine.

HoS>B&W>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>main story

I really didn't like the main plot because the antagonist was lame, especially compared to his potrayal in Witcher 1. They never really explored the White Frost lore and a lot of the questions from Witcher 1 were left unanswered.

Witcher 1 had by far the best main plot in the series, both Witcher 2 and 3 didn't live up to expectations I had for them.

[Nunz]

Heart of Stone has better story than the main plot or Blood and Wine.

HoS>B&W>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>main story

I really didn't like the main plot because the antagonist was lame, especially compared to his potrayal in Witcher 1. They never really explored the White Frost lore and a lot of the questions from Witcher 1 were left unanswered.

Witcher 1 had by far the best main plot in the series, both Witcher 2 and 3 didn't live up to expectations I had for them.

I'd say Main Story>B&W>HoS , but to each their own - I enjoyed all three regardless. The whole White Frost lore was definitely lacking but it's an apocalyptic event - there wasn't going to be much lore available if you ask me, so it made sense in that regard. I was away all weekend and I've been looking forward to hopping back in Witcher 1. It would be awesome if they remade Witcher 1 with Witcher 2 or Witcher 3's engine. I think the changes they made to Witcher 2/3 when they moved to their own in-house engine were the best changes they made to the series - going back to Witcher 1 is definitely rough in terms of usability, that's for sure.

I'm also not sure about what you mean regarding the antagonist in Witcher 3 main story and how he's portrayed in Witcher 1, but I'll find out soon enough

[SoCalMX70]

Heart of Stone has better story than the main plot or Blood and Wine.

HoS>B&W>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>main story

I really didn't like the main plot because the antagonist was lame, especially compared to his potrayal in Witcher 1. They never really explored the White Frost lore and a lot of the questions from Witcher 1 were left unanswered.

Witcher 1 had by far the best main plot in the series, both Witcher 2 and 3 didn't live up to expectations I had for them.

I will just say I disagree. There are a lot of key plot points of Witcher 1 that simply didn't make much sense and were just made up (not sourced from the books)... Hence why they were left out of 2 and 3.

Edit: To clarify, I absolutely LOVE all 3 games and additional content. I really have very few complaints of any of the games.

[globalist]

I'd say Main Story>B&W>HoS , but to each their own - I enjoyed all three regardless. The whole White Frost lore was definitely lacking but it's an apocalyptic event - there wasn't going to be much lore available if you ask me, so it made sense in that regard. I was away all weekend and I've been looking forward to hopping back in Witcher 1. It would be awesome if they remade Witcher 1 with Witcher 2 or Witcher 3's engine. I think the changes they made to Witcher 2/3 when they moved to their own in-house engine were the best changes they made to the series - going back to Witcher 1 is definitely rough in terms of usability, that's for sure.

I'm also not sure about what you mean regarding the antagonist in Witcher 3 main story and how he's portrayed in Witcher 1, but I'll find out soon enough

So W1 is even rougher than W2? Man I couldn't even play W2 and found it too clunky after the amazing experience of W3. And I know "dude you're missing so much, the story bla bla bla" but no just no.

[theshadowcult]

So W1 is even rougher than W2? Man I couldn't even play W2 and found it too clunky after the amazing experience of W3. And I know "dude you're missing so much, the story bla bla bla" but no just no.

While w2 is almost impossible to play after w3, w1 is an entirely different beast. It is more like playing never winter nights with no pausing and only one character, rather then the action fest that w3 is.

note: very rough example

[Ancient76]

So W1 is even rougher than W2? Man I couldn't even play W2 and found it too clunky after the amazing experience of W3. And I know "dude you're missing so much, the story bla bla bla" but no just no.

W2 clunky!?

[globalist]

Clunky movement/combat, dated graphics/animations, bad UI design, the overall experience compared to W3 was terrible, at least for me. I really tried but couldn't make it past the turorial stage. :/

[Ancient76]

Clunky movement/combat, dated graphics/animations, bad UI design, the overall experience compared to W3 was terrible, at least for me. I really tried but couldn't make it past the turorial stage. :/

How then did you play Skyrim or Fallout 4?

W2 has better animations, graphics, UI...

[Meteor_of_War]

W2's combat gameplay was definitely clunky, especially when going back to it after playing W3.

TBH, I don't think I could stand to play that game again. I'd rather play W1 again.

[SoCalMX70]

People still find W2 clunky even after the 2.0 update? I thought it was fine...

[Meteor_of_War]

Its not terrible, but it could be better. Witcher 3's combat controls are better.

Also, I've put hundreds of hours into Dark Souls which has MUCH better controls. So yes, comparatively it is clunky.

[Nunz]

Witcher 2 controls are indeed clunky, even after the 2.0 update. To be honest, nothing is more clunky than Witcher 1 though, even if it's essentially an entirely different game compared to W2 and W3.. Clicking for Geralt to attack stuff and he just walks forward and backward while I get hit is endlessly frustrating. The aurora engine is utter garbage.

Getting close to just moving to Witcher 2. Witcher 1 has unfortunately not aged very well.

[Ancient76]

No comment!

[Meteor_of_War]

Its OK to criticize flaws in the games we love.

[Nunz]

Its OK to criticize flaws in the games we love.

I'll end up suffering through Witcher 1 just because the story is great and it's a classic game. Doesn't change the fact that the Aurora engine sucks and the series catapulted with it's own identity as soon as CDPR moved to their own in-house engine.

Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. Playing Witcher 1 right now is torture at times with the unresponsive/clumsy movement. Every time I have to fight something I have to take a big ol' sigh to mentally prep myself for Geralt cancelling my light attack combos on his own since the engine determines I'm not in range or I'm too close and has to shuffle me backwards, then forward, then tells me I clicked "TOO FAST" because I'm getting annoyed.

[Meteor_of_War]

I'll end up suffering through Witcher 1 just because the story is great and it's a classic game. Doesn't change the fact that the Aurora engine sucks and the series catapulted with it's own identity as soon as CDPR moved to their own in-house engine.

Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. Playing Witcher 1 right now is torture at times with the unresponsive/clumsy movement. Every time I have to fight something I have to take a big ol' sigh to mentally prep myself for Geralt cancelling my light attack combos on his own since the engine determines I'm not in range or I'm too close and has to shuffle me backwards, then forward, then tells me I clicked "TOO FAST" because I'm getting annoyed.

Not sure how far into it you are but I remember it being a bit slow and tedious in the beginning but after you get past the earlier areas it gets much better. The atmosphere in the environments was great and I'd imagine still good today if you can see past the dated graphics. As for the combat mechanic, well its a love it or hate it thing. I actually did grow to like it a lot. It was like a unique little mini game, and actually with more depth than you'd initially think as you upgraded Geralt.

[Nunz]

It's not so much slow and tedious or ugly - the game actually looks quite good and supports 21:9 out of the box (with a simple .exe to replace to fix cutscenes/dialogue). It's simply just buggy combat. I love the mini game, but it breaks on its own far too frequently and that gets ... tiresome rather quickly, especially playing on Hard where mobs take more hits and deal more damage. Getting a light attack combo cancelled because the game glitches is infinitely frustrating when it costs you 1/5th of your HP

[Meteor_of_War]

I honestly don't remember it being buggy.

Not saying I don't believe you, its just been so long I can't remember.

[Nunz]

I honestly don't remember it being buggy.

Not saying I don't believe you, its just been so long I can't remember.

Seems to occur more with monsters than anything. Hit something with Aard and knock it down, and Geralt does a two-step shuffle until it gets up instead of going and stabbing the ****er dead LOL

[Ancient76]

W1 combat is not buggy, and i love it.

And W2 even by todays standards looks great and has great animations. That's because it is PC exclusive. Just like first Crysis.

[theshadowcult]

W1 combat is not buggy, and i love it.

And W2 even by todays standards looks great and has great animations. That's because it is PC exclusive. Just like first Crysis.

[IMG]hg[/IMG]

I agree with both of these things, however, w2 IS a bit clunky, even after 2.0, and w1 did have a few combat bugs, even after the re-release. The bugs were in the animation and couldn't be changed without rebuilding the entire animation

[Mangler]

Witcher 2 isn't pc exclusive though, it's on the 360 too.

[Nunz]

I'm playing the game right now and you're going to tell me the combat isn't buggy .. okay. So Geralt cancels attack chain combos on his own on purpose, and does a two step shuffle at random times because the engine is terrible at determining combat distance.

It's a great combat system but it doesn't change the fact that it's buggy and has issues. If they redid it in a more modern engine I'm sure it would be perfect, but as it stands it has problems even with the EE re-release.

[Ancient76]

Witcher 2 isn't pc exclusive though, it's on the 360 too.

Witcher 2 is PC exclusive.

One year later 360 version was released which is graphically downgraded.

[Exposed]

Witcher 2 is the worst in the series I think. Witcher 1 combat is basically a timing click fest, but it was fun and the overall story was great. Geralt's face/head in Witcher 2 looked wierd and clunky compared to his Witcher 3 model. Witcher 2 also felt really short and small compared to the other two games.

[Arioch]

I never thought the combat was all that great in any of the Witcher games, but was passable at least - it shines in most other aspects though.

[GTwannabe]

So W1 is even rougher than W2? Man I couldn't even play W2 and found it too clunky after the amazing experience of W3. And I know "dude you're missing so much, the story bla bla bla" but no just no.

Witcher 1 was an unplayable Atari mess on release. It was really good after CD Projekt totally overhauled it with the Enhanced Edition. Witcher 2 felt very consolized with on-rails paths through the game world.