Inspired by the works of Polish author, Andrzej Sapkowski , The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings – Enhanced Edition is another chapter in the life of monster slayer Geralt of Rivia brought to you by CD Projekt RED; and to put it bluntly, it’s a great one.
The Witcher 2 picks up the story around a few months after the end of the first game. The assassination of King Demavand and the failed attempt on the life of King Foltest is known all across the land, but only a very important few understand that the unsuccessful assassin was a witcher—enter Geralt. He is still working under King Foltest, and aiding him in his battles to keep some sort of peace in the kingdom of Temeria. However, his main goal is to find out why a witcher would target a king while still attempting to gain pieces of his memory back (since he has the most extreme case of amnesia ever seen in a video game).
Well, as you can probably tell from the subtitle, Assassins of Kings, these assassins won’t stop at just one attempt; and eventually, they do succeed. Unfortunately, Geralt is framed for the murder and must clear his name. To be honest, I feel that if I say anything beyond this point I will be spoiling the narrative (heck, even the synopsis itself felt like a spoiler). Nevertheless, you can rest assured that this story offers numerous plot twists and interactions with incredible characters.
But those aren’t the only features creating a superb narrative. Along with some intense boss fights, numerous side missions and mini-games, and dialogue options, players have the ability to make their own decisions throughout the game—meaning you can shape the story how you want. Every detail, especially the ones decided by the player, leading up to the game’s conclusion feels necessary and intriguing. What makes these details so captivating is the dialogue. The language used seems authentic and adds some realism to this fantastical world. Even conversations with minor characters will demand your attention.
One disappointing aspect is carrying over your saved game from the previous installment. Sure, some of your decisions make appearances as you progress, and you get some decent equipment to start off with, but ultimately your decisions do not have any rewarding impact on the overall story. This also begs the question on how much of an impact the decisions from this game will have on the next.
On a better note, the combat in this game is a major improvement over the original. No longer do you click the mouse button and watch Geralt swing automatically until the enemy’s health bar depletes. Instead, every attack you command Geralt to unleash on his enemies happens in real time; and when that attack connects you can feel the ferocity in his swing. Even though landing blows does feel rewarding, you must carefully decide whether it’s better to be aggressive or if it’s wiser to sit back and play defense.
Enemies in this game are tough, and wildly spamming attacks can easily open you up for some of their brutal assaults. This is where the game may turn some people off. The Witcher 2’s combat system has a steep learning curve and can be quite a tough ride during the early chapters. Even so, this is what makes the combat so enthralling and adds another dose of realism. One wrong move can cost you the fight, so the game forces you to make calculated decisions before charging into battle.
To help in these difficult situations, Geralt can be equipped with other items besides his sword and magical abilities. He can set up traps, throw daggers, and toss explosives to defeat his opponents. He can also sip toxic potions that increase his abilities for a short period of time. All of these aspects must be utilized correctly before and during a fight if you hope to have the upper hand against two or more enemies. At first, you will see the game over screen a few times; but once you get the hang of the combat, victories then feel so much more rewarding.
When outside of combat, there isn’t a large, vast, open world to explore like The Elder Scrolls games; and that’s perfectly fine. The Witcher 2 focuses more on delivering a compelling story. With each new chapter, there is a new map to complete various objectives in. This allows players to get their fill of exploration while never feeling like they’re trailing too far from the main storyline. For those wanting more to do than simply completing story-based missions, there are side missions, activities, brothels, and monster contracts to accept which can help lengthen a playthrough. After all, Geralt is a witcher. What’s a witcher game without killing a few monsters and consensually wooing a few women?
While The Witcher 2 can be played with either a controller or a keyboard and mouse—both work great with the gameplay—the game does feel geared more towards a controller, to me at least. Maybe the reason is because CD Projekt RED designed the game with consoles in mind. Either way, whichever route is chosen, the control layout will not fail players. However, it is unfortunate that there isn’t any customization allowed for either input.
The sound in this game is phenomenal. From the intense scores during monster battles to the seducing quips of a whore, everything sounds alluring. The voice acting and sound effects, along with the help of well-written dialogue, simply draw the player in while bringing life to this fantasy world.
What will truly wow players, though, is look of the game; it’s beautiful. The character models are intricately designed to point where almost every thread in their clothing is noticeable. Environments will also awe with beautiful colors bringing the smooth textures to life creating a more realistic world; make sure to thank the Havok physics engine for this. Some minor clipping and pop-in may occur here and there, but it is rare enough where it will not bother players. Also, even though Nvidia is “the way it’s meant to played”, good enough AMD cards will also be able to render this game on ultra settings allowing for an equally engaging experience.
The Witcher 2, with all of its side quests and mini-games, will take over twenty-five hours to complete; and every minute is worth experiencing. With different choices to choose from and an in-depth combat system, this game has various options to keep the player coming back for more. As one of the greatest games to hit market in the last decade, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this game.
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