The Witcher

When I first heard information on The Witcher I pretty much dismissed it as unimportant. The name, the adult themes, the generic fantasy world… it all seemed like one of those vanity projects made by RPG nerds for RPG nerds. I guess it helps to develop these specialized products outside of the country, where test groups and marketing executives don’t figure in the budget. Their end result is a action packed RPG that has in no way been diluted for a mass audience. What’s more, it reminds me of another wonderfully cynical and nuanced Polish game, Call of Juarez. In other words expect to see scars and stubble on faces, horse manure on roads and brothels in the towns. It’s a dirty and pessimistic world, but in a way that seems automatically authentic.

 

In The Witcher’s case we are talking about a medieval European fantasy world based on a series of novels by Andrzej Sapkowski. As the protagonist Geralt, you find yourself on a quest to recover your clan’s stolen secrets. Along the way you will often find yourself hunting monsters for hire and searching for clues to untangle the main narrative. The monster hunting element is extremely mundane by RPG standards, the usual “Return with 10 wolf pelts for a reward” stuff that online games are made of. The main quest is a lot more interesting as it involves political intrigue, racial tension and the occasional murder mystery. Also at times you will find yourself making choices that come back to haunt you much latter in the game, for example in my game I armed a rebel group that ended up murdering a drug dealer several days latter. And given how grim the game is, that was probably the best possible outcome. And since your character is cut from the same cloth as other loner anti-heroes, the choice to remain neutral is available in most cases.

 

So far as its gameplay is concerned I find it to be the right balance between casual and hardcore. For example you can switch between an over the shoulder view and a far off third person view on the fly. The shoulder cam is quite immersive but when you play from a distance you will find yourself able to control everything with your mouse, making for some simple Diablo style gaming. Your various crafting skills and talents are well conceived, giving you a simple interface for alchemy and character customization. And the only mini-game I’ve found so far is extremely addicting, I can spend hours playing ‘poker dice’ against bar patrons and other gambling aficionados. Also the combat system is a breeze once you get used to it. The simple ‘point and click’ style rewards players for attacking at a precise moment, allowing them to unleash combos that are both deadly and extremely well animated. My only complaint is the extended loading times every time you enter a new area. I often find myself losing my interest in exploring since I cannot even turn a doorknob without having to stare at a loading screen. I’ve found that this forced break in the action makes the game too easy to give up on; players will find themselves wanting to watch a movie or read a book instead of waiting forever every time they enter and exit a house.

 

Besides the poor game engine choice (a modded Neverwinter Nights 2) I find their implementation of adult content to be laughable. I have to admit, as a grownup I love when a game acknowledges the existence of sex as but things are always done in a juvenile way that seems counter productive to making the game feel mature. It happens here too, the player will sometimes finding himself procrastinating on saving lives so he can have a roll in the hay with a farm girl. Making matters worse, you actually receive a naughty playing card after each encounter, and your urge to “collect ‘em all” should lead to some serious womanizing.

In the end the Witcher is not a bad game, it is in fact quite good despite its flaws. Unfortunately it’s not for everyone, I find people giving up when they run face first into a challenge they cannot defeat or a puzzle they cannot figure out. I guess a little bit of playtesting could of lead to a more accessible product with a wider appeal, but then again we would be missing out on the sometimes thrilling and sometimes embarrassing rawness that sets this game apart.