See, I enjoyed The Witcher 2 (TW2) as much as the next guy (stupid Kayran boss fight notwithstanding), but I felt the game wasn't as great as the first title of the series, the developers' eye-popping debut. So, although perfectly fine in its own right, it felt like a small step backwards. (Okay, so maybe I did enjoy it slightly less than the next guy).
The Witcher 3, however, is an improvement over TW2 and captures the same kind of fun I had in the first episode of Geralt's adventures. The game features a Bethesda-like world in terms of scale and detailed locations plus BioWare-like attention to narrative and characters; the freedom of the first Witcher and the better combat of the second. Writing is stellar (the two intertwining main missions in Velen, for example, are phenomenal), NPCs memorable - they never feel like quest-delivering automatons. And Novigrad is the BEST city seen in a cRPG since Baldur's Gate 2.
Also interesting is how the monsters' local Wikipedia is not merely a curiosity for lore fans, but an asset when confronting those creatures, as you learn their weakness to "signs" (magic) and alchemy. There is a certain amount of preparation before each major fight which goes beyond the usual "get your best equipment and a ton of health potions".
As a side note, this behemoth of a RPG with dozens of characters and locations managed to include one of the most addictive minigames I've seen in years: a completely optional card game (Gwent) which you can play around the game world against many NPCs. Don't miss the chance to collect the first cards early in the game (as I did before I got hooked) or you'll be kicking yourself later.
I have two issues with the Witcher 3, one concerning gameplay, the other writing.
My gameplay gripe is how the "Witcher sense" used during investigations feels too much like an instant-win button. The lack of challenge drains some fun from these segments (although narrative connected to them remains compelling). For example, you follow the tracks of some hunters and find a griffin's abandoned nest, then protagonist Geralt automatically deduces everything there is to know about the creature. It's not possible to MAKE A MISTAKE and prepare poorly (unless you deliberately ignore the suggestions) as every footprint and piece of evidence is highlighted in bright red. Think how fun it would have been if the game had just provided the clues and left you to draw the conclusion ("Oh man, I was prepared for a manticore, not a werewolf!")
As I mentioned, in terms of storytelling this game is exceptional, definitely among the best in the medium. My only writing issue is the main bad guy, who turns out to be a generic doomsday villain. Seriously, there are dozens of secondary characters in The Witcher 3 (even some tertiary ones) who are more developed than him. For example, three grotesque crones met early in the game are far creepier and more memorable.
Soundtrack is atmospheric, voice acting brilliant - one of the rare fully-voiced game where I follow every dialogue instead of just reading subtitles and skipping through dully-delivered conversations. Graphics are gorgeous, loading times perfectly acceptable (shorter on my PC than those in Dragon Age: Inquisition, for example); certainly nothing like the first Witcher's endless pauses.
It's possible to import a save from The Witcher 2, but also to recreate previous choices made in the second game (but not in the first one) in a conversation in Vizima during the prologue.
The Witcher 3, however, is an improvement over TW2 and captures the same kind of fun I had in the first episode of Geralt's adventures. The game features a Bethesda-like world in terms of scale and detailed locations plus BioWare-like attention to narrative and characters; the freedom of the first Witcher and the better combat of the second. Writing is stellar (the two intertwining main missions in Velen, for example, are phenomenal), NPCs memorable - they never feel like quest-delivering automatons. And Novigrad is the BEST city seen in a cRPG since Baldur's Gate 2.
Also interesting is how the monsters' local Wikipedia is not merely a curiosity for lore fans, but an asset when confronting those creatures, as you learn their weakness to "signs" (magic) and alchemy. There is a certain amount of preparation before each major fight which goes beyond the usual "get your best equipment and a ton of health potions".
As a side note, this behemoth of a RPG with dozens of characters and locations managed to include one of the most addictive minigames I've seen in years: a completely optional card game (Gwent) which you can play around the game world against many NPCs. Don't miss the chance to collect the first cards early in the game (as I did before I got hooked) or you'll be kicking yourself later.
I have two issues with the Witcher 3, one concerning gameplay, the other writing.
My gameplay gripe is how the "Witcher sense" used during investigations feels too much like an instant-win button. The lack of challenge drains some fun from these segments (although narrative connected to them remains compelling). For example, you follow the tracks of some hunters and find a griffin's abandoned nest, then protagonist Geralt automatically deduces everything there is to know about the creature. It's not possible to MAKE A MISTAKE and prepare poorly (unless you deliberately ignore the suggestions) as every footprint and piece of evidence is highlighted in bright red. Think how fun it would have been if the game had just provided the clues and left you to draw the conclusion ("Oh man, I was prepared for a manticore, not a werewolf!")
As I mentioned, in terms of storytelling this game is exceptional, definitely among the best in the medium. My only writing issue is the main bad guy, who turns out to be a generic doomsday villain. Seriously, there are dozens of secondary characters in The Witcher 3 (even some tertiary ones) who are more developed than him. For example, three grotesque crones met early in the game are far creepier and more memorable.
Soundtrack is atmospheric, voice acting brilliant - one of the rare fully-voiced game where I follow every dialogue instead of just reading subtitles and skipping through dully-delivered conversations. Graphics are gorgeous, loading times perfectly acceptable (shorter on my PC than those in Dragon Age: Inquisition, for example); certainly nothing like the first Witcher's endless pauses.
It's possible to import a save from The Witcher 2, but also to recreate previous choices made in the second game (but not in the first one) in a conversation in Vizima during the prologue.