I've put this game on hold until Patch v1.3 was released so I could enjoy it as bug-free as realistically possible.

In the mean-time, I've been lurking here and other forums and read numerous posts from people complaining that the game is too hard and the combat brutal and unforgiving.

I became concerned and anxious that I might not be able to beat it as there were numerous complaints.

I've now completed 2/3 of the game on Hard, and I felt stupid for giving their posts any credibility.

There is nothing hard about this game, in fact, I found the beginning easier than the first Witcher.

In The Witcher, you had to face The Beast with little more than Spectre Oil, whereas in this game you're given an arsenal of weapons and all your signs at the very start, including Quen which is basically God Mode on a timer.

So far, I've died about 4 times, and I don't consider myself a great player.

The tactics are pretty simple, and once you get the hang of the combat, the enemies although challenging never pose a substantial threat.

This isn't a game where you can just run in and take them head-on, or stand there and spam attack.

Now that I've almost completed the game, I'm surprised that anyone can actually think this game is that hard.

pre patch 1.2 the prologue WAS really hard, they calmed it down in patch 1.2 and again in patch 1.3.
I found the prologue really rough on Normal my first play thru but now im starting my second and it is a LOT easier.

Patch 1.2 give you dozen of equipment and gear that essentially make the beginning of the game fairly easy.

I should have been clearer, but while waiting for the patches I played the prologue at least 6 times on Hard (v1.1 and v1.2).

I never found it difficult.

I realise they made some of the prologue easier in v1.3. but prior to that it wasn't hard to begin with.

Even if you aren't good at combat, you have Quen (which has actually been weakened in v1.3) or you can spam with Igni or bombs.

Or, isolate them and with enough vigour just block their attack so they stagger, then hit them with a heavy blow.

I really can't see anything difficult about it.

Not to stir some $hit, but when you you talked about the enemies line up wait their turn to be killed, i instantly remember the first Assassin's Creed. Not sure about the sequel though, haven't play any of them.

The sequels are exactly the same in that regard. After all, can't make the game inaccessible to people whose egos are easily bruised by losing.

Everyone's a winner when it comes to Ubisoft!*

*Except people who legally bought the game and can't play it because of the devil DRM.

So the days of Beyond Good & Evil are gone? (that's the last non-Rayman Ubi game I played, I think :/) This x a million.

Yep, AC2 is just this - you kill one and you're like "NEEXT!!!"

This says it better than I ever could. That aside, I don't think it's even possible to lose an AC game, unless you're actually trying to.

OP: Topic's a bit flamebait-ish, but I agree about The Beast. Ugh, that thing was the devil.

I'm not very far into the game, but I DO remember a few spots in the Prologue where some enemies would hang back and not attack (and not use missile weapons either) unless you got too close to them, upon which they'd join the fray. Then again, I WAS playing on Normal mode, so maybe that's a deliberate difference in their AI.

To be honest, the hardest part in the Prologue has to be the part with the hoardings. Even though I've beaten it twice now, I still find myself getting set on fire and dying sometimes.

Thanks for the laugh :D I heard vile things about their DRM. My old computer wasn't good enough to run AC, so I didn't get a chance to experience the beauty of game protection first-hand.

Yes, yes, YES. And yes. I actually predicted that - and got laughed at for it.
Haven't bought a Ubi$oft title since then, though I loved the old PoP titles (I own a copy of the latest PoP, but only because it came with my gpu, what ironic justice).

The game isn't hard? Come on, don't embarrass the by now most famous TW2 player! He does the same thing a dozen times and dies a dozen times, because it is still hard, so it's fact, IT IS HARD! Lol.

By the way, a lot of players played TW2 without bugs before the patches and some have bugs now they didn't have before, so waiting for a specific patch is no insurance.

I really hope to see second walkthrough and opinion from him about the game. He was really surprised about the game mechanic isn't similar to anything he has played.

Doubt it. Because that would require for him to adapt and learn. If at first you don't succeed - you need to throw out everything you think you know about how to play the game and start from scratch. Learn how to do it, not know it better. But he did the same very time, disregarding that there are other signs than Yrden he could have used, hell, he didn't even figure out that he could have SAVED the game, instead he complained about having to slay the two guys over and over again and then wait until he has enough health again, instead of hitting F5 the second time around. Then he kept presenting his backside to the soldiers, because they were supposed to wait in line in his mind. And was surprised they didn't every time. He could've learned after the second death, that it doesn't work this way. So why would he do it differently at all? Figure out that in the beginning you are weak, they are strong.
But if you want to be boring and not be overwhelmed by all the buttons, you can win a fight such as this with Igni and roll, rinse and repeat. Easy peasy.

Nah, I think he had too much fun bitching about the game, or else he would have long since figured out that he embarrassed himself and taken down the video. :)

I admit, I had a hard time with this fight the first time around and I dialed down from normal to easy to win it (I think he had it easy all along, judging from how much health he took from the enemies with one blow). But I saw a challenge to think strategy. And since I now know that I could've done it much more elegantly, I am looking forward to this, for I just started my third run. On hard, of course. With CEO to make it harder. ;)