How is this game not an RPG?

Levelling system? Check.
Epic quest stretching through the entire game? Check.
Actions can affect storyline? Check.
Dialogue options? Check.
Tons of side quests? Check.
Tons of dialogue from NPCs in and out of cutscenes? Check.
Tons of lore? Check.
Tons of loot? Check.
Tons of exploration? Check.

Yeah, totally not an RPG... >_>

Never played Dragon's Lair, but if you are in the Prologue, then yeah. It gets better, much much better. The Prologue is a bit railroady, but it is the set up for the story.

If you are past the Prologue, then I am at a loss.

Yes I was in the Prologue in fact a bit where that was a dragon which is why I thought of Dragons Lair (the 1983 arcade game that pioneered the removal of gameplay from games and which when I thought about it is probably the mother of quick time events). There I was trying to use skill to avoid the flame when what I needed was rigid obedience.

I did notice when I looked at the walkthrough to see what I was doing wrong that I was in a prologue so I continued on to what I thought was chapter one hoping to be released from this hell only to end up in a fist fight game plugging the mouse button and getting beaten up instead.. then I noticed the orange letters flashed up and realised I was actually in a very pretty game of Simon says.

Simon says press W
Simon says press S

Simon says run the uninstaller... Freedom!

I've done some more reading and apparently there's an RPG in there eventually so I'll come back to it in a few months.

You ragequit right before it got good. Right after that fistfight, you get the freedom to wander around, level up, talk to random people, etcetera.

No ones likes the prologue. Really hope you kept your saves.

The only one of those 'conditions' that relates specifically to a game being an RPG is "Actions can affect storyline". All of the others could relate to many other genres. For a computer RPG to be an RPG, it needs 2 things:
1. A persistent character (or characters) that are developed by the player.
2. That character (or characters) are developed through consequential choices (your 'actions can affect storyline').
That's all it takes.

Well..if you expect a WITCHER like 1..you will be disapointed.

You're now playing a enslaved, rolling battleclown, forced to lik the *** of the Secret Service or the Scoa'tael instead of playing the White Wolf. W2 had made several steps towards a consoletitle, it presaved several of his original qualities but not all..there was only one element i "feeled" more witcherlike in W2...that was being a poor Witcher..forced to labor like a slave for his Oren ;)

But i am a bit harsh because W2 wasn't what i expected.
W1 was a uncut diamond of a RPG at his release and got polished next to perfection but..to the differences...

Storyline
W1 has a well designed Story, well designed for each Chapter and for the complete Storyline to..there was not a simgle part where i had to force myself to go on.
W2 has good Story to but with chains and holes..i often had the feeling..poor Gerald has a Ring in his nose and someone is pulling a invisible chain..then he holes..like (SPOILER= If you saved Aryan..he's at Chapter III but he seemed to be brainwashed or braindeath..because it seemed he has forget Anais and his courage).
W1 gave me the feeling to play a good book, W2 gave me the feeling to watch a movie with multiple choicecrossroads.

Quests
W1 had a fine mixture of deep Storyquests including the Mainstory and short simple "Diablo"quests, i loved the Storyquests they really made me curios and i was driven to find evething out and i loved the "Diabloquests as a contrast with quickaction and as a way to make some quick money.

W2 has deep Storyquests to but most the time you're feel forced like during the polouge, it feels like being a puppet that can see the ropes but isn't allowed to cut them. W2 doesn't gave me the feeling that i play a part of Geralds Story, it feeled like being forced...viewing Gerlad being forced to take part at someones else story and the the sidequests are..hmm..a bit "special" most the time.

Let's take the Nekkerquest at Chapter I as a example SPOILER
I taked the Quest, explored the wood, found the first nest, killed the Guards and had to notice...hmm..i can't interact with it..i can't attack it..crazy. After killing several more Nekker my lore was updated and i could read some Infos about the Nekker and i found out..aaa..i need a bomb to destroy the nest. Back at the nest...throwing bomb Typ I at the nest...hmm..nothing..maybe i need more bombs or a different one...after throwing several bombs at the nest...nothing again...maybe theres a special "Questbomb"...so i started to search for it...and learned later per accident..that i has to use Typ X of the normal bombs...buyed the blueprints, destroyed the nests..get the reward...and had to notice...the blueprints+crafting the bombs cost more Oren then i got as reward..oO

It's more..hmm... realistic...compared to the endless hordes of W1 but it has two big flaws for me...1.imporntant Information is hidden without need or logic...2.i am playing a witcher..not a shiny paladin..why the hell doesn't the payment even cover the costs

Rulesystem and fights
It lacks balance and freedom at W2 and it's a bit like MMO's where you have 1 or 2 ways to skill you Char "right" with a limited number of skillpoints...and there's no real way to notice it at the start. If you skill the wrong way you will pay for it at least at the Preboss and Bossfights.

Economy
Though as nails...last but not least because at many Quests the payment doesn't even cover your costs.
Before i reached the harpys at Chapter II and grinded some time i had to think twice about buying anything..and i started from a old W1-save with decent money and good Equipment...so many people might be forced to grind.

Do yourself a favor and turn off the QTEs in the options screen. Shy of hunting down the developers responsible and physically assaulting them and doing the resulting jail time for the rest of us that do not like QTEs, it is the best thing you can do for yourself.

To clarify: In no way do I condone violence against game developers that insist on using QTEs, however I am all for buying them a one way ticket to Mars.

I've been stuck in a quest for over a year .
The Secrets Of Loc Muinne.

Tried every sign but the 8 who fight you just stand there and don't die.

Very hard and stopped me from playnjg the game.
I finished the first Witcher and loved it but this quest has killed me for good.

Hope The Witcher 3 is not as frustrating to play.

All games should drop the difficulty level when you are stuck for an hour so you can progress.
The story lines are over the top of my head in these games.I didn't understand the story in both games.
Mass Effect was the same for me as well though.Just way too many characters and races for my humble brain to rap it's matter around.Way too clever for their own good.
I just played because of the great scenery and seeing what will happen next.

NFI what the story line is in The Witcher 2 lol.

That's me.I'm dumb and it's a lonely depressing feeling being a dummy when everone else on the planet "gets it"

Luck of the draw-parent's genes.

P.S. Would love a way to get out of The Secrets Of Loc Muinne quest.
Not everyone is elite.Count your blessings.

I've been diagnose with severe depression but I reckon I have autism as well only not as bad as others.

Anyway sorry to damen everyone.
I love The Witcher but one day someone will explain the over complicated story that is way above my head.