Good Post Jaguar10 be prepared to be called racist and god knows what else because your an American with an opinion. Anyway Great post I myself feel the UI is so screwed up and yes the other things you mentions as well. TW1 is still the best they made or will ever make. I sent an E-mail to the Dev's asking for them to give an option to play with the new UI or go back to TW1 UI IMO it is so much better and the moves and combat is superior in TW1 then in 2. My opinion is it is dumb down for Consoles.
Jaguar10: Not sure if CD Projekt will see this or if this is the right place for it but I am so upset about the changes that were made in Witcher 2 I could cry. I loved The original Witcher and wrote CD Projekt a letter of praise. I liked the fight system with Geralt looking so realistic and stringing together those combos. Tthe inventory system was cool and easy to use and you got a good chance to practice at Kaer Morhen before going out to kill monsters. Additionally, I fell in love with the trailer they put out for #2 with the new, handsome Geralt and the sexy voice of Iorveth. I was so looking forward to this new game and then found out they had changed the look of Geralt (he now looks older but seems to have an annoying glowing face) and the voices of Iorweth and the Kingslayer. Huge disappointment. It made me not want to buy the game. Voice acting is extremely important in RPG's. I did buy it , however, when it went on sale recently. Spent 6 hours! downloading it and then started on Normal. I'm in my 50's and nothing is hardcore for me anymore! ha, ha. Took me forever to get out of the first courtyard where you had to wind up the ballista. I did finally beat it. Then I must have tried for three straight hours to beat the guys in the monastery courtyard before giving up in frustration and turning the gameplay down to Easy. This is not fun!!!!! I could kill the non-armored guys easily but to have 3 armored guys ganging up on me was horrible. I could barely do signs as Geralt stops running to do them and I end up getting whacked in the back, I practically broke my ring finger smashing the W button to even get him to move after a few blows! I just kept trying to outrun them and casting Quen now and then and doing somersaults around and around and around. Going up the stairs did not work either. I finally beat them on Easy but now I'm immediately being killed by a dragon on the bridge! I am so frustrated with this game it's not funny. How could they take a perfectly fine, award winning game and change so much about it?? I'm barely getting started and am about to just give up. The other thing I hate is its too hard to see the herbs, I'm getting tired of hitting Z every two minutes to find things, and the writing on the screen is so tiny I can barely read it. I didn't even realize I had potions in my inventory until half way through the ballista scene!! Where did they come from? Can't even see what you're getting when you get it. The hint box blocks out the screen too much as well and I can barely read it. The only good thing I can find so far is that they gave up the ridiculous American-no nudity/European-nudity thing. We're all adults so what's the big deal anyway. The opening scene was great. I also can't stand the new Dice Game!! The board is ugly, I can't see the dice when you throw, it's harder to understand what to do when the opponent raises, and what's with the designs on the dice?? You can't tell what's what. Another enjoyable aspect of the Witcher down the drain. Arm wrestling was okay but what is with all this hitting the mouse button for that, the ballista, raising the gate, running from the dragon, etc. Stupid! So, I'm now pressing S to run and smashing the RMB and still getting killed by the dragon. God!!! And I have to meditate to drink a potion???? How stupid is that?? Do they want you to have to start a fight, get killed, then figure out what potion you need and then reload?? Not having to meditate at a fire is refreshing but come on....!
I hate it when a game company puts out a great game and then all of a sudden someone gets a bug up his ass and says, well, gee, that was a great thing but hey, let's change it! In my opinon, this happened with Fallout New Vegas, the new Gothic Arcania, Fear 3 and now, woe of all woes, The Witcher 2!! I can't believe this is even the same company that put out the Witcher 1. I have been disappointed in almost every sequel that has come out in the last year or so. Mass Effect 2 was the only game I played that was as good as if not better than the first. CDProjekt, I thought you were better than that. Obviously not! You just can't trust anyone anymore.
I think I'll go and cry some more now............aaaggghghghghghghhhgh!
If I ever get past the dragon I hope the rest of the game turns out better but I am supremely disappointed in what I've seen so far. Are you listening CD Projeckt???? Go back to what worked for you before and quit trying to fix what ain't broke!!! Your core audience is die-hard PC gamers who are usually older people. (I believe that's why GOG is so popular)We loved the Witcher and proved it to you. I don't know who you have been listening to but what I see in Witcher 2 so far is not what made The Witcher great. Sure the story is great but if I can't beat the enemies on Easy it doesn't matter how great the story is!!! I'm sure there are people who will disagree with me but I am entitled to my opinion. I noticed several similar bad reviews on Metacritic and other sites so I'm not the only one who thinks like ths. If someone knows how I can get this message to CDProjekt directly I would appreciate it. I'll be very leery if there is a Witcher 3.