Ok. Havn't finished the game yet. I'm on Chapter 2.

But damn if I'm not anoyed after 2 hours of play.

Main thing ... the combat smoothness. The animations are clumy. What I mean by that ... is that the animations are long. I roll over and imediatly push the E key to guard myself, however the E key does not register because the animation is still not completed, he needs to be fully straight.

Same thing when you cast spells. They take so long to animate that the mob is already near you hitting you, you also can't run imediatly because hell, you need to be in "strainght up position" before the moving command and the animation starts.

I'm not sure if you know what I'm talking about but it's damn anying.

Also, a fight in Chapter 2. I go after a guy to take his armor. We bla bla bla bla then we start fighting.

He laready has his sword out and he starts swinging while my witcher just starts to take the sword out. Instant 10% HP loss just for that stupid thing. Then I find out I have 5 more dudes to fight, all of them in a very small room with a table.

I can tell you I did that fight like 15 times. Besides that, once I manage to have like 30% HP left when I killed all the 5 other dudes so I was only fighting the main guy, one of the cellars door opened and I got inside. I coudn't get out but the dude managed to do a swing thorugh the cellar's metal hitting me .... die. Reload again...

Anyone got the same feeling I have everythime you have to fight some big boss? Just fought the "big fire guy in chapter 2" ... damn anoying. Had to move the dificulty to Easy.

Anyone got this damn problem? The fighting could be so much better if not for this.

1. Comands don't register because the first action is not done so I need to spam that key again.
2. ... there was something else but I forghot.

The only problem I have with combat controls is when the controls go on strike. Geralt can be standing there idle, with his sword drawn and sign selected, and for no apparent reason the Q key does nothing. Or he has his sword drawn and can't swing it before he does an Unnecessary Combat Roll to unstick something in the logic.

I don't consider it a problem that you can't start an action before the previous one completes. As far as I'm concerned, that's "as designed", and the solution is to learn the game's rhythm until it comes without thinking. TW1 was the same way, and intentionally so. This is not a button masher (well, apart from the silly QTEs), nor should you expect it to be.

If you want to get first blood against some of the bosses, you have to be very quick. The interval between the moment you get control and the boss's first blow is very short. It's not zero; it's just very short and not very well signaled. Other than not getting a good signal that the cinematic is over and the controls are yours again, this is not unreasonable. The style of swordsmanship used in The Witcher games strongly favors the one who has the advantage in tempo. You use parry and riposte (as in real swordsmanship) and signs to regain the tempo or break the enemy's guard. All this is modeled, better than in most sword-and-sorcery games.

I hate the low speech volume of some characters, especially Geralt.

The combat responsiveness sucks, especially casting signs where it can take several long seconds, even with full vigour.

It's even more annoying when you're thrown into a cramped room full of enemies who immediately start attacking.

BTW, why do you have to have a sword drawn to use signs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=270HiWAWKmE

Good point. I noticed the amulet thing also.

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Also, I hate that on some boss fights I can't prepare before and drink potions. Like on chapter 2 ... fire boss. It's normal to not be able to block because you roll. The problem is that after you roll it takes you another 1 second for you to stand perfectly straight and only THEN you can push the block button.


EDIT: I remeber another problem. Sometimes after 1 hit the withcer decides to hit the mob that is behind, positioning himself in the middle of the mobs :D GREAT!

Just one thing: The relatively shortness of the game. And I say that after having finished The Witcher (1) just a few minutes ago.

I know though that quality is always more important than quantity. And I remeber that for The Witcher they had an already working engine (though they modified it heavily) while for The Witcher 2 they had to build one from scratch.

So it isn't a very serious critique, nor do I feel like it ruined the game for me. It's just the expression of a wish: I want more! :D

Having just finished my 3rd playthrough... I agree. I don't think the game is short, 30 hours per playthrough is enough for me, but it left me wanting so much more. I want more of the story. I want to know more about the characters. I WANT IT ALL AND I WANT IT NOW. :U

Chill out freddie! :P

The game is fine for me. But it has some things to get better. I hate the fist fight system. I mean, geralt can fight with his bare hands! Why do not you implement a fist system where you have block, kicks, light and heavy punchs!

You can't stop me now

Cause I'm having a good time, having a good time~

Chapter 3 felt VERY rushed in comparison to chapters 1 & 2. I was left with a feeling of "its already over?!?" upon completing chapter 3.

Other than that I have no complaints.

I'd say that the dragon boss fight was the most irritating part of the game, given that there was both a single strategy and no strategy at the same time. More stuff like the Drauger fight would be absolutely incredible. Also fix the economic system, because I could afford to spend a lot more than I did the first time around. Otherwise, there's only tiny things. The game plays great, navigates great, and feels great. Any other complaint I could arise is barely valid.

This. Very well put. I actually love the pacing and animation speed, but not the erratic control response. It's still an enormously ambitious game, just needs some polishing up.

Alchemy. I don't mind the drinking while meditating shtick. But find the other limitations in the system to be arbitrary.

IMO all potion negatives should be represented by toxicity. What's with the quantity limits and those potion specific stat debuffs?

Why is any of that necessary when you've got a perfectly good system established in TW1, where potion intake was limited only by toxicity.

Drink too many potent brews and you're dead. That's your limiting mechanism. It's elegant and makes sense.

Also why does toxicity disappear when your potions' duration wears off? You should be required to meditate for a few hours or drink a toxin clearing elixir to cleanse away the lingering effects.

Having the poison just go away lets the player off too easy.

I HATE that you can't back up while fighting - or any time for that matter, all you can do is turn your back and run the opposite way
-mask

I think backing up would be hard to implement, but it could be done with a hotkey, just like targeting is. enemies are so aggressive now as compared to TW1. they would overwhelm you pretty quickly if you were slowly backing up.