cpugeek13: I am looking at two games in particular-- ... the Witcher is supposed to have a great story, but the gameplay seems a bit contrived. Anyone got an opinion of those games?
Its worth $13-14. I loved it, played it through 3 times (a long break between each), to see how the factions differ. The story is interesting, It made me go get the books. The world is beautiful, lovingly crafted and designed. While the combat can take some getting used to, it doesn't require a lot of effort. The magic/potions system is well implemented and quite different to the usual fantasy fare. You have to use the right weapons and spells on the right creatures. Collect, brew and consume potions to make the harder battles, easier...
I especially like that the more you side with one faction, the more their major characters are portrayed as reasonable and likeable, while members of the opposition faction degenerate into wild fanatics. At the end of any game, the side you chose seems like the more reasonable (but still flawed). You can pick different sides each play through, see the different endings, and still come away feeling like you made the 'right' choice. Not say like the Kotor Series where you have to play a 'bad guy' to see the 'bad' ending.