It's not that doing those things is hard, it's the sequence..the dance, if you will, that takes time to master. If it were as easy as you make it out to be there wouldn't be 100 threads about the games difficulty.

And I like how you guys use those options as if that is the pinnacle of fighting entertainment.

So basically, if I'm understanding correctly, there is no way to win fights in this game by using just a sword, as there aren't enough sword moves implemented in game mechanics to match combat situations

I was never in USA military, nor did I ever go hunting, so the whole concept of nuke/shoot them from afar to death, than finish their twitching forms off in close, isn't really my cup of tea.

I'm sorry if I'm offending anyone, but I'm rightfully angry, as I expected a medieval game, where melee skills still mattered.

According to the manual, easy mode is for people who want to use just the sword, normal mode is for people who want to use the sword and signs, hard is for people who want to add in alchemy to the mix, and insane is for people who hate themselves.

Melee matters pretty much no matter what you do, and once you get used to the flow of fighting it actually becomes enjoyable. Like a mix between Jade Empire and the original Witcher.

I'm on normal mode and have gotten through most things using just the sword, so it's definitely feasible.

I can understand that. And I accept you have to care of your defense and offense at the same time. And the fact you must roll or block is excellent. What bothers me is there is only 2 types of swings you can do. Sword fighting is poetry in motion, it's a skill with million moves and finesse. And now, it's dumbed down to 2 moves.

Was it too hard to implement a side swing to the legs, a thrust to the stomach and throat? I mean ok, they wanted to make fights action like. Well go ahead, and finish the job, don't leave us with this aborted fetus.

Because you're just playing the game. So all you have right now is some basic swords skill. What's the point of upgrading, character's tree, various weapons and traps, and various signs if your character is invincible from the get go?

In all fairness, there isn't really much else, even maxing out your sword tree.

On a practical level, you get to hit more than one mob, and you get to riposte (personally think using the Quen sign is better use of vigor), and you get to instant kill some mobs with a full adrenaline bar.

If you're dead set against using potions/bombs/traps/signs, well, this is obviously not the game for you. It's Witcher 2, a game about Witchers, who use swords, potions, bombs, traps, and signs. It's not some generic hero that you get to mold to do whatever you wish with.

*shrug*

I like signs, potions, bombs and swords but I don't like traps. They take too long to set up.

Thank you for being straight and to the point. Got a rep for that :)

In Witcher 1, a game about witchers, we had an option to choose if we wanted to specialize or use all of those things you mentioned. And while I couldn't defeat some bosses and huge amounts of mobs without resorting to signs and potions at least, I could utilize sword skill alone to dispatch smaller groups of enemies.

I'll stop ranting now, as it is pointless. I'm still a fan of the witcher world, just needed to vent.

This.

1000 times this.

Fights became easier in the Witcher 2 when I started to take them seriously. I mean, I was in the prologue, which I took for a tutorial. And years of ME/DAO/Drakensang tutorial accustomed me to the fact tutorials were ridiculously easy, to help you master the game's technique.

No such things in Ultima Underworld. No such thing in Baldur's gate. No such thing in Gothic 1. And NO SUCH THING in The Witcher 2.

The tutorial, in The Witcher 2, is actually reading the manual. The prologue is the real beginning of the game. Huge difference, much more "old school" than what I expected, I think. But I'm happy that way.

Yes! Exactly, and I think that's one of the reasons I get this small, odd sense of nostalgia when playing the game. I think in part because the Witcher 2 doesn't tell you exactly how to play the game, you have to discover so much just like the classic oldies forced you to do.

You know what? When I started to play The Witcher 2, I have had exactly the same feeling than when I started to play Super Meat Boy: a good game, but far too difficult for me. For Super Meat Boy, I put the game aside, a little disappointed. And I don't know why, recently I tried it again. And discovered that if I treated it like a old Super Mario, or even better, an old Manic Miner or Fruity Frank, i.e. I paid attention to EVERY move I made and I progressed through "try and fails", I actually could play that game quite well.

It doesn't mean The Witcher is without flaws (especially the locking system in combat), but still, if you think about it the "old way", everything makes sense: CDProjekt Red developers are not there to hold your hand through the game, they are there to make you "live" a fantastic adventure.

Actually, I thought: "Oh cool, finally a game that proves to be a challenge even on medium!"
I hear it gets easier over time thou, I might consider increasing the difficulty.

THANK YOU!

people have the completely wrong mindset when going into this game

People think that this game can be played like the ultra casual "RPG'S" like Final fantasy and ME2 and that they will win. Witcher 2 as well as the first games are games that you need to take TIME with, you have to have patience as well as learn how to play properly

Although I do agree with other people about the fact that you are unable to drink potions on the go like in the first game, that's very lame

Yeah, that's my main grief towards the game, apart from the target locking system in combat, that could be improved.

By the way, what's the fuss over widescreen problem? I didn't understand it. I play on my 24" in 1900*1200 without any problem. And on high level of details, it runs perfectly even if I only have a dual core and a nVidia GT280.

Hey, it's my opinion.. Remember the category this is classified as..RPG..I'm supposed to get to roll play.. If I want a twitchy shooter type combat system, I'd buy one.

This is a button mashing mess clearly designed for the console crowd(and I have all 3 consoles and love them) who loves Action Adventure. In W1 you had some strategy, and thinking to the combat, not in this one.

And no, I don't want this like any of the DA games, I want this to be a Witcher game. When I want a console action shooter. I'll go buy one, Don't mix your action game console combat, in my PC RPG.