ecat: I must admit, I cannot shake the feeling that CDP created TW2 as a demonstration of their l33t console game making skills and sold it to me as a full price PC product. But, ugly, boring and wasteful user interface not withstanding, I could live with this if I wasn't finding other design decisions equally annoying.
TW1 had many issues; cut scene hell, stilted and forced conversations, sometimes endless and pointless combat, loading times, dodgy translation, bugs(!) the list goes on. Still, at the core there was an engaging and entertaining experience, there were times I could marvel at the beautiful and intriguing world the game created and forget about all the failings. TW1 did well overall, TW1 is the reason I bought TW2 on release.
I'm finding TW2 to be very hard work. The basic UI doesn't help, neither does my wide range monitor accentuating the bloom effects. Leaving these two aside, the new pop-up action for near by objects is so annoying; put a torch, a door and a chest in close proximity and the system falls apart, running through a forest creates and endless stream of pop-text all in red, etc. Pop-up red 'climb', pop-up red 'descend', pop-up red 'talk', if anything was designed to pull the player out of character, to remind the player the player that are 'playing a game' could there be anything worse?
Of course there is something worse, QTE. So, I'm pulled into the story by some interesting dialogue delivered by some expensive voice actor. The voice, the writing, the waves of intrigue have me spellbound when suddenly QTE - PLAY ME I'M A GAME. It is like trying to read a good book while someone is endlessly poking you with a stick. Why?
But nothing could be worse than QTE right? Wrong. What is with these boss fights? Okay, these are supposed to be big, dramatic scenes with huge dramatic monsters. I accept they are difficult to pull off, but reducing them to formulaic, point and click puzzles against the clock? Come on? An epic encounter becomes an epic, PLAY ME I'M A GAME, mess, and the inclusion of QTEs adds insult to injury. Reduce the ambition guys, it can only improve the game play.
Combat: What's that Geralt? Oh, you need a couple of moments to finish your animation before you can jump out of the way? No worries, just cast a Sign. Oh, you can't do that either? Oh well, I'll just light a cigarette and get back to you when you are ready.
Visuals. I can go from blindingly bright to pitch dark in a single step. And contrast! There are times the level of contrast in some scenes pulls the eyes out of my head.
Detail, perhaps too much when the background drowns out the objects or mobs you are searching for?
Faces, in conversation with NPCs a cut to Geralt's face just SCREAMS high res texture and what's with this clicky finger glowy eye persuasion animation...
You see, this is the point I am at right now. So many little annoyances, many more than mentioned above, have cascaded to the point where even the smallest issues are grabbing my attention.
TW1 played well and was enjoyable within its limitations. Over ambition? Loss of focus? Gambit for mass market appeal? TW2 feels like an attempt to push the limitations, appeal to all (and convince the console manufacturers that CDP can do consoles too) but at the moment TW2 reminds me of nothing more than Homer Simpson's dream car.
I stopped playing the game for more than a week to try and gain a fresh perspective and I'll make a fresh start today. TW3 will not be a day one purchase. As for CDP, the champions of PC gaming? My good will is failing, CPD, I am disappoint.
Edit:
I hate to be totally negative, so... The new 'click on recipe to make potion' mechanic is quite nice, I was never sure how well the old 'experimentation' model was supported.
Here's where I really don't understand the whole "it is made for consoles" argument.
1) Popup-action for object: I would think this is easier for us PC users, since with a mouse it's actually easier to aim more precisely than using a controller joystick to manipulate the view. It is for this reason that even with FPS games which supports controllers, I still use a mouse.
2) QTEs: Why do people equate QTEs to consoles? Is it because the first QTEs appeared from a console-only game? Is it that much different pressing a key on a controller to that on a keyboard? Not in my opinion. To me, the key characteristics about QTEs are that they require quick reflexes, and that has more to do with game genres than gaming platforms.
3) Animations need to be completed before next action: I also do not see why this would make it console-oriented than PC-oriented. It's a design decision that is platform-agnostic.
4) Visuals and Details: The PC is the platform that is perhaps much more guilty in being a showcase for the best in these areas than the consoles. IMO you got this totally in reverse. Higher-res textures, more intricate particle effects, amazingly nuanced physics... all marks of PC gaming, especially when a game has console versions as well.
There's certainly things in TW2 that can be improved, and somethings, like the interface, could be said to have been balanced in such a way that takes away from the PC input standards to give to the console input requirements, but in my opinion a lot of arguments about how TW2 has become "consolized" is just over-exaggerated. It's still mostly a PC game with some minor compromises made in preparation for its eventual move to console. I've been a PC gamer all my life, other than the Wii which I only take out for the rare party game, the last console I played was the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive which died years ago. I don't think TW2 reminds me in any way of console gaming at all.
