The Witcher 2: Proud To Be Hardcore

Jun 21, 2010

GameInformer’s recent preview of Witcher 2 analizes its E3 Stage Demo in detail, from conversation to combat, and concludes: Its spring 2011 release can’t come soon enough.

Unfortunately, at this year’s E3 CD Projekt did not show too much of their upcoming sequel to the original Witcher. That leaves almost everyone who had the chance to see their demo at E3 2010 to write about the same things. So this preview might not have anything new for you if you were already following the latests news about The Witcher 2. However, all previews have another big thing in common: They make you want the game … now!

The Witcher 2 is an unabashedly hardcore role-playing game from a group of Polish developers who barely care about getting an M rating so they can make it onto U.S. store shelves, much less the T rating that most RPGs shoot for. Developer CD Projekt showed off part of the game’s first chapter at this year’s E3, and it’s looking fantastic.

That’s something I’m really looking forward to. A lot of recent RPGs seem to be somewhat nerfed. I can understand the “why”s, looking at it as a product and at sales numbers. But from a gamer’s point of view I just cannot agree with the direction almost every developer of RPG games goes nowadays. I look back and remember the old days where CRPGs (Computer Role Playing Games) were really hardcore. No automaps, no journals, no party members just falling unconscious instead of getting killed etc. etc. etc. That’s why I always get big ears and eyes when I hear the word “hardcore” in the same sentence with “RPG”.

Ultimately, Geralt has a choice: enforce his will by force (as he can surely do; these podunk town guards are no match for a legendary monster slayer) or try to pressure the guard by getting the mob on his side. Choosing the latter, Geralt appeals to the citizens’ sense of fairness and morality, riling them up with the revelation that any one of them could be convicted of debauchery should the guards get it into their heads to pick on them. The developers explain that choosing this course, while more difficult, will lead to opportunities later in the game as people remember Geralt’s good deeds.

Consequences! Yes! Gimme more! I love consequences. I want the world in wich I’m playing my character to live. I don’t want to adapt my decisions to the world. I want the world to adapt to my decisions. An RPG, in my opinion, is all about that: Immersion.

If you have missed that E3 2010 Stage Demo of The Witcher 2 I recommend to watch it here below or click here to jump to the full preview at GameInformer.com

Check out the video below