The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Reviews
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Dealspwn, 9/10
The world of Temeria is a dangerous place and understanding it is crucial to .etting' how everything works, and you'll need to understand because the choices you make change how the plot develops. It's a traditional fantasy world in that dwarves and elves are present and correct (in fact, the world is specifically written to be a basic fantasy affair, but with a darker twist) but here they're second class citizens, subdued and abused by the majority race, the humans.
This conflict is, like in the first game, part of the backdrop to the events of Assassins of Kings, with a variety of intertwining political entities attempting to further their own causes, all while you're stuck in the middle. The Scoia'tel, a renegade group of non-humans, are fighting a guerilla campaign in the hope of winning back ancient freedoms, while various kingdoms war against each other, important humans try to seize more power, regular folks just try to get on with their lives and, now, a new player the titular assassins are attempting to drastically rearrange the political landscape by lopping off the heads of reigning monarchs.
Story is key then and it's all told in a wonderfully intriguing and excellently written and acted way. There are few games out there that even come close to creating this feeling of proper adult politics and intrigue, drama and tension. It's not an exaggeration to suggest that it's demonstrative of a more mature approach to the way games are made, with all choices having consequences and the world you leave behind in the end being drastically different depending on what you decided to do and you who decided was worth backing.
The Guardian, 4/5
Although the first game was well received by RPG fans, The Witcher 2 is that rarest of things a sequel that elevates an entire genre, much the way Half Life 2 did for FPSs. With its exquisite production values and huge, single-player campaign, this is a genuine summer blockbuster. From the epic storyline, beautifully rendered in cut scenes, to its fast and skillful battles and deeply interactive questing, Witcher 2 makes better-known RPGs look and feel conspicuously dated.
ActionTrip is less enthusiastic than most and hands it a 7/10
CD Projekt made a terrific RPG and it's called The Witcher (or The Witcher: The Enhanced Edition). Sorry guys, but it's kind of tough to support you all the way on this one. We expected a deep RPG experience and The Witcher 2: Assassins of King doesn't quite deliver on that front as much as its predecessor. I think the alteration of the combat system receives most of the blame for that. It's more arcadish, more physical and revolves around button-mashing and combos and quick-time events, rather than stats, strategy or tactics. If long dialogue sequences, beefed up graphics and action-oriented gameplay define an RPG, than the genre has changed. It's abundantly clear, folks, The Witcher 2 has gone the way of Dragon Age 2 and Mass Effect 2. Ya know, improved visuals, dumbed down gameplay, catering to RPG buffs least of all. Here's how I can sum up the gameplay; I think The Witcher 2 feels more like a new Gothic game. In short, frequent hack'n'slash style action puts less emphasis on tactics, character development or anything else that constitutes a really good role-playing game.
Oh yeah, and I almost forgot - there are naked boobies and hot sex scenes in this game. So, that's something I guess.
