The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Preview
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Character development was arguably one of the weaker RPG elements of The Witcher and the sequel has taken steps to address that. CDPR has to walk a line: Geralt is a Witcher - a swordsman - and the character development needs to be consistent with Sapkowski's lore. This time, the skills are divided into four separate "webs" - Witcher, Swordsmanship, Alchemy and Magic - with a little more emphasis on active abilities. For example, I added "Dagger Throwing" early on for some ranged capacity. It looks promising but it's hard to tell at this stage exactly how much different choices will change the gameplay.
As you'd expect, many of the abilities relate to combat, which is where the greatest changes have been applied. The previous timing-based "chains" have been replaced by a more active system. Left-click delivers a fast blow, while a right-click delivers a slower, heavier blow. You can also actively block, although you might still take some damage, and skills add the ability to riposte and counter-attack. The choice of silver or steel sword plus quick or heavy blows still brings a sense of tactics, like the first game, but against intelligent enemies the system really shines. Timing is still important but its more organic, finding an opening in your opponent's guard and taking advantage when they are stunned or off-balance.
