A copy of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings dropped in for a review and here we are with an account of one of most absorbing tales to have ever been told through role-playing games. This game can rightfully be tagged as a path breaker, for it seldom depends on the conventional elements to deliver the textbook RPG experience. Instead, it makes use of some eccentric and original building blocks that so effortlessly transform it into the gem of a title that it is. Polish developer CD Projekt RED had initially crafted this beauty only for PC. But it’s perhaps its sheer potential that prompted the folks to port it to the Xbox 360. We however, won’t be comparing the two as we’ll be giving you a complete lowdown of all its conspicuous features to make it easier for you to decide whether or not to purchase either of the versions.
Fantasy RPG is a genre of storytelling which has long been populated by stereotyped groups of people and creatures. Let us take the example of two such highly rated games of recent times – Skyrim and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The former combines a vast gaming outlook with the benchmarks set by its predecessors, while the latter sticks to the conventions of the genre, scoring high on the combat aspect. Now both these titles are elites when it comes to the role-playing genre, mind you. But throughout your playthroughs of both, you’ll come across predictable situations and other customary elements. Here’s where The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings scores over them. Although most of the game’s storytelling is fantastic, there’s an air of reality that’s brought in by the characters, their dialogues and the situations encountered by them.
You are Geralt of Rivia, who’s suffering from partial amnesia and is blamed to have on his hand, the blood of the king he was loyal to. This story is told the way you’d read a novel, complete with a prologue, three main chapters, and an epilogue. The branching starts early on when you’re asked to make a decision that completely changes the course of the game. More than fifty percent of the title will pan out differently depending on this one decision. You’ll make personal choices as well as those that’ll affect the whole political scenario of the entire kingdom. As Geralt, you are tasked with mediating between stubborn parties so as to pursue the well being of the kingdom as well as achieving the personal goal of finding your kidnapped lover. As sharp as it may sound, the narrative is meant for the mature and in a way, mirrors the timelessness of the fact that political pandemonium often embroils normal folk owing to the vested interests of the powerful.
This non-linear experience is a brave effort by CD Projekt RED, and it speaks largely of the poise that the developer has accomplished. The story telling devices don’t just count in cutscenes, but also include animated sequences that present events through an alternate perspective – that of Geralt’s expressive companion, Dandelion. The inimitability of the story is given to it thanks to the ambiguous portrayal of characters in the title. Here’s a game which depicts trolls as drunk and pitiful creatures, elves as stoic marksmen, and dwarves as leisurely individuals with a penchant for vodka and women. Creating this surrealism around the characters helps the game get a stronger hold on players, making some characters unforgettable. This helps The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings in arriving to a level from which it turns into believable fantasy.
The combat within the game is solid, and it blends a nice mix of weapons and magic. The influence of Assassin’s Creed here won’t be hard to miss though. The part before battles is crucial, as the game asks for strategy rather than skill when it comes to slaying big enemies. At times, it becomes surprisingly easy to beat certain opponents who’re not present in large numbers. The level up trees are placed with simple branches, wherein you can select to head forward in four main paths. If you’re not pursuing any quest, the laid-back activities at the inn might prove to be just the right thing for you. The arm wrestling matches, dice poker and fist fights that may be indulged in at these inns can fill your pockets with some much needed moolah. And let us tell you, these little minigames aren’t half-baked devices aimed at consuming time. No indeed, they’re not. They are faithfully crafted opportunities that even branch out into quests and give you some insights into the story.
The environments in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings are semi-open, yet used efficiently. Many instances have you visiting the same places more than once, but they never feel repetitive owing to the contexts of your visits. Some exciting draw distances are also to be gaped at, but what really sets the game’s environments apart is the art that has been applied to them. And full marks to CD Projekt RED for that. The brilliant lighting, lively character faces and sturdy graphics have transcended to the console version in a convincing way. The only issues here are the technical hiccups suffered in the form of texture pop-ins that keep cropping out of nowhere during gameplay and cutscenes alike. Occasional whiteouts, glitches, and even unresponsive NPCs hinder your experience, but the game’s save system is well crafted, ensuring you don’t lose much of your progress when you start over again.
Final Word: Looking at The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings solely as a game, and ignoring the graphical bits, makes you realize that RPGs can indeed stray out of their usual paths and deliver completely fresh experiences. The 6-year old Xbox 360 hardware is somewhat obsolete when compared with the ever-evolving PC platform. But if you own the console, this title is worth every little penny you’ll pay for it. The entire campaign spans through a good stretch of time. If you’re the type who prefers leaving the side quests for after the main quests, this one doesn’t allow you to do so. The game even has an Arena mode wherein, you fight off waves of enemies to post your scores online. Despite this, the title’s replay value relies largely on the campaign, as you’ll be forced to do an alternate play-through in order to discover other paths. Here’s our score for the game:
Graphics: 8.5/10
Sounds: 9/10
Environments: 8.5/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Replay Value: 9/10
Overall (not an average): 9/10