Witcher 3 fans should play The Witcher 1 & 2

Mayh3M · 23 Jul 2016 at 16:33

We all know how good The Witcher 3 is - truly one of the best games of all time and arguably the best ARPG ever made.

Most people say you can skip The Witcher 1 but should give The Witcher 2 a go. They're right that these games aren't 'essential', but personally I strongly recommend playing both games, especially as a precursor to the final game.

The last two games are much more refined than their prequels but both The Witcher 1 and 2 feature the same gripping questing, characters, dialogue, and atmosphere that really make the series great. The story in the second game is also excellent, and both games feature many of the same characters that appear in The Witcher 3.

The most common complaints about the first two games is that they aren't intuitive like the third. The learning curve is definitely more steep but once you get comfortable after a couple of hours, the gameplay is really enjoyable and surprisingly fluid.

The first game uses a notorious combat system that in my opinion is unfairly dismissed. Once again it's not intuitive but once you do get used it, there's actually a lot of variety to the combat and it's precise.

The dated graphics can also be rectified through the use of a couple of mods. Here are some screenshots of my Witcher 1 playthrough that I'm currently doing: http://imgur.com/a/BuUik

I don't usually post in this section but I love RPGs and The Witcher series is the cream of the crop.

UFO · 23 Jul 2016 at 16:42

Agreed, all three games are fine examples of RPGs at the time they were made. I recommend reading the books as well if you want more backstory and lore.

Shamikebab · 23 Jul 2016 at 17:25

Coming from the books I found the first game unfinishable. I've tried to get through it twice but stopped at different points. It's an interesting lore but for me it's a really average game with very clunky design.

The second I enjoyed though, it's a bit short but it's a good story.

Mayh3M · 23 Jul 2016 at 18:20

I think the Rise of the White Wolf mod is essential for dealing with the otherwise terrible UI.

http://www.nexusmods.com/witcher/mods/669/?

Reppyboyo · 23 Jul 2016 at 18:39

Never found anything wrong with the UI myself, played it 3-4 times over.

Hedge · 23 Jul 2016 at 18:55

Ive bought all 3 Witchers, 2 and 3 were both the fancy collectors editions too..

yet I've not managed to complete any of them. I want to enjoy them, but for some reason I find the interface absolutely horrendous. I've said it in the past, but I think I've been spoiled by games like Diablo and World of Warcraft, where loot systems are fantastic. Itemisation is great, and organising skills and bags is an absolute breeze.

The Witcher for me has been clunky as hell in all 3 games.

HAz · 23 Jul 2016 at 19:04

seams to be more sex and boobs in the previous 2

Mark A · 23 Jul 2016 at 19:49

I watched a few hours of a playthrough of the Witcher 1 and wasn't impressed. The gfx are terribly dated now, almost cartoon like. Plus the way they reuse character models for npcs was very immersion breaking.

I could possibly forget the gfx, but the combat looked awful. I think i'll maybe just watch a playthrough to the end for the story then have a look at the Witcher 2.

chroniclard · 23 Jul 2016 at 19:50

Game play in 1 and 2 is awful though. Unless your a nerd into the story the games are pants. 3 is way better but still falls woefully short.

Paul_cz · 23 Jul 2016 at 22:24

Absolutely, both are fantastic games with distinctive atmosphere and great writing. And you don't even have to be a "nerd" to appreciate it!

Pudney · 23 Jul 2016 at 22:32

I cannot stand Witcher 1. It's controls are awful. Witcher 2 is also highly irritating but playable. Witcher 3 is the most tolerable, but even that game has stuttering controls (particularly on starting or stopping movement) on mouse and keyboard that can be frustrating at times.

ic1male · 23 Jul 2016 at 22:36

I picked up The Witcher 2 but it's only the 360 version so the interface is a bit clunky. The game itself though isn't gripping me as I expected it to. I've reached the second city and am blundering about in the mines. I haven't played it for a week. Apathy has set in.

I think the experience would probably be better on PC but my laptop wouldn't run the first one so I doubt it would do the second.

Paul_cz · 23 Jul 2016 at 22:37

Pudney said:
I cannot stand Witcher 1. It's controls are awful. Witcher 2 is also highly irritating but playable. Witcher 3 is the most tolerable, but even that game has stuttering controls (particularly on starting or stopping movement) on mouse and keyboard that can be frustrating at times.

What do you find awful about TW1 controls? From what I remember I played it like any other third person game. WSAD + mouse and few shortcuts for stances and menus.

Spuddy · 23 Jul 2016 at 22:39

Firstly, what the hell is an ARPG? Whats with all these new acronyms and subcategories, what happened to it just being a good old RPG?

Secondly, I've just recently started playing the Witcher 3 (on PS4), I didnt quite get into it from the first hour of gameplay and it was several weeks before I picked it up again although I am now really enjoying it despite being very very early on in the story.

I've just fought the Baron' botchling, I think its the first time in video game history I've been allowed to wield a sword at a foetus.

Paul_cz · 23 Jul 2016 at 23:02

Spuddy said:
Firstly, what the hell is an ARPG? Whats with all these new acronyms and subcategories, what happened to it just being a good old RPG?

Secondly, I've just recently started playing the Witcher 3 (on PS4), I didnt quite get into it from the first hour of gameplay and it was several weeks before I picked it up again although I am now really enjoying it despite being very very early on in the story.

I've just fought the Baron' botchling, I think its the first time in video game history I've been allowed to wield a sword at a foetus.

Action RPG. Although I would reserve the term ARPG for games like Diablo or Dark Souls, not for Witchers or even Mass Effects.

Also, why not lift the curse ?

Spuddy · 23 Jul 2016 at 23:09

Paul_cz said:
Action RPG. Although I would reserve the term ARPG for games like Diablo or Dark Souls, not for Witchers or even Mass Effects.

Also, why not lift the curse ?

aha! thank you kind sir.

Yeah I went back and opted for that option. It's just been buried and I need to "sit and wait" to see if it develops into a lumpkin (I think its called now) but I've turned it off and will do that tomorrow.

I can see something going horribly horribly wrong.

Is there an easy way to get food to heal or regain health another way in this game? All the in game menus are quite daunting to a newbie.

Kosmiche · 23 Jul 2016 at 23:10

witcher 1 combat is lol

Pudney · 23 Jul 2016 at 23:13

Paul_cz said:
What do you find awful about TW1 controls? From what I remember I played it like any other third person game. WSAD + mouse and few shortcuts for stances and menus.

The camera controls and combat. Every now and then I try to play it again because of the reputation of its story but I get annoyed and stop

HAz · 24 Jul 2016 at 00:18

Spuddy said:
Firstly, what the hell is an ARPG? Whats with all these new acronyms and subcategories, what happened to it just being a good old RPG?

Secondly, I've just recently started playing the Witcher 3 (on PS4), I didnt quite get into it from the first hour of gameplay and it was several weeks before I picked it up again although I am now really enjoying it despite being very very early on in the story.

I've just fought the Baron' botchling, I think its the first time in video game history I've been allowed to wield a sword at a foetus.

You not heard of ARPG? You aint lived mate....

DEL 707 · 24 Jul 2016 at 00:48

Been years since I played no.1, but I remember it taking me several goes before it grabbed me, was definitely slow going at the start. Can also remember the combat system not being up to much.

The combat system has vastly improved over the course of the games.