The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is broadly thought to be the head of CD Projekt Crimson’s action-RPG sequence, and for good purpose. The sport’s monumental success in 2015 shortly overshadowed its predecessors, with many believing there was no have to discover them to benefit from the newest installment. Whereas there’s fact to that, I’ve at all times felt sorry for The Witcher 2, which was considerably missed.
In distinction to its formidable successor, the second entry’s smaller scope with tightly packed, dense areas, mixed with the distinctive ambiance that CDPR completely nailed, makes it certainly one of my favourite RPGs to revisit. Sure facets of Assassins of Kings are merely extra charming, and the flexibility to finish all the recreation in 25 to 30 hours is a big benefit. Positive, one can simply play The Witcher 3 in brief bursts at any time when the temper strikes, however The Witcher 2 simply feels extra intimate.
Don’t get me flawed, I like The Witcher 3. With its beautiful world, unmatched ambiance, and ideal rating, it’s an unforgettable journey that feels virtually endless. I’ve accomplished the third recreation twice, investing over 300 hours. Surprisingly, I’ve spent much more time with the sequence’ second entry. To place it merely, The Witcher 3 is sensible, however I simply suppose The Witcher 2 is healthier.
Witcher 2’s Centered Narrative Creates An Thrilling Circulation
Proper off the bat, The Witcher 2’s story feels extra self-contained and targeted, with a direct story and move that doesn’t get slowed down by too many aspect quests or distractions like amassing Gwent playing cards. The sport is extra on the rails, however this works to its profit. Regardless of a considerably convoluted introduction, that includes a number of prologues (there are flashbacks inside flashbacks, interrogation and escape missions, and sudden sections narrated by Dandelion), The Witcher 2 instantly grabs your consideration and sustains engagement via a deep, twist-filled story stuffed with morally ambiguous selections.
I completely beloved the inventive resolution to briefly let gamers step into the sneakers of varied characters pivotal to the plot. Whereas this will likely really feel unconventional for some, I loved the cinematic contact that added layers to the political narrative. To not point out the lead antagonist, Letho The Kingslayer, who’s as complicated and compelling a personality as one may hope for. Letho’s motivations are each comprehensible and intriguing, along with his morally ambiguous nature and previous connections with Geralt making him arduous to label as a real villain. It’s a disgrace that Letho had restricted display time in The Witcher 3, but he stays certainly one of its most memorable faces.
The development techniques are one other factor that the second recreation arguably did higher than its follow-up. I can’t say I’m a fan of CDPR’s strategy to talent timber usually (even in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0), however at the least The Witcher 2’s expertise at all times really feel extra impactful than most unlocks in its successor. The identical applies to high-level gear, with every sword and armor piece providing distinctive bonuses, reasonably than simply boosting injury or resistance percentages. In consequence, the sense of changing into stronger as you progress is way more noticeable, even within the early levels.
Acquainted Vibe With A Vastly Totally different Method
The Witcher 2 and three share comparable aesthetics, graphics, and musical selections, however their world designs differ considerably. With the present development of outsized sandboxes, many imagine that smaller worlds are literally higher than large environments with gradual transitions between areas. The Witcher 3 partially solves this downside by introducing separate massive areas with their very own temper and landscapes as a substitute of 1 seamless setting. The Witcher 2, nonetheless, excels in making a compact but numerous world. Every location is uniquely crafted, providing memorable experiences with their very own challenges and monsters to slay.
Its large scope additionally meant that The Witcher 3 needed to account for a ton of selections that gamers made and replicate them meaningfully. To its credit score, the sport does a fairly admirable job right here, but attributable to its smaller scope, The Witcher 2’s choice-driven role-playing is solely superior. The sequel’s selections really feel extra impactful, with far-reaching penalties and totally incompatible branches. As an example, gamers can’t solely spare the ultimate boss but in addition encounter a formidable fork within the story previous to the second act, altering the subsequent 10 to fifteen hours considerably. The choice between siding with Vernon Roche and the Blue Stripes or the elven Scoia’tael commander, Iorweth, is among the most impactful selections I’ve ever seen in an RPG, offering a strong purpose to replay the story at the least twice.
With its compact, handcrafted world and significant selections, The Witcher 2 is shorter and encourages a number of playthroughs. Whereas some desire epic, endless adventures, returning to The Witcher 3 after a protracted break might be difficult, main many gamers to by no means end the sport.
As one of many oldest titles within the sequence, The Witcher 2 could quickly be overshadowed by newer entries, together with the upcoming remake of the primary Witcher recreation. It’s a bit unhappy to consider, as this nice chapter deserves consideration from any Witcher fanatic.
CD Projekt Crimson’s dedication to Andrzej Sapkowski’s universe is really admirable, and every recreation holds a particular place in my coronary heart. Nonetheless, The Witcher 2’s presentation, story, characters, and selections have notably resonated with me. Its leaner and extra easy construction makes it the right RPG for after I’m within the temper for Slavic fantasy with Geralt. Truly, I is perhaps within the temper for it proper now.
