The Witcher | 
| From: Atari
List Price: $39.99
Buy New: $29.99
You Save: $10.00 (25%)
New (19) Used (4) from $20.75
Rating:  75 reviews
Sales Rank: 1083
Platforms: Windows Xp, Windows Vista
Genre: role_playing_games
ESRB: Mature
Media: DVD-ROM
Batteries Included: No
Age: 17 - 20 years
Operating System: Windows XP
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 2.5
MPN: 27556
UPC: 742725275560
EAN: 0742725275560
ASIN: B000R2XJJK
Release Date: October 30, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Story-driven role-playing game where game decisions have drastic consequences. | | • | Strategic use of herbalism to collect and create potions that have positive and negative effects on character. | | • | Action-heavy real-time combat with extensive weapon and magic specializations. |
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Product Description
The Witcher is a pinnacle of storytelling in role-playing games. It shatters the line between good and evil, building a world where moral ambiguity reigns. You'll become your own idea of what a great hero should be, as you control Geralt of Rivia -- a a white-haired "witcher," monster-slayer-for-hire and master swordsman. While trying to regain his lost memory, Geralt unwillingly becomes involved in a world-shaking power struggle. In the process, you'll deal head-on with matters that most fantasy worlds ignore: Racism, political intrigue and genocide, to name a few. The Witcher emphasizes story and character development in a vibrant world, while incorporating tactically-deep real-time combat like no game before it. Incredible tactical depth - Six combat styles, dozens of potions, complex alchemy system, modifiable weapons and powerful magic -- all working together in a fluid real-time experience Inspired by the writings of renowned Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski
Amazon.com
Reinvigorating the role-playing genre with a fresh and modern approach, The Witcher combines unrivalled story and character development in an original, vibrant world with tactically-deep real-time combat and a challenging view of good and evil that will intrigue RPG players of all levels. 
Hunt with Geralt, the White Wolf | 
He's not your average monster-hunting mercenary. View larger. | 
He'll pit blade against beast. View larger. | 
Or go mano v. mana. View larger. | 
Explore an elegant and inventive combat system. View larger. | Based on the "Witcher Saga" of books and short stories by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and built utilizing the powerful Neverwinter Nights engine, The Witcher immerses players in a beautifully vivid, but harsh fantasy world in the role of a Geralt, an adept and feared monster-slayer-for-hire. Brutally trained from birth to be a cold-hearted assassin whose services are available to the highest bidder, yet troubled by a past he can't entirely remember, Geralt is a classic anti-hero. To this most renowned of witchers, a society of mutants born with superhuman strength and reflexes and trained at a high level in magic and alchemy, killing has been and seemingly should remain a strictly commercial affair, but as questions about his past come to the fore, so do doubts surrounding the morality of his trade. And these doubts only grow when bits of his past are revealed as he and you grow in power and acclaim through the progression of the game. The Thin Line Between Good and Evil
Far from a common black and white treatment of good and evil, the moral attitudes defining the world of The Witcher are as close to that of our own prevalent real world view as you are likely to see in a modern RPG. Set in a time dominated by vanity, greed and prejudice, there is no lack of work for Geralt as the kingdoms of the North forsake old alliances and give in to endless intrigue and purges instead of facing a growing tide of evil. But as despicable as the monsters, non-human enemies and pure human trash you are hired to eliminate may seem and may very well be, pity, mercy and good faith are nearly always a possible option to deadly force and one that can change Geralt's overall destiny. It's this kernel of reality in a universe peopled with fantastic and sometimes frightening beings and creatures against a backdrop of morally challenging scenarios that will keep players coming back for more as they explore the varying consequences of Geralt's choices and the choices forced upon him. Character Development
A witcher's destiny is preordained at birth, but your goal is to determine Geralt's specific path. Hidden within The Witcher are a startling 250 in-game skills and abilities that allow you to define and in many cases plan the evolution of Geralt's character. Will he rely mainly on his skill with a blade? Develop into an arcane battle mage? Transform into a potent alchemist? Or meld all these skills into a more complicated, but potentially unbeatable combo of all three? Give some thought to your path, but know it will not always be an easy or thoughtful one. Filled with non-linear decision-making opportunities and consequences, expect to be forced into quick decisions, choices between the lesser of two evils and to invariably be stuck with the consequences of your employer's short-sighted plans for your services. It's these consequences that will determine your progression through the game's storyline and lead to the availability of different skills and abilities. Stunning Real-time Combat
Possessing superior strength, speed and agility makes Geralt quick to draw his blade when conflict arises, but this birthright is not always the right skill to rely on and depending on the enemy, can prove disastrous. To survive in this world of varied threats you will need to put aside the button mashing common to other RPGs and utilize The Witcher's complex yet intuitive combat- based fighting system. You will learn quickly to switch seamlessly between the game's six combat styles, dozens of potions, complex alchemy and magic systems and weapons modification mode, using your mouse alone or mouse with keyboard, to add tactical depth to your combat experience. Once you have mastered these, you will also have time to appreciate the ground-breaking fluidity of the game's 600 in-game combat animations, based on actual medieval sword-fighting techniques and performed by experts at Frankfurt's renowned Metric Minds Studio. It's only through a combined focus on Geralt's physical and mental capabilities that you can hope to survive the viciously violent world he inhabits and unlock both his true potential as a warrior as well as the secrets hidden in his past. Complete Game Features: - Geralt of Rivia: a one-of-a-kind protagonist
- A charismatic and unique character, Geralt is a mutant swordmaster and professional monster slayer.
- Choose from over 250 special abilities correlated to attributes, combat skills and magical powers to build the character in a way best suited to tactical needs and style of play.
- Original fantasy world drawn from literature
- Inspired by the writings of renowned Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.
- Featuring adult themes, less fairy-tale than typical fantasy, with mature social issues like racism, political intrigue and genocide.
- It is a harsh world where nothing is black or white, right or wrong, often forcing players to choose between the lesser of two evils to advance.
- Non-linear and captivating storyline
- Full of turns, twists and ambiguous moral decisions which have real impact on the storyline.
- All quests can be accomplished in several ways and the game has three different endings depending on the player's actions and choices throughout the adventure.
- Visually stunning tactical action
- Engage in complex yet intuitive real-time combat based on real medieval sword-fighting techniques.
- Motion capture performed by medieval fighting experts at Frankfurt's renowned Metric Minds studio, resulting in 600 spectacular and authentic in-game combat animations.
- Six combat styles, dozens of potions, complex alchemy system, modifiable weapons and powerful magic add tactical depth to the fluid real-time experience.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 70 more reviews...
PURE VISUAL MAGIC! October 28, 2007
NeuroSplicer (Freeside, in Orbit)
124 out of 131 found this review helpful
This is the most awaited fantasy cRPG in the past 2 years. For most part, IT DELIVERS!
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL cRPG GAMES I HAVE EVER PLAYED!
The environments are detailed, realistic, and can be experienced from up close. Grass, flowers and tree branches moved in both FABLE and TITAN QUEST as well; these, however, seem so true I caught myself reaching for my...antihistamines! Weather affects and day-night alterations (you have to see the elongating shadows to believe them!) are just gorgeous! More importantly, these are not just eye-candy: certain NPCs and monsters appear only when the correct combination of time-of-day and weather coincide...The horizon is far and the clouds move in endless variations. It reminded me of the sky of the original UNREAL, another visually ground-breaking game at its time. PURE VISUAL MAGIC!
The character (Geralt) can master both sword-fighting and magic spells (what is known as a Warlock). To some die-hard RPG fans this may seem like heresy, nevertheless, keep in mind that multi-classing is not unheard off. The movement repertoire for both practices are impressively designed. Especially the sword-fighting, it is at par to any console action game. And the spells (both offensive and defensive ones) are not less impressive.
Free roaming? Much more than FAR CRY or FABLE. Nevertheless, quests and side-quest still have to be completed and, yes, eventually a subtle, yet ever present, directionality is present.
Looting and bartering? Aaah...yes, sort of. You practically never change the sword you start off with (although you do get to improve its abilities), whereas good armor is only a little easier to come by compared to PLANESCAPE. On the upside, you get to gamble, have romantic relationships (FABLE was full of great ideas after all!) and bribe for information, so trinkets have other uses as well.
Detailed character modifiers? Nothing like the AD&D rules. You gain talents (gold, silver & bronze) which you can spend to improve your fighting or magical abilities. Pretty much like the DIABLO or the TITAN QUEST abilities systems.
So, apart for the slight action-cRPG handicap, I have only two other objections. First, the...camera placement. Once more (remember NWN2...) auto-placement can get to your nerves as it targets your character even if that is not the most logical option. Second, the controls. They need getting used to as the fighting combos are easily ruined by clicking out of sync. You do eventually get the hold of it, however it keeps glitching.
Whereas the BALDUR's GATES saga was story-heavy but (by today standards) visually lacking and the NEVERWINTER NIGHTS series was found, well, lacking in both aspects, THE WITCHER is the dream cRPG that BIOWARE was supposed to be capable of releasing all along. Finally it is here.
RECOMMENDED!
PS:
It has come up in the readers' comments, so I feel I should warn that this is the CENSORED version (the original version has some nudity and more...realistic language). Obviously, once more, ATARI believes America to be violence-insatiable yet sexually-immature.
I understand that these issues are important to many parents and they do have the right to raise their children as they see fit. Nevertheless, I would rather BOTH versions were available to chose from.
The uncensored version is available in Europe (you could try amazon.uk).
One big flaw but otherwise an excellent PC RPG November 18, 2007
Chad Charowhas (San Francisco, CA USA)
110 out of 131 found this review helpful
Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first....
The engine:
The one big flaw is the load/save times. Everybody hates it and everybody should. The game is easily worth the annoyance that comes with this, but c'mon people...learn to optimize your code! By the end of the game I kept a magazine at my computer which allowed me to tolerate it better...I recommend you plan ahead and do the same. I also had about one crash/ 6 hours gameplay. If you include an occasional combat lock (character would enter a tragic stutter loop, especially when pinned against impassable terrain and monsters) it came to about one forced reload / 3 hours. I don't consider that too bad for RPGs...it just isn't possible to test everything for every computer. Of course, the annoyance factor for a crash is way higher when reloading takes forever. On the flip side I never had to go farther back than one save because of a plot break.
Graphics:
Very good. Not groundbreaking, but immersive and high quality. I found myself chasing a bunch of pigeons just to watch them take off and climb higher and higher into the sky. The sunset is beatiful and lights up the whole sky. I started with the settings on high until the additional load-times outweighed the eyecandy enjoyment (about halfway through).
The combat system(gameplay):
Innovative and interesting. The attack chaining system is good, though a little unfair how easy some enemies are 'stun-locked.' Magic and swordplay interact well. They both become very powerful, but not too fast to be uninteresting. I highly recommend playing the game on hard to keep it interesting though...hard forces you to use alchemy to survive. This triumverate (sword, sorcery, alchemy), makes combat and character development very engaging. There is more than one way to conquor the system. The character has one MAJOR advantage though...speed. You can easily outrun anything. While some combats were a struggle, I could usually start running while under the influence of the 'speed healing' potion and ultimately win against more powerful enemies. Also, the game does depend on a few basic click skills. If you get stuck on one it could be very frustrating. Be sure your graphic settings do not kill your mouse timing. Also, IMHO the over the shoulder camera is far superior to the others...for all aspects of the game.
Inventory system:
Some good choices, some mediocre ones. Keeping quest items separate was a stroke of genius. You never have to worry about dropping a primary plot item. Treating big items (weapons and armor) separate from little ones (alcohol, food, greases) is a mixed blessing. There is no way to sell or delay choosing between weapons. They provide you with generous inn storage, but your on person storage is more limited. Personally I think they should go all or nothing (either very realistic like Stalker, or total conveinence (unlimited secondary items...unlimited weapons and armor would be going too far). However, there was clearly significant thought put into the whole system and it shows.
Storyline:
Slightly on the linear side, but there is still a strong sandbox element. The real strength is how your early choices impact the game later. It makes you think about the big choices for a long time because they really matter. Sometimes the consequences are very orthogonal, other times they are more predictable. There are a good number of interesting sidequests. Of special side quest note is the very 'notches on the bedpost' type set of cards that you collect for your 'secondary' conquests. While this is somewhat lewd, it is a very nice touch which adds alot of color to the game. Gambling and boxing are also secondary conquests which add alot of color. Very nice distractions from the main plot yet different from the standard FedEx side-quests. Because of the long range effect of plot choices, replayability is somewhat all or nothing. Reloading and trying the other choice works well for dialog options but not for plot twists. If you are a completist, prepare to be sucked in for a LONG time.
The verdict:
The real strength of the game is how it balances the different RPG elements. In this area it is amongst the best RPGs of all time. Most RPGs usually fail somewhere. Some lack a driving primary story that alters the world and choices that matter (Oblivion); some have character or combat development flaws (gothic 2...ever play a mage?); some are HORRENDOUSLY buggy (gothic 3); some are too linear (final fantasy). No game is perfect and much is a matter of taste, but most RPG gamers will greatly appreciate this offering...as long as they are patient with the loadtimes.
4.5-5 stars for the game. Subtract a star for the aggravating load times = solid 4 star game.
 Excellent Story, Excellent Visuals, Excellent Dialogue November 7, 2007
Michael D. Cooper
61 out of 81 found this review helpful
As a fan of some European games such as the Gothic series, I got my hopes up pretty high when I heard this one was making it into the States. I was a bit disheartened to learn that the U.S. version is somewhat censored (self-censored by the publisher, not the government or ESRB), and owning the uncensored version I can tell you that the differences are mostly minor and do not detract overall from the story.
Being built on the NWN engine, you wouldn't know it. The entire rendering engine has been replaced, the control scheme is very different, and virtually the only thing I can say I recognized were some of the item highlights and inventory selection. Instead of tilesets, the developer designed each area in 3DSMax, and imported them into the engine.
The results are very fresh and unique areas, and each area has the 'look' that the developer envisioned.
I have not read the books by the Polish author who came up with the idea, and I do not believe they are yet available here in the U.S., but I do have to say that the story is very engaging, the characters are believable, the interaction and choices are real, and this is a very 'deep' RPG which forces you to make real choices that have no apparent right or wrong answer.
The world isn't black and white, and most RPGs are. Not this one - every choice is shades of gray, and you will find it difficult to make decisions, sometimes which bear down to the lesser of two evils.
If I had to compare it to other games, I'd say you had the story telling ability of Gothic, the feel of Knights of the Old Republic, and a bit of unique feel to the game.
I believe this is worth the purchase, and even though I think the title of the game might put some people off, you won't be disappointed.
There are no bugs to speak of, though a patch is available for download which fixes some minor annoyances.
In all, I think this is a gem that may be overlooked by some at first glance, but for those who pick it up it will be one of those games you fondly remember as among your favorites.
 The Dreadful Aurora Engine November 5, 2007
A. Lee (Houston, TX USA)
17 out of 27 found this review helpful
***Revised since the initial review with the patch 1.2***
I reserved this game after the promising previews released by many medium. Once the installation is completed, I was in for a shock.
The game is quite linear, and many times you are confined to one small section of the worldmap until you complete enough essential quests to advance to the next level. The game is divided into several chapters. Within limit, you can do side quests any order you choose to or completely ignore them. To emphasize the strong narrative drive and more character-driven game, certain sacrifice of freedom is understandable. Not all RPGs should be TES (The Elder Scrolls) series. What cause the serious flaw of the game is the engine that was used to create the game.
The immersion is constantly broken and hindered by horrific engine called 'Aurora Engine'. What could have been an impressive game is seriously marred by the dreadful 'Aurora Engine' by Bioware. Although the Polish game developers 'CD Projekt' modified 'Aurora Engine', they inherited all the shortcoming of the engine such as long loading time, framerate issue, bad camera angle, etc.
The biggest problem caused by this God-awful engine is the loading time. You thought the loading time in 'NWN 2' was bad. The excessive loading times last from 30 seconds to upward of 2 minutes. It's bad enought that you do need to see the loading screen between indoor and outdoor environment, but God. I've never experienced such a long loading time since 'Gothic 3'. It breaks the immersion since you spend more time staring at your loading screen than traversing a tiny section of the game map at a time. Games like 'Oblivion' and 'Two Worlds' put the entire 'absolutely gigantic in-game map' on a single loading within 10 seconds, why does 'The Withcher' requires longer than 2 minutes to load small section of in-game map? Although 'Gothic 3' has arguably the worst loading time in the history of CRPG, once loading is done you don't have loading areas ever until you are dead. As often as you need to move back and forth into diffrent loading areas in 'The Witcher', this is quite a back-breaker.
***Revision Begins***
With the patch 1.2, the loading time is significantly reduced, however, the initial loading takes still longer than 1 min close to 2 sometimes. Loading into smaller area takes about 10 seconds, but coming out still takes 20 to 30 seconds. The loading time is now definitely bearable, but still too long with all that required frequent loadings.
***Revision Ends***
Almost equally problemetic is the camera angle. None of the three-available camera is good enough. Furthermore, it is really difficult to adjust the camera position within the already-confined range of the camera. At least in 'NWN2', the gamer had the ability to adjust the angle of the camera.
Then comes the awful 'floating in the air' feel issue just as in 'NWN2'. This issue will take tolls even on the most powerful computer rigs currently available, and lowering your video options will hardly improve the matter. This is non-specs specific symptom caused by lack of optimization rather than serious stuttering framerate drop caused by lack of computer horsepower. Once loading is completed, the framerate itself is very steady and the game runs very smooth without hiccup or tearing.
Besides all the inherited evils from 'Aurora Engine', the combat mechanics is broken. I give credit to the developers for trying to innovate RPG combat mechanics by combining turn-base / menu-driven combat and hack-and-slash click-fest combat. Although it works in theory, the gamer will be too preoccuppied to connect the combo attack, they miss out on combat animation altogether. The problem here is without constantly connecting chains of combo attack, you will not be able to carry out any attack, so you have to pay attention to on-screen signals to time your mouse-clicking. At least in clickfest combat, you can fix your eyes on the animation and enjoy.
It's a shame, because this game has some impressive plotline and depth of characters and conversation that hasn't been seen since 'Planescape: Torment'. Past the aforementioned flaws, there are plenty of good gaming to be had, but what flaws the gamers are asked to overcome.
Maybe some prefers isometric, bird's eye view camera angle deep into the 21st century. Many people claims to be a hard-core RPG gamers, and are proud to enjoy the limited camera angle, uninvolving combat, and clumsy menu interfaces. They wear them as if it were the badge of honor. I still have the original copies of every single 'Ultima', 'Baldur's Gate', 'Fallout', 'Diablo' series along with 'Planescape: Torment'. I enjoyed them in the past, and I'll cherish the awesome memories of them in the back of my mind, but I've moved on. In the 20th century, they were more than acceptible because of the limitation of the technology. I am forever ruined by non-linear, open-ended, free-form RPG such as TES, Two Worlds, and Gothic series. Heck, even some 2D isometric CRPGs like 'Divine Divinity' and 'Sacred Gold' offer huge non-linear, open-ended, free-form game world that require no loading. As much as I enjoy many games made by 'Bioware' engines, I really hate the fact that their games always give me this confined, limited feel due to the modular nature of the game world. If I have to give up nonlinear gameplay, then I'll have the grandeur of Final Fantasy series anytime of the day. If I have to give up more up close and personal combat over 'point and click with mouse', then I might as well just give up RPG altogether and enjoy the ever-terrific 'Total War' series.
For those who can overcome the flaws of the game, character design is delicate and well-drawn, the environment is beautiful, dialogues are well-written, combat animation is exciting and various, and most of all, the story is distinctively different from the typical RPG elements. Choices are plentiful during the conversations. Many will affect the outcome in the future. The game is a spiritual succesor of the RPG classic 'Planescape: Torment'. If you ever played the game, you have some idea of what to expect. The overall production value is exceptionally outstanding, and the game is nicely polished. It is truly a shame because this game could have been one of the best RPG game without in-game technical flaws, and these are flaws patches cannot fix.
 Game crashes constantly on Vista November 10, 2007
djvampira
16 out of 36 found this review helpful
I really, really wanted to like this game because I love the premise. However, I was unable to play it more than 30 minutes at a time due to it crashing constantly. It would happen when the game was loading a new screen and when I tried to save my progress. My computer specs go above and beyond what is recommended, I have downloaded all of the patches available, I have tried everything under the sun to get this game to work, and yet it STILL crashes. This is now a well known issue and there are tons of people, besides myself, having this problem.
If you have Vista wait until they come out with patches that fix this because the game is unplayable.
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