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The Witcher Review
Chris Leyton
29/10/2007
CD Projekt's dark take on Andrzej Sapkowski's The Witcher provides a shaky but satisfying RPG experience...
Inundated with adaptations of the seasonal Hollywood blockbusters, it seems videogame publishers and developers tend to put less emphasis on the written word when it comes to the next big videogame. Aside from the works of H.P Lovecraft and the associated Call of Cthulhu videogames, we can't think of too many examples that jump straight to mind - William Shakespeare presents Macbeth 2.0, errr maybe not!
Based around the literary works of Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher has widely been regarded as the defining chapter of Polish fantasy fiction for the past 15 years, though thankfully the game begins in a manner that means you don't have to be particularly au-fait with The Witcher (a good thing seeing as it's only been translated into English this year). The first title to emerge from CD Projekt, better known for distributing games across Eastern Europe, it's evident that The Witcher has been a labour of love for the Polish developer, and it's a vision that the mighty Bioware seems to share.
Witchers of the Old Republic
In a land of racial tensions between humans, dwarves and elves, players assume the role of Geralt the Witcher. Mutant monster-hunters with supernatural abilities, witchers are feared by all, their gruff and selfish exterior providing the perfect demeanour for their lifestyle and image as a social misfit. Dealing with issues such as racism, genocide, drug use, and Geralt's sexual conquests, The Witcher handles topics not traditionally associated with videogames from the onset. Admittedly, the prolificacy of fantastical cussing ("Your mother blows dwarves") looses its edge after awhile and lends a comedy undertow that probably wasn't intended, but overall The Witcher feels suitably dark with a gritty, mature story to tell.
Working in conjunction with Bioware and granted the use of their Aurora engine (albeit tidied up for 2007), it's little surprise to find The Witcher looks and plays similarly to Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire. Much like these titles, moralistic choices running throughout The Witcher define the entire experience; however remaining true to the works of Sapkowski, grey is the colour and theme running throughout The Witcher, from the bleak skies above the lands of Temeria to the decisions you'll have to make. Undoubtedly, this grey area provides The Witcher's strongest quality. Decisions you make in the game are less black and white, less trivial, than they seemed to be in Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire, with the consequences of some choices left until much later in the game. As a result, this aspect of the game manages to rise above its peers, lending the game a sense of sincerity beyond picking choices you know will affect the path you want to choose.
Occasionally the game gets a little too stringent on your dialogue choices, with ramifications that you perhaps didn't want to come to. Attempting to solve a crime during Act II and identify the murderer amongst a list of suspects, your choice during certain conversations will shape the eventual outcome, even if the game comes to a different conclusion to the one you've already (correctly) made.
The Finest Swordplay In A Videogame
Taking one look at the battle-scarred Geralt it comes as no surprise to find the witcher can hold his own in a fight. Using a combination of silver and steel blades (to fight monsters and humans respectively) along with two additional slots for extra weapons, combat in The Witcher provides a deeply engaging and clever setup. Switching between one of three different styles (Speed, Strong, Group), combat requires careful timing to string together combos with the required style dependant on the opponents. Dodging is also a crucial technique to master, with a double tap on any of the direction buttons unleashing a range of rolls, jumps, and other life-saving evasive manoeuvres. Because you're controlling the point dictating Geralt's orientation instead of manual taking control, swordplay in The Witcher offers a greater fluidity than we've seen in any other such game. It's effortless to switch between targets, manoeuvring like a ballet-dancer with a big sword until you've strung enough blows together to perform a deadly yet impressive killing move.
Magic takes the form of five different Signs to master, each unleashing a wide variety of spells that compliment the blows, slashes, and pirouettes that Geralt specialises in as opposed to standing out on their own merit. Unlocked as Geralt progresses through the adventure, the manner in which they compliment the fighting ensures the action is always entertaining, visceral, and requires a thoughtful approach throughout.
If the ties to Bioware's past titles needed further reference, there's also the mini-game of Dice Poker to chase after, which surprisingly is more enjoyable than the obscure games featured in Knights of the Old Republic. With alchemic elements to harvest, books to read, and a gazillion side-quests to chase after, The Witcher features the plethora of extra bits and bobs RPG fans will appreciate whilst helping to develop the universe in which the game is set.
Naturally for such an RPG, character development is a significant aspect of the game, and it's an area CD Projekt haven't skimped upon. With 250 different skills and abilities to unlock across a range of levels, Geralt continues to get meaner and deadlier as the game progresses. Alongside the standard list of abilities (Strength, Stamina, Dexterity, Intelligence), which unlock a variety of further techniques and abilities with Bronze, Silver, and Gold talent points, Geralt can also upgrade his proficiency with Steel and Silver blades, alongside the five different magic signs he unlocks. The tree system enables a greater degree of choice when it comes to shaping Geralt's development, naturally expanding upon his repertoire in an organic manner.
Split across six different chapters, The Witcher is an overwhelmingly large adventure to play through. Embracing the moralistic dilemmas Geralt faces, many of the missions require a careful degree of thought, such as tracking down the guilty murderer through investigation and an autopsy. So large is the scope and substance of The Witcher that it can begin to get a little daunting, even for hardened RPG veterans. Admittedly the Track Quest option helps significantly, but it does reduce the game to little more than fed-ex'ing between checkpoints in a run-of-the-mill manner.
Like many ambitious RPGs before it, The Witcher can occasionally be a tricky game to persevere past the frequent little shortcomings. Often you'll have to kill time, however the necessity of discovering a campfire to rest and meditate often makes it easier for Geralt to drink himself into an oblivion and waste a few hours. Given the effort poured into The Witcher since its announcement back in 2004, it's also a little disappointing to see the same old character models repeatedly used. You'll often find yourself walking amongst the same downtrodden paupers, twins of the clergy, and women of the night. Using AI to provide daily routines and make important NPC decisions such as where to shelter from the rain, trying to track down specific individuals can be a frustrating affair. The appearance of a 'Day 1' patch suggests the developers are well aware of such issues, so there's some hope CD Projekt can continue refining the game until it fully realises its wider potential.
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