The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Previews

The hands-on previews of CD Projekt RED’s The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings continue into the weekend, with a trio of new articles showing up over at Destructoid…

Instead of having a tiresome chain of events explained to you, the game expects you to figure out what exactly is going on by just dealing with present events and by paying attention to key characters that shed light on the situation at hand. It’s a refreshing take on the old narrative structure we’ve grown accustomed to in RPGs, for sure.

What matters for Geralt there and then is the battle at hand, not why the battle is fought in the first place, and that’s what the game focuses on. You make your way to the castle’s walls, riding along in a tower with the King’s elite, while Geralt notes how the real men fight in the piss- and shit-filled streets below as the aristocracy literally towers above them. Finally, it’s time for action.

Combat is now a far easier affair than in the last game. Geralt automatically attacks the nearest enemy when you click to attack, so you can just mash the mouse buttons (for quick and heavy attacks) to hack and slash your way through combat if you please. You’ll see Geralt making acrobatic leaps and rolls to cross the distance before he slashes down his foe. That is, until you encounter shielded and heavier enemies who will destroy you if you don’t block incoming blows, or dodge out of the way to attack them from behind.

…Shacknews (where the DRM and endings are covered)…

The Witcher 2 will utilize SecuROM copy-protection for its retail release, deciding it was the least intrusive way to protect its content from piracy. Though they are aware some gamers will groan at the decision to use SecuROM, CD Projekt noted that the game will allow for “unlimited installations on an unlimited number of computers” and allow “play on up to five computers at once.” The game requires an internet connection for the game’s initial activation. According to the presentation, this will ensure that The Witcher 2 cannot be played before the game’s May 17 release.

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Unlike the original game in the series, The Witcher 2 will not see any censorship between regions. Each region will feature the same story and gameplay. Additionally, the sequel features up to sixteen different endings. During the conference, CD Projekt issued a challenge to players of The Witcher 2: the first person to unlock all sixteen endings (and prove it with a save file), will be awarded a special t-shirt.

…and EveryEye:

Returning to the equipment, we will find many materials, such as tissues, scales, nets and ropes, we can take from those responsible for making weapons, armor and traps, but only if we have the correct formulas and drawings to be submitted to the master craftsman consideration. The knowledge of the enemy and the elements to be used for manufacturing will be crucial. Thanks to repeated clashes against them or the purchase of descriptive texts, not only highlight in our quest-log opponents’ weaknesses and how to extract reagents from their bodies, but also get those elaborate recipes to build such a new armor or a pair of pants or gloves spectacular properties. In addition to this we can also extract mutagens from rare species to be used directly in the rich skill-tree of the witcher’s abilities, so that will change depending on which fragments of DNA injected into our bodies. Personalization is the highest level and then surpasses that of the previous chapter, thanks to more accurately descriptive statistics that change with each individual improvement. Of course, back dust and runes to sharpen our weapons, that will change their shape graphically, depending on what will apply.

All this would not have been possible if it were not behind a game engine capable of surprising and so many artistic media content. The Red Engine, programmed from scratch specifically for four years, shows many strengths and screenshots that now Circal freely on the net, surprising even the most jaded. However, as we found from a strictly technical point of view we can raise some doubt, for example on non-direct support 16:10 resolutions and LoD Distance infelicitous in open spaces, which gives rise to pop-in definitely marked. However, the frame rate remains solid and has never fallen below the trigger level, guaranteed minimum of experience and fluid dancer. The loadings are also almost non-existent and although, for now, the promises of an everlasting unbroken continuity between interior and exterior have been completely preserved, it can be stated that total immersion is achieved. Let’s hope that programmers are able to further improve the output from there, perhaps even placing some parameter HDR, hesitant to change from one location to the very dark sky. Spectacular but just this last in the passage between the hours of day and weather from rainy, cloudy and serene. The various phases of the day are brightly represented in an exceptional way: we have not seen anything like the infamous Times of Day of the first Crysis. Finally, the texture will leave you flabbergasted, reaching the spatial dimensions of 4096×4096 in many areas, providing a level of detail of the first order.