The Witcher 2 is an open world. ⇡ Death is always near

Minimum requirements: Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz/ Athlon 64 X2 4800+ 2.5 GHz, 1 GB RAM for Windows XP, 2 GB RAM for Windows Vista/Windows 7, video card with 512 MB memory and DirectX 9.0c support, for example GeForce 8800GS/ Radeon HD2900 Pro, 16 GB hard drive Recommended requirements: Quad Core/AMD equivalent, 3 GB RAM, 1 GB video card, e.g. ATI Radeon HD4850/GeForce GTX260 Release date: May 17, 2011 Age limit: from 18 years old

Even with a quick glance at the subject of our conversation today, it becomes clear that the money earned by CD Projekt RED from the sale of The Witcher did not evaporate in an unknown direction. The Witcher sequel is positively bursting with huge production costs, multiplied by the developers’ love for their work. Thanks to this seemingly simple combination, one of the most ambitious RPGs of recent years was born.

Like any ambitious game, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (for short, just The Witcher 2) is not without its flaws. However, they are just a couple of thin trees in a dense forest of virtues. You will get lost in this thicket from the very first minutes of the prologue, and at the end of the path an understanding will surely come - all future role-playing games will inevitably have to go down this same road, perishing along the way or adequately withstanding a duel with The Witcher 2. However, enough verbiage - it’s time to consider the creation Polish developers in the smallest detail and understand why it is worth praising to the skies.

⇡ Death is always near

From the very beginning of the prologue, you understand that something extraordinary awaits you - the mutilated Geralt is interrogated by recent comrades, and a picture of recent events unfolds before the player. The introduction is very harsh - The Witcher 2, despite the weak squeak of protest from “casual” players, roughly grabs the gamer by the scruff of the neck and throws him into the seething whirlpool of events. Instead of a step-by-step training in the basic game mechanics, there is a desperate assault on the castle, during which we are asked to use trial and error to understand how to handle the sword and magic spells and signs. Get ready for a dozen or so deaths and reboots - only after them will you realize what and how to do to stay alive. The experience gained in The Witcher will not help here, since the combat system has undergone a complete overhaul.

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

The rhythmic clicking of the original is a thing of the past, giving way to more traditional mechanics reminiscent of slashers and third-person action games. The mouse buttons are responsible for blows of varying strength, and several hotkeys allow you to block, dodge and use signs. The camera is firmly positioned behind the shoulders of the main character, and the “action” WASD layout is responsible for movement. At first, it seems that everything is painfully familiar from many other games and it won’t be difficult to get used to it, but the battles in The Witcher 2 are a unique experience of dancing with death.

Throughout the game, battles will remain intense, requiring tactical ingenuity. It's hard to put into words, but somehow CD Projekt RED managed to create the feeling that Geralt is just a person, albeit an unusual one. Yes, he masterfully handles heavy two-handed swords (steel - against people, silver - against evil spirits), masters magic signs and understands alchemy. However, in a battle with three or four opponents, it is enough to make a couple of mistakes, and the white-haired witcher will be torn to pieces. He is not a superhero who can do anything, but it is this trait that perhaps makes Geralt a real and living hero.

⇡ The thorny path to answers

However, his position is very unenviable. Geralt is accused of a murder he did not commit. To clear his good name, the witcher sets off on the trail of a mysterious kingslayer. His identity will soon be revealed, but the plot of The Witcher 2 is not a detective investigation, but political intrigue, unexpected meetings, mysteries from Geralt’s past and, of course, difficult decisions that the player constantly has to make on the way to the finale.

The combination of “open world” is interpreted here completely differently than in the games of The Elder Scrolls series. In The Witcher 2, the locations are compact, but spacious enough to veer off the main path and explore. CD Projekt RED believes that true freedom is not the kilometers of territory through which the player wanders, but the ability to make choices that not only determine the fate of the main character, but also have consequences for the world around him.

I don’t want to give any specific examples so as not to spoil the fun for those who have not yet played The Witcher 2. Suffice it to say that the vast majority of side quests have several ways to solve them, and the consequences of the choice can appear after quite a long time. As for the main plot, everything is even more global here - your decisions will affect where Geralt will go, who he will meet, who he will fight shoulder to shoulder with, and much more. At the same time, the concepts of “right” or “wrong” simply do not exist. The Witcher is not a paladin who went on a crusade in the name of justice and the salvation of everyone he meets, and not a notorious villain who burns villages and kidnaps children. Geralt is just looking for answers to his questions, and if this means protecting a person or passing by the abomination going on around him, well, he’ll have to do so.

And there is plenty of nastiness in the gloomy world created by writer Andrzej Sapkowski, and The Witcher 2 is not shy about showcasing it. Behind the bawdy jokes of drinkers and women, short dwarves, there is a hidden pain and hatred of racist people - the latter also despise elves, many of whom joined the militant Scoy Tael partisans. The most repulsive in this dark fantasy are not the monsters, hunted by witchers, namely representatives of humanoid races with their xenophobia and willingness to walk over the corpses of their fellows.

The rating “from 18 years old” is more than deserved - obscene expressions are a normal means of communication for many here, and during battles the witcher periodically demonstrates his fencing skills, cutting off the enemies’ limbs, from which blood flows profusely. The pleasant curves of naked female bodies are an almost everyday occurrence in The Witcher 2, since now Geralt actually makes love to beautiful ladies, and does not collect cards with their images. The process is demonstrated in the form of soft eroticism, and not in the spirit of the scandalous Hot Coffee mod for GTA: San Andreas, so that certain highly moral individuals can rest easy. However, this game is not about sex and violence, here they are just integral attributes of the overall picture.

Gorgeous, without exaggeration, graphics only emphasize the gloomy mood of the inhabitants of this world. The intense palette is dominated by bright and at the same time dark colors, and the technological base developed by CD Projekt RED allows you to take the picture to a level previously unattainable for an RPG. The visuals of The Witcher 2 are the best that computer games have to offer. The picture is breathtaking, the impression is only enhanced by the variety of locations: gloomy thickets through which the bright rays of the sun can hardly reach the ground, thick fogs from which a grave-like cold emanates, dungeon walls oozing with moisture. Everything is done with such love and care that the stunning graphics become not only a technological achievement, but also an artistic one - the textures on the villagers’ houses are at least slightly different from one another, and the blades of grass along the winding paths seem to have been grown by hand by the level designers.

It is noteworthy that all this splendor works using DirectX 9, and not DirectX 11. Which, however, does not prevent The Witcher 2 from experiencing an increased appetite for system resources. If you want to enjoy the highest possible graphics settings, prepare a top-end gaming machine - on it the game will look like an illustration from the Witcher books come to life. Perhaps this is the best characteristic of the appearance of The Witcher 2. It is difficult to find a more successful example of such a harmonious combination of artistic and technological components.

⇡ Equilibrium

The soundtrack also greatly contributes to immersion. The characters speak as they should - you will never confuse a village beggar with a garrison guard captain. Wandering around the world, Geralt will meet many different people, endowed with their own character and manner of speech. The voice acting is made to match the texts - the dialogues are interesting and filled with life, conversations in The Witcher 2 do not cause a feeling of pretense and artificiality of what is happening.

The cornerstone of The Witcher 2 is the almost magical balance of all its components. None of them pull the blanket over themselves, making the others look like just makeweights. But at the same time, each element deserves separate mention.

For example, a character leveling system. Geralt is able to improve in four areas: alchemy, swordsmanship, general training and magic signs. Each point invested in development adds something new to battles, often allowing for significant diversification of tactics. Of course, there are “percentage” improvements too, but for the most part, skill development brings new opportunities. For example, having mastered the Quen protective sign, Geralt will be able to send half of the damage dealt to him back at his enemies, and developing the art of parrying will allow him to deflect arrows towards would-be snipers and defend against flank attacks. But, it’s worth repeating, our white-haired mutant will never become omnipotent - he’ll just have a better chance of getting out of a fight alive.

We should also talk about alchemy. In his travels, Geralt collects various ingredients from which witcher potions are brewed. In The Witcher 2, unlike many other RPGs, these bottles are not a lifesaver. The fact is that potions cannot be consumed during battle - only by meditating in a calm environment can a witcher take elixirs. In addition, the potions are toxic, so knocking down bottle after bottle, gradually bringing Geralt to the state of the Hulk, will not work. Developing alchemy over time will allow you to drink more potions and increase the duration of their effects, but the key point in this matter will still be planning your actions ahead. By the way, when the plot throws the witcher into a series of scenes and videos, interspersed with active actions and QTE inserts, it is simply impossible to take advantage of the benefits of alchemy - you have to rely on the right sword, magic and ingenuity.

To increase the effectiveness of weapons, they can be upgraded using runes, and The Witcher 2 also includes the ability to create items. As with alchemy, this requires raw materials, as well as drawings and money to pay the artist. Here you can throw a stone at the developers, pointing out miscalculations in the interface - for example, there is no way to purchase missing materials in the item creation window. You also cannot quickly compare the characteristics of your items with the assortment of sellers. However, in general, the interface turned out to be quite convenient, and even more so no one would blame it for lack of aesthetics.

⇡ Almost perfect RPG

If we're talking about shortcomings, we can't help but note a number of bugs that escaped the watchful eye of CD Projekt RED testers. For example, Western colleagues complain about an inadequately functioning task log, in which, given a certain sequence of selecting cues in individual missions, further progress may not be noted. Also noteworthy is the low frame rate on some configurations, which occurs after moving from one location to another. Often, by the way, transitions are separated by doors - there are practically no sub-loads, as promised, but the process itself is rather strange.

However, the drop in performance is corrected by installing the latest version of video drivers, and all other gaps are closed by constantly releasing patches. It should be noted that the developers worked much more carefully on testing the sequel - although there are glitches, they are not as numerous, and even more so, not as terrifying as in the original The Witcher.

Putting aside the husks of minor problems, we get one of the best RPGs in history. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, unlike many other RPGs, doesn't force us to choose between one or more brilliantly realized elements at the sacrifice of everything else. This amazing game is well designed throughout its many levels. Behind the pleasing visual part lies an abyss of difficult decisions that Geralt will have to make on the way to the denouement. Battles in which the witcher is always on the sharp edge between life and death, betrayal, love, lost and regained memories, unexpected allies, the fate of kingdoms, epic battles with giant monsters and a dark, harsh world in which it is easy to get lost and which is capable of dozens of hours to replace reality. All this is The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, a new watershed in the RPG genre. To pass by is to commit a crime against yourself. You have been warned.

⇡ Advantages:

• decisions made during the game have consequences and affect the further development of the plot,
• complex and interesting battles that always require increased attention,
• amazing graphics and beautiful design,
• an interesting story that interweaves Geralt's personal motives and political conspiracies,
• memorable moments follow each other continuously - you never know what will happen in the next minute.

⇡ Disadvantages:

• various bugs and glitches, which, however, are actively eliminated by patches,
• lack of clear training, due to which the game at first seems unreasonably difficult,
• The interface is not very intuitive and is inconvenient in some situations.

Graphic arts	“The Witcher 2: Assassins of your PC” - this could be called the creation of CD Projekt RED. The game requires solid hardware to run smoothly, but at maximum settings it shines like no other. This is an almost perfect combination of advanced technological base and developed artistic taste. Thanks to the new engine, the picture comes to life and hopelessly draws the player into the gloomy world of Geralt. When The Witcher 2 isn't making your heart skip a beat because of the epic panorama that opens up to your gaze, it impresses with its attention to the smallest details. The only disappointing things are the slightly “mechanical” animation of the characters’ facial expressions and optimization problems observed on some configurations.	10
Sound	Wherever Geralt of Rivia goes, his adventures are always accompanied by excellent sounds. The singing of a sword drawn from its sheath, a powerful short swing, the sob of a lifeless creature falling to the ground - in The Witcher 2 you can understand what happened on the screen with your eyes closed. The characters are perfectly voiced, matching the harsh world of The Witcher - there is no room for ostentatious acting or false intonations.	9
Single player game	The game's stated completion time is forty hours. This number may differ significantly from what you get, since a lot depends on completing third-party quests and exploring areas. However, each hour is filled with bloody battles, conversations and difficult decisions that really impact the story. The number of interesting discoveries, intriguing dialogues and moments when out of surprise or delight you want to say something unprintable is simply off the charts. Those who like to learn absolutely everything and thoroughly follow all the threads of the story will click on the “New Game” button more than once or twice.	10
Group game	Not provided.	-
General impression	Perhaps no one has ever come so close to the title of ideal RPG. When playing The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, there is no feeling that one aspect is better developed than another and brought to the fore in a calculated manner. Perhaps for the first time, we don’t have to choose between breathtakingly beautiful graphics, beautifully written and voiced dialogues, the joy of exploring a huge living world, an interesting combat system, true non-linearity, colorful characters and dozens of moments that will stay in the memory for a long time. All this, and much more, is already in one game - from now on, every new RPG will have to cross swords with The Witcher sequel to prove its right to life.	10

Some games are so good that you can polish them almost endlessly in order to turn an already excellent game into candy. In this sense The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings occupies a unique, distinctive position compared to other projects in the category of story-driven open-world role-playing games.

The situation is such that each new patch brings something truly worthwhile to the world of the Witcher. Since the time of the first part, developers from CD Projekt RED have made it a tradition with each update to introduce into the game not only technical changes, but also new adventures of the white wolf - Geralt of Rivia, a professional lover of women and monster slayer. Actually, the Polish developers decided not to abandon this tradition in continuing the adventures of the Witcher in the 2nd part. At the time of writing this article, version 2.1 update has already been released. So on this occasion I want to say the following: it was not in vain that I waited for the release of all these patches, because only now The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings stopped seeming a little crude and unfinished project. Both new small quests and interesting arcade modes (like the same arena) have appeared. In this simple way, you should understand that this review was written under the impression of a completely different and updated version 2.1, and not the one that was released on May 17 last 2011. However, then I only played for 3 and a half hours and was satisfied. But only now, when all these patches came out, did I decide to play the game to the end and finally get through the review.

Everything ingenious is simple

The storyline continues the story exactly from the moment where the previous part ended. As we remember, at the end Foltest was assassinated by a killer with strange eyes. Geralt miraculously saved the king. A month has passed since then. The white wolf Geralt is now the personal mascot and bodyguard of the King of Temeria, Foltest. In a word, life seems to be a success, but everything is perfect only in fairy tales. In the end, Foltest is killed... And the witcher Geralt rushes in search of the killers of kings.

Of course, you will say that there is nothing special in the plot. I partly agree. But here there is a special scenario presentation of the plot, which is not found in any other role-playing game. Even Dragon Age: origin It just pales in comparison to this background. Oh The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim there is nothing to even say in the presence of the witcher, because there is not even a plot as such - you don’t notice it. Therefore, the second Witcher has some similarities only with BioWare games. Because here, as in the same Mass Effect, there is a plot reference point - it is also the founder of everything that happens during the passage.

One of these special innovations in plot presentation is the “book” approach to writing quests. What is surprising is that not a single task ever has a description of the following type: create a silver sword, find 10 plants, etc. All this is presented in the form of a story, as if you were reading a book, and not a description of a quest. For example: “Having obtained a new silver blade, Geralt became happier. Finally, our hero had everything that a real witcher needs! So Geralt set about solving his own and other people’s problems with new strength.” So, wherever in another role-playing game there would be a boring description or ordinary conversation, here the Witcher includes a whole movie for us.

If it makes sense to compare The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings with other games, it is only with Mass Effect, since otherwise the Witcher will be an order of magnitude higher than other similar games. Just don't think that CD Projekt RED and BioWare create their own virtual worlds in completely different genres and time frames. Still, both of these games are, first of all, plot-oriented role-playing projects, that is, the main thing in them is roleplaying, and not leveling up and everything else like that, which, in general, manifests the very factor that makes them to some extent equals each other.

The only thing in which the novice Polish developers are inferior to the masters from BioWare is only in the quality of animations during ordinary dialogues. There is not enough facial expressions and more character movements. But otherwise the plot has gained weight (compared to the previous part) and the epic nature of what is happening, which is also beneficial. In addition, we were given the opportunity to decide for ourselves and then be responsible for our actions. Geralt's story is our story. It is full of surprises and interesting events that depend directly on our choices. Oddly enough, but it is we who decide the history and fate of not only Geralt, but also in many ways influence the world around us.

Manic detailing

As for the locations, they are almost the most beautiful and believable of all that the gaming industry has ever seen in role-playing games. The picture on the screen amazes not so much with its graphics, but with its manic attention to detail. Although both are at the highest level. Moreover, the number of locations is not very large, but they themselves are large enough to have room for walking and exploring. I will note that, over time, the location of key objects is perfectly remembered in such a way that you can even find exactly the place that you need at the moment even without a marker on the map. The design is simply amazing! For which special thanks to the developers.

Combat, upgrade your hero!

The combat system has changed in some ways. Not everything is smooth and practical, but it is much better than the one in the previous part, although the old combat would have been good here. However, let's not remember the old, it's better to talk about the present. Or rather about what the second Witcher's combat system ultimately is? Let me immediately draw your attention to the fact that she has a lot to boast about.

Oddly enough, the combat turned out to be very beautiful, sometimes interactive and smart. Reminds me a bit Assassin's Creed, but it just reminds - no more. In fact, the entire combat system is tied to your intuition, and not to the correct button presses, although sometimes correctness is also necessary. Honestly, if you think about it, everything was done at a decent level. I would especially like to note its convenience. I haven’t seen such correct placement of buttons on a keyboard for a long time. In literally a split second you can decide which blow to use next and immediately implement your plan. With the left mouse button we apply simple quick blows, and with the right mouse we apply long, strong and heavy blows. Q - use of signs, E - place a block, R - throw, for example, a bomb... Everything is quite simple. I'm glad that the developers didn't simplify anything. Geralt makes all his combat movements only after we press a certain button and does nothing automatically, as is customary to do today in many other games, when they almost play themselves. True, some have the opinion that it is only interesting to play on an easy difficulty level. I hasten to disappoint you, nothing of the kind! It is quite possible to become a master at high levels, scattering enemies left and right. The main thing is diligence and desire to learn the combat skills of a witcher. After all, you are playing here, and not the game itself, as you are used to and have been spoiled by other projects.

Combat skills have a strong influence on the chosen direction of leveling up the hero. In total, there are 4 paths of development, and it’s impossible to get everything to the end. Therefore, it is best to focus on one direction rather than pumping everything up little by little. One branch is responsible for basic witcher skills, but has nothing special in itself. The other branch is a magical direction - the path of the sorcerer. But one of the most important branches is alchemy, since knowledge of making elixirs and taking them in a timely manner can often save Geralt’s life. However, in comparison with the previous part, elixirs now need to be taken before the battle, but not at any time, which brings the witcher even closer to his book prototype. There is another, final branch - the path of the swordsman. Having upgraded this area, you will see a real master and professional of sword fighting. Geralt will knock down arrows from a distance and reflect blade blows from any direction.

In addition, there are separate combo attacks, when the witcher deals with opponents in a particularly colorful manner. Here, your development path does not matter, since Geralt has both techniques for magical attacks and for the sword path in his arsenal. True, there is one small blemish on the part of the developers. All spectacular techniques do not occur in the place where they were activated and the hero is currently located, but a little nearby in the form of a video insert. After the reception, the witcher somehow miraculously finds himself back where he should be. Such movements slightly spoil the overall impression of the combat system, but, nevertheless, you should not pay attention to such a small flaw on the part of CD Projekt RED.

Few people remember, but there is another branch of combat skills - stealth. There is no progress in this direction. However, in some tasks you can slip through the guards silently, eliminating everyone from behind. Sneaking forward, Geralt leans against the wall, from where he watches the enemies from around the corner. Then he assesses the situation, patrol routes - suddenly Geralt is noticed and the stealth comes to an end. There’s nothing better than good old blades! Just as there is nothing special about silent passage. Here the only question is the preferences of the player, who is sometimes allowed to choose the method of passage.

Yes, we almost forgot to mention hand-to-hand combat. However, there is only one thing worth knowing about it - there is no one equal in strength and skill who can resist the witcher Geralt, since simpler and easier entertainment in the game simply does not exist. That is, the witcher entered the ring, the QTE started, victory was in his pocket. By the way, fist fights are a very easy way to fill your pockets with gold.

The Way of the Witcher

The path of a witcher has never been easy. It was especially difficult at first for beginners, I mean that category of players who missed the previous game, where everything was explained about the use of signs, mutagens and other elixirs. For some reason, CD Projekt RED decided that there was no need to chew everything over a second time. As a result, beginners had to play by chance, trial and error. After all, at first the second part lacked even a simple training mode, which was only added over time with a patch. Therefore, only fans of Andrzej Sapkowski, or players familiar with the first part of the game, knew all the intricacies of witcher life. We were never told that “Swallow” is needed for health regeneration, and “Cat” is needed for better visibility in the dark. On the one hand, this is a serious miscalculation on the part of the developers. But on the other hand, it’s time to start moving your brains, and not wait for hints from the game during the passage. That's exactly what the developers did, they created a serious game where you really need to think and decide what to do.

In conclusion, I note that the game can find a huge number of shortcomings in almost every component. But in the end you find much more positive.

If you still haven't played this game, here are a few minutes of gameplay footage that should convince you that the game is worth your time. In addition, on our resource you can find other videos for the game.

The continuation of the popular epic saga - a role-playing game about the exploits of a hunter of vampires, monsters and monsters. Only this time our main character must investigate and understand why assassins are destroying the kings of neighboring territories. Many unusual moments, fearless feats, colorful locations and exciting battles - the continuation turned out to be worthy. Therefore, you can download The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings via torrent from our website right now.

Plot

A lot of time has passed since your main hunter destroyed a mercenary who was trying to kill the king of a huge fictional kingdom. But now mysterious murders are taking place in neighboring territories, closer to the north. Only the rulers become victims. What's going on? Your character goes north to find insidious killers who are very similar to monsters and monsters. Probably, a new clan has formed, and armed with his weapon against evil spirits, the hero goes to distant lands to stop the demons of the night. The hero will find himself in the thicket of the forest, where he will face the most dangerous enemies. And the hunt begins again.

Gameplay

As you begin your journey, look to memories from the past. This option is available in the game, so you need to remember details from the past. To do this, hints will appear in locations that you must study carefully. Three heroes known from the first part, also hunters, will help you. But as you progress through the levels, you will be able to meet new characters. In the game The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings, the torrent of which can be downloaded now on our portal, the graphics created on the new engine have been developed. You will have new weapons at your disposal, as well as new tricks for your hero, which the developers have been working on for a long time when creating this game. You can play as a witcher, or you can switch between partners in the game. Having reached the mysterious river, do not rush, because there a bright battle against evil spirits awaits you. Three clans of villains have joined forces, so there will be some work to be done in the game.

The game will allow the user to create new items necessary to fight opponents. These can be blades, steel gloves, and body armor. For this purpose, there is a certain mode in the game - workshop. You can create things like that there. But what is needed for this? Of course, game points that can be obtained in battles. As a hunter, you will be able to destroy all enemies and return peace to the kingdom.

Features of The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings

• New old hero. Your character has gained even greater strength, so his combat abilities must be upgraded at each level of the game. Enormous physical strength and dexterous use of weapons against evil spirits are what will lead you to success in the game.
• New characters. Each new hero in the game is unique in its own way. Therefore, study all your assistants. Some of them are as aggressive as your main character, while others are cunning and agile. Everyone is individual.
• Combined style of play. You can deftly wield a sword, or you can simply use magic and sorcery to destroy your opponents in the game.
• Modify your hero. You can not only upgrade your physical characteristics, but also your character’s appearance, using a graphical game editor.
• Detailed graphics. The graphical characteristics of the game will allow you to see exactly how a warrior-hunter fights on the battlefield. Slow motion, changing locations are cool.
• Alchemy. Create a new potion that will help you fight evil spirits and kingslayers.

On this page, using the button below, you can download The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings via torrent for free.

The third episode of Noclip's documentary about CD Projekt RED is entirely dedicated to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The developers recall how difficult it was to create the game world of the Wild Hunt - after all, it was the studio's first open-world game.

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The third episode of Noclip's documentary about CD Projekt RED is entirely dedicated to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The developers recall how difficult it was to create the game world of the Wild Hunt - after all, it was the studio's first open-world game.

First open world
The Witcher and The Witcher 2: Assassin's of the Kings were not the smallest games, but only in Wild Hunt did the CD Projekt RED team finally decide to implement a completely open game world. First of all, the developers had to figure out what they were going to fill this world with This is how the idea of ​​“points of interest” came about.

It remained to figure out what the player should encounter at these points and how often they should be located. The designers solved the issue of location simply: first, they took a two-dimensional map of the game world and, using Photoshop, placed markers of points of interest in all suitable places, linking them with settlements and roads.

Then, already in the game world, giant blue cylinders appeared at the site of each future point. Now game designers could really evaluate the frequency of dot placement and figure out where they needed to add interesting places or remove unnecessary ones. It turned out that ideally the player should find something interesting every 40 seconds.

It doesn't have to be a huge castle - just a bandit camp, a couple of NPCs, or a grazing herd of deer. True, a problem arose on Skellige: it is not so easy to entertain a player crossing vast expanses of water.

By the way, there is one interesting story connected with Skellige: at some point the developers realized that the journey to a village on one of the islands could take from 25 to 40 minutes. The problem was solved radically - the island was rotated 180 degrees, now the player had to try very hard to land on it from the side opposite from the village.

The developers didn’t want all this beauty to go unnoticed, so they allowed fast travel only from certain points on the map. Now, stuck in the forest, the player, willy-nilly, had to stomp to the nearest sign - and along the way he would probably encounter something interesting.

Landmarks are important
Points of interest have another important feature. They not only entertain the player and fill the world with life, but also help to navigate in space: a characteristic castle or village is difficult not to remember.

Interestingly, the roads between points of interest were deliberately made winding, interspersed - where possible - with forests. So the developers gave the player the opportunity to leave the safe path and “get lost”: next to the road, Geralt is in almost no danger, but the thicket of the forest is a completely different matter. Not the most pleasant creatures could be waiting for the witcher there.

In cities, CD Projekt RED designers highlighted entire neighborhoods rather than points of interest. The fish market, the harbor, the temple quarter, the main square, the rich quarter, the poor quarter - all these places have unique elements and are very memorable; often you can find the way to the right place without even opening a map.

Building a village
Several teams of designers specializing in different elements of the game simultaneously worked on the world of the third Witcher. Let's say you want to create a village: first the artists come and create a basic version of the settlement - just empty houses, a road and nothing else.

Then the designers responsible for the basic "animation" of the game world come up with the background dialogue in that area and decide what animations the inhabitants of the settlement will need. At the same time, environment artists can liven up the village a little: add flowers, plants, place stones - in a word, make the location more believable and detailed.

After this, the village is handed over to quest designers: they decide whether any interesting events will take place here, describe the personalities of the village residents - based on these descriptions, environment artists will create the interiors of the houses. A few iterations like this, a little polishing - and the village is ready.

How the interiors were created

The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt is full of cities, towns and villages where the houses are wide open - come in, dear Witcher, take whatever you want. All open houses have interiors, and most of the interiors were created in one fell swoop - in just two weeks.

There were too many houses, so the designers at CD Projekt RED had to use a trick. In each of the regions of the game (Skellig, Velen, Novigrad, and so on) there were several types of houses; for each type, the developers created a certain number of options for what the studio calls a “set of decorations” - obviously, we are talking about template interior solutions.

All that remained was to make sure that players would not notice the repeated decisions. To achieve this, the designers increased the number of solutions per house type depending on how often that type of house was found in the game world. It seems that everything worked out - it never occurred to us that the interiors of houses could be repeated.

An interesting figure: in Novigrad alone there are about 80 houses that Geralt can search from floor to ceiling.

Credibility and attention to detail
A village, of course, cannot just be placed anywhere in the game world. When choosing a location for the next settlement, the designers relied on logic and plausibility. People tend to settle in convenient places - for example, along rivers. If the settlers were brought somewhere else - for example, the village should be here according to the plot - then you need to figure out why you need to settle here.

For example, gold was discovered in the mountains nearby - an excellent reason to establish a settlement in the middle of nowhere, in a windswept valley or right on the mountain slopes. Of course, this will also be reflected in the design of the village: mining items will appear, somewhere nearby a mine will be created, from which a road will be built to the settlement.

The same applies to weather conditions. If the settlement is located somewhere in a swamp, then the designers will certainly cover the buildings with fungus. Or, for example, Skellige: it’s cold here, so all the hearths in the houses are made open. Exactly the same hearths were in the houses of real Vikings.

Even background dialogue sounds different in different areas of the game world. Nilfgaardians, for example, discuss the war and miss their wives and children left in their homeland. The inhabitants of Velen usually talk about their families, but on Skellige all the talk is only about the sea and honor.

Imaginary famine in Velen
One funny story is also connected with verisimilitude. It started when the team involved in filling the game world with items forgot to tell them that the inhabitants of Velen and the No-Man's Lands were starving.

As a result, NPCs actively complained about malnutrition, while pigs and goats happily ran around them, cows mooed in the fields, and houses and basements were bursting with food. In a word, it didn’t turn out very believable. The designers had to go through the starving areas again and bring their content in accordance with the plot.

There was a similar problem with locations where no human had set foot for a long time. Here and there, caring designers laid out an apple or a forgotten piece of bread - from the player’s point of view, they had clearly lain there for several decades. All these items also had to be removed.

Geralt the snowboarder and Ctrl-Z
Creating a huge world is not without bugs and glitches. Remember how dashingly Geralt slides down the slopes? While debugging this mechanic, the developers decided to have a little fun: the witcher was turned into a real snowboarder - the epic descent from the mountain can be seen starting at 16:54.

Another interesting bug was related to the level editor. Designers could cut out objects in the same way as in any other editor - with the Ctrl-Z combination. Everything was going well until there were too many objects with coordinates 0-0-0 in the list of objects present at the level.

It turned out that Ctrl-Z did not cut out the object, but teleported it to a point with zero coordinates: here the developers were waiting for heaps of houses, trees, barrels, character models, swords - whole mountains of everything.

The bug was fixed, unnecessary objects were removed, and in No Man's Land a strange-looking tree was planted at the point with coordinates 0-0-0 - it is shown at the 19:12 mark. We should try to find him.

The fourth part of the Noclip documentary will appear on Monday, October 9. This time, CD Projekt RED employees will talk about creating quests for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt continues the popular series of role-playing games based on the Witcher saga by Andrzej Sapkowski, started by games TheWitcher(2007) and TheWitcher 2: AssassinsofKings(2011). According to CD Projekt RED, no previous knowledge of the previous games is required to fully enjoy Wild Hunt. The game improves on several aspects of previous installments. Combat in Wild Hunt includes physical and magical damage. The combat system has been completely redesigned. New mechanics are introduced, such as the witcher's sense, combat on horses, combat at sea, swimming underwater, and the use of a crossbow. Geralt can now jump, climb and overcome small obstacles. Climbing mechanics are called “not the same” as in Assassin " s Creed , but “closer to what we saw in Uncharted" Like previous games, item crafting and potion making are retained, but they are done differently than in TheWitcher 2 . There are 10 Witcher signs: 5 original and alternative forms each.

The player's every action still affects the world. Each quest can be completed in many ways, and each outcome is new with each playthrough. CD Projekt RED estimates the game's completion time to be approximately 100 hours, with the player spending roughly equal amounts on side quests and the main storyline.

The game features a dynamic day-night system, realistic intelligence, and a responsive dynamic environment. The day-night cycle affects some monsters and their powers, for example, a werewolf gains powers during the full moon. The protagonist Geralt grows a beard as he travels. According to the developers, the beard will grow “in different ways.” However, this feature will not work if the player downloads the free Beard and Hairstyle DLC.

In Wild Hunt, Ciri will be a playable character.

Setting and plot

The game's setting is 30 times larger than in previous parts, so the player needs a boat to get to some locations, and a horse to get to some other locations. However, fast travel between known locations is possible. The Witcher 3 world is 20% larger than the world Skyrim.

The game completes the story of the witcher Geralt of Rivia. Those who wanted to use Geralt in the second part disappeared. Geralt sets off on a new, personal mission, and meanwhile the structure of the world begins to change. Geralt's new mission takes place in dark times, as a mysterious and otherworldly army called the Wild Hunt has invaded the Northern Kingdoms. The Witcher is the key person in the fight against the terrible rampage of the Wild Hunt.

Development

The game was announced on February 4, 2013 via Game Informer. The release was scheduled for 2014, for PC and “all available high-end platforms.” On February 21, 2013, it became known that the game would appear on the PlayStation 4, and on June 10, 2013, a release for Xbox One was announced. According to official information from Microsoft, The Witcher 3 was not originally supposed to be released on Xbox One in Poland (the country where development took place). But these regional restrictions were later lifted.

On March 11, 2014, it became known that the release was delayed and would occur between autumn 2014 and February 2015. In the official statement of the developers it was said that they managed to create “ Naturally developing, cinematic plot, beautiful sound and graphics, and at the same time maintaining freedom of choice" Thus, the basis of the game and the plot was then ready. The main reason for the delay was the manual adjustment of many parts and testing of the final product. On December 8, 2014, the developers announced the release was postponed to May 19, 2015.

On April 7, 2015, CD Projekt RED announced two expansions for the game, Hearts of Stone And Blood and Wine. The first will be released in October 2015, the second in early 2016.

Engine

The Witcher 3 runs on the new REDengine 3 engine, which CD Projekt RED developed specifically for non-linear role-playing games with a spacious open world. Such an engine was made to save developers from a number of compromise decisions, and allowed them to make " an open environment with a complex, branching history" To control occlusive cropping, Umbra 3 Visibility Solution was built into the engine. Engineers from Umbra and CDP demonstrated the technology at Game Developers Conference 2014. Similar to the first two games Witcher , players received a complex story with a variety of choices and associated consequences. However, REDengine provided a comprehensive storyline without sacrificing virtual world design. Thanks to the new engine, the game has no loading screens.

Reception

The Witcher 3 won multiple awards at E3 2013 and E3 2014. In both years, Witcher 3 was named "Best RPG" in IGN's Best of E3 Awards poll. In 2013 and 2014, the game also received IGN's E3 People's Choice Award and GameSpot's E3 People's Choice Award, as well as the Most Wanted Award at the 31st and 32nd Golden Joystick Awards. At the 2014 Game Awards in Las Vegas, Witcher 3 won the Most Anticipated Game category.

In reviews of critics that appeared in the lead-up to the release, the game received very high marks. On May 17, 2015, the average score on Metacritic was 92/100 (34 reviews). Kevin VanOrd at GameSpot gave the game a 10 out of 10, making the game the 9th highest-rated release in the site's history. The reviewer noted the brilliance of the exploration, enemy design, and character development. He liked the richness of the content, the great possibilities for selecting armor and weapons, the potion system, the impact of the hero’s decisions on the course of the game, and the well-made open world. Combat, according to VanOrd, has become more enjoyable and easier compared to Witcher 2 . He summed up the review: " one of the best role playing games ever made».

Daniel Bloodworth at GameTrailers gave the game a 9.8/10. He also liked the enemy designs. He praised the detailed and mature plot, intersecting with the saga of the novels more than the previous two games. Combat, impressive environments, meaningful consequences and missions, and a sense of discovery and connection were praised. Bloodworth specifically praised details such as gestures, conversation volume, and facial animation. In his opinion, the third Witcher is “ a thoughtful, varied, often awe-inspiring adventure».

Vince Ingenito, in a review for IGN with a rating of 9.3/10, praised the authentic environment, dynamic weather and daylight system, decent voice acting, quality dialogue, interesting characters, comprehensive character development, varied equipment and a flexible skill system. He didn’t like the abundance of “bring something” type quests, the excessive duration and the relative weakness of the plot. However, Vince wrote: " Witcher3 concludes Geralt's story on a high».

Kimberly Wallace, writing for Game Informer, called the game the most ambitious and accessible in the series. He noted the diverse world, intriguing narrative, varied terrain, improved interface, unexpected content in side missions, responsive and fun combat that requires thinking through strategy. Wallace found minor flaws in the game, such as long loading times, weapon degradation, and the ability to fast travel.

On the other hand, Chris Carter in Destructoid, although he called the fight intense, noted the lack of strategy in it. He criticized the monotony of the game, some bugs and frame rate problems. Tom Senior at GamesRadar also noted bugs that significantly interfere with combat and cutscenes. He called the fight "inconsistent and frustrating." Arthur Gyes wrote a review for Polygon rated 8/10; he disliked the violence directed at women in the game and the oversexualization of female characters.

Versions

Standard Edition

• DVD with the game;
• Exclusive CD with soundtrack;
• The official "Witcher Universe Compendium" from the developers;
• Beautiful, detailed map of the game world;
• A set of unique stickers in the Witcher 3 style;
• Stylish protective sleeve.

Collector's Edition

• Standard edition of the game (soundtrack, map, stickers, compendium);
• Hand-painted figurine of Geralt fighting Griffin (size - 33x24x25 centimeters);
• Exclusive Witcher medallion;
• One of a kind metal packaging;
• 200-page book with drawings;
• Huge outer and inner packaging in which you can store game-related accessories.

System requirements

Minimum System Requirements

• Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K @ 3.3 GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 940
• Video card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or AMD GPU Radeon HD 7870
• RAM: 6 GB
• DirectX 11

• Operating system: 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1
• Processor: Intel Core i7 3770 @ 3.4 GHz or AMD AMD FX-8350 @ 4 GHz
• Video card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 or AMD GPU Radeon R9 290
• RAM: 8 GB
• DirectX 11
• Free hard disk space: 40 GB