PAX 07: The Witcher hands-on impressions

by Colin Torretta { Aug 28th 2007 at 10:45PM }

At PAX 07, we got a chance to try out Atari's upcoming action RPG, The Witcher and came away impressed. The title has been under development by the Polish game development company CD Projekt for quite a few years now. Originally announced in early 2004, The Witcher has evolved quite a bit from what they originally showed. For example, check out this early screenshot showing the game as basically a reskinned Neverwinter Nights and then look at the screenshots throughout this article. Big difference, no?

While the game still uses the Aurora Engine from the first NWN, according to Larry Liberty, the Atari producer that was showing off the game at PAX, 80% of the engine has been replaced with massive overhauls to the lighting, texture, and animation systems -- and it definitely shows. Textures on the monsters and Geralt (main character) looked fantastic, there was tons of foliage in the level we played, and the water looked good enough to make us thirsty. It definitely doesn't look like a modded NWN anymore.

Neither does it play like one -- The Witcher is an action RPG through and through, with a combo based attack system, multiple combat stances and gory finishing moves. Each different stance has it's own benefit (strong, fast, and group attacks) and each get their own full animation set, which also then get modified by which weapon you're holding (silver or steel). So all combined, you have six full unique animation sets for your character depending on your stance and weapon. The result really made the combat feel pretty dynamic and helped lessen the repetitive combat you sometimes get in these kinds of games.

The story also looks to be much more interesting than you tend to get in Action RPGs, partially due to the rich and lengthy source material and partially due to CD Projekt's efforts at making a game that hits on relevant social issues of our day. According to Liberty, the game touches on mature topics such as environmental destruction and racism and forces the player to make difficult moral decisions. To make things even trickier on the player, the story will change depending on your decisions -- but sometimes it may take 10-15 hours until you find out what you changed. The developers really want to make you put serious consideration into how you play the game.

The Witcher is suppose to have a massive 120 hours of gameplay (counting sidequests and optional content) and will feature a storyline that continues to change and adapt as you play through as well as multiple different endings. It's kind of a sleeper title and coming out during this holiday season won't make things any easier on it, but if action RPGs with a satisfying combat system and a mature storyline are your thing, The Witcher is going to be your ultimate Christmas present.

Tags: atari, hands-on, thewitcher

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Aug 28th 2007 11:01PM

Wow, this is a big step-up from when it was a NWN mod. I'm impressed.

Shawn @ Aug 29th 2007 6:56PM

Not to mention, I can't believe how sweet it looks using the Aurora engine. Although it's tweaked, you gotta give it these guys.

I'm really looking forward to this, as NWN2 and Gothic 3 were real let downs last year.

SoulBlade @ Aug 28th 2007 11:28PM

This is one of the games I've been waiting for after seeing some initial vids and reading up on impressions. It looks pretty solid.

Thranx @ Aug 28th 2007 11:35PM

I'm looking forward to this game. Massive story, all the vids show what seems to be a graphically beautiful game. Some of the animation is poorly done, and some action footage shows off poor pathing... but hey, it's not done yet. Pray for better pathing. :)

One thing not commented on in the article that I think will be a major hot button news piece will be the protitute collections. :) Not really my thing, but the game will have prostitution and will basically give the player a card for the corresponding prosty (the one demoed actually had a single nude breast) while playing back ground noise of the encounter. Mild, maybe, but a step beyond GTA's car bounce, or the noise from inside the house while the player had some coffee.

Anyhoo, ESRB's going to have a tough time on this one. I would not be suprised to have 2 versions... one for the breast friendly Europeans, and one for the more conservative tastes of the USA. I don't think I've ever seen an M rated game with any nudity... but... I don't really look for it in the games I buy. :)

Future rating controversy aside, it's shaping up to be a great game. My hat is off to CD Projekt for going back to RPG roots on this one.

blooh @ Aug 29th 2007 12:17AM

I am in the US and can handle breasts.

(multiple entendre!)

syco @ Aug 28th 2007 11:36PM

"I come from a long line of witches, each one witcher than the last.

Then you're not the Witcher at all! Your the Witchest!"

rivaldi22 @ Aug 28th 2007 11:43PM

Three-mouthed worms are novel and stimulating!

t_m @ Aug 29th 2007 12:20AM

I just wish they'd change the title... something about it really bugs me.

120 hours??? Lets see, I work 5 days a week. Spend most of my days off with my girlfriend... so, at an average of 30 minutes playtime a day, this is gonna take me... er... 8 months to finish??

Word of the street. @ Aug 29th 2007 12:57AM

I know that feel, is the same feel I got when I saw the seriously achievement in Gears of War for the first time.

So you better hurry and buy it the day is released.

cdz @ Aug 29th 2007 11:44AM

The Witcher title is based after some of the most famous fantasy books in the world (Europe+Russia), however the first one only recently has been translated to English: Unfortunately the book is not available in the US for some reason, you need to use Amazon UK to get it: (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Wish-Gollancz-S-F/dp/0575077824/ref=pd_bbs_2/026-5200263-6166853?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188402148&sr=8-2)

Great book though, definitely worth reading

t_m @ Aug 29th 2007 1:25PM

well they obviously translated it kinda badly ;-)

PS/ do the links in the You Have A Reply emails that joystiq work for everyone else?
When I click on them it takes me to a joystiq page with no content (except ads).

Eg: http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/28/pax-07-the-witcher-hands-on-impressions/comments/6990299/

does that work for anyone, or is it just me?

Firestorm2117 @ Aug 29th 2007 12:23AM

"I don't think I've ever seen an M rated game with any nudity."

God of War series would be one of them. Oddly enough, it didn't get much of a reaction (if any) from the mainstream press. I doubt The Witcher will fair any worse, especially since it doesn't have the same level of popularity GoW had.

J-Guy @ Aug 29th 2007 12:42AM

God of War's no-press-generated nudity always confused me. Must have slipped under Jack Thompson's radar.

Word of the street. @ Aug 29th 2007 1:03AM

"Difficult moral decisions".

I never had a problem with moral decisions in a game. I just check the game achievements or/and multiple endings ;)

I still don’t get it, are you a witch in that game? or a witch hunter? And if you get to choose a Witch hunter is there going to be a system to identify a witch by comparing her weight to the weight of a duck?, or do you touch them for that?.