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Welcome to a world that knows no mercy – none is received, and none is given. Only physical and mental agility can keep you alive, though they are by no means a guarantor of life. You play the role of Geralt – an already legendary monster-slayer, but this, my friend, is not a gift and is certainly not given lightly. “The Witcher” is an immense computer game. Within its realm, you will have to assume the burden of choice. And this burden of choice, as light as it may appear, is the very thing that will both permit you to wield influence over the fate of the world, as well as get you slain prematurely.

Be assured, my friend, combat with all its attendant viciousness and brutality will not let you pass by, unchallenged. However, the path before you isn’t simple; you are about to be entangled in an intense and intricate plot, which will constantly require instantaneous decisions on your part. Decision-making, therefore, is the real challenge here, so get ready to confront it. For, regardless of the choices you make, the path you choose to tread, and the infamous sang-froid of your character, it will all take its heavy toll on your moral conscience. You shall quickly discover that the difference between Good and Evil, provided it even exists, is as thin as the edge of a blade, if not more so. And it is you who ultimately decides what path Geralt, the White Wolf, shall walk.

The story of “The Witcher” is set in the realm of bestselling fantasy saga by the same title, conjured to life by Andrzej Sapkowski – one of the most acclaimed Polish contemporary writers. It is into his unique world of pervasive magic, bitter conflict, and occasional dark humor, that you will be immersed. Bare in mind, however, that your voluntary entry into this world will most definitely not allow for any trace of compassion or leniency – esteem and the right to live are hard to come by.

Features

While great agility might be the decisive factor in getting you out of a precarious situation, on its own, it is not enough in the greater scheme of things. In the perpetually lethal circumstances in which you will find yourself, you will need a plan. You will have to take accurate decisions at key moments of the story, and carefully think through combat tactics if you are to survive. Over-reliance on your reflexes with your mouse and keyboard, to the detriment of attentiveness and consideration, is precisely what will get you killed.

Valiance and Character

Naturally, there are some benefits of being a Witcher – uncontested swordsmanship, uncanny night vision, unrivalled knowledge of alchemy, as well as that innate ability to spark desire in women and trepidation amongst foes. However, these modest pleasures demarcate the limits of a Witcher’s permissible indulgences. For, while merciless training, and trials and tribulations have empowered you to tap into supernatural abilities, these have also irreversibly mutated your organism. Any amount of monsters slain and lives saved will not prevent the fearful and distrustful from spitting at you and calling Witcher-kind all the animal names under the sun, once you turn to leave. All you can do is clench your teeth, accept payment, and move on. No gratitude, not even a simple “thank you”, can be expected.

Non-linear Decisions and Consequences

Throughout your travels, you will repeatedly find yourself in situations where a certain somebody – it could be a powerful monarch or a leader of a clandestine organization – will demand a degree of leniency of you to further their cause. Whoever it may be, however, more often than not they will possess the necessary leverage to leave you little choice, if indeed you have any choice at all. Fortunately, though, there is always your mask of a cold murderer to fall back on, devoid of emotion and interest in any moral good.

This is to simplify things though. The plot in the game is tortuous and far from plain. It is an amalgamation of a number of intertwined themes and intrigues, giving you – the player – a vast set of choices, each with it own, unique impact on the entire fate of the fantasy world. This feature will make you want to play and play again and will definitely goad your curiosity into retracing your steps to key moments to experiment with different decisions, hence unlocking alternative endings and previously unseen sequences.

Character Development

If you think that being a Witcher means having a hefty sword and being a social misfit with a serious cash flow problem, think again. For, you certainly lack a steady and reliable source of income, it takes a great deal more to be a Witcher. It is a dark, unforgiving profession, and the Witcher does not choose, he is chosen. So, ultimately, it is up to you, the player, to determine how Geralt’s character develops and whether he is to become an unchallenged swordsman, an arcane battle mage, a potent alchemist in skirmishes, or any combination of the three.

In any case, 250 skills and abilities should be more than enough to turn your own version of Geralt into a special playing character. To this end, however, we have forgone the classical, traditional number system encountered in numerous RPGs, and have decided to adopt a “what you see is what you get” approach. Thus, in choosing a character skill, you either have it or you don’t – no more scraping for that additional half point that essentially transforms the whole playing experience into the hoarding of digits.

Moreover, in order to render game play even more enticing, character development is directly linked with storyline progression. As Geralt advances through Sapkowski’s fantasy realm, retracing his preceding travels and revisiting certain locations, he comes to remember his forgotten past. In addition, as these memories gradually come flooding back, so do Geralt’s supernatural skills and abilities. What exactly he recalls, however, will depend entirely on the player.

Innovative Real Time Combat

As Geralt, the player will be equipped with numerous, motion-captured, and hence visually stunning, combinations of real-time combat strikes, hits, thrusts, slashes, and cuts, which will make your opponents suddenly question the likelihood of their continued existence. Moreover, the appropriate use of magic, potions and styles of swordplay during skirmishes will make him adapt better to combat situations and increase his effectiveness in battle.

In devising the control system, we have provided solutions for both experienced users, as well as beginners. Thus, the player can use a combination of the mouse and keyboard, or the mouse on its own. Naturally, however, you shouldn’t have any problems handling combos, whilst totally surrounded during combat. Am I right or am I right?