ESRB Outs Witcher 2 for Xbox 360

[TheIronRuler]

I feel betrayed.
They were the bastion of PC developers, treating their customers like humans.
I hope that they will release any other future titles firstly for the PC and then as a port to the console and not the other way around like almost all of the AAA titles these days.

 

[Woodsey]

The first game wasn't exactly gamepad friendly, I'm curious to see how they're streamlining the control scheme.

Its a different combat system, the rest wouldn't need much of a change to work on consoles.

For once I actually don't want to fan the flames of the PC vs. console debate, but The Witcher is a relatively hardcore RPG when compared to games like Fable [http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Age-2-Xbox-360/dp/B0047TG2R0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306299661&sr=8-1], which could keep console versions from achieving a level of success comparable to what it's enjoyed on the PC. Or is that an unfair generalization?

Dunno about the 360, but it might fare well with the PS3 crowd, considering the kind of appeal Demon's Soul has there. From the gameplay perspective at least.

I think there's an audience in the 360 crowd. It's not like 360 owners don't want hardcore RPGs because they don't currently have any. But that's not even true either. I still play Oblivion quite a lot, and plenty of other people do as well. We want deeper RPGs but we aren't getting them!!!

Oblivion's about as hardcore as using a night-light compared to TW2.

 

[Andy Chalk]

I think it's fair to say that's an unfair generalization, Andy. I wouldn't be surprised if the game appeals to a lot of people let down by dragon age 2's less than hardcore treatment. However, don't go claiming a victory for snobbery if the game doesn't sell well. It's notoriously buggy and unstable on PC atm. A prospect of ill omen remains for a console port at this time.

Hey, I've never made any secret of my disdain for consoles, which usually comes in handy when I want to tweak the noses of the great button-mashing unwashed. (Which is most of the time, yes.) But in this case I'm genuinely interested in seeing whether or not The Witcher will be able to successfully transition to consoles, whether console gamers are actually interested in it in significant numbers, and what (if anything) CD Projekt will have to sacrifice to make it happen.

BioWare promised a "dark gritty blah blah" world with Dragon Age and completely failed to deliver. It was meatier than Mass Effect from a traditional RPG perspective but considerably less impressive as a game, but worse it seemed like somebody at BioWare saw The Witcher (which, by the way, was made with the Neverwinter Nights Aurora Engine) and said, "Ooh! Ooh! Let's do that!" and then crapped out a thin, pale, cheap rip-off. Dragon Age 2, as I understand it (didn't play it after being so thoroughly unimpressed with the first) is even more "consolized," which in this case I use not as a pejorative but simply to describe the increasingly streamlined, action-oriented gameplay.

And it would be an absolute goddamn tragedy if The Witcher ended up going down the same path. The first game was such a big success in large part because it gave RPG lovers something they've craved for years: a real, hardcore, "classic" RPG that didn't pussyfoot around. I am most definitely biased, sure, but just once I'd like to see a PC franchise stay that way.

 

[Andy Chalk]

To the people who are saying that Dragon Age: Origins was "more hardcore" than The Witcher, I would just like to say, umm, what?

I'd honestly like to know how you came to that conclusion.

 

[Keava]

To the people who are saying that Dragon Age: Origins was "more hardcore" than The Witcher, I would just like to say, umm, what?

I'd honestly like to know how you came to that conclusion.

I think it comes down to definition of 'hardcore RPG'. For many apparently it just means "It has turn based combat where you can pause at any moment to give out orders" or "It has more statistics than your degree paper from advanced maths will ever need".

 

[captain_dalan]

Every part of interface in Witcher was clearly made for consoles, so you can expect it to be a quite amazing game. Fighting doesn't require anything more than gamepad user can easily achieve - and yet it is challenging (you can't just stand in one place and press one button - dodging, blocking, using signs, traps, petards, and throwing knives is essential, and fits the gameplay perfectly) and fun.

Also, in one of interviews Escapist missed out on, CDP-RED said that they were already working on console versions on a smaller scale, but after they finish the PC version, they will concentrate on consoles. And i don't have to remind you that W2 PC came out already.

aye, i have to agree with this; i've been playing this for 3 days now, and everything from QTEs to run of the mill attacks seams to be begging for a console game pad. the only thing (aside from the surprisingly mature story compared with the first witcher) that might not transfer well for the console crowd id the rather bulky alchemy part of the gameplay. this has not changed at all from the original installment.

 

[ALPHATT]

I'm playing the game with an xbox 360 controller, the inventory menu is a bit iffy but otherwise console gamers are going to be fine.

 

[M_aureus]

Please let there be a PS3 version. Although I was planning on getting a new PC, this whoever will save me a lot of money that I don't have!

 

[koroem]

I honestly hope this is a scaled down broken piece of shit port that is buggy beyond belief. Not because CDProject deserve it, but because consoles players deserve to feel what its like to be a PC gamer for once. Last thing PC gamers need is one of the last remaining PC devs to turn tail on them *AHEM* CRYTEK *AHEM*

 

[Blindrooster]

This is the best news ive heard in a long time. Really hope it's true. I would love to have this on my 360 rather than my laptop.

 

[Jyggalag]

Last I checked, "outing" something meant you were dismissing something. This is good news. I'm glad I don't have to fork over a few hundred dollars for a new pc, considering how I have no clue how to upgrade my laptop without destroying it.

 

[Irridium]

Dunno about the 360, but it might fare well with the PS3 crowd, considering the kind of appeal Demon's Soul has there. From the gameplay perspective at least.

Information time!: Demons' Souls sold like feces in Wal-Mart food section.

And it was still [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/95574-Atlus-Thrilled-With-Sales-of-Demons-Souls] a success [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/102575-Demons-Souls-Amazing-Success-In-UK-Gives-Sequel-Hope]. Just because it doesn't break 1 million sold or whatever, doesn't mean it failed.

uote="DigitalAtlas" post="7.286724.11313326"]They crave challenge on that side of the market and they adore RPGs. The response to Fallout, Oblivion, Alpha Protocol, Mass Effect, Dragon Age: Orgins and Fable has been tremendously well. Even JRPGs have sold valiantly.
[/quote]

HA! Fable's more of a casual RPG. Not bad, not at all. In fact, I love Fable. But to say its challenging on the same level as Alpha Protocol is just silly.

But, I agree for the most part. 360 gamers crave challenge. And are most likely fed up at being assumed to be idiots. They're the same as PC players, just with less buttons.

 

[Sartan0]

I feel betrayed.
They were the bastion of PC developers, treating their customers like humans.
I hope that they will release any other future titles firstly for the PC and then as a port to the console and not the other way around like almost all of the AAA titles these days.

Why feel betrayed? The game is awesome on PC and I did not find the controls to be bad. I actually liked the way they handled QTEs here. CD Project Red and Good old Games has not changed. The way they did the release of the Witcher 2 confirms that. (Particularly if you got the GoG's version.)

Long story short: they have plenty of love to give to all gamers.

 

[Andy Chalk]

1) You choose members for your party and develop them in particular way (distributing atribute points, choosing spells and skills, picking new prestige classes) to fit your strategy. In the Witcher you just choose what abilities you want first.
2) You choose items that fit your strategy and distribute them among party members. In The Witcher it was just best sword/best armor.
3) You have multiple party members to control. "Programming" their AI was also something pretty complex.

But all of that is really just hanging cut-out clothes on paper dolls. In my eyes, party management in DA:O was a joke; I suited the "party" up reasonably well but otherwise just let them do their own thing for the most part. Combat, inventory, potion-brewing, conversation, etc., were all so much more well-developed (or pain-in-the-ass, depending on your perspective) in The Witcher.

I am heavily biased. I didn't like Dragon Age and I generally don't consider two cardboard-cutout mules who can fight to be a party. But Dragon Age, a hardcore RPG? Seriously? I'm willing to acknowledge that my dim view of the game could be colouring my opinion, but man, I just don't see it.

 

[RA92]

snip

Ah I know you, you're that guy. I guess we all should have expected you.

Glad to know I've a reputation around here. But anyway, what's got you so miffed? The fact that I pointed out TW2 isn't buggy? Or was it the part where I said the consoles were a safe bet for CDProject?