The One Problem With The Witcher Franchise...

[Emiscary]

Fine games all things considered, but here's my pet peeve: literally everyone you meet is a fat balding racist asshole (or a whore). This creates a fundamental problem: despite the fact that I'm (in theory) expected to care about *the world* of The Witcher, not just it's characters... I don't. How can I possibly be attached to a world populated entirely by petty racist douchebags who hate me? Come the tail end of the Witcher 2 where you're basically asked to choose between your interests and those of various European Expy nations- I picked my own prettymuch automatically. At *best* the populace of those nations are ungrateful superstitious simpletons who hate everyone that wasn't born within 50 feet of them from a similar vagina. At worst they're braying lynch mobs trying to kill me and anyone interesting I've ever met.

Anyone good looking (elves, whores, love interests, Saskia)? Check. They all wanna kill them for some reason.

Anyone smart (mages, sorceresses, rebel leaders, any ruler that's not a walking penis)? Check. They're all marked for death by the common folk at some point.

Anyone *useful* (the blue stripes, the dwarves, the trolls)? Check. Again, largely for petty and stupid reasons.

So really, fuck the peasantry. Every peasant I meet is either asking me to save their life at great personal risk for free, or spitting in my face and picking a fight with me. If it's a choice between a lineup of 23 butt ugly jerkoffs all crying that I can't solve their problems fast enough and a gorgeous redhead who's head over heels for me- it's kind of a no brainer. But then I'm weird like that >.>

 

[endtherapture]

Well it's just a realistic picture of the Middle Ages. The peasantry were uneducated, they hated those who ruled over them because they had to give their livelihoods away to these people for pretty much nothing. Then there's the Scoatiel killing everyone who goes into the forest because they want to be free, even though the peasants aren't free.

It's basically a pretty realistic portrayal of miserable peasant life in the Middle Ages, as opposed to what we usually get in fantasy games which is basically modern day times except they dress in armour, have funny names and live in a castle.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

That's why the game was nice enough to offer you the option of saying "fuck you racist assholes, I'll do what I want!" You're a Witcher, people hate witchers. Why should you give a fuck about them? As long as they pay for your services, then you leave them alone.

 

[Prince Regent]

Isn't that whats great about the series. The world is fucked up from the start. You're not going to rid the world of all evil you're not going to stop the comming apocolypse. You're just trying to survive in it, doing what you think is right. Knowing that a lot of people still wont like you no matther what you do.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Not everyone is racist. Most are, but there are some who are normal.

It's pretty realistic. The world is not a nice place. People are more complex than in most RPG's. Nothing is black and white. People hate others but they believe they have justified reasons for that. That's what it's like in the real world. The story of The Witcher 2 is actually a terrific one. It really caught me by surprise how they managed to pull of so many twists and political agendas and how it was all connected into a coherent narrative that unfolds naturally and pleasantly as you progress through the story. And it wouldn't have been possible without all that racism. I don't know any developer besides CD Project that can accomplish such a thing.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well you see this isn't Hollywood teenage pop drama productions where everyone is a super model and loves the big strong american hero nonstop attempting to shove their genitalia in his face, this is an adult game with depictions of medieval times where people were openly bigoted, racist, sexist, disgusting,... and people genuinely fear and hate you for being different.

If you can find someone to sympathize with in that environment is something for the player to experience for himself.
As always not everyone will like the ride this provides, and that is why it's good to have variety.

 

[daveman247]

snip

*note i havnt played the game yet but plan to soon*

Because its a dark fantasy? Thats sort of the point? Its a messed up and hateful world.

Seems to be like it really was back then XD. Bar the monsters and stuff of course. People died left right and center for a reason, being uneducated blindly religious fools!

 

[The Madman]

Most of the characters have their reasons for how they act. Take Roche's crew for example, on one hand they're a band of brutal killers trained to murder and slaughter any who would oppose the might of Temeria. On the other hand you can get drunk with them, have some fun, and wake up with a wicked hangover and a new tattoo while they laugh and make jokes about it and Ves shakes her head and smiles.

I like it. It's refreshing to play a game where characters aren't just black and white caricatures.

Besides, Odrin don't care what creed or race you are so long as ye've drink t' share with im an 'is lads.

OOOOOOOODRRRRRRINNN!!!!!

 

[Norrdicus]

But Emiscary, you do seem to care enough about the world that you really don't like the common folk. Guess what, the game series acknowledges that opinion! You can go through Witcher 2 completely protecting your interests and those of the people who you care for, and leave the rest of civilization to drown in its own ocean of shit! You can also teach these people a lesson through bloodshed or do your hardest to improve things

The choice is yours

 

[Emiscary]

Most of the characters have their reasons for how they act. Take Roche's crew for example, on one hand they're a band of brutal killers trained to murder and slaughter any who would oppose the might of Temeria. On the other hand you can get drunk with them, have some fun, and wake up with a wicked hangover and a new tattoo while they laugh and make jokes about it and Ves shakes her head and smiles.

I like it. It's refreshing to play a game where characters aren't just black and white caricatures.

Besides, Odrin don't care what creed or race you are so long as ye've drink t' share with im an 'is lads.

OOOOOOOODRRRRRRINNN!!!!!

Sweet jesus I hated that whole frickin quest line. Listening to those jackasses slur crass rhymes sent me packing out of the whole Aedirnian quest branch faster than Superman jerks off.

Contrast sending them flying off the walls of Vergen with Aard signs and listening to them scream as they fall? Music to my ears.

 

[The Madman]

Sweet jesus I hated that whole frickin quest line. Listening to those jackasses slur crass rhymes sent me packing out of the whole Aedirnian quest branch faster than Superman jerks off.

Contrast sending them flying off the walls of Vergen with Aard signs and listening to them scream as they fall? Music to my ears.

Odrin is a Kaedweni treasure, you take that back! You wanted unbiased and friendly? You got it. Odrin!

How could you not love a face like this?

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

I almost prefer them to be assholes about it, rather than in other games where they pretend to be nice to manipulate me into doing their laundry for them and getting their groceries.

 

[Moonmover]

I pretty much agree with the OP.

I won't say that The Witcher is a bad game, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I can't get into it because it is just completely at odds with my own worldview. I'm no idealist, but I think there are at least some good people in the world (yes, even in mediveal times.) Hell, there are even some people in reality whom I actually like. The Witcher just doesn't have that. I don't like anyone in The Witcher. I don't even feel like the writers intended me to.

 

[Hollyday]

I'm currently playing the witcher for the first time and my feeling is that it's a game to be admired, not loved. It's gorgeous to look at (even on my crappy laptop), it goes on FOREVER, the quests are varied and interesting, the rpg elements are complex but satisfying, the combat is challenging (well, i'm finding it challenging. I've been known to find opening jars challenging though so this point is probably moot), overall the plot is absorbing... but I just don't care. I hate the people living in this world. I can't make out bad guys from allies. I picked my main love interest because her name came up first. I picked my allegiance by clicking on it accidentally. I'm usually the first person to be sucked into a story-line but it's just not grabbing me.

 

[distortedreality]

Isn't that whats great about the series. The world is fucked up from the start. You're not going to rid the world of all evil you're not going to stop the comming apocolypse. You're just trying to survive in it, doing what you think is right. Knowing that a lot of people still wont like you no matther what you do.

Pretty much this IMO.

I like having a character that doesn't have to care about what others think of him, doesn't have to answer to anyone, etc - it's refreshing.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

A little elf was skippin' down the street!
Plow'em all Plow'em all!
Along came a man an' kicked 'er in the teeth!
Plow'em all Plow'em all!

 

[Fappy]

The trolls are worth saving. Do it for the trolls.