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PC GAF: Love Fallout 3, Hate Oblivion - Will I Like The Witcher?

S

sk3tch

Member
Yo,

Pretty much as the title says. I am absolutely loving Fallout 3 (20 hours in so far, which is a first for any game in a looong time). I think it's a combination of the setting (love the "near future" vibe) and the freedom (I can be good, evil, and I can just mess around if I like - no real linear story that you *must* follow). Additionally, being able to save whenever you want wherever you are is a plus (I'm busy and sometimes I can only pop in for 10 minutes to play). V.A.T.S. rocks...I could go on and on.

I have tried Oblivion 3x: 360, PC, and finally the PS3. Just could not get into it. Perhaps it was the fantasy setting (lost interest in AoC, WAR, LOTRO)?

With all that being said - will The Witcher be up my alley or no? How is the save system? Can you save anywhere at anytime or do you have to find save spots (annoying)? I recognize that it's kind of the same fantasy setting as the aforementioned titles, but it seems different with the paranormal aspect?

Just trying to queue up another game for when I'm sick of Fallout 3.

Thanks folks. :)
 
Revolutionary

Revolutionary

Member
sk3tch said:
With all that being said - will The Witcher be up my alley or no? How is the save system? Can you save anywhere at anytime or do you have to find save spots (annoying)? I recognize that it's kind of the same fantasy setting as the aforementioned titles, but it seems different with the paranormal aspect?
Click to expand...

The Witcher autosaves at just about every "important" event in the game so you're covered in that area, and you can manually save via the Pause menu at any time.

It's a great game, infinitely better than F3 in my opinion... but then again, F3 is a disappointment to me (Oblivion w/ a Fallout mod - weak)... but whatever.
 
F

firehawk12

Subete no aware
Given the Aurora engine legacy, I think in terms of gameplay you're looking at a game similar to BioWare's pre-Mass Effect offerings.
Also, the fact that this is a Polish game probably makes it incomparable to a lot of typical WRPGs in terms of the storytelling.

I have my Witcher EE sitting here, I just haven't gotten around to it. I think I've been zombified into becoming a console gamer.
 
L

Leonsito

Member
The Witcher is more linear than both Bethesda games, it's an episodic story, with different acts but keeping your character stats through them, you can save anytime you want, but sidequests have to be completed before finishing each act.

Thanks to the style of the game the story is way better than Oblivion and Fallout 3 BY FAR, the writing and the voice acting is amazing, and the game can be played in Diablo-style or Gears of War-style, the combat is way better than both Bethesda games too, there are three styles of fighting, depending on the enemies you face, and you can use magic too combined with the sword attacks, to make combos you just have to click the attack button where the cursor shines, it's strange at the beggining, but the system is great and satisfying when you start to reach higher levels. Also, the alchemy system is the only one I ever liked in a RPG.

The setting is like Oblivion, a medieval-fantasy world, but with more background in the story and a lot more solid, there are amazing locations, and the sidequests along with the good writing makes the setting feel more immersive that the Bethesda games, the characters are interesting, and the locations are fantastic, the music adds to the atmosphere a lot.

For me The Witcher is the RPG GOTY 2007, and The Witcher EE RPG GOTY 2008.
 
B

Baconmonk

Member
Leonsito said:
the game can be played in Diablo-style or Gears of War-style
Click to expand...

What?

I've been meaning to try this game, but I couldn't imagine two totally different types of gameplay controls. I could imagine how the Diablo-style controls are, but Gears? There can't be a cover system, or shooting.... Or do you just mean overhead or third person?
 
L

Leonsito

Member
Baconmonk said:
What?

I've been meaning to try this game, but I couldn't imagine two totally different types of gameplay controls. I could imagine how the Diablo-style controls are, but Gears? There can't be a cover system, or shooting.... Or do you just mean overhead or third person?
Click to expand...

This. There is no cover and shooting of course, but the view is very similar, and it's my favorite for the combat. The Diablo-style with the top view and the mouse only style didn't feel right to me.
 
B

Baconmonk

Member
Good to know, I was never a big fan of the overhead "click and kill" gameplay for the deeper RPGs out there. Worked for Diablo since it was so fast and I usually played it with friends, but single-player it got a bit boring after awhile. I'll have to grab it off of Steam when I finish up my last few quests in Fallout.
 
P

PuppetSlave

Member
Baconmonk said:
Good to know, I was never a big fan of the overhead "click and kill" gameplay for the deeper RPGs out there. Worked for Diablo since it was so fast and I usually played it with friends, but single-player it got a bit boring after awhile. I'll have to grab it off of Steam when I finish up my last few quests in Fallout.
Click to expand...

Well to be honest the Witcher has click and kill gameplay. It's just that you can't mash the click button but you need to time them to get combos going. Also you have magic attacks to mix it up with.

It's a great game though make no mistake. You will not regret picking it up.
 
V

Vorador

Banned
Fallout 3 is completely different from The Witcher. The Witcher is completely linear, although you have a lot of freedom in every episode, every one is separated from the others. Also is a lot more mature, with no bullshit "good or bad" alignment and/or obviously polarized decisions. And a lot of swearing and suggestive themes :D and no ugly-as-sin characters :lol Bethesda has never got right the faces in their games. And the story, writing and dialogues of The Witcher are far superior to anything Bethesda has ever done.

A lot of people hated on the combat, but i think it is because they played the game on easy, where you don't need chemistry for winning the fights, just hack your way. In normal or hard, you have to really prepare for you enemies, and be wary than every fight could be the last if the enemies pile up or you go unprepared. Using potions on yourself or your weapons, use the best weapon for each enemy (you have two types of swords), change the combat style, use Signals (magic), etc.
 
F

Fredescu

Member
The Witcher is great but it's nothing at all like Fallout 3.

Vorador said:
A lot of people hated on the combat, but i think it is because they played the game on easy, where you don't need chemistry for winning the fights, just hack your way. In normal or hard, you have to really prepare for you enemies, and be wary than every fight could be the last if the enemies pile up or you go unprepared.
Click to expand...
I played through on normal and I agree that it's more than just a hack and slash. The combat still feels a little clunky. I can't really put my finger on it and it's been a while since I played, but it just doesn't flow that well. It's probably the only downside of the game for mine. The rest of it is fantastic.
 
A

antispin

Member
I can wholeheartedly recommend The Witches if you enjoyed FO3. Each one does certain aspects better: combat for FO3, moral choices and characterization for The Witcher. But both are excellent titles and if you liked one, you should definitely try the other. I would also recommend the STALKER series.
 
B

Baconmonk

Member
antispin said:
I would also recommend the STALKER series.
Click to expand...

I have heard this game contains much win, but after buying it around the time it came out I had so many crashes (and a game save bug) that I just couldn't stick with it. Upon moving recently though, I found it again. How does it run with the newer patches? (Btw my PC is more than capable of running it, I can run Crysis on med/high easily).
 
F

FirewalkR

Member
Slightly OT:

Just wanted to mention that I got FO3 last Friday night and by now I have a 20+ hour savegame, so awesome. :D It's pulling me in much more than Oblivion ever did. (even tho I love Oblivion)

I've had the Witcher for ages (couldn't resist the CE) but still haven't upgraded my PC to be able to play it. :/

PS: There's no way I'll enter a FO3 thread till I finish it. This one was already risky! :S
 
Minsc

Minsc

Gold Member
Baconmonk said:
I have heard this game contains much win, but after buying it around the time it came out I had so many crashes (and a game save bug) that I just couldn't stick with it. Upon moving recently though, I found it again. How does it run with the newer patches? (Btw my PC is more than capable of running it, I can run Crysis on med/high easily).
Click to expand...

Are you unaware that the newest patch is somewhere around 1-2 gigs worth of additions? You should definitely get it, they added thousands of new dialog lines (re-recorded entire languages), decreased loading times by up to 80% (iirc) and probably fixed a few hundred bugs, as well as added a few of the best community created mods in to the game, and improved the animation and models/graphics. I've never had any crashes with the newest patch, but I didn't play it enough on the older patch to see how it ran then.
 
L

Ledsen

Member
Minsc said:
Are you unaware that the newest patch is somewhere around 1-2 gigs worth of additions? You should definitely get it, they added thousands of new dialog lines (re-recorded entire languages), decreased loading times by up to 80% (iirc) and probably fixed a few hundred bugs, as well as added a few of the best community created mods in to the game, and improved the animation and models/graphics. I've never had any crashes with the newest patch, but I didn't play it enough on the older patch to see how it ran then.
Click to expand...

I don't think you could even call it a "patch" seeing as they even re-released the game as the "Extended Edition".
 
C

Confidence Man

Member
Minsc said:
Are you unaware that the newest patch is somewhere around 1-2 gigs worth of additions? You should definitely get it, they added thousands of new dialog lines (re-recorded entire languages), decreased loading times by up to 80% (iirc) and probably fixed a few hundred bugs, as well as added a few of the best community created mods in to the game, and improved the animation and models/graphics. I've never had any crashes with the newest patch, but I didn't play it enough on the older patch to see how it ran then.
Click to expand...

I think he was talking about Stalker.
 
I

isamu

OMFG HOLY MOTHER OF MARY IN HEAVEN I CANT BELIEVE IT WTF WHERE ARE MY SEDATIVES AAAAHHH
Fredescu said:
Heh, I thought he was talking about Stalker. I was thinking, that sounds remarkably similar to the recent Witcher patch.
Click to expand...

yeah same here.
 
Minsc

Minsc

Gold Member
Fredescu said:
Heh, I thought he was talking about Stalker. I was thinking, that sounds remarkably similar to the recent Witcher patch.
Click to expand...

Oh, I see now, well I'll just blame it at being 6 in the morning on monday. Never had a problem with STALKER either, but I can't run it with all the nice dynamic lighting, so perhaps that increases crashing a bit? There's been quite a few patches for stalker too, but nothing quite so ambitious obviously.
 
S

sk3tch

Member
V

vandalvideo

Banned
As long as you aren't infatuated with overly simplistic action gameplay which ruins the role playing experience sure. The combat in Witcher is really like The Summoner from the PS2. It isn't as twitch as Fallout 3. Not to mention the morality system is umbrae canarum unlike Fallout 3, which is great for the intellectual gamer out there. It is a unique RPG that I would recommend for any PC gamer.
 
D

dionysus

Yaldog
I haven't played Fallout 3, but The Witcher is way better than Oblivion. The arpg combat in the witcher is 10 times more balanced and engaging than Oblivion. I think Oblivion's combat is completely broken. The Witcher definitely has less options in combat than Oblivion, but each option actually is effective instead of 4/5ths of the options being worthless and broken like in Oblivion. You have 3 attack styles, and 5 spells. Everything else in combat is passive like parrying or dodging. Yet everything works well together.

The story is much more mature. I am not talking about cussing, sex, and violence either. That is superficial. Each decision in The Witcher is ambiguous, and your decisions will have both intended and unintended consequences. Most decisions end up having both good and bad consequences. I tried to play through the game as noble as possible, but I am pretty sure I ended up encouraging a genocide when I thought I was preventing one. Your early decisions will haunt you for the rest of the game, just like in real life.
 
K

Kestastrophe

Member
I read the Sapkowski novel before I played the Witcher, and I have to say that the game does a fantastic job of realizing the fictional universe. However, I think that the combat is less engaging than even that of Fallout 3 and the missions are much glitchier (I can think of at least 2 missions off the top of my head that I am unable to finish due to NPCs not showing up where they should). However, the alchemy in the Witcher is really good and offers alot of flexibility (just not as much as some people would have you believe). Its a fun game, just very unpolished.
 
T

Tenks

Member
This maybe seemingly 100% random but if you like the near-future post-apoc theme & setting you may want to give the Digital Devil Sagas a try. Obviously don't play a thing like Fallout but the feel is there.
 
S

sk3tch

Member
Kestastrophe said:
Its a fun game, just very unpolished.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Did you play The Witcher vanilla version or was it the EE version? The patches are free on their site to get to EE...

Tenks said:
This maybe seemingly 100% random but if you like the near-future post-apoc theme & setting you may want to give the Digital Devil Sagas a try. Obviously don't play a thing like Fallout but the feel is there.
Click to expand...

Thanks dude...will do that!
 
L

LiQuid!

I proudly and openly admit to wishing death upon the mothers of people I don't like
Unlike GAF hivemind, I couldn't stand the Witcher. Hated the stupid timed button press combat, the pseudo-goth setting (the intro movie is so hilariously bad I laughed until I cried), and plodding, boring quests. Nothing about the game entertained me.

One of these day's I'm gonna get around to trying STALKER though.
 
P

Pizza Luigi

Member
I guess you should be comparing the games in terms of ambiance and style. By that, I mean that when you compare Oblivion and The Witcher, they're pretty much te same. Given the fact that you hate Oblivion and love Fallout, although they're actually the same game with a different setting, it is the setting that you hate. The setting in the Witcher is much alike the one from Oblivion, so no.
 
C

crowphoenix

Banned
Have you tried the demo, OP? It's about a good 4 hours worth of gameplay and really sold me on the game. Now, I just need to pick it up. :D
 
EviLore

EviLore

Expansive Ellipses
Staff Member
LiQuid! said:
Unlike GAF hivemind, I couldn't stand the Witcher
Click to expand...

There's no hivemind about The Witcher. Don't invoke it to try to put your own opinion on a pedestal.
 
P

Prime crotch

Banned
Kestastrophe said:
I read the Sapkowski novel before I played the Witcher, and I have to say that the game does a fantastic job of realizing the fictional universe. However, I think that the combat is less engaging than even that of Fallout 3 and the missions are much glitchier (I can think of at least 2 missions off the top of my head that I am unable to finish due to NPCs not showing up where they should). However, the alchemy in the Witcher is really good and offers alot of flexibility (just not as much as some people would have you believe). Its a fun game, just very unpolished.
Click to expand...
Really? Polish would be the first thing it comes to mind when talking about The Witcher.
(heyooo! unwanted pun)
Seriously though, I was quite surprised by the quality of it.
 
T

TheExodu5

Banned
firehawk12 said:
Given the Aurora engine legacy, I think in terms of gameplay you're looking at a game similar to BioWare's pre-Mass Effect offerings.
Also, the fact that this is a Polish game probably makes it incomparable to a lot of typical WRPGs in terms of the storytelling.

I have my Witcher EE sitting here, I just haven't gotten around to it. I think I've been zombified into becoming a console gamer.
Click to expand...

You'll be surprised. The combat is far and above Mass Effect. The action element is fairly simple, but the battle system is great, and the skills are well designed.
 
T

TheExodu5

Banned
Baconmonk said:
I have heard this game contains much win, but after buying it around the time it came out I had so many crashes (and a game save bug) that I just couldn't stick with it. Upon moving recently though, I found it again. How does it run with the newer patches? (Btw my PC is more than capable of running it, I can run Crysis on med/high easily).
Click to expand...

Well, the weird thing is even though I have an E6600 and 8800GT, I run the game with static lighting. With dynamic, it fluctuates between 30-60fps, but with static, it never comes close to droping below 60fps. With static lighting, it looks in between Half-Life and Half-Life 2 visually, but the jump in framerate to me is well worth it.

edit: sorry for the DP.
 
K

Kestastrophe

Member
sk3tch said:
Interesting. Did you play The Witcher vanilla version or was it the EE version? The patches are free on their site to get to EE...
Click to expand...
I have the EE. It was an aboslute bitch to install, but I finally got it to work in safe mode (this was a few months ago). Crysis runs excellent on my PC and there is no screen tearing, but there is always tearing present in the cutscenes for the Witcher. As I mentioned in my first post, there were at least 2 occasions in which I was unable to complete a quest due to an NPC not showing up where he/she should(and this is only in the first 2 Acts). The Witcher hasn't crashed on me like Fallout 3 has, but on the whole it feels unpolished.
 
K

KTallguy

Banned
I personally hated The Witcher. Just bored the heck out of me.
STALKER, now that's a game I can recommend whole heartedly!
 
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