Gaming The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

I just finished this - absolutely brilliant. I'm useless at video games, so I did it on the easiest setting. I'm now starting the Hearts of Stone expansion, but for some reason my silver sword is gone! Makes fighting level 30 drowners a bit problematic....
 
jem said:
I just finished this - absolutely brilliant. I'm useless at video games, so I did it on the easiest setting. I'm now starting the Hearts of Stone expansion, but for some reason my silver sword is gone! Makes fighting level 30 drowners a bit problematic....
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That's weird, have you tried looking in the storage chests that are in most hub areas? You could probably craft another one fairly easily given you've finished it you should have plenty of materials and coins if you go to one of the master smiths.
 
Art Vandelay said:
That's weird, have you tried looking in the storage chests that are in most hub areas? You could probably craft another one fairly easily given you've finished it you should have plenty of materials and coins if you go to one of the master smiths.
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Yeah I think I'll need to go back to an earlier save and go find one of those storage chests before going into the sewers. What a game though!
 
jem said:
Yeah I think I'll need to go back to an earlier save and go find one of those storage chests before going into the sewers. What a game though!
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Should you even have to do that? Is there not one of those chests in Oxenfurt or failing that there is a blacksmith there that can craft a decent sword. Sewers contain a quite difficult fight though.
 
Art Vandelay said:
Should you even have to do that? Is there not one of those chests in Oxenfurt or failing that there is a blacksmith there that can craft a decent sword. Sewers contain a quite difficult fight though.
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Well my most recent load is in the sewer, so will need to go back a bit.
 
Just skipped all the comments to avoid spoilers.

So, I'm gonna buy Witcher 3 because of all the mad reviews and ratings. Do you need to have played 1 & 2 before playing 3? I haven't played any of them and don't want to miss out.
 
Trizy said:
Just skipped all the comments to avoid spoilers.

So, I'm gonna buy Witcher 3 because of all the mad reviews and ratings. Do you need to have played 1 & 2 before playing 3? I haven't played any of them and don't want to miss out.
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To get the best experience, yes, you need to play at least the second game. Additionally, you need to read the books. The first game is the most skippable from the entire saga, in many aspects it is pointless.

You can play and enjoy the third game by itself, but you will feel confused in many points, and you won't know important characters (why does Geralt cares that much about them?) and events.
 
Revan said:
To get the best experience, yes, you need to play at least the second game. Additionally, you need to read the books. The first game is the most skippable from the entire saga, in many aspects it is pointless.

You can play and enjoy the third game by itself, but you will feel confused in many points, and you won't know important characters (why does Geralt cares that much about them?) and events.
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Cheers mate.
 
Yeah I played it a while back having never played any of the previous games. It was still a great game and I enjoyed it a lot, but occasionally you have to make decisions that can feel a bit arbitrary without really understanding the context. I remember being asked to express by loyalty - or not - for some monarch and having no idea what this guy stood for or whether I wanted to be for or against him. You could probably do a bit of background research on YouTube as and when these kinds of decisions come up to help make up your mind, or you can just make them blind. It probably would enhance your enjoyment of the game to have a better grounding in the lore and I think the fact I didnt have it explains why I dont rate this game as the best thing I have ever played. But if you dont have the time or inclination to go back and do the play the previous games or read the book you will still get a lot out of it.
 
Even better, read the books too! Bit much to ask obviously, but some of the books really tie in to the Witcher 3 story ark.

Previous games and books aside, if you read up on it online, it's fine too.
 
Just to expand Adebesi's and my post above, the vast majority of references are with respect to the books, not to the games. And when something is referenced to the games, it is always to the second game (bar in the first expansion where there is a book character which was also in the first game, but not in the second).

So, having read the books is much more important to the third game, than having played the second game (as I said, the first game is pointless in grand scheme of things). However, if you have played the games, you will be somehow familiar with characters like Dandelion, Triss, Radavan, Lodge of Sorceresses and have heard about Yennefer, plus you know the sides in the war.
 
I echo these sentiments. The books are far more important than either of the previous two games. You can have played both games and still be completely in the dark about the two most important people in Geralt's life. Especially the first game is completely irrelevant. It has aged terribly and its story just doesn't really tie into the books or even the other games. But it got me into The Witcher so it's not all bad.

Anyway, you should be fine playing just the third game. Events and characters will mean more to you if you've read the books but the experience is still worth it without all of that knowledge.
 
Adebesi said:
How good are the books?

I guess any fan is going to say theyre great, perhaps this thread is not the place for an objective answer to that question.
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There's always the fantasy reads thread where they've been discussed before. Obviously you're not going to get a very objective answer from me, as I was a huge fan already before even starting the books. But I'd say well worth your time if you enjoy fantasy literature. They're well written, I really enjoyed Sapkowski prose even if it was a translation. He writes complex characters and spends a lot of time fleshing them out. The short stories aside, don't expect a fast-paced fantasy. It's pretty slow, political and very character driven. If that doesn't work for you, the first two books with short stories might still be worth reading as they're a lighter read and introduce the most important characters.
 
Ainu said:
There's always the fantasy reads thread where they've been discussed before. Obviously you're not going to get a very objective answer from me, as I was a huge fan already before even starting the books. But I'd say well worth your time if you enjoy fantasy literature. They're well written, I really enjoyed Sapkowski prose even if it was a translation. He writes complex characters and spends a lot of time fleshing them out. The short stories aside, don't expect a fast-paced fantasy. It's pretty slow, political and very character driven. If that doesn't work for you, the first two books with short stories might still be worth reading as they're a lighter read and introduce the most important characters.
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Cheers, I may well check them out.
 
I just put a hold on The Last Wish from my local library, looks like itll be a few weeks wait but that works for me as I have other books to read in the meantime.

I actually liked the sound of the slow and character driven novels but they didnt have Blood of Elves in the library so I thought I would dip my toes with this and see how I get on.
 
Trizy said:
Just skipped all the comments to avoid spoilers.

So, I'm gonna buy Witcher 3 because of all the mad reviews and ratings. Do you need to have played 1 & 2 before playing 3? I haven't played any of them and don't want to miss out.
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No, you don't. I jumped in fresh without playing 1 or 2, and without reading books. It still became my favourite game ever and I loved it. Same with my brother.
 
I feel like throwing myself off a ladder and hoping for memory loss so I can play this for the first time again!

I jumped into TW3 without the others, it made enough sense and I loved every minute after the learning curve, started on the hardest difficulty cos I'm a dickhead !
 
I like the books. The English translation is ever so slightly offer at time though. Stille, if you like fantasy reeds, they're good.
 
Trizy said:
Just skipped all the comments to avoid spoilers.

So, I'm gonna buy Witcher 3 because of all the mad reviews and ratings. Do you need to have played 1 & 2 before playing 3? I haven't played any of them and don't want to miss out.
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You don't need to read the books at all. You will get a lot more out of it if you do, but it's not at all required. There's a codex in game for every character anyway, it doens't delve too much into their history but it does enough. Worst case scenario if it gets confusing you can always ask us. I'll warn you up front though, that as brilliant as it is it can be a bit clunky at times, although I found RDR 2 to be worse in that regard.
Adebesi said:
I just put a hold on The Last Wish from my local library, looks like itll be a few weeks wait but that works for me as I have other books to read in the meantime.

I actually liked the sound of the slow and character driven novels but they didnt have Blood of Elves in the library so I thought I would dip my toes with this and see how I get on.
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I hope you enjoy it, I remember reading a review of it in SFX many years ago and thinking it sounded cool. I ordered a copy off Amazon and at the time I hadn't read anything like it. Such an interesting world and it's very well written. Twisted fairy tales is probably my favourite description of The Last Wish. I think he does more Witcher work in that than in the rest of the series combined.
 
I've just started another play through of this on the hardest difficulty. The Fiend at the Crones place wiped me out a few times.

Still the best game I've ever played.
 
Art Vandelay said:
You don't need to read the books at all. You will get a lot more out of it if you do, but it's not at all required. There's a codex in game for every character anyway, it doens't delve too much into their history but it does enough. Worst case scenario if it gets confusing you can always ask us. I'll warn you up front though, that as brilliant as it is it can be a bit clunky at times, although I found RDR 2 to be worse in that regard.

I hope you enjoy it, I remember reading a review of it in SFX many years ago and thinking it sounded cool. I ordered a copy off Amazon and at the time I hadn't read anything like it. Such an interesting world and it's very well written. Twisted fairy tales is probably my favourite description of The Last Wish. I think he does more Witcher work in that than in the rest of the series combined.
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I'm excited. This morning it hadn't even occurred to me to read these books but now I'm really looking forward to it.
 
Adebesi said:
How good are the books?

I guess any fan is going to say theyre great, perhaps this thread is not the place for an objective answer to that question.
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Very good.

They are quite complex though, where politics play a large role. They are also dark as feck. In case you have liked A Song of Ice and Fire, or authors like Joe Abercrombie, Glen Cook, Mark Lawrence and so on from the fantasy genre, then you will like them too.
 
Adebesi said:
Just had an email from the library, The Last Wish ready for collection. Think Ill play the game again once Ive read it, unless I decide to read another one first.
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The Last wish is the first book in the series, right? So you have another 6 books or so to read.

Actually, the novels are quite better than the two books with short stories (first and second books in the saga).
 
Revan said:
The Last wish is the first book in the series, right? So you have another 6 books or so to read.

Actually, the novels are quite better than the two books with short stories (first and second books in the saga).
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I strongly disagree with that. I enjoyed the short stories a lot but the novels are hard work. I've been stuck on Time of Contempt for a while now and very rarely feel like picking it up again. Maybe the remaining novels are better but so far the short stories are head and shoulders above.
 
Siorac said:
I strongly disagree with that. I enjoyed the short stories a lot but the novels are hard work. I've been stuck on Time of Contempt for a while now and very rarely feel like picking it up again. Maybe the remaining novels are better but so far the short stories are head and shoulders above.
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Opinions are subjective, to be fair. Well some of them are. This one from you is just wrong though.
 
Maybe it's just nostalgia, but The Last Wish is still my favourite of the books. Don't get me wrong, I loved the main series, but The Last Wish just has a special place in my heart.
 
Think out of the books Tower of the Swallow was the hardest one for me to read but thought Lady of the Lake was amazing. They can all be pretty slow burners.

But did love reading The Last Wish.
 
Don't remember the titles but the one with the magi civil war and the last one are the best.

The Last Wish is great too. It introduces the three main characters (and the main antagonist), however liked the main series cause of its complexity.
 
So, I got Witcher 1 and Witcher 3 on steam sale and for the life of me I can't seem to figure out how the controls work in Witcher 1. Witcher 3 on the other hand looks absolutely gorgeous.

Regarding the books, they are great both the short stories one and the main saga.
 
Its really quick to read isnt it. The short stories, that is. I was expecting it to be a bit... I dont know... more substantial, I guess? Slightly harder work. When I went to pick it up from the library I was thinking Ill have to really make sure I read this quickly so I dont have to keep renewing it. Turns out I read a third of it last night in a few hours, so finishing it clearly wont be a problem. Maybe I got that impression from people talking about the saga, which sounds more complex and slower going. From what I read so far though I will probably read the saga. I was originally thinking Id probably just read the short stories and that would be enough, but I reckon I might enjoy the saga more. As much as Im enjoying the short stories they dont give me much of a sense of the politics of The Witcher world. Each story feels more like one of the individual missions of the game.
 
Adebesi said:
Its really quick to read isnt it. The short stories, that is. I was expecting it to be a bit... I dont know... more substantial, I guess? Slightly harder work. When I went to pick it up from the library I was thinking Ill have to really make sure I read this quickly so I dont have to keep renewing it. Turns out I read a third of it last night in a few hours, so finishing it clearly wont be a problem. Maybe I got that impression from people talking about the saga, which sounds more complex and slower going. From what I read so far though I will probably read the saga. I was originally thinking Id probably just read the short stories and that would be enough, but I reckon I might enjoy the saga more. As much as Im enjoying the short stories they dont give me much of a sense of the politics of The Witcher world. Each story feels more like one of the individual missions of the game.
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The novels are far more complex. Several fractions, a dozen kings, wars and alliances, mages, betrayers, politics, civil wars etc.

Short stories are straightforward, just adventures of Geralt.
 
Revan said:
The novels are far more complex. Several fractions, a dozen kings, wars and alliances, mages, betrayers, politics, civil wars etc.

Short stories are straightforward, just adventures of Geralt.
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That sounds more like what I want to be honest. Short stories are good but prefer a bit more intrigue and context about the broader world itself.
 
Adebesi said:
That sounds more like what I want to be honest. Short stories are good but prefer a bit more intrigue and context about the broader world itself.
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Yep, that is why I preferred the novels too. They are very mature compared to most stuff in the fantasy genre, and that is a bit surprising considering that in the nineties the genre was mostly good vs evil.
 
The shorts are definitely better than the novels. There is some depth in the novels, but it’s mostly Geralt’s philosophical musings. Sapkowski writes better in shorts.

Or, well, at least is translated better in such.
 
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