So The Witcher: Extended Edition has been sitting quite calmly in my Steam backlog since… um… since the 2009 holiday Steam sale? Or maybe it was 2010. Anyway, I haven’t touched it yet.
Now of course The Witcher 2 is out, and early reviews indicate it adds a bag of chips to the first one’s all-thatness.
When I don’t have time (OK, don’t make time) to play games, I sublimate by micro-managing the hypothetical game-playing I am not doing. Hence this poll. Is it advisable that one play the first game before playing the second? Or does the second game so completely surpass the first as to make it moot?
I strongly suspect this is a Mass Effect-like situation, in which the answer is “duh, play the first!” But nonetheless I’m curious. Thank you for your consideraaaaaation.
Good question. I only got halfway through the first one before getting bored. If playing the first really becomes a prerequisite to enjoying the second, I suppose that will have an influence on any purchasing decisions.
I’m only an hour into TW2. They make a few references to things that happened at the end of the original game. It doesn’t matter. I also don’t think it spoils the story that much, so you can always play the first one later.
I’ve already encountered a few people and references that probably show up in the books. That’s where you’ll really be lost at times. Again, it doesn’t matter. Jim at RPS has a paragraph about this: you’ll feel like you’ve been put right in the middle of a story but that’s okay.
Only in this case the games are related with some references. Still it is hard to go back from the great persona 4 to the great persona 3. Both are good games, but one is just newer, fancier and shinier. You’ll also be able to appreaciate the Witcher 2 more if you know where/how it started.
The Witcher 1 is/was a really good game (perhaps starting with 1.2 and the reduced loading times…), but it might be a bit less fun if you played part 2 first.
a) It’s a good game
b) while the story in W2 is new, playing The Wichter 1 serves to establish the characters and the world, and have a stronger connection with Geralt.
You should play The Witcher 1 because it’s a good game. I don’t think it’s crucial to play it before playing The Witcher 2, though. Your experience won’t be tremendously diminished in either game by doing it in reverse order.
I’d hit a wall in Witcher 1, and only a month ago fired it back up and powered through chapter 2. (Thanks GameFAQ’s!) I fell in love w/ the game again, but in no way did I have the patience and self control to wait until finishing before I fired up Witcher 2. Witcher 1 is loooong. At least for a dude w/ kids.
I don’t find Witcher 2 to be remotely lacking without having finished the original. Witcher 2 opens with a number of flashback episodes that seem confusing until you play them, and then reveal themselves to be self explanatory.
I say just go for Witcher 2. Then you’ll be amped and primed to dig into the dense and purportedly much longer Witcher 1.
I would agree with this, although it may end up being tough to go back to the somewhat kludgy combat of the first game after the action-based combat in the second. I think it also enhances the beginning of TW2 to know who Foltest is.
Shim and I are only in chapter 2 of the first game–and aren’t planning to jump ship. I watched the opening cinematic and made a couple dialogue choices, but didn’t like feeling that I wasn’t sure whether or not I should know these people. If you’re not planning to play the first game, it would be sad to miss out on both, but if you are, then I think you’ll approach the second game with a better understanding of the world and a better feel for the sort of person Geralt might be if you play them in order. I’m enjoying the first one much more than I expected. And liking Geralt much better than I thought I would.
I’d vote for a play of TW1 and solely because it’s a great game, and holds up well after a few years. Play it on Easy and enjoy the story and characters, getting yourself into TW2 faster. At least you’ll have the experience.
I really liked the first one, but if time is limited I think you can skip it and just play the sequel. Long RPGs aren’t really much fun when you’re tapping your foot trying to get through them.
Yeah, it’s nice that he isn’t a complete ass like the main characters in most games that feature lots of sex and violence. He can get laid and then actually have a conversation with the girl, who he obviously respects and cares for. It can be a little surprising, since he kind of looks like a Kratos type.
I’ve had that same problem after trying to play it three times now I guess.
But so many people here really like The Witcher, whose opinions I respect, that I am going to have to give it another go, maybe try the game on easy setting to move it along a little quicker.
RPGs with the same world, same hero, same characters and connecting narrative that is chronological (not to mention save file) in a sequel automatically makes playing The Witcher 1 a requirement in my book. FULL STOP. ZERO SUM. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Also The Witcher is fan-fucking-tastic and will be a much better introduction to the world of Witchers than The Witcher 2 will be.
It also helps that the main plot of The Witcher 2 continues off of a “cliff hanger” that occurs at the VERY end of The Witcher 1. Also the WILD HUNT is mentioned like 5 minutes in.
An RPG sequel with the same world, same hero, same characters and connecting narrative that is chronological (not to mention save file) automatically makes playing The Witcher 1 a requirement in my book. FULL STOP. ZERO SUM. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Also The Witcher is fan-fucking-tastic and will be a much better introduction to the world of Witchers than The Witcher 2 will be.
It also helps that the main plot of The Witcher 2 continues off of a “cliff hanger” that occurs at the VERY end of The Witcher 1. Also the WILD HUNT is mentioned like 5 minutes in. Don’t you want to know everything Geralt has been through up to this point and know what he knows.
I didn’t much like the first Witcher. Most boring loot in any RPG ever, overcomplicated skill & potion systems, weird keyboard-controlled combat, too much running around in big empty areas. On the other hand, the final ultimate director’s cut Überedition (or whatever it’s called) is dirt cheap so you don’t risk much in trying it.
