The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings – Enhanced Edition – Review

Has this PC powerhouse role-playing game had a smooth ride over to the Xbox 360, or did it get lost along the way?

Originating on the PC almost a year ago, third person role-playing game The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings has now landed on the Xbox 360. Developed by Polish studio CD Projekt RED, the game follows Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher. Witchers are genetically enhanced humans who are vigorously trained to fight monsters. Witchers can be a master of swordsmanship, magic and alchemy, and players can choose which of these Geralt prefers through levelling up and unlocking skills. The game is based on the book series of the same name penned by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The rich lore woven by Andrzej is reflected in the game which presents a deep, immersive world. Although this is a port of a PC game released a good year ago, it is worth noting that this is no straight port – CD Projekt have been hard at work creating new content, from impressive pre-rendered cut scenes to extra quests. The Witcher series is known for being a very mature game and this is shown by the game’s 18 rating.

The game starts with Geralt accompanying King Foltest during an impressive siege of a castle. As the name of the game may suggest, the king is assassinated during the siege and it is believed that Geralt is to blame. After quickly finding himself imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, he escapes and sets off into the world to clear his name. What players find outside the cell is a greatly detailed and realised world; even when visiting towns for a bit of downtime and trading, the game shows off its attention to detail – the land feels as if it is a real place that is really alive, the pubs are crowded and loud, traders are out pushing their wares and the whores are out for coin. The towns are no bastions of light and good, of high elves and peace; they are dirty, downtrodden places where people do what they can to get by. Strong writing and rich voice acting bind these lands together, culture is everywhere. Players will be interacting with kings and wizards one moment, peasants the next, and then before long duelling with nobles, all of whom have a social standing be it high or low. The social casting will catch players out at times, after spending a few hours working for a nobleman only to then be trading words with a commoner. The contrast of how they speak and feel about the world pulls players deeper into the world, immersing them ever more into its rich lore and the game’s strong, well-considered presentation.

Combat is a tough and precise affair. Geralt carries two swords, one steel and one silver, and using the correct sword against the correct enemy is a must for any budding swordsman. Combined with a large inventory of mines, traps and throwing knives, that’s a very deadly arsenal at the player’s fingertips. Adding Geralt’s impressive magical skills, and then mixing in the use of alchemy to create anything from healing potions to potions that help see in the dark, gives a slight idea of what to expect when fighting the first enemy in the game. Playing on anything other than easy mode, combat is something to take seriously, and every enemy is to be treated with respect – even when blocking, Geralt will still have his health chipped away. The mainstay of damage avoidance is through dodging and, if the time is right, riposting. Combat can be as complex or as simple an affair as the player wants it to be. Focusing Geralt on swordsmanship allows a player to flail more wildly at opponents, although depending on the difficulty setting this can only be slightly effective. Focusing on a mixture of magic, swordsmanship and alchemy allows players to mould combat into a deadly balancing act with highly rewarding outcomes; this complexity can be seen as a result of the game being born on the PC. Luckily the controls on the 360 pad, for the most part, replace the keyboard well. The A button may end up doing too many jobs, or getting through the menus can take a few more button presses than expected, but on the whole the game is responsive and handles better than some of its console-exclusive cousins.

The original PC release presented gamers with a gorgeous game, but as ever those looks came at a price, pushing even the strongest of PC hardware to its limit. It is with that in mind that it can happily be reported the game looks great on the Xbox 360. There may be the odd texture pop-in, and maybe once the game may crash, but all is forgiven when seeing the finely presented world. Light from the moon breaks through tree branches at night, firelight dimly glows on those faces around it who are seeking warmth, and textures are strong. This is easily one of the best looking games on the 360, and will hold up even into the next generation.

The weight of detail going into the game’s mythology combines nicely with the heavily grounded third person role-playing game mechanics. The mature theme, gameplay and compelling plot pull players through a story that creates a legend that would be a mistake to miss out on.

Our rating: 9/10