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> Results: The Witcher
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The ESRB Says
Blood and Gore: GamerDad saw blood spatter everywhere as he destroyed enemies. Partial Nudity: Even with the fabled 'nude cards' toned down you will see some female private bits. Strong Language: Plenty of use of most every swear word you can think of. Strong Sexual Content: Geralt is either a womanizer or a romantic, depending on how you play. Violence: Nobody seems to want to let Geralt live in peace. To short-circuit the bad Monty Python paraphrase I had planned, amongst the great things about CDProjekt's The Witcher are the brilliant setting based on Sapkowski's novels; the depth, variety and novelty of the plot and quests; the wonderful variety of characters you meet around the game world and the interactions you have with them; the excellent graphics and music that terrifically convey a sense of presence in the world and the cinematics that help set the plot in motion; the exciting action-based combat that takes a bit to learn but is rewarding and satisfying once mastered; the tremendous role-playing opportunities present due to the deep skill system and character development possibilities; and finally the really great character of Geralt. There are only a few aggravations - some translation and voice acting issues (though far fewer than most Eastern European developed games), long load times, and some console-inspired 'watch the cutscene that leads right into the boss battle that will likely kill you more than a few times' issues. Aside from that, The Witcher is truly one of the best RPG's you will ever play. Let me cut right to the chase - this isn't a game that will be played and forgotten. Nor is it likely to end up like Oblivion or Halo as revered one day and ridiculed for all of its' flaws the next. Nor like Bioshock is it likely to face a sea of backlash when enough time has passed for people to see the difference between the 'bestest EVAR' game in many reviews and the excellent game they actually played. No, The Witcher is a game that will sell OK now, get decent reviews now, and yet be the one on everyone's lips for 'top RPG's of all time' when they are discussing it five years from now. Pretty bold stuff, I know, but I honestly believe that history will prove me correct. So if you own a top-spec PC and like role-playing games, buy this game - it is that simple. ![]()
The Witcher is truly a game that earns a 'Mature' rating in many ways that are ... well, mature. There is no morality imposed on you, nor are there simple 'good/greedy/evil' choices with direct results available. You make loads of subtle choices, just like in real life, and the ripples from those are felt throughout the game in the way that other characters deal with you. The content itself is clearly aimed at an adult audience - there is some nudity even in the 'reduced' North American version, plenty of strong language throughout, and bloody combat that is quite intense. Oh, and the sexuality. Sure there are the fabled 'trading cards' you can collect for the various women throughout the game; there is also the opportunity to build relationships with women you meet in the game - or just quickly bed them and leave them behind. The choice is yours - all of the choices are yours, but the end will change based on decisions you make along the way. An easy Adult GamerDad Age Seal, but highly recommended for adults looking for a bit more depth than is usually found in video games.
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