So, the Witcher games...

[Mr. Adventure]

I've always heard a lot about this series so I thought let's get in on the ground floor. I fired up Witcher 1 and it starts off in a castle and within about 20 minutes I got bored with the movement and (in my mind) horrible combat. I had to look up a youtube video just to figure out why my swings never seemed to happen/complete. Plus, it seemed really generic. It was a really bad first impression.

However, these games seem to be quite popular and I really appreciate the decision to not use DRM. How far should I go before deciding if these are for me or not? Is there a "oh, you should at least get to X before it all clicks" moment? Should I actually play one of the newer Witcher games instead?

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Just play the third game, if you must play one at all. It is the best game, offers an amazing open world with very complex and interesting quests, and is the least objectionable in terms of being loaded with misogyny (although there is, unfortunately, still a fair amount of that, just much less than in the previous two games).

 

[John Clark]

Like you, I tried the first game first having heard good reviews, but the combat was a turn off.

Last year, I got the third one and gameplay wise, I think it's a lot better. (Also recently got the second, but three is my favourite of the bunch)

 

[Evil Twin]

I never really understood people's complaints about the combat in the first game. Silver sword for monsters, steel for everything else, switch between either fast/strong/group styles depending on what you're fighting and click the mouse when the sword icon lights up . Simple as that. It's basically rock-paper-scissors.

It's 2 that has the terrible combat. Too much mandatory rolling and dodging, needing to drink potions prior to combat, the quicktime event Kayran... I still don't know what the "proper" way is to fight those wraiths during midnight ritual outside Flotsam. Ugh.

But yeah, if anything else, play third game. It's fantastic.

 

[retroenzo]

I can understand Mr. Adventure's objections to the game. I didn't try the first one, but started on the second because the third looked a lot of fun, but couldn't get on with that. If I dive straight into Witcher 3, is there anything I need to know about story-wise?

 

[Evil Twin]

Here you can find plot summaries for the first two games:

http://witcher.wikia.com/wiki/The_Witcher_storyline
http://witcher.wikia.com/wiki/The_Witcher_2_storyline

Also helps to read up a little on the backstory of Ciri from the books, as she's all but ignored in the first two games:

http://witcher.wikia.com/wiki/Ciri

 

[John Clark]

I never really understood people's complaints about the combat in the first game. Silver sword for monsters, steel for everything else, switch between either fast/strong/group styles depending on what you're fighting and click the mouse when the sword icon lights up . Simple as that. It's basically rock-paper-scissors.

It's 2 that has the terrible combat. Too much mandatory rolling and dodging, needing to drink potions prior to combat, the quicktime event Kayran... I still don't know what the "proper" way is to fight those wraiths during midnight ritual outside Flotsam. Ugh.

But yeah, if anything else, play third game. It's fantastic.

My issue seemed to be (even after reading the instructions several times, looking up videos) Geralt just didn't seem to want to swing He just seemed to wonder around preparing to do a down-slash , but never actually do it.
2 I've managed the tutorial, but 3 feels a lot more natural.

 

[SPCTRE]

The first one is really tough to get into, the second one too. It's perfectly fine to skip both.

 

[Retu]

The world is what usually draws people into the Witcher games. It's full of shades of gray and the games don't help you on what choice to make in your quest. Most of the time there really isn't even a "good" choice, only the lesser of two evils.

The first game is definitely the weakest one of the series both in storytelling and gameplay wise. However the series definitely improves as it goes on and Witcher 3 has the best damn characters and storytelling I've seen to date in a video game.

 

[SPCTRE]

Just play the third game, if you must play one at all. It is the best game, offers an amazing open world with very complex and interesting quests, and is the least objectionable in terms of being loaded with misogyny (although there is, unfortunately, still a fair amount of that, just much less than in the previous two games).

that is also very true

 

[JD]

I've only played a bit of 3 without any prior knowledge or experience with the series and I really liked it. The only reason I stopped is because I had other stuff that I wanted to play more, but once I've finished them I do plan to go back to it.

 

[John Clark]

Yeah, that sounds familiar

 

[jenji120]

I've only played a bit of 3 without any prior knowledge or experience with the series and I really liked it. The only reason I stopped is because I had other stuff that I wanted to play more, but once I've finished them I do plan to go back to it.

Witcher 1 (Enhanced Edition) is surprisingly addictive once you get past the very first part. I spent a bit of a day+ marathon on it but I must admit that while it was fun playing it at the time, I did get bored and never came back to it. I played Witcher 2 as well but for a shorter time. I had to Mod like crazy just to make the GUI usabale.

I agree with others just skip to 3 that's all I've really spent any time with and if you feel the need just read up on the story for the other two or better yet the books. Witcher 3 is a great game.

 

[SPCTRE]

just make sure to read the books in the original Polish

 

[Owain Taggart]

I never really understood people's complaints about the combat in the first game. Silver sword for monsters, steel for everything else, switch between either fast/strong/group styles depending on what you're fighting and click the mouse when the sword icon lights up . Simple as that. It's basically rock-paper-scissors.

It's 2 that has the terrible combat. Too much mandatory rolling and dodging, needing to drink potions prior to combat, the quicktime event Kayran... I still don't know what the "proper" way is to fight those wraiths during midnight ritual outside Flotsam. Ugh.

See, for me, I had the complete opposite reaction with the first and second games. I felt the combat in the first was terrible and felt the sequel drastically improved on it. The first game also has a pretty high difficulty curve that only got easier for me about halfway through it when I had enough good abilities. But early on, it's very easy to get cornered and just die by being surrounded and not being able to defend because anything hitting you interrupts you.