The third part of The Witcher has recently been released and it is quite logical to expect greater demand for games in this series, so I would first of all like to address this review to those who have not yet had time to get acquainted with the first part.
So, let's start in order: the game plot. Being tied around the fact that Geralt has lost his memory, it has little in common with the plot of the books; only some moments from the hero’s past are mentioned in passing in the dialogues. And even though a certain separate story is told throughout the game, not taking its roots from books, it is presented very competently and throughout all four chapters (and this is a VERY long time) it holds the player and does not allow him to leave to drink, eat, or sleep. It is not without reason that they say that Sapkowski himself advised the developers on the plot of the first Witcher. The story came out independent, intriguing and serious. The plot is not without sharp turns and moral dilemmas that will affect the game world not only in the final video (hello The Witcher 3) and Geralt will have to live with the choices he made in the past.
The graphics of the stars from the sky are not enough, because the game uses the engine from Neverwinter Nights 2 pumped up on steroids, but it still looks nice, the design of the monsters is especially pleasing, they all differ in details, color and size, and are not simple retextures of previously encountered opponents (hello to The Witcher 3 again). What's really worth paying attention to in this game is the atmosphere. In combination with location design, light filters and dynamic weather effects, the result is an extremely convincing dark, but in its own way charming medieval world, imbued with the spirit of Slavic folklore.
There is a serious approach to the game's scoring, the game world is filled with different sounds and each location tells a certain story behind its noise: a church area where people hide in their houses every night so as not to stumble upon monsters or bandits; a charming village at the city gates, whose prosperity hides its own dark history; the abode of the Order of the Flaming Rose, music that smacks of ominous motifs.
The music in the game is fabulous and unforgettable. It’s not for nothing that the developer includes a disc with the soundtrack with the copy of the game - such music is really pleasant to listen to, even separately from the gameplay, and each melody sinks into the soul for a long time and evokes pleasant associations with the locations in which it is played. There may be no female vocals or choral singing, but the magical combination of keyboards, strings and drums plays directly on the strings of the player’s soul, touching those notes that only masterpieces deserve.
Finally about the combat system: combat occurs by pressing the LMB in time and may seem at first a rather tedious process, but imagine that in the game there are 3 fighting styles (fast, strong and group) and each of them has its own animation, a set of which opens as you upgrade each branch, up to 8 different animations for one style. Now multiply that by two. Yes, yes, each witcher sword in the game has its own group of animations. In total, we have 48 animations only for the blows of witcher swords for the 2007 game, and there are also other weapons in the game. And together with the infectious “tinkling” sound during critical hits, the combat in The Witcher develops into a real symphony of steel, blood and pain.
My opinion is that the game is undeservedly underrated for its time and I really wouldn’t want it to be forgotten amid the release of The Witcher 3. I highly recommend this game for all fans of this series. 9.5 out of 10