By now, video-game console owners might be tired of their PC-playing buddies singing effusive praise for "The Witcher 2." Luckily for the rest of the game-playing world, the excellent action/role-playing game is headed to the Xbox 360 in the spring, along with big improvements.
For those not in the know, "The Witcher 2" is a game of fantasy battles and political intrigue starring a mysterious monster hunter named Geralt.
The number "2" on the title shouldn't scare anyone away, because the new story is largely independent from its predecessor and is a perfect jumping-on point for new players.
The PC version of "The Witcher 2" already plays well with a control pad, and developer CD Projekt Red has used the past few months to make the controls feel even better. A new optional camera system follows the player and rotates the camera without the need for manual control, always moving to an angle that offers a good view of the action and where you're going. At the same time, players still can use the right stick to alter their view and can turn off the automatic camera if desired.
Battles now have a lock-on mechanic that keeps your focus on a single target, and a flick of the right stick switches to other enemies. Overall responsiveness in battle has been improved, and the developer is working on a new inventory management system.
Beyond improvements to game play, the console version has a wealth of new story content. CD Projekt Red added computer-generated cut scenes throughout the game to deepen the plot, from opening movies that delve into the characters and world to closing movies that summarize the results of your various decisions throughout the game.
Best of all, CD Projekt Red added more than four hours' worth of missions that feature new characters and locations. The story involves locating royal heirs with the help of an alluring spy named Brigida, who had once posed as their caretaker. Like the rest of the game, excellent writing, smart dialogue and morally ambiguous choices characterize these sections.
PC players have been excited about "The Witcher 2" for a reason: The complexity and breadth of choices you face as a player are like nothing else in modern RPGs.
If development continues apace, expect "The Witcher 2" to draw big attention from console gamers in the spring.