Baldurs gate 3 RELEASED IN SECRET!

[Standup]

They are indeed as I eventually worked out. One of the few combats where I've lost or had to run away (brave, brave Sir Robin...)

Also one of the few that were much easier in 3D mode (F3 camera). Nearly all the others I've played in F1 mode.

There's a patch due before Christmas although not sure what's in it. Assuming that they don't get rid of the annoying bosses I'd hope for at a minimum...

shorter loading times
Vista stability
some sort of inventory management
fix broken dialogue quests especially in Ch 2

Nothing that changes the nature of the game but all things that make it a better experience. Would take it from a 6.5/10 to a 7 or 7.5

[DrSpike]

Hmm, so mixed views on this one. But there isn't a great deal of competition (on the PC at least, the Xbox has Mass Effect now. ) so I suppose some people are thinking it's better than nothing.

[Apocalypse]

It's just just about a lack of competition. This is really one of the best RPGs made since 2001, if not the best. I suppose you can make an argument for KOTOR or Bloodlines.

[Nostromo]

Originally posted by DrSpike
Hmm, so mixed views on this one. But there isn't a great deal of competition (on the PC at least, the Xbox has Mass Effect now. ) so I suppose some people are thinking it's better than nothing.

Don't listen to what I say. The Witcher is a pretty good game. Its just that I don't care about games anymore. I'm starting to think that I would lose interest real fast even if I was playing the best game ever.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Nostromo


Don't listen to what I say.

Don't worry - there was never any danger of that.

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Standup
After many more attempts and watching a video on youtube finally got past this stage.

Frustrating on two accounts. Firstly because I found it so difficult but mainly because it didn't fit into what is suppose to be a RPG. A big boss monster with no way of avoiding and only one solution. There's no other solution or tactics and nothing that takes account of the way your character has been developed. At least in games like Baldur's Gate you could try different tactics if you got trounced in a combat.

Anyway....straight into another cut scene and into chapter IV. A sudden change of pace in the village of Murky Waters.

All so peaceful until the giant centipedes took me apart. That'll teach me to be admiring the flowers.

The queen was a pain ... I eventually figured it out, took like an hour and several tries even after I knew what to do. I don't mind it though, it's a puzzle just like anything else ... and you've pulled down things in the game before (at least early on they teach you that you can) so it should be a tactic you are aware of. The journal warns you ahead of time that she's not killable, if you're reading your monster diary like you should

That said I think I could've gotten her eventually, if the game doesn't have some protection (queen health <10% = full heal or something ****ty like that). I had her down to about 50% health at one point; traps are quite useful.

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Apocalypse
It's just just about a lack of competition. This is really one of the best RPGs made since 2001, if not the best. I suppose you can make an argument for KOTOR or Bloodlines.

I'm not sure I'm at Apoc's level of enthusiasm, but the game has some real strengths. It gets the atmosphere right, and the gameplay is different enough that it's quite interesting. The quests are getting a bit repetitive, and there are some significant bugs still unfortunately (I can't play poker meaningfully because I couldn't get the woman in the swamps to play with me for some reason (to get the ability to play with professionals); but my GF did and plays with everyone in chapter 4 with no problem). Some of the dialog based options are a bit annoying, but it's just part of the way things are to some extent. Overall the combat can be fun and the atmosphere is certainly good.

[Apocalypse]

Apparently some people have killed her the hard way, but they were really buffed up.

[Apocalypse]

Don't get me wrong...I am not that enthusiastic about the game. I just think RPGs after 2001 have been pretty meh for the most part and have been severely lacking in at least a couple areas.

The Witcher isn't much different, the good points are just really good.

[Standup]

And don't get me wrong either there's a lot of good things in this game and my emphasis on the bad points is partly one of expectation but also because they interupt what is a well realised world. Things like the granma set scene would probably be amusing if there weren't huge loading times between each joke.

Also once I'd accepted it wasn't a free roaming RPG then I just got on killing things.

I'd still rate Gothic 2 well above it though in the RPG stakes.

[Standup]

Patch 1.2 is out now.

Addresses loading times and a few critical bugs but nothing on dialogues generally or inventories.

Installed but haven't tested it yet. The official forum seemed to be largely positive about the few things it addressed. It's a bit hard to filter the sensible posts though as any criticism tends to get a rather negative reaction.

[Apocalypse]

The Witcher is winning in Gamespot's best RPG voting...

Eternal Sonata (X360)
(2%)

1,164


Mass Effect (X360)
(40%)

21,566


Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 (PS2)
(3%)

1,655


Super Paper Mario (WII)
(8%)

4,411


The Witcher (PC)
(46%)

24,522

[Standup]

Having a break at the moment as chapter V so far just seems to be one big cut scene with moments of Dragon's Lair interactivity.

Instead started reading the book - the Last Wish. Not really my sort of thing but I was interested. It's quite strange to read a book where your images of characters and the environment have been shaped by a vid game. The style is quite sparse so I find myself filling in the detail from the game. And suprising it works well so far which reflects positively on the game world.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Apocalypse
The Witcher is winning in Gamespot's best RPG voting...

Eternal Sonata (X360)
(2%)

1,164


Mass Effect (X360)
(40%)

21,566


Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 (PS2)
(3%)

1,655


Super Paper Mario (WII)
(8%)

4,411


The Witcher (PC)
(46%)

24,522

The reader votes aren't worth much, as they depend too much on number of players with that game.

[Apocalypse]

Yeah, but I doubt The Witcher sold better than Mass Effect, and Gamespot really isn't geared toward games like The Witcher anymore.