The Witcher

E3 2007 Preview

If I were to tell you that The Witcher was an RPG that features action-oriented gameplay, you'd instantly think, "Oh, it's an action/RPG." Ninety-nine percent of the time you would be right. But this is not your average RPG, your average action game, or average in any other way that a game can be. Designed as a structured (but open-ended) adventure, the player controls a dark, potentially villainous character that can do pretty much anything he wants. The interesting twist is that, rather than have his actions cause a positive or a negative effect on the main character, his choices determine what will happen to those around him.

Story details and exact scenarios are sketchy at best, but the general idea was this: if there's a dead man lying on the floor, you may have somehow been involved with his death. Something you did -- maybe you were distracted, fought someone else, or maybe you were the one who actually killed him -- caused the man to die. But get this: it doesn't really matter if he doesn't die because someone else will. There are apparent certainties in the game that will always take place, no matter how hard you fight against them. The presumable goal, for this portion of the game, is to do what you believe is the lesser of two evils. Or, if you have a mean streak, the more lethal of two evils.

Because of the game's medieval setting, the developers wanted The Witcher to have a minor drinking element. It might sound like it's more for kicks than anything else, but in addition to getting your own character drunk (which causes the screen to grow progressively blurry with each glass), you will also be able to use alcohol as a means of gaining information. People are more easily fooled when they're wasted, making them more susceptible to player persuasion.

And when they're not getting others drunk or weighing the odds against two difficult decisions, players can engage in an old-fashioned fist fight to win money from local thugs at the bar. One brief fight was shown, and the results were pretty comical. The opponent was stronger and more experienced at fighting, so he ultimately came out the victor. The man who wagered the bet tells you to come back the next day and lose more money. Had the player gained enough experience before the battle (you have to learn how to block and perform other moves over time -- they do not come automatically with the press of a button), he would've had a better shot.

The most striking thing about The Witcher is its camera usage. There is a lot of talk in this industry about camera angles, especially when a game does something new and cinematic. But you don't usually hear people talk about the camera itself. In The Witcher, combat can be accessed from a far off, isometric-style view, or from a close and highly intense view. It doesn't sound like anything major -- other games have offered two camera views. But you wouldn't believe the level of intensity that comes with the close view. As you run toward enemies, the world -- which is very large in scope and is very lively -- seems to fly by at a much more impressive rate than in other action games. Yes, action games.

Combat, though still very much a part of the role-playing world, is more varied and contains several moves that looked like they were inspired by God of War. Our anti-hero will strike, slice, and slaughter with a high level of style, but not so much that he comes off as a dancer or Dante (of Devil May Cry fame) wannabe. But like Capcom's beloved action title, you can earn points, which are earned through level experience, to unlock new moves and attributes.

Coming out at the start of the Christmas gaming season (September), The Witcher looks to bring a new era to PC RPGs, one that could further bridge the gap between its polar opposite -- the action game.

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