The Witcher 2 - launch controversy

As you all know The Witcher 2 is not due for UK release until tomorrow, however a lucky few (myself included) happened upon some rogue stock on sale in Tesco over the weekend. It seems that Tesco inadvertently began to sell the titles on Friday, a whopping 4 days before the official release. Developers quickly got in touch and demanded that the supermarket pull the remaining stock from the shelves until the actual release on 17th April. 

Whether this mistake was genuine error, or a more sinister ploy to make a few bucks at the expense of more established game retailers, we will likely never know. I for the most part was completely unaware, shambling into my local Tesco on a quest for Cat food, Butter and AA Batteries, I came across The Witcher 2 in the entertainment aisle. 

Without a second thought I dropped one of the many copies on sale into my basket and set off towards the quest marker at the checkout. I encountered no enemies on route and no traps, not so much as a puddle of spilled Ribena. Plain sailing.

After tweeting about my recent purchase, I received a few messages of confusion from friends and followers. For the most part these read something like "Howd u gt that?? N0t out till tues...!". After doing a bit of googling, I stumbled upon this article on EuroGamer, which explained the mix up.

Some of the environments are stunning

In all my gaming history, I've not really experienced this before but the sensation was probably akin to time-travel...or being sent a review copy of a game. Without hesitation, I decided to get stuck in, and here's what I found:

The Game

Following a short, obligatory tutorial designed to introduce you to the combat mechanics and some of the basic functions, you are thrown into a large battle between two ruling powers in the fictional land of Temeria. Your character (Geralt, the Witcher) is a super-human who specialises in slaying monsters. However, on this occasion, you have been summoned by the King to assist in a clash against his enemies. 

So far this looks like an excellent example of a modern RPG. The story is well crafted with characters that have a depth and complexity that makes them really come to life. The graphics are excellent considering that this is a game that has been ported from a PC and adapted to fit the aging hardware of the Xbox. 

In general, the game feels a lot more focused than some open-world RPGs like Skyrim for example (Not that freedom in Skyrim is a bad thing!) but you don't get the feeling of being herded in one direction. I spent the best part of the day exploring, getting pretty stuck into the initial quest, only to find that I was still in the prologue and hadn't even started the first chapter! So, needless to say, there is plenty to do in the world of Temeria.

Mean looking chappy, eh?

Above all though, The Witcher feels very much like an adult's RPG. The mature themes are in your face, but in no way overdone. The language is rife, the violence bloody and the nudity full-frontal, but where others try and fail, the Witcher manages to pull this all off without it feeling trite. 

The Xbox version also comes with some additional DLC and some lovely booklets, manuals and a map. Manuals. Remember those?! If you are a fan of RPGs, Game of Thrones or fantasy in general, I think you'll dig it.

Batman: Arkham City - review

Batman: Arkham City is the sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum, Rocksteady Games' 2009 Game Of The Year.

Arkham City picks up a few months after the events of Arkham Asylum. Quincy Sharp, the former warden of Arkham (now the Mayor of Gotham City) has set up a new inner-city prison, where inmates roam the streets freely. This walled off section of Gotham has been dubbed 'Arkham City'.

In the games opening, we see millionaire Bruce Wayne campaigning against the Arkham City initiative, before he is captured and imprisoned within its walls. Once he has been re-united with his Batsuit and trusty gadgets, Bruce sets off to find out what is going on.

Despite a more open feel, fans of Arkham Asyluum will feel very much at home in Arkham City. Developer Rocksteady have ensured that the game stays true to the series winning formula. 

Hand to hand combat plays a big part with the Dark Knight taking on as many as 20 enemies at a time. Much like its predecessor, the system for brawling is fairly straightforward, with one button to attack, one to counter and one to dodge. However, the variety of combos and counters make combat a joy to behold. So much so, that I often found myself going out of my way, just to pummel groups of enemies.

A crowd this size is no match for the Bat

Arkham City is a sprawling metropolis teeming with enemies, hidden areas and many secrets to uncover. Navigating the city by gliding and using the Batclaw is a lot of fun. You can swoop down on a group of unsuspecting enemies and then disappear back into the night before re-enforcements have time to react.

What's great about this game is that it truly makes you think and feel like Batman, the worlds greatest detective, with all the gadgets and techniques at your disposal. Whether it's tracing a bullets trajectory to sniff out a rogue sniper or using your wits to outsmart the Riddler in his deadly challenges.

Arkham City really stays true to the Batman universe with fantastic lore and back stories, as well as appearances from many of our favourite characters and villains, including some of the more obscure characters like The Mad Hatter, Scarface and Solomon Grundy.

Joker is uglier this time round but no less insane

My only complaint about the game is that, like many, my copy of the game arrived with the Catwoman DLC codes missing. However, after contacting Warner Bros games, they offered apologies and swiftly sent a new code via email.

That small gripe aside, Batman: Arkham City is a fantastic game with excellent characters and tremendous voice talent. Its graphics are very good, with great character models and animations. Most of all though, it offers a sinister and gritty realisation of Gotham City, in which you are the hero. A must have for comic geeks and action fans alike.

My Score: 9/10

Competition Time!

I have a code for the Catwoman DLC (Xbox Only) to give away. For a chance at winning leave a comment on this blog post saying who your favourite villain from Batman comics, films, games etc and why. Be sure to include your email so that I can mail you the code if you win.

Catwomans DLC adds a new perspective and new skills and gadgets

 I will announce a winner on Monday 7th November 2011.