Ben-DutkaFor the most part, role-playing games are for RPG fans. And that's it.
It might be the greatest RPG ever made but no matter how amazing it is, chances are, it will still only appeal to those who are familiar with – and typically adore – the genre in question. It's expressly for the hardcore gamer who wants to get super involved in his or her virtual experience.
Of course, there are many different types of RPGs these days and besides, the very definition has gotten a little hazy. But I think we can all agree that CD Projekt Red's upcoming game, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt , is indeed a role-playing game in every sense of the term. That being said, is it also a game that might entice those outside the RPG fold? Sure, it's ridiculously deep and long (which can intimidate the more casual gamers out there), but there's also something universally appealing about it, I think. It goes beyond the amazing landscapes, and it's not just about blending fast, crowd-pleasing combat with an obscene amount of complexity. I think that perhaps the complexity involved isn't quite so overwhelming and in fact, the game might encourage newcomers to give RPGs a try.
It's rare that such games come around. I have friends who swear they'd never touch an RPG, and they've admitted to having an interest in The Witcher 3 . When I ask them why, they say it just "looks special," or something to that effect, and they'd be willing to give it a try. If we're talking about immersion, maybe this is the game that offers the most amount of immersion potential for the most amount of people. You don't even have to be a fantasy fan (even if it helps that things like "Game of Thrones" are huge right now). You just have to enjoy video games and if you do, I have the feeling you've already looked at this massively anticipated title with at least some interest.
A crossover title? A game that brings millions more together in praise? Maybe not. An RPG is still an RPG and not for the faint of heart. That being said, don't be surprised to come across people ten years from now who say their very first role-playing game was The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt .
I like how the combat has an action game feel to it. (from what I've seen from videos). I read the team really fleshed that system out more in Witcher III. There's a lot more combat related animations.
EDIT: Another plus is that it's fantasy world isn't either generic D&D style fantasy or generic jRPG anime (like Star Ocean). It looks to have a fresh take. Though I do see some Tolkenish inspiration, like that Sauron looking knight I've seen in videos.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 5/8/2015 10:06:34 PM
The hardcover (and softcover) strategy guide is on sale at amazon for $28.
Do people find these things useful?
It sorta seems that way for this game because it's so huge. The guide is over 500 pages!
Last edited by Temjin001 on 5/8/2015 10:26:35 PM
I'm gonna slap your mouth. Star Ocean does new things and creates diverse locations with the anime medium every time.
You missed. Dante is too slow for Ryu =p
that doesn't change the fact that it still looks like your usual anime. something I'm sure causes some gamers to look the other way as soon as they lay eyes upon it. Witcher on the other hand has a look to it that isn't so easily niche-targeted in it's appearance. It has the look that could be made into a big budget film. Maybe it's a reason, among several others, some non-rpg gamers are drawn to it?
I get the feeling if the game was exactly as it is, but with your generic Star Ocean anime trappings, it would NOT be getting the attention it has been.
Sure, those targeted gamers would be going nuts, but the sort of broad excitement it's receiving now? I think it unlikely.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 5/8/2015 10:42:34 PM
I have no argument with your Witcher ideas, but about star ocean, that's like calling Star Wars a generic sci-fi film. Avatar is a generic sci-fi film.
Avatar was a joke.
Star Wars, for it's time, redefined sci-fi. It being one of the authors of how we think about and look at sci-fi today.
There's a difference between content and style. An anime can be sci-fi or fantasy and still look anime-generic.
That's the problem with games taking on an anime style. It's stylization follows a set of conventions that make it seem so very generic and typical of it's type. I can look at the majority of anime offerings and see the usual suspects: Bright cartoony saturated colors. Huge eyes. Tiny mouths. Nubs for noses. Purple hair. Girl'ies dressed in cutesy outfits. Head to body proportions. Over the top exaggerated personalities. These and more define the generic anime set of stylistic conventions.
It's just how it is. It has it's audience who want and expect that. It's not for everyone. The devs of Witcher probably know that.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 5/8/2015 11:44:59 PM
I don't think you get what Temjin is trying to say World.
He isn't saying the games are generic, in gameplay or story, or even anime tropes, he is just saying that the aesthetic of the game is going to turn away a vast majority of people at the door.
Even though I love anime I am inclined to agree with him. The aesthetic of the Witcher has a more grounded in reality feel to it which is why more people would give it a try over something like say the new Star Ocean.
And that isn't to say that Star Ocean 5 couldn't be the better game, it is just that the lowest common denominator is not going to be interested in it or even give it a chance.
yea, Xenris. I don't mind playing an occasional anime flavored game myself. That Persona fighting game is great. And not all anime looks generic.
Studio Gilbi's Ni No Kuni and most of Miyazaki's stuff that I've seen, like Spirited Away, is not generic anime flavored. Also notable artists like the Final Fantasy artist Amano display a unique sense of style that doesn't fit all of the anime cliches.
I also think the artist for SuperGiant Games does great at breaking some of the generic anime likenesses. Yes, it looks influenced but it certainly isn't generic/common/normal etc.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 5/9/2015 12:40:54 PM
If so, i still don't see anything different in the aesthetics of the witcher and other third person rpgs.
I think the thing about games like Witcher and its little brothers is you can play it the way the devs intended or make your own fun. Like GTA you can do whatever you want, but suffer the consequences. Or do whatever you want and just chillax.
If you wanna go hunting animals then you got a hunting game. If you wanna be a raider then you can f*ck up a whole village and run for it, if you want a stealth game you can up that ability, magic, action, whatever you want.
That makes it universal. When people who aren't RPG folks play they will notice that.
Doesn't everyone have a first game in a specific genre they decided to really give a chance? Sure I know many of us kinda just clicked with RPGs the moment we tried them, but I have plenty of friends that got into them later and the games they tried tend to be varied. The Witcher 3 is likely going to be really amazing, but I doubt it has some special something that hasn't been done before that draws people who don't normally like RPGs in. Most likely it's just the enormous hype that's making people assume it'll be something special.
It doesn't really have to have a special something new, it just needs to be put together in a way that is appealing broadly.
How many gamers love Westerns? And look at Red Dead Redemption.
Er, you're gonna have to be a bit more specific. I honestly have no clue how popular westerns are among gamers. I know I like them just fine, and I know a few people who love them. But I haven't really looked much into how much it sold.
Anyways my point wasn't that it needs something new and special to attract new RPG fans, it's precisely the opposite. It likely will attract other people, maybe even get them to give the entire genre a chance. My point was that that's not something particularly unique to it.
It's not that TW3 isn't just for RPG fans, few games are (from software is the only AAA dev I can think of off the top of my head that has games only people who are already fans of the genre are likely to get into). It's just that well made games that get hyped liked crazy tend to attract a lot of attention outside of their specific market.
ah I misunderstood63 you then.
^ cat on keyboard
I don't know about other people, but I know I gonna love Witcher 3 and play it straight non stop…
If it's anything like the previous games, it's definitely not going to be something that people new to the genre get into very easily. It looks more accessible than previous entries, though, so I dunno.
Playing Witcher 2 before and that game is hard, you need to use strategy to beat it…
I doubt it will have the impact on the casual market that Skyrim did, but between the combination of the hardcore who have played the original 2, the Playstation faithful who all of a sudden are interested and on the bandwagon, and those who are generally thirsty for an epic adventure for this current gen, the game should to well on the sales charts.
Last edited by n/a on 5/9/2015 2:07:39 AM
With all the advertising and trailer this game got, I bet Witcher 3 will sell well, no doubt about it…
I'm not so sure if RPGs like these really are so niche any more – not after I witnessed the success of Skyrim.
Skyrim is way more accessible than most RPGs. Definitely more accessible than The Witcher 1 or 2.
But Skyrim is also intimidating to the mainstream and slow by comparison to action games. Yet it cleans up in sales. It's kind of a mystery if you agree that the trend is faster and dumber action everywhere.
I don't think Witcher will be intimidating now that people demand hugeness and you also get that fancy combat.