The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

About

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is a single-player, fantasy open world game with an intriguing story, exceptional gameplay, masterful graphics, and awesome music. Despite some bugs and grinding, it offers a very atmospheric experience with wholesome storytelling and high replayability. The Premium Edition includes various multimedia contents, in-game items, a strategy guide, and collectible dolls, providing an enhanced gaming experience for both new and experienced players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings screenshot

+12

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 20,398 reviews

story5.4k positive mentions

optimization104 negative mentions

story
11,785 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
51%
3%
The story of "The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings" is widely praised for its depth, complexity, and the significant impact of player choices on the narrative. Many reviewers highlight the game's intricate political intrigue and morally ambiguous characters, which create a rich and engaging experience that often requires multiple playthroughs to fully appreciate the branching storylines. While some players find the gameplay mechanics clunky and the quest tracking frustrating, the compelling storytelling and character development are seen as the game's standout features, making it a must-play for fans of the series and those interested in narrative-driven RPGs.
- “The storylines and politics of the world are anything but black and white, and there are many interesting choices you can make along the way.”
- “The narrative is great; it offers decisions with actual consequences and two stories that provide different quest and narrative experiences.”
- “The story is amazing and deep, like the other Witcher games; it's not as open world or long as Wild Hunt, but it doesn't feel like you are playing a super linear game.”
- “I sincerely hope that the book is better than the game, because the story of the game is very weak.”
- “The story just did not impress me at all.”
- “The overall story is confusing - so confusing that the final dialog contains a dump of all information you need to understand everything.”
gameplay
3,539 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
54%
10%
The gameplay of "The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant improvements over its predecessor, particularly in combat mechanics and graphics. However, some find the gameplay clunky and frustrating, especially when compared to the more polished experience of "The Witcher 3." While the story and character development are praised, the combat can feel unresponsive and overly complicated, leading to a steep learning curve for new players. Overall, the game is recommended for its narrative depth and engaging world, but potential players should be prepared for some dated gameplay mechanics.
- “The gameplay mechanics are fantastic; continue with a similar leveling system as the original, meaning you can choose if you want to be more assertive with the sword, wise with your signs, or strategic with your potions.”
- “The gameplay is improved over the first Witcher game, and is not terrible by modern standards.”
- “The gameplay is challenging (at least at first), and I definitely felt that using my full arsenal (signs, bombs, potions, oils, etc.) was necessary at higher difficulties.”
- “It's like the game introduces all of its mechanics at once and expects me to remember or pay attention.”
- “The main gameplay mechanic is the fighting, which has a lot of possibilities (using traps, bombs, throwing daggers, magic, swords) but is a struggle to learn and it is really easy to mess up due to Geralt not doing what you want him to do.”
- “The gameplay is a complete overhaul from the witcher 1 with combat drawing from inspirations like gothic and demon's souls, with the setting's own nature informing lots of unique spins.”
graphics
3,518 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
38%
3%
The graphics of "The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings" are widely praised for their stunning quality, even years after its release in 2011. Many reviewers highlight the game's impressive visual fidelity, detailed environments, and character models, often comparing them favorably to contemporary titles. While some players note that the graphics can be demanding on hardware, the overall aesthetic and artistic direction contribute significantly to the immersive experience of the game.
- “The graphics are simply the best ever seen in an RPG to date, if not the best that we have so far in any game (compare to Crysis if you want to).”
- “The graphics for a 10-year-old game are fantastic, considering this is the enhanced edition.”
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning, the character animations are amongst the best if not the best ones I have seen in a game so far, and the world is painted full of vivid colors and lively sounds.”
- “The graphics are really really bad, can't see anything!”
- “The graphics and textures show their age.”
- “The graphics look ok but are a mess when taken as a whole, there's this surreal feel to it and it's not lynchian, it's the bad kind of surreal.”
music
664 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
42%
3%
The music in "The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric and thematic qualities that enhance the game's immersive experience. While some tracks are described as beautiful and fitting for the medieval setting, others find the soundtrack repetitive and less memorable compared to its predecessor, "The Witcher." Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's ambiance, though it may not stand out as much in isolation.
- “The atmosphere, the music, and the character lines are just amazing, combining to create one of the best RPGs of all time.”
- “The music is beautiful; this game is almost perfect. The RPG combat system is slightly poor, and it doesn't even seem so real.”
- “The soundtrack is phenomenal, and I still listen to it all the time.”
- “The music is very forgettable.”
- “The music ranges from acceptable to surprisingly head-turning, but is implemented somewhat poorly; especially in most of the cutscenes.”
- “The music from Witcher 1 is one thing I really missed; I barely noticed the music in the game and when I did, it was the same old boring music I've been hearing throughout the whole game.”
replayability
398 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
51%
1%
The game offers high replayability due to its branching storylines and impactful choices, allowing players to experience significantly different narratives based on their decisions. While some players noted a lack of a New Game+ feature and a desire for longer playthroughs, the multiple paths and endings encourage at least two playthroughs to fully explore the game's content. Overall, the combination of meaningful choices and diverse outcomes makes it a highly replayable RPG.
- “The decisions you make during the game actually impact the story and there is definitely some great replay value here.”
- “The game branches out and thus has good replayability, but with no new game+ it's a little less exciting, and I wish the game was longer per playthrough.”
- “The story branches are interesting and have a real impact; a third of the story can be totally different, which adds value to the replayability of the game.”
- “While I get that the game is replayable and has multiple paths story-wise, I just don't feel like it has enough value in doing so. The main reason for that is combat-related; there aren't enough differences between the combat skill tree builds to make it worthwhile for me personally.”
- “In general, the game left a pleasant feeling, has a certain amount of replayability due to the ability to go through various branches and select different dialogue options, but personally, I was a little bored throughout the entire passage and by the end, I wanted to finish all the quests and finish the game as soon as possible.”
- “The only downfall of this game is its replayability.”
optimization
355 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
29%
The game's optimization has received largely negative feedback, with many players reporting poor performance, frequent crashes, and significant frame rate drops even on modern hardware. While some users noted that the game can run smoothly with proper configuration, the overall consensus is that it suffers from serious optimization issues, particularly on lower-end systems and certain graphics cards. Despite these performance problems, many players still find the game enjoyable due to its engaging story and gameplay.
- “The engine is well optimized, and all the other surface level things are great.”
- “Performance: unlike the first game that had a few performance issues (not many but still a few) this sequel ran very well.”
- “Beautiful graphics and great optimization, an interesting story with a good neutral stance, memorable characters, and an immersive world that feels very alive.”
- “This game is very poorly optimized; I can't get it to run above 20 fps on my system. I have a Ryzen 3 with integrated Vega 3 graphics card laptop, and on paper, this system seemed to meet the game's requirements, but the performance is really bad.”
- “The only sad part, which in fact outweighs most of the good, is its poor optimization. Hardware to performance is really good, but the game often freezes and even crashes in a weird way.”
- “It's insane how poorly optimized this game is, but boy is it fun and good.”
atmosphere
319 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
40%
3%
The atmosphere in "The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings" is widely praised for its stunning graphics, immersive environments, and rich sound design, which together create a captivating and engaging experience. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a dark, gritty medieval world filled with political intrigue and moral complexity, although some feel it lacks the somber tone of its predecessor. Overall, the combination of detailed world-building, compelling storytelling, and atmospheric music contributes to its reputation as one of the best RPGs of its time.
- “The atmosphere, the music, and the character lines are just amazing, combining to create one of the best RPGs of all time.”
- “The environments and atmosphere are fantastic.”
- “The atmosphere delivered in this title is very engrossing, and as such, Witcher 2 is able to pull the player in and never let go.”
- “I loved Witcher 1 for its atmosphere; sadly, there is little of that to be found in this title.”
- “What this game lacks is the depressing atmosphere of the first game, which I think was spot on with the universe Sapkowski created. The Witcher universe is a gloomy medieval world filled with poverty, sickness, racial hate, and monsters, and the second game seemed to have a bit too much color, which bothered me.”
- “It's certainly a lot more polished, the story is darker, and the choices are harder and have a lot more weight to them; but the first game has this atmosphere to it that the second game lacks, and it had such a great soundtrack.”
stability
304 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent crashes, glitches, and bugs that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users experienced issues such as freezing, audio problems, and quest-related glitches, leading to frustration and a need for constant reloading of saves. While some players noted that the game can be enjoyable despite these technical problems, the overall consensus is that its stability remains a major concern.
- “Awesome game, plus it runs great on Linux!”
- “It runs great on my GTX 1060 unless you activate the ubersampling option, which definitely kills performance even on my rig, without sensible graphic improvements.”
- “I have a very low-end laptop and I did not expect this game to run... but it does, and it runs great!”
- “Oh yeah, it freezes after the end of chapter one.”
- “The game is buggy as hell; however, the control mechanics are clunky.”
- “Buggy to the point of being unplayable.”
grinding
213 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
7%
92%
The aspect of "grinding" in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding certain quests and combat encounters tedious and repetitive. While some appreciate the game's pacing and engaging story, others criticize the need for excessive grinding to acquire items and complete quests, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game is seen as less grindy than its predecessor, but still contains elements that can feel laborious, particularly in terms of inventory management and combat mechanics.
- “I also appreciated that this game wasn't as grindy as the first one was.”
- “There is no grinding for items and no bullshit.”
- “Overall, if you're a fan of RPG games, enjoy drowning your hours in killing monsters, completing quests and not grinding all day and all night just to get new stuff, then The Witcher 2 is your game.”
- “This is so tedious and random I just gave up.”
- “The kind of game you want to hug for having a great story and characters but stab through the throat right after for the horrendous combat and tedious gameplay.”
- “Grinding is required for the unique armor/weapon sets which I didn't bother doing for the third chapter.”
humor
160 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
2%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing, memorable characters, and a mix of dark and light-hearted moments. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, funny side quests, and the comedic interactions between characters, particularly Geralt's sarcastic remarks and the antics of supporting characters like Dandelion and Zoltan. While some found the humor to be less prominent than in previous installments, it still adds a significant layer of enjoyment to the overall experience.
- “The writing is good, funny, and can be thought-provoking at times.”
- “Dandelion brings in comedic effect with his funny remarks, and King Henselt brings in darkness with his tragic family drama.”
- “The humorous elements of the game fit in well with the game as a whole without overwhelming the more serious underlying tones of the game.”
- “It's not funny the way he's saying it, but in my head I'll just force it to be funny.”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel more awkward than amusing.”
- “I expected humor, but it mostly just made me cringe.”
character development
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
58%
3%
Character development in the game is widely praised for its depth and engagement, with players appreciating the intricate storylines, meaningful choices, and well-crafted character arcs. Many reviews highlight the effective character development systems that allow for diverse gameplay styles and personal investment in the characters' journeys. Overall, the combination of strong narrative, character interactions, and immersive world-building contributes to a rich and rewarding experience for players.
- “The character development, dialogue, and quests are all so fulfilling and engaging.”
- “The story, as well as the character development, is by far the strongest point of this game.”
- “An incredibly memorable game with unsurpassed character development.”
- “The game seems heavy-handed in moving the direction of the game they want in terms of character development.”
- “Character development is so weak that there isn't much to speak of.”
- “The character development system is, unfortunately, vaguely explained.”
emotional
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
1%
8%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its deep storytelling and character development, which fosters strong player attachment and investment in the narrative. Many players report feeling a range of emotions, from joy to sadness, particularly during pivotal moments and character interactions, with some even expressing that the game made them cry. However, some critiques mention that certain gameplay elements can detract from the emotional experience, leading to feelings of frustration or detachment at times.
- “Building emotional attachment with all of the characters in Witcher 1 and 2 will massively improve your experience with Witcher 3.”
- “The story was great for the most part, and the choices had me emotionally torn at points, and I loved every second of it.”
- “The story itself is neat, and the dilemmas you experience during the game can be pretty heart-wrenching, which adds another bonus point in my eyes.”
- “I have been playing for two hours now and it has been 1:50 minutes of insipid dialog, interminable cut scenes, and a really, really boring story line; all coupled with ten minutes of actual gameplay that is shackled by the most horrific mechanics I have ever had the misfortune to encounter in a game.”
- “How is this not a really boring story lightly propped up with boring gameplay?”
- “Act 1 and 2 are very boring story-wise, and while a lot does happen in 3, it is super short and there's only really like 3 side quests at most.”
monetization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
71%
The monetization aspect of the game is mixed; while it is reasonably priced with no pay-to-win elements, DLC, or microtransactions, some users feel it serves as a cash grab, particularly due to extensive advertising for other titles like The Witcher 3. Overall, the game avoids traditional monetization pitfalls but raises concerns about promotional practices.
- “Pay to win: no (no DLC, no loot boxes, no microtransactions).”
- “The game is very reasonably priced and there is no cash grab via DLC.”
- “A disgusting cash grab on the part of the publishers.”
- “The credits probably went on for 10 minutes before I hit escape, which actually did play the movie, which is really just an advertisement to buy The Witcher 3.”
- “The advertisement from the game that your choices matter is only half-true.”