Id have to agree with your first point and as for your second well the game definitely is in my top 5 RPGS of all time

The only thing I don't really like about it's graphics is Geralts hair, something about that just seems odd but it is without a doubt one of the better looking games out there.

Console trolls always make me LOL

Incorret best looking game to date period.

This game may be the best looking RPG I've played, but Planescape: Torment is still the best.  The Witcher and Witcher 2 can't even hold a candle to the writing in that game.

is that even a question? 

Saying it's the best RPG is a bit of a stretch and also highly subjective since it really depends on what you're looking for in an RPG. As for it being the best looking third person game so far, I would find it tough to disagree.

Wait, wait, wait... So a new PC game that pushes most peoples GPUs to it's max (and then some) looks better than the best looking console games?

The Invasion of the default icons!

@ryanwho: @Icemael said:

...I have seen plenty of screenshot, trailers and videos of the game being played (both official and unofficial) on the highest setting, which is more than sufficient when judging the graphics.

Next someone will tell me I need to play a game to judge its soundtrack.
     

@Icemael: Really, you're taking second-hand viewing of this game as the prime reasoning? I'm not going to insult your intelligence or anything, but it is more than CLEAR that the lighting, textures, animations, and various dynamic graphical things (weather, motion blur, etc) are much much better in a first hand viewing of TW2. It's almost obvious that this is trolling.

I don't think the clothes in this game are getting enough recognition. I mean, they look freaking incredible. So detailed and so unique between characters. I am constantly just staring at the clothes people are wearing in cut-scenes. So, so good.

@AlexW00d said:

@Icemael said:

Best-looking third-person game? Nah. Prince of Persia 2008, Okami, Alan Wake, Assassin's Creed II and others look better (even if they engines and so on aren't nearly as advanced).

I can't tell if you are trolling or just being pretentious but those games don't look nearly as good as the Witcher 2: which I assume you probably haven't played. The lighting is this game is as close to real life as I have ever seen; the only thing that is nearly as accurate is Metro 2033.
You're telling me that  http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z96/nub_cakes101/RealAssassinsCreed2Screenshot.jpg
looks better than  http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/1880/witcher2ultraubersampli.png
Because I really don't believe you.

I have not yet played The Witcher 2, but I have seen plenty of screenshot, trailers and videos of the game being played (both official and unofficial) on the highest setting, which is more than sufficient when judging the graphics. It looks great, but all of the games I mentioned look better. Assassin's Creed II mainly because of the architecture and the animation.

I'm with you, @Icemael.

I don't think the clothes in this game are getting enough recognition. I mean, they look freaking incredible. So detailed and so unique between characters. I am constantly just staring at the clothes people are wearing in cut-scenes. So, so good.

We have a persistent troll in here, men. Seems to be a lot more delusional than the ordinary kind.

........... You don't deserve your eyes.

It's a bit unfair to compare this to console games, but I will admit that it looks fantastic. It certainly makes me want to build a better gaming PC. As for it being a better RPG, I can't say as I haven't played it. It certainly looks to be decent. Whether you like it better or not probably depends on taste. Unfortunately, my current PC doesn't spec out enough to run this decently, otherwise I'd be playing it right now.

A lot of people with green names and few posts on here praising TW2....CONSPIRACY!!!!




Yeah it may be the best looking game, but calling it "the best RPG ever" is pretty subjective.

It's been a while since I've played a game that looks so beautiful I have to just stop and admire the scenery. Not even playing at full graphics, I'm around medium but it looks amazing.

As far as everything else this game is fantastic (gameplay, story, voice acting, music, etc).

Its one of the best "games" period to come out in a long time, the graphics are fantastic, the combat is deep and has no qualms about kicking your ass if you just stand there and mash, the characters and world are fully realized and even though I am still in the first area of the the game It's GORGEOUS, its becoming one of my top 3 really fast.

@Laketown: The Witcher 2 does have good art direction, and as I've said, I think it's a very good-looking game. I just don't think it's the best. Okami, despite its low graphical fidelity, was more pleasing to my eyes.

Meh, it has nice graphics, but it doesn't even compare to games like Okami or SoTC, in my opinion. 

Meh, it has nice graphics, but it doesn't even compare to games like Okami or SoTC, in my opinion. 

@Laketown: Yeah, but the game's still beautiful. Hopefully the SoTH/Ico HD release for the PS3 will solve that problem.

@Icemael: Because having features that improve graphics is bad, right? LET'S ALL STOP USING BUMP MAPS AND MAKE EVERYTHING FLAT!!

On a decent PC almost maxed out (no Ubersampling) the game looks incredible.
In a forest during the night at a low angle I got chills up my spine at how atmospheric it was. Like something you yourself imagine when reading a book.

@AlexW00d said:

@Icemael said:

Best-looking third-person game? Nah. Prince of Persia 2008, Okami, Alan Wake, Assassin's Creed II and others look better (even if they engines and so on aren't nearly as advanced).

I can't tell if you are trolling or just being pretentious but those games don't look nearly as good as the Witcher 2: which I assume you probably haven't played. The lighting is this game is as close to real life as I have ever seen; the only thing that is nearly as accurate is Metro 2033.
You're telling me that  http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z96/nub_cakes101/RealAssassinsCreed2Screenshot.jpg
looks better than  http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/1880/witcher2ultraubersampli.png
Because I really don't believe you.

I have not yet played The Witcher 2, but I have seen plenty of screenshot, trailers and videos of the game being played (both official and unofficial) on the highest setting, which is more than sufficient when judging the graphics. It looks great, but all of the games I mentioned look better. Assassin's Creed II mainly because of the architecture and the animation.

This game destroys dragon age. I cannot stand that game and it's crappy characters/lore.

The first witcher game destroys dragon age, and the TW2 takes a mighty dump on it from height.

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love the comment in the Quick Look about the Witcher 2 pounding the shit out of Fable III. Not the best RPG of all time, but certainly a refreshing change from much of the junk people are trying to sell us these days.

The shadows look fucking terrible for me.  Not sure if it's a bug.

"Shut up, Triss!"

When you say "highest setting", do you mean maxed out?. No conventional PC can run this game at maximum settings proficiently - this game will look even better next year...

Firstly, the architecture you talk of wasn't designed by developers at Ubisoft, it was designed by the great architects of the Renaissance, the likes of Brunelleschi and Bramante. Precise 3D plans, which can easily be obtained in many forms today, were exported into their engine and textured according to research data.

Secondly, the animation in this game shits on Assassins Creed 2's & Brotherhood, from a great height. All I remember from AC 2 & B, from an animation perspective, was jerky animations that lessened realism and facial expressions that seemed forced and unnatural. The Witcher 2 has some of the finest animation I've ever seen, it's so good it looks like a film at times, large scale battles look incredible.

@Icemael: You're the one who claimed that a game with no such features would look better.

Times like this I really wish I had a good PC rig. Just played some of this at a friends, and wow, it looks  AWESOME. I can only hope they do a console port, if that is even technically possible, because this game is sweet as fuck.

It's defnitely a stunner, but I'll keep the 'best looking' part reserved for a seamless open world game. I'm just inclined to differentiate between a limited stage with pretty backdrops and fully realized worlds open for free exploration. That said, no such game comes to mind right now.

The most recent fully realized open world RPG I've played was Gothic 3, which is quite old and hence can't hold a candle to Witcher 2's presentation. Risen 2 or Skyrim might pull it off. Looking forward to seeing them in action at E3. I'm suspecting Skyrim won't be seamless though. So that would disqualify it.