I`ve always seen expansions and add-ons as just another way of making gamers cough up some extra cash, while keeping new content to minimum and addressing issues that could have been very well fixed in a patch. Only a select few bring enough changes to warrant purchase and I`m glad to say that the Witcher Enhanced Edition is among them, and if you weren`t a Witcher fan before, prepare to become one.

Since there we already have a Review for the original game, I`m going to focus more on the differences between the two and see exactly what the "Enhanced" edition brings.

One of the major problems that the Witcher faced, were its abysmal loading times that successfully turned a great game into a serious source of frustration for most gamers. I`m pleased to say that this problem has truly been resolved and is not an issue any longer. This was the first thing I checked out after installing the game and even though the first loading of any map takes some time, consequent loadings are done swiftly. I know there have been a number of patches that all claimed to solve the problem, but none of them did anything for my computer, so the Enhanced edition is really a step forward in this regard.

Another thing that was criticized in the original was the fact that the English dialogues were shorter than the original Polish ones, and the facial animations of the characters were somewhat lacking. Steps were taken in the right direction, with new animations having been introduced, making all the dialogues look much more realistic and new dialogue lines have been re-recorded in English.

The Witcher Enhanced Edition also comes in a new package which includes an audio CD with the soundtrack, the DVD with the game, a Video DVD with behind the scenes footage, an extra DVD with bonus content for the PC. Of course the manual couldn`t be missing from the package, as well as a printed map and a small novel that serves as a nice introduction to the game, even though there are a few translation issues.

Two new missions have been added that can be played separately from the original campaign, and while certainly not on the long side, they can be entertaining enough and provide a little more detail to the story.

The inventory system has also been reworked, providing easier access to alchemical ingredients and also benefiting from an "arrange" button, but the game still suffers from the lack of items that plagued the original. There aren`t really a lot of weapons or armors that can be found for Geralt in the course of the game and I feel this could have been improved in this version. Of course, weapons can be upgraded using potions, providing more damage against different opponent types.

Several smaller changes have been made also, to improve the overall gameplay of the game, the most notable being the "loot all" button, if I can call it that. You simply have to keep the Ctrl key pressed while clicking on any lootable container, yes, that includes corpses as well, and Geralt will pick everything up if you have the space.

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Other than this, everything is the same in the world of the Witcher; only better looking, since the graphics has been worked on as well. Combat animations have been improved a little as well, but Geralt still pauses after every monster slain, or before drawing his sword, which is a little irritating especially when you want to pick up loot.

For those of you completely unfamiliar with the game, and those too lazy to read the original, let me remind you. You play as Geralt, a Witcher, those who are genetically enhanced to kill monsters, but frowned upon when their services are not required. Geralt is one of the few Witchers left alive who wakes up with amnesia in an old fortress, among other Witchers. Before he is able to recover his memory, the fortress is attacked and the notorious Witcher mutagens are stolen. Only a salamandra signet remains behind the attackers, but that is enough to start your quest.

Different from your standard RPG, the Witcher doesn`t offer the option of selecting different character classed, instead you can personalize Geralt as you see fit, in a manner that suits your playing style best. Bronze, silver and gold points are received at level up, more as your level increases and are numerous enough to cover most of the available skill tree. You can turn Geralt into a melee oriented Witcher, or into a more spell casing/mutagen drinking Witcher.

The combat is fast and fluid with numerous fighting animations and fatalities. You have the option of selecting between three different fighting styles, each one suited for different types of opponents, and you can also wield two different swords. The regular steel sword is suited for carving up human opponents, while the silver blade will make short work of any undead foes.

The world in the Witcher is painted in shades of gray, and I`m not only talking about the graphics, I`m talking about the quests as well. With no clear choices in most quests, you will be forced to choose the lesser evil, as Geralt so nicely puts it. The choices you make will also have a serious impact on how the game progresses, as choices in quests in first chapter can affect chapter four as well, for example. This ensures a great replayability value for the game, as even after completing it once, you will still have lots more to see and do.

With a more mature audience in mind, The Witcher doesn`t shy from using bad language and you can even have sex with a large number of different women in the game. For each one, a certain card will be unlocked, but you`ll have to play more than once to get them all, note to perfectionists.

The main quest will take up to 50 hours to complete, but finishing the side quests as well will certainly raise that number. As any game inspired by a book, there is a lot of background information available and you can clearly see this when you find different books in the game, worthy of your time.

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Conclusion:

I am truly impressed by the obvious improvements in this version and am glad to see the game become what it should have been from the start. Taking a look at the list of changes I think it`s safe to conclude that The Witcher Enhanced Edition is definitely worth buying and the good news is that it`s free for owners of the original version. This package certainly turns the Witcher into a masterpiece of RPGs, one that gamers have certainly been expecting for a long time. It`s nice to see that developers actually take a moment and see what`s wrong with their product, work on creating a better one, and releasing it as a free edition for those who have purchased the original, instead of attaching a new number at the end and getting extra cash.

Gameplay: 90

With fast paced combat that actually requires attention from the player, and a quest system with numerous choices that affect how the world around you changes, The Witcher proves to be an excellent game. The search for alchemical ingredients and different recipes, as well as the dice game, will occupy a lot of time as well, but there is nothing like the feeling of collecting your own herbs, brewing your own potion, and decapitating a big bad werewolf in 2 hits.

Graphics: 91

Certainly better than the original, seeing as character models have been improved, the world has become more colorful, and new animations have been introduced that make the characters looks less like motionless dolls when dialogues take place.

Sound: 90

The orchestral music available in the game truly shines, combining perfectly with the ambient sound effects. There`s nothing like hearing wolves howling in the night to send shivers down your spine. Also, keep in mind that when you buy the full package, you receive an audio CD with the soundtrack.

Multiplayer: n/a

Hardware: 87

A huge improvement over the original, although there still are bugs to be worked out and crashes to the desktop are not an uncommon occurrence. Loading performance has definitely been improved so you`ll see the loading screen much less... unless you die a lot.