Poll of the Day > Plow through Witcher 2 on Easy for the story or take my time on Dark difficulty?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I finally finished The Witcher: Enhanced Edition and started a bit into The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition with my imported save file. To my understanding Witcher 2 only imports your decisions into Witcher 3 so already that kinda deters me from wanting to min/max for the best gear in Witcher 2. Plus I'd imagine it won't matter anyway as imported gear usually are only useful in the beginning and replaced soon after. I still plan to do side quests though.

That being said, I'm considering reading through the book series first before continuing with Witcher 2 and Witcher 3. If the series is as gripping or better than the A Song of Ice and Fire series I'd imagine I will go through it fairly quickly.

To those who have played both Witcher 2 and Witcher 3, do you feel it is still worth the time to play on Dark difficulty and go for the various gear or just ploy through on Easy for the story since only my decisions matters in Witcher 3?

Comments and opinions are appreciated,

Thank you

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I enjoyed the combat in witcher 2 enough to recommend something above easy, but from what I remember dark mode is more grindy than difficult. You'll likely have the most fun if you find a setting that feels challenging without being too tedious.

As you've already found out nothing beyond your story decisions carry over to witcher 3, so what difficulty you play won't have any long term impact.

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Dark mode is absolutley not for newcomers, I played through the game 3 times and still had an immensely difficult time with Dark mode. Everything will one shot you, no exceptions unless you get the special armors only available in that mode which cost a fortune and only give you enough protection to be two-shot for the next 5 or so levels.

You shouldn't play Dark mode untill you're intimately familiar with the game and have a strategy. Even normal is likely gonna kick your ass for the first few hours.

Tw2 is already hard enough with the maze-like level design and weird map system, but honestly do the arena mode at the start and it will tell you what difficulty you should play on.

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there really isnt any reason not to play it on easy mode

funkyfritter posted...

from what I remember dark mode is more grindy than difficult.

Thanks for the note. I probably will just lower the difficulty so I can continue playing without feeling the need to farm stuff. I read farming experience is less of a thing in Witcher 2 compared to Witcher 1 and like the previous game, the bulk of the experience comes from quests. Still, don't think I wanna resort to farming Oren for gear, especially if it won't carry over to Witcher 3.

Cruddy_horse posted...

Everything will one shot you, no exceptions unless you get the special armors only available in that mode

Is the Prologue the exception? I'd admit, going from being an overleveled tank in Witcher 1 to starting from scratch in Witcher 2, I was cocky in the first few encounters against the La Valette forces and died more than twice when I thought I could let myself get surrounded and cleave my way through.

minervo posted...

but honestly do the arena mode at the start and it will tell you what difficulty you should play on.

I did and game suggested Easy. I'd admit my ego refused to accept the game telling me that and in my defense, I was playing like how I played in Witcher 1. Granted I won't deny I sometime grind until I'm overleveled so no different from play on Easy.

After dying multiple times in the Prologue I realize I can't play like how I did before and resorted to some hit-n-run tactics and using chokepoints. I'll redo the Arena anyway now that I am more familiar with the mechanics and realize how important Quen is. Funny that I used Quen in Witcher 1 as a flashlight but now it seems like a bread-n-butter spell.

Does utilizing traps and throwing daggers become a must in Witcher 2? Felt like the Arena was suggesting that especially given I was in a confine space and can't run away.

LaggnFragnLarry posted...

there really isnt any reason not to play it on easy mode

Given how much grinding I did in Witcher 1 until Chapter 5 was a pushover, I might as well. That or maybe Igni was simply too good of a spell in Witcher 1 once upgraded and I'm drinking the right potions.

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