The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (2011)

While not an in-game shot, it certainly encapsulates the action brought to the franchise by the second installment

A marked departure from its predecessor, The Witcher 2 sees C.D Prjojekt begin to really find its stride to the tune of both critical and commercial success.

Picking up from where the first game left off, Geralt is under suspicion of assassinating King Foltest of Temeria, and must work to clear his name while simultaneously finding the real killer. Similar to the first title, Geralt is often faced with choices that embody a “lesser of two evils” scenario, where either choice will come with its own set of consequences. After discovering that the assassin in question is fellow Witcher Letho of Gulet, Geralt must choose whether to let him live, or engage in a duel to the death. This journey of course, is filled with conflict every step of the way, but thanks to the new combat system, can be quite enjoyable.

The Witcher 2 experiences an almost complete overhaul to the combat mechanics of the first title, starting with simply more options in battle, including a host of new melee weapons and the introduction of throwing ranged weapons. Additionally, players can upgrade abilities following certain paths: each path will help to strengthen Geralt in a key component of the game’s combat. All this added up to a pretty successful launch for the company, and the game experienced new levels of popularity, with even President Obama receiving a copy during his visit to Poland.

The detail seen in towns has seen a sharp increase since the beginning of the franchise

An overhaul to the combat system plus new enemies made for an ehanced experience for gamers