My huge backlog thanks that it will not grow further with too much good stuff coming all at once, but better scattered instead.   

And nice to know PC version won't be dumbed down.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/20920/

Wooot

apparently that was just a rumor:

"The bigger change, however, is that the game will no longer support an overhead tactical view on any platform"

http://kotaku.com/5692653/dont-worry-dragon-age-ii-is-for-you-too

sorry for ruining your week again :P

Behind the shoulders is fine enough for me, if they don't dumb down the game. Usually I prefer top-down only in games designed to use that view exclusively, like Torment and various other classic AD&D ones, even better if the point of view and angle can be changed with some degrees of freedom as in great RTS' like Syndicate Wars and the Myth series (but not the horribly dumbed down and crippled Myth III).

I just hope they implement that view as good as it was made in Gothic, although I really understand that people preferring more strategic RPGs and not liking action RPGs, not even the good ones, will be deeply disappointed. Liking both styles I feel lucky, although it looks like to cater for one of the styles I like, I'll have to play mostly older games, or hope indie developers find that niche neglected by the big ones attractive. But one thing though is sure: managing a party in single player games can be done more deeply and effectively with a top-down view, and being able to pause the game and playing in turns (this latter feature was kept, according to the article), having all these features available is particularly important in battles against enemy forces both overwhelming by number and with many very strong foes, let's just think about the most difficult battles in Syndicate Wars, Myth I and II and in Temple of Elemental Evil (I cite also RTS' because they share with the most difficult combat intensive turn based RPGs the need of devising finer tactics).

Damn it. Refer back to my "dumbed down for the sorry ass scrubs who cant play a game if it required more than 3 brain cells" then.

"oh boo hoo this game sucks cause I can't play it well and don't get it." It's not the game that sucks, you are just too big of a fucking idiot to understand the combat system. The problem is you, not the game.

I'm done raging at idiots which are the reason for dumbing down good games and turning them to crap.

Edit: Obviously "you" didn't mean you specifically int he above post.

I never finished the first game but witcher 2 looks amazingly promising, tempted to pre order right now...

yes, I agree with you two (Alby and vlad). I know this will sound like bitter fanboy tears, but I actually didn't enjoy DA all that much (didn't get any paid DLC or even Awakening). calling it a "spiritual sequel" to BG brought nothing except disappointment, but it's fine that they realized their art was too generic. moving away from the "spiritual sequel" line will do just worse IMO, but as it's Bioware they'll surely be given "free pass".

anyway, back to The Witcher 2, there's no better deal than getting it on GOG.com: it's $45 too, but you can choose one of these 5 RPGs as a bonus: Realms of Arkania 1 2, RoA 3, Divine Divinity, Beyond Divinity or Gothic 2 Gold.

if you're in the UK, they'll give you a $6 USD credit to spend on GOG.com due to the "higher price". and if you're in Europe, you're given $16 USD.

That's a splendid deal. I like that they've got all the bases covered-

Want it without DRM? Get it from GOG.

Concerned about the relatively higher European price? We'll give you it back in store credit.

Want it on Steam with achievements? It's there too.

Want a physical product? Get the retail copy.

Fantastic, and really shows that they give a shit.

Sigh i preordered my numbered CE copy in the morning just a day after pre-orders were made available and i have number around 3000.

good to know it's selling well already, it's sitting about third on the steam top sellers as well.