I'm not great at computer games, but I can generally do okay at most and complete them on normal difficulty. Some time spent playing TW2 however, has just made me doubt what gaming credentials I have. The worst things are those Nekkars that come out of the ground in packs. Sometimes I can pick a few off, but there's just too many and I get mobbed.

I've tried the easy setting, but that one is at the other end of the spectrum. So I either get to choose between grinding my teeth at dying all the time or feeling bored because the game is too easy and there's no challenge at all.

What's everybody's opinion on the difficulty?

Use the search, there are a number of topics on this and also handy hints and tricks how to become a better witcher.

I'm playing on normal and I like the difficulty. Not too hard, not too easy, but still challenging. And I'm one of those guys who grew up with The Bard's Tale and the Ultima series... ;)

Once you understand how the combat system works the difficulty is IMO just about right.

I've done a little vid, nothing fancy, just showing how to deal with several enemies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS6463DdJfk

Prologue on Normal was a challenge but mainly due to getting used to the mechanics. Having played a bit of Chapter 1 I may move to Hard difficulty.

Well, hard is pretty hard. Tried easy for a fight to respond to another post and geeze. I got the distinct impression that you could beat the entire game naked with no skill points spent just swinging your sword wildly all game long without loosing any health.

As for normal...hrm. Do you use Quen so that you aren't interrupted in your attacks by being hit? It doesn't last long but it's probably the most important skill when fighting packs of mobs, since even when you have the skill that lets you deal group damage, it's not as effective as in the first game at keeping enemies at bay.

The other option is to use Yrden, and using both Quen and Yrden help a lot when facing a lot of mobs.

Also, do you press Alt to lock on to a target? Without locking on, Geralt tends to attack whatever the game thinks is closest to you (supposedly), and often automatically attacks the mob in the middle (ie: by attacking it, you allow all the mobs to the side to pincer you). Once I got used to picking my own targets and locking on to them with Alt, fights got a lot less chaotic.

Those are the basics to dealing with multiple mob encounters. You can get fancy with bombs and traps as well, and while they're quite effective, I originally found myself going through them far too fast so quickly learned to play without them.

Hope that helps.

Well im not gonna lie - i think its hard too, to be honest its very hard on normal, its possible, but sure as hell not as easy as people say.. i died just about 20 times in the kings will - on the last knight fight when u get trough the tunnels.!

And thats only Prolouge !

Hmm, i got it done , so now its easy for me to say its easy - but sure was a tough fight.!

if u google a bit u can see its a commen problem, many people think its too hard, so no ur not the only one who think its too hard, regardless to what people are saying in here :/

they are just too found of them selfs too be honest . [my opinion]

im a pretty skilled player my self
Elder scrolls - oblivion
Two Worlds 2
Divinity 2
diablo
world of warcraft Etc. Etc ...

And i still think this is hard

Dont bother answer back i wont see it.!

This is what is meant by PEBKAC.

(WARNING: SPAM),

I finished an entire game on 'HARD' difficulty, without any gloves, the starting black pant and
starting blue_with_black_leather_stripes_shirt_kinda_armor.

Game is just extremely easy, easy, easy and INSANE. No hard difficulty..

Not really hard no, maybe the bosses are but all the rest gets easier as you proceed further in the game. So long (I'm in chapter 2, on Hard) the real frustrating moments for me were the first encounter with the Endrega Queen, then Kayran and Letho but I managed by observing their patterns and adopting the right tactics. Problem is controls feel like those of an action game and one is tempted to focus on mashing keys rather than on preparation and getting the best equipment possible. And that's a mistake, this isn't Devil May Cry or God Of War.

Witcher 2 actually beats both Devil May Cry or God of War, and its hard..if one plays Insane difficulty.

(Imagine playing either DMC or GOD and dying in it, to permanently disable/delete the save states/progress)

lol, I'll never play on Insane, got too many games waiting on my shelf that need to be played,, and soooooooo litlleeeeeeee timeeeeeee. Plus I'm old, there's a finite number of games I'll be able to play before getting blind, deaf and senile. ;)

Just go on with it. In your third playthrough you may be killing all with an arm tied up behind your back and your eyes closed on Hard diff. There's lots of room for player improvement and game gets easier and easier. Just don't try that on Insane diff. Keep your arms free and eyes wide open then! Death is final! hehehe

Since the game is definitely worth many playthroughs because of the different choices, (and because it's fraking awesome game too) just use the first ones for learning and experimenting.

I would say that rapidly somersaulting backwards is probably the most important skill. :D It does, after all, buy you time to do other things and lower the risk of being rapidly stun-locked and killed.

Running around an sufficiently large obstacle while you regain health and vigor can also be critical... where you know that running around won't send you into even more enemies.

Skill point wise, a couple of points in Position (so you take less damage from behind) and Quen (so it lasts longer and damages the attackers) will greatly enhance survivability. There are blocking-related skills that make it more effective (more damage blocked) and cheaper (less vigor cost). I'm less certain about Footwork, because it's not clear that you can abort the roll and sometimes you don't WANT to go that far.

Knowing where to run so you can draw out limited numbers -- again, usually backwards with just a small number of enemies following -- is also good. In certain rare situations, it's possible to kill enemies at zero risk because you can get a position where they can be hurt but they *cannot* hurt you.

beautiful technic