I'm not sure.
Action Adventure was supossed to be my favorite genre. You know, the good old tales of saving the world from mythic creatures, short (or not) stories about masters and slaves, kingdoms and princess, dark lords and fairies. Pretty standard stuff, but it never gets old (for me). It always simple, hack, slash, jump, backtracking here and there, and voila, I'm pleased.
But the Western RPG genre is just a storm, impossible to miss.
First it was Jade Empire with its vibrant world nad charming eastern ambientation, then Mass Effect and its revolutionary moral system, then Oblivion with endlessa mounts of fun and customization, then Fallout 3 that is fairly Oblivion with Guns (and just as good). But only in the recent months the genre became a poewrhouse of revolution. Skyrim as you know is oblivion on esteroids, then Amalur became the best WoW since Wow, after it Mass Effect became the epitome of a dream come true, a game spanning 3 games, great.
but I wan't ready, I wasn't ready for THE WITCHER.
The Witcher 2 is the most un cliche of un cliche games. Your protagonist? An ugly scarred hated anti hero who works for pay.
Your mission? Just get money.
Your world? A decaying kingdom of civil wars, fallen kings and fights between races.
You are not saving the world, you are just living your story while watching a greater one happening, and it doesn't notice you. People doesn't respect you, guards doesn't fear you, you're a pawn, and they know it, you know it.
What makes the Witcher so special?
It's just foregin.
You have never played a game like this one before. Not only cliche fantasy races are twisted from their source material as it gets (Pretty Elves? not here, just bandits that like to tell pretty stories about themselves, for example). Potions aren't abusable, they can kill you, you must get every recipe for making anything, saving a maid in distress could cost you your head, or someone else's, refusing the offer from your mission giver won't break your game, etc...
The game is not about freeedom, it's a bout a story, a story that you shape but don't control. Were you impressed by ME choices? They don't hold a candle to this game. Did punch a mean guard in the prologue? He will come and steal all your weapons PERMANENTLY in the third act. That's the way it works here.
Did I mention than depending of a choice you have to make in 10 seconds you get a completely different game afterwards?
And the combat, ooh, the combat, I've never, ever, encountered such a fine sword combat engine. Every swing counts, a single enemy could kill you, but it's not unfair, this is no hack and slash, but the combat is so responsive and satisfying that you'll wish every fight was a little longer.
Add enormous bosses, magic and one of the best stories in the medium to make a game o be remembered by anyone who plays it.
I can't beg enoug, buy, play this game, and talk other about it, it's made with such care, with such love that no other AAA production has (besides Rockstar games, Arkham games and Elder Scrolls games). It's something like nothing before, and like nothing that will come afterwards, besides the new Witcher.
And after all, the biggest compliment that I could give to it, it's that all its rpg intricancies and complexity just melts with your brain, after a while, you won't think of number stats or skills, you'll just play.
Not bad for the most hardcore AAA game out there.