One of the best things about The Witcher so far?  Geralt telling people to “shove off”.   It’s so ….. understated.

The Witcher is set in a world where men are men, and women are waitresses, nurses, nuns and sex workers.  I think I’ve been spoiled by games where you can select your sex at character creation and it makes no difference to the story.  I’ve become so used to seeing women police officers and women soldiers that it comes a shock to find myself in such a male-dominated environment, with no chance to do anything about it.

But, as I said in my last post, I grew up in that sort of environment.  I’m older than most gamers.  I remember the days when girls had to do cooking and sewing at school while the boys studied the “manlier” subjects.   I’ve had to work with people who thought I should be at home, keeping house.  The fantasy world of the Witcher is just a reflection of reality.

Meanwhile, I’m still struggling with my Geralt, whose conversation choices often leave him seeming rude, dismissive or aggressive.   Maybe that’s the way he’s supposed to be, but oh, I miss my Commander Shepherd being able to give somebody a hug, or even talk them into being a better person.   Making somebody a better person: so close to impossible in real life, so easy and satisfying in games.

Here’s an example of my possible dialogue choices.  My Geralt had wandered into an old lady’s house, and she’d thrown him out several times.   Finally, she allowed him to stay and he spoke to Shani who was lodging there.   Shani told him the old woman was making her life hell, and I was given the following selection of replies for Geralt…

I couldn’t decide whether to insult women in general (and Shani in particular), to insult old people in general, or to wish death on somebody.   There was no option to point out, for example, that a single old woman might be justified in throwing out a slightly scary looking  hired killer who had entered her house without asking.  (Or to ask why Shani is disguised as Peter Pan).

I finally chose “Old people are like that”, because after all, Geralt isn’t in his first flush of youth, so would surely be saying it with an ironic self-deprecating tone.  Maybe I should have explored the “women should be married” angle instead.  It would have been interesting to see if Shani agreed.

Why do the old women all look the same?   Even down to the mole?  (Old woman eats her tea while I root through her cupboards)

Isn’t this the same person I met at Shani’s house?  And in the swamp?  Strange how you never see them in the same room together.    When I first saw an old woman in the game, I was impressed that the effort had been made to make her look aged, instead of just putting different skin complexion on a young body model (Wynne from Dragon Age, I’m looking at you).  I was disappointed when I found out that it had only been done once: all old women look exactly the same.

And it’s not just the old women.   While some of the key NPCs have an individual look, I seem to be getting a sense of deja vu with the rest.    It’s great that there are different body models rather than just a choice of male or female, but I’d have loved to see more individual variation.  Some of the scenery in the game is stunning, and it’s a shame that there doesn’t seem to have been so much love put into creating the people of The Witcher.