It’s been a long time since I last played a computer-based RPG that really got my attention. Sure, Oblivion and Morrowind were good, but a bit over hyped. Knights of the Old Republic? A very good game, but it hardly scratched that old school Gold Box itch. Really, the last CRPGs that really grabbed me by the throat and forced me to play them through to the end were Baldur’s Gate II and Planescape: Torment. The Witcher from CD Projekt not only possesses that quality, but beyond being epic in scope, it also adds a layer of grit and maturity to its design, and is easily one of the best games of 2007.

In The Witcher you don’t generate a character so much as you are assigned one. That character is Geralt, a white-haired professional monster hunter known as a witcher. In the game’s opening sequence we’re treated to a look at Geralt’s world, as he saves a monarch’s daughter from a curse that turned her into a bestial creature called a striga. The story then fast-forwards five years, Geralt is found prone in the woods by fellow witchers, with no memory of his past. Sure, the whole amnesia thing has been cliché longer than critics have been around to call something cliché, but the fact that we already have some insight into the character’s past and who he is helps mitigate the stale plot device CD Projekt has employed.

Geralt reawakens into a world in which the populace has turned against the witchers. Now, only a few remain, living isolated in the ruins of their castle. Taken back in by his brethren, it isn’t long before you’re thrust into the starring role as the home of the witchers falls under attack. When the dust settles, sacred artifacts are missing and the witchers split up in an attempt to unravel the mystery.

Controlling this game feels a lot like playing the original Neverwinter Nights. It is, after all, built on Bioware’s Aurora Engine. Only this world is much, much more beautiful. This game doesn’t quite boast the breathtaking visuals of Oblivion, but it nonetheless sets a high visual bar. There are three camera views you can use: two isometric views (a high and low angle) where you click your way around the world like Neverwinter or Diablo, and an over-the-shoulder view, in which you use the conventional WASD keys to move about. Personally, I found the isometric views more accommodating with my play style, but your mileage will vary and it’s nice that CD Projekt was able to successfully integrate both into the game.

Combat takes the traditional click-to-attack methodology found in games like Diablo and deepens it a bit. Clicking on an opponent or monster initiates an attack, but to follow-up successfully you need to keep clicking the mouse at the right moment. As Geralt swings his weapon the mouse icon eventually changes to a flaming sword. At that point you have a tight window in which you can click again to chain together further attacks. If you click too late you have to re-initiate the attack from scratch, which opens you up to a counter-attack, and if you click too soon you effectively cancel out Geralt’s advance, again, opening Geralt up to being hit. While still very simple, this system forces you to remain actively engaged in combat while not becoming a chaotic fest of clicks.

Taking the model further, Geralt has multiple attack styles at his disposal. Slower, stronger opponents require Geralt to fight with a strong attack style. More nimble opponents require a fast attack style. And if Geralt finds himself surrounded on all sides by those wishing him ill-will, there’s a group attack style, which can only be described as bad-ass. Additionally, Geralt eventually ends up with two primary weapons at his disposal, a steel sword for battles against other mortals and a silver sword for battering creatures and the supernatural. Using the wrong style or weapon against an opponent is never good. But while you can get away with it against some, against others the wrong style is tantamount to a death sentence.

Regardless of style, picture the best of any swashbuckling movie and you’ll get a small sense of what to expect from The Witcher. The fluidity and variety of animations in combat is marvelous. Best of all, you won’t see even a fraction of the moves at Geralt’s disposal at the beginning of the game, so there’s a lot more to see the deeper you go.